At The Plaza Majestic.

Chapter 4

I woke in the morning feeling calm and rather serene, which was ironic, considering the whirlwind of drama that hit me as soon as I walked out of my door. There was a small crowd of murmuring porters and hotel staff blocking the hall, and I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Unsure whether to push my way to the front or walk away, I sort of hovered in my doorway, standing on tiptoe to try and look over people's heads. The commotion seemed to be spiralling out of on particular doorway, a little way down from mine. There was a little more time of me continuing to hover, until the crowd parted and a stretcher was brought down towards me. The body on the stretcher was very still, with a white sheet over it. I was tackled by a broad shouldered young porter with, it appeared, a vastly blown up sense of his own importance.

"Madam, I must insist you step inside, there is nothing to worry about here..." he began. I realised that I was going to have to play the part very thoroughly to stop myself getting into trouble.

"Was...was that person dead?" I asked, butting in.

"Madam, if I could but just have one word" the porter cut in over me, ignoring my question.

"But..." I stammered.

"We understand that you may be in considerable distress. I beg of you not to reveal what you have just seen to any other guests."

"But...but that person was dead, wasn't he?" I asked again. "Actually dead?"

The porter seemed to be getting frustrated with my apparent lack of  brain cells. I saw his thought processes, and had worked out roughly what he was about to say before he said it.

"Madam, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about" he bluffed. "That was simply some sheets being removed from one of the rooms, after a...compromising situation, if you get my drift."

"Oh, I do, sir!" I smiled, trying to sound convincing. "I won't say a word."

The porter seemed to sag with relief, and hurried out. I shut the door after him, before collapsing onto a chair. This was bad. I couldn't be certain, but I had an ominous feeling I knew who that body had been. If I was right, then Smart and I were now in way, way over our heads. Well, my head, definitely. I didn't know whether Smart had been in this situation before.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. I slowly got up to open it, and Smart was standing there.

"Have you seen this?" he asked, pointing down to where the crowd of staff had almost dispersed.

"I have" I replied, sighing knowingly. "Apparently, they're removing some bedsheets after a...compromising situation."

Smart laughed.

"Oh, is that so? Well, I wouldn't like to be involved, I'd say! Breakfast?" he offered, and I graciously accepted. I wasn't sure whether he actually knew I wasn't being serious. He needed to know, since if Slade was dead like I assumed he was then we were in a whole lot of trouble.

"Can we go out today?" I asked him, as we came down the stairs.

"Out? Where?" Smart asked. I shrugged.

"I don't mind. Surprise me."

I knew I was confusing him, as we had arranged to stay in the hotel today, but I needed to get us out for the day in case people started poking around asking questions. There was also the fact that, if Scotland Yard were called in, Smart could be recognised by someone who didn't know about our mission and then pandemonium would ensue.

"If...you're sure" Smart agreed hesitantly. "I'll take you to Hampton Court Gardens for the afternoon. You'll like it, I'm sure."

It was on a lonely bench in a quiet corner of Hampton Court Gardens that I was finally able to break the news.