Sherlock Holmes and the Red Maverick

Chapter 3-A Mutual Agreement

Cameo's POV

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I sat back on the stiff bed of my prison cell. Trying to sigh away the anxiousness in my gut. They were coming for me. The strange envelope clutched in my hand signaled that. My attempt to shake them off had failed and in turn I had failed. I would have to face the dire consequences of my actions now. But it would not be by the judges that Sherlock thought I would face. I was already judged. This envelope in my hand that was empty beyond the 5 little orange pips signaled my imminent demise that was dawning on me. I glanced at the paper beside me and flipped through it to my favorite section.

His companion Watson sometimes chronicled the amazing events that would unfold around Sherlock and his clients. The story he had sold to the paper today was coincidentally about the 5 orange pips. A re-run of course.  I had read this story before. Yet it did not weigh as heavily on my conscious. The same fate the man in the story was charged with was now my own. I would die just as he did. Most likely still clutching this little envelope with only 5 orange pips in it. Would Sherlock have enough evidence that time around to find my killer or would it baffle him just as it had in the story etched on the dry pages now beneath my nose.

I looked up at the sound of foot steps clomping down the hall toward my cell at the end. I walked over to the bars and leaned against them with my hand holding the paper swinging on the outside of the bars. Watching in surprise as Sherlock and a single guard came around the curved wall into my view. I smiled broadly at him as he approached and Sherlock waved his hand at the guard so that he may continue his way on his own. 

He stopped in front of the bars, standing just before me and examining me intently. I took note that his clothes seemed to have been recently dampened and his hair had only just dried. 

"I see you've taken a swim recently," I smiled at him

He squinted at me for a moment and then returned the smile. 

"Yes, after a quick examination of your ship Im afraid." He said curtly "I was driven from it by a couple of arsonists. Not under your hire I imagine."

"No," I shook my head, realizing with a great wave of sadness that my ship was nothing more than a charred hunk of wood at the bottom of the Thames. "What can I do for you today, Mr.Holmes?"

"Documents were strewn all over your desk in your cabin." He said, leaning in closer "Documents detailing the transfer of funds from your bank account to another. Others documenting your several passages to China. Care to explain?"

I smiled and glanced at the paper in my hand. I held it up to his face and he turned his head to look at it with slight curiosity.

"One of your adventures Mr.Holmes." I smiled "I am, to say the least a fan of yours. This is one of my favorites although it disappoints me that you did not finish the case as you did with the others. It seemed to simple, well as simple as any of the others that you broke down with your keen eyes. And yet, you could not find the culprit for this case nor save your client. Funny, I seem to have found myself in a similar predicament, Mr.Holmes. I made my case plain to you in order to search out your help. Though I think part of my plan has failed. The evidence of that is here."

I leaned over and grabbed the envelope with the 5 orange pips inside and handed it through the bars to him. He took it, opened the flap, and peered inside. His quick eyes bounced in to the envelope and back to my face quickly. His jaw was set and his eye brows furrowed. His eyes jumped around examining everything in hopes of some clue to this mystery. I had hopes that he would find one as well. Perhaps this predicament would not be so hard to get out of. 

"5 orange pips?" he asked himself "The Ku-Klux-Klan?"

"No, I think not." I answered back "It seems to me, Mr.Holmes. That we might both serve a purpose to each other? I hoped, from the beginning that you might help me get out of this mess. Perhaps I could help you to do so? But, I think, not from behind these bars."