The Baker's Detective

| The Safe and the Tarts |

Sherlock, John, and Lily soon exit the house through the backdoor, going into the backyard and the garden. There's a flower bed running all around the house, starting on one side of the back door and traveling to the front, which they saw when they arrived. The same is the case on the other side.

Sherlock follows this flower bed, looking closely at it, and Lily does the same, though she isn't quite sure what she's looking for. Then, Sherlock stops under a window, where there are divots in the dirt directly under it. As if someone had been standing there, and likely for a decent amount of time. Lily voices this thought. "Someone's been here."

"Precisely," Sherlock replies.

"You think it's the boyfriend Hayley was talking about?" John asks.

Sherlock shrugs. "Could be. I think this window is in the part of the house where the maid would usually be. It's also well-hidden." He points to the hedge next to the house, then the wall that juts out on the other side, where the door is. This window is back in a corner of the yard. "In the dark, you'd hardly be able to spot someone if they were standing here."

"The perfect secret meeting place," Lily says, looking in the window. The curtains are slightly parted, and she can only see white wall between them. John is looking with her, and also at the divots and the surrounding flowers, careful not to step on evidence. Lily, when she turns, sees Sherlock at the other end of the yard, near the gate that leads to the road. He's crouched, looking at it, near what Lily thinks is the latch. She starts to walk over to him, but then he straightens and heads back to the house.

"Someone opened that gate in a hurry," he says.

"Trying to make a quick getaway?" John replies.

"Most likely."

"What now?" Lily asks, finding that she hopes there's more to do. She doesn't want to go home, even though she has some things that need doing.

Sherlock thinks for a moment, then answers, "I'm going to look at the window from the other side, and then... I think I'll have a look at the safe."

They go back inside and easily find the window, which is near the kitchen and storage for cleaning supplies and the like. Where the maids, cooks, and any one else not of the family would be. Sherlock examines the sill, opens the window, and inspects it further. Finally, he closes it, then turns and moves to another window, along the same wall but into the dining room. He passes Mr. Holder on the way, who tries to get his attention. "Mr. Holmes. Mr. Holmes. Can you find the coronet? Mr. Holmes-"

But Sherlock is busy opening the second window, and it's harder for him to open this one. He turns to Mr. Holder, cutting him off mid-sentence. "How often do you open this window?"

Mr. Holder, confused, answers, "Well, almost never. I can't remember the last time that's been opened."

"The window over there has certainly been opened many times," Sherlock says.

"What window?" Mr. Holder asks, and Sherlock shows him. "Why would this window be opened? Who opened it?"

"I have a few guesses," Sherlock replies.

"And how does this help you find the missing piece of the coronet?"

"I need to figure out who's guilty of taking it."