The Baker Street Boys - The Case of the Stolen Sparklers Read Online Free PDF Page B

thorough search, the jewels must still be somewhere in this house. All we have to do is find them, and the case is solved.”

 

“L ADY M A IN ’ T A LL S HE S EEMS ”
    For the rest of the day, Queenie was kept very busy by Mrs Ford, washing-up and cleaning in the kitchen and running up and down stairs fetching and carrying until she thought her legs would drop off. She took regular trays of tea to Inspector Lestrade and two detectives, who were searching the house again from top to bottom, so she was able to take note of what they were doing. They did not find anything.
    Queenie was in the drawing room making up the fire and cleaning the hearth when the inspector searched it, watched by Lady Mountjoy and her brother, who both looked upset and nervous. Gerald stood by his sister, holding her hand to comfort her as Lestrade pulled books from shelves, opened drawers, peered behind pictures and curtains, tapped on walls to check for secret panels, tinkled a few notes on the grand piano to make sure nothing was resting on the strings, then lifted the lid and looked inside to make doubly sure. Finally, he stood in front of the life-sized oil painting of Lady Mountjoy, dressed in a beautiful ball gown and wearing all her jewels, including the tiara, that hung on one of the walls. He examined it and shook his head.
    “I believe we can be certain, my lady, that the jewellery is not in this room,” he said. “It would be quite easy to hide a diamond ring, say, or even a small necklace – but not the tiara.”
    “What could the girl have done with it?” Gerald asked.
    “That, sir, is the question. And we must also ask if the theft was planned in advance.”
    Lady Mountjoy looked doubtful. “I don’t believe Polly was bright enough for that,” she said.
    “Then someone must have put her up to it,” said Gerald. “Told her what to do and how to do it.”
    “That, sir, is a possibility. But some of these youngsters are sharper than they look, as I have discovered to my cost on several occasions.”
    Queenie just managed to stop herself laughing – as she knew Wiggins and the others would do when she told them what the inspector had said. But she kept quiet and hoped that none of the grown-ups would notice she was still there, and listening, as she carried out her tasks.
    “Am I correct in assuming that the jewels were normally locked in the safe in the library?” Lestrade asked.
    “Yes,” Lady Mountjoy replied. “They were.”
    “And you alone had the key?”
    “That is correct. I only brought them out when I was going to wear them for special occasions.”
    “I see. So anyone wanting to steal them without breaking into the safe would have to do it on such an occasion?”
    “Yes.”
    “And plan it in advance.”
    “Or they could just see them and grab them on an impulse,” Gerald said.
    “And then look for a secret hiding place?” Lestrade asked. “I hardly think your maid had time for that, do you?”
    At that moment, Lady Mountjoy caught sight of Queenie.
    “Leave that, Queenie,” she told her, “and get back to the kitchen.”
    “Yes, my lady.”
    The inspector looked round.
    “Queenie?” he said. “I thought your name was Victoria?”
    “Yes, sir. It is. People call me Queenie, for short, like.”
    “Yes, yes,” said Lady Mountjoy impatiently. “Run along, now.”
    Queenie picked up the coal bucket and scampered out of the room. Lestrade’s brow creased in thought as he watched her go, then he shrugged and turned back to her ladyship.
    It was getting dark by the time Wiggins returned to HQ. When he pushed open the door, he was greeted not by the appetizing aroma of one of Queenie’s stews, but the sour smell of boiled cabbage and turnips.
    “Pooh!” he exclaimed, wrinkling his nose. “What a pong.”
    “Sorry, Wiggins,” Beaver apologized. “It’s all we could find.”
    “Yeah, I know,” said Wiggins. “Ain’t nobody can get stuff out of the shopkeepers like our Queenie. Never