The Case of the Smuggler's Wife - Chapter 4

Inside Marlowe's office, Sheryl dropped onto the couch while Watson gently sat down.

Meanwhile, Marlowe walked over to the coffee maker and asked the two if they'd like some, "Coffee?"

"Yes!" Sheryl replied enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, Watson replied politely with, "Yes, thank you, Marlowe."

Marlowe brought three coffees and placed them onto the coffee table. He then sat down onto the sofa across from Sheryl and Watson. The three each take a sip from their coffee, and Sheryl let out a satisfied sigh.

"Didn't sleep again, Marlowe?" inquired Sheryl.

"Yeah, I was on a case."

"Would be it be a case that involved someone named Virginia Summers?" asked Watson.

Marlowe was about to take another sip of his coffee, but upon hearing the name, he stopped and asked, "Yes, did something happen to her?"

Sheryl and Watson paused for a moment before Watson replied, "She's dead. We found her body this morning, in the back alley of  The Golden Inn."

"The Golden Inn..., that's where I left her last night," Marlowe replied heavily.

"When did you last see her?" asked Watson.

Marlowe replied, "It was a bit before 2 in the morning."

Watson stood up, and said, "Then that makes you a suspect, please come back with us to the sta-"

Once again though, Watson was interrupted by Sheryl, "Hold up there, Watson. Let's hear his whole story before we do anything rash."

Sheryl ate another piece of candy as Watson stood there in disbelief. She then took out another piece of candy and offered it to Watson, "Candy?"

Watson dismissed the candy again, "No! I don't want your candy! We have a job to do, stop eating candy like an addict!"

"But Holmes was an addict too..." Sheryl muttered.

"To cocaine!" yelled Watson.

There was a pause in the air as Marlowe sipped his coffee. Calmly, Marlowe said, "It's just candy, Watson."

There was another pause before Watson yelled, "That's not the point! The point is that-"

Sheryl interrupted again, "So Marlowe, tell us about this case that you were working on."

Watson sighed in frustration and sat back onto the couch as Marlowe began his flashback.