Devon Holmes: The Alibi's Masquerade by Bonita Highley - HTML preview

Devon Holmes

The Alibi’s Masquerade

Copyright©BonitaHighley2024

No AI TRAINiNG

The Alibi’s Masquerade It was like any other day. I had just gathered my daily newspaper from the front porch, taking it with me into the kitchen when seeing my three kids had taken over the kitchen table with their school assignments science books laid out across the table. Hamish, the Mycroft, as he preferred us to call him, diligently in his focus in study into math and John Sherlock, the oldest, having a hand in teaching our youngest Cathern, the fine points of Science mechanics of lock picking.

Placing the newspaper down unto the counter, then taking the kettle to pour my usual cup of British breakfast Tea of hot Earl Grey, with crumpets on the side of the plate, the steam swirling of the most delectable aroma as I placed the newspaper under one arm, the cup with plate in the other hand, as I managed to balance my way back into the office where I saw my wife, Devon Holmes waiting for me while enjoying her own breakfast.

John, sitting down beside her, teaching for his first sip of the tea. “ The children are doing well in their studies I see.”

Devon, “Its Elementary, my dear Watson.”

John, “And what do you have in your hand?”

Devon, “It’s an invitation to a most enchanting wedding.

From a very prominent Prince Arnel to be married to an heir Princess Amelia. I doubt that I would ever attend it.”

John, “Oh and why not? Very grandeur to be apart of.” Biting into his crumpet, he takes a vast look at his front page newspaper. “Well look at that, speaking of the Heir princes

herself.” Staring at the photo.” She’s quite attractive isn’t she.”

Devon, taking note of the photo. “Yes, I’d say.”

John, “Those piercing blue eyes.”

Devon, taking another note of the photo. “Yes, I’d say.”

Looked at him

John, “Her hair stylish.”

Devon, finishing her breakfast, placed her arm onto the table upward, setting her face on her upward hand for the last response to him. “Yes, I’d say.”

John, peeked at Devon from his paper. “Yes, now if only they had an actual decent photograph of her without her mask on.

Safety precautions I suspect. Did I have you there for a minute?”

Devon, smirking. ”Now my John. What could possible ever come between us?”

John, kissed her. ” No one my love. Come on, let’s do this.”

At the arrival at the palace, A man, a Mr. Mathews. A rather tall man of stature, greeted us at the most extravagant golden door. “Welcome to Hamleton Palace!, please come in.”

Devon and I when entering inside the palace of the high vaulted ceiling I had ever seen, Prince Arnell Hamleton most gracious came to us.

Prince Arnell Hamleton, smiled. “My fiancée. will be coming shortly. We are an arranged couple by my father and the Princess’ family. We have not met yet. But I trust it will be a pleasant gathering and we will love each other for life. I am looking forward to see my future bride’s face for the first time as we she takes off her mask before our ceremony of marriage as customary. And ahh, here she is just coming from her room. Princess Amelia. My fiancée. And her maiden, Madam Breget with her. Princess Amelia, let me introduce you to Devon Homes and John Watson.”

Devon smiles at the princess. “It’s honor to meet you Princess Amelia. This is my husband, Detective John Watson.”

John smiles at her.

Princess Amelia, stood. “I guess its ok to say I’m a little nervous but very happy to be here about to marry by tomorrow.” She spoke gentle.

John, “Well it is a pleasure to be here to see the wedding. I no doubt you will have good fortune forever for you and Prince Arnell? “

Devon, “Yes and this palace was built with a great strength of a fortress.”

Princess Amelia with kind smile. “Right, Shall we all get prepared for tomorrow. I shall go into the sanctuary for prayer for our good fortune.”

Prince, taking her hand, kisses upon it. “

Princess, giving him a sweet caress of love upon his face with her gentle hand.

Prince Arnell, seeing her leave. “I am the lucky one here. I too shall go in prayer. Mr. Mathews will be here for any helping in need.” He tips his head in leaving in respect.

John, “To our room?” With a wink.

Devon, “To our room.” She concurred with a smirk.

John, taking her hand as they left to their room.

One hour later…

Devon, opened their door. Placing a cart of dirty dishes out for the maid in the doorway, taking a double look into the corridor, she sees Princess Amelia in mask, sneaking out from Mr. Mathew’s room. Stumped in curiosity. “John. Come here please.”

John, stood by her. Seeing the same thing. “Well you look at that.”

Devon, with curious expression. ”What do you think of that?”

John. With strange expression. ‘Well, it wouldn’t go down well if that was me.”

Devon, “Ya you’re right there. You’d have some explanation to do with me.”

John, “Well It not really none any of our business is it?”

Devon, “I suppose not. Best we get some rest for tomorrow’s wedding.”

John, closes the door.

The following morning. Devon and I finely dressed. Devon, beautiful as ever in her little black dress, and I, in top notch suit. Everyone gathered on time, prompt at 9Am. All the wedding décor neatly applied fit for a newly nuptial couple for a Prince and Princess, but with one more added trifle ingredient, as Detective Greg Lestrade enter into the room, It was almost as if, the scene of a crime has taken place.

Regardless of this action taken place. I stood next to Devon, my wife, giving her that look of, ‘ok, what’s up’.

Devon, placing her soft hand onto my face, giving me a most caressing kiss. “G-Morning my love.”

John, regardless of enjoying that kiss.“ DEVVVON. Whats up, my love?”

Devon, “MmWhat, my love?”

John, not amused. “I thought we had an agreement. To not get involved, that’s not our business.” He gave her a naughty look.

Devon, “Ok. I called for Lestrade to come. There’s nothing unlawful about that.”

John, unamused. “And, why my love. Right or wrong, there’s nothing unlawful if two people are possibly fooling around behind other people’s backs, now is there.”

Devon, “No. But perhaps there is for possible impersonation.

When I met Princess Amelia again this morning, she had an awkward stance with me. had cut me off sharply, I swear, one would think that was not her I greeted this morning. In fact, she said nothing at all. Just dead silence when I asked her,

‘how was her night’?.”

John, gave her a glare stare of disapproval. “Well What would you expect she’d say, come on over, the water is fine, oh by the way, come and join us? ”

Devon, “I expected her, to act like a proper princess. To act dignified in answering my question that had no other bearing on that subject, except for, How was your night? In fact her personality was more like her maiden’s. But with a touch of something to hide. And she still wears the mask. Maybe to mask her identity. Or maybe like an alibi of no disclosure.” She gave back his look to him. “Come on, let’s greet her. Ask her the same questions from yesterday. Her maiden was with her.”

John, following Devon to the Princess, stood next to her.

”Princess Amelia. Well it is a pleasure to be here to see the wedding. I no doubt you will have good fortune forever for you and Prince? “

Princess Amelia, straight faced, no words spoken, looked away.

Devon, “Yes and this palace was built with a great strength of a fortress…..”

Princess stood with no words, ignoring them.

Devon, ‘Princess Amelia. Are you feeling well this morning?

You seem out of sorts from yesterday. I have not seen Madam Breget this morning.”

Princess , taking a sip of her red chardenay, “Excuse me, I shall be going now.” She said with in a flatened accent, walked away.

John, giving an awkward look at her. “Her voice. That’s not her voice, it was different from yesterday.”

Devon, “Right, Let’s see her other talents lurking within her.”

John, walking out of the room with her as there ever so carefully snuck around the corner quietly, then suddenly stop to see her, unusual actions as to taking out a book from the corridor’s bookcase, with a big smirk on her face, then replacing the book back inside the bookcase, then cautiously looking both ways, walking off.

John and Devon, bewildered, went back into the room of guests, Devon, taking glances of Lestrade and Mr. Mathews as she taking swigs of her drink.

Mr. Mathews, “This Devon Holmes. Is she knowledgeable or is she just putting on a fascade?”

Lestrade, Mr. Mathews “Let me give you a little insightful warning. She knows all the ins and out in her own right and everything of what I taught her. Be honestly upfront with her or you will have to deal with her personally and believe me she is one not to be reckoned with, you don’t want to mess with her. She is very cleaver that even a magnifying glass could not pick up a minut of clues left behind doesn’t stand a chance.

Mr.Mathews, “I see. Very well. Will you please excuse me, I shall attend to my other guests.” He tipped his respectful head of farewell to him.

Lestrade, doing the same. Taking a big breath, then sighed, he went to John and Devon. “That man is hiding something. I’m going to have some more chats before retiring to my room for

the night. Report back to each other. Right see you both later.”

John, “I think I’ll see how the Prince is doing, see you love.”

Devon, taking her last sip of her drink, places her glass down onto the table, began to stroll amongst the guests. Seeing for any unusual behaviors or activity as she traced her steps around the people, until she once again saw the princess leaving the room. Tracing in her footsteps she followed her.

Then the princess, taking off her mask, her face of Madam Breget’s appeared. Continuing to follow her, as she turned the corner, she disappeared. Devon, stumped, hearing another footsteps coming her way, prepared.

Suddenly coming from the other direction, John, also prepared, came around her, both startling each other.

John, “Oh Bloody Hell DEV! You could have given me a signal!”

Devon, “Like what, semaphore?”

John, giving her a strange look.

Devon, “I was following Madam Breget this time. But this time, she was also wearing a mask. I saw her take it off. There was no sign of Princess Amelia anywhere. But I keep seeing her coming back to the bookcase, acting quite strange.”

John, “Yes, she always seemed to pull the same book out, giving a devious look at though someone else is there, then putting it back in.”

Devon putting her back to the bookcase. Looking across the room in deep thought. “Nobody has ever just vanished into

thin air. When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

John, wryfully smirked. “Sherlock Holmes. The process of elimination.”

Devon, A simple technique known as The Mnemonic Technique, Or The Mind Palace that Sherlock Holmes used for himself. To memorize large amounts of information such as people, objects, facts or ideas. creating mental images of them in sequence of events. To recollect then recreate all the clues lined up before each selected event according to the days and times of such timetable to find the truth, bring it back to mind. And I’m about enter into it.””

John, Unsure. “Yes, but have you ever done this before?”

Devon, “No.”

John, “Right then.” He swallowed hard with self reassurance.

Devon, in her focus downward to floor in complete concentration, in extreme focused. In her mind palace lining up to all the events from all the clues that took place from the beginning of entering inside the Princes’ palace, to the meeting of Princess Amelia. The room surrounding her like clockwork of Sherlock’s pocket watch, in her mind, slowly rotating as recalling what took place in the timeline leading up to the meeting of maiden Madam Breget, then to the untraceable disappearance to the princess.

John, steadfastly keeping a watchful eye on her.

Lestrade entering into the room, with nothing new to see but what he already knew. His hand lift of reassurance to him.

Devon, in steady focus, the in and out of her memory, then another part of the book canons, from a sequence event of Sherlock and Dr.John Watson racing against time in the case of Lady Carfax vanishing from them on the terrace as they veered up to seeing her, then the account of Moriarty with Sherlock at The Reichenbach Falls of the entanglement, then falling crept into her mind as she took her hand like a wand back in forth in her face of dismissal from her mind, then seeing the clock tower of Big Ben as it chimed out loud to the time strike of midnight, the turning into the next century, then an outside Victorian glass gas light of 221B Street explodes sending the signal for her mind to picture a door slamming closed going back to the bookcase full of descripted canons. Her eyes opened with closing deduction as she placed her hands to the side of her face with a final sigh.

“ The game’s afoot!”

In that half hour….

Lestrade, lurking awaiting in the corridor.

Devon stood with John waiting for the prince and his soon to be princess to arrive for the wedding ceremony to begin. Then seeing then step inside the room ready to commence onward into the chapel.

Devon, taking a step to the them. “ Prince Arnell and Princess Amelia. Or is it, Madam Breget.?”

Prince Arnell veered at his masked lady in questionable expression.

Devon, coy, taking one step closer to the masked lady.

“Appearances can be deceiving, wouldn’t you agree. The oath of a princess you where about to take on. Even to banish the real princess from taking her rightful place, but it was not enough to just simply push her out of the way for ransom, was it? No. It wasn’t good enough to merely just putting her away to your own advantage, but to also gain high status of what would have been next. To be queen. Just a change of name would have done it. When I had noticed your silence came after the real Princess Amelia left the room as I also noticed the distinct quick change of personality when I had realized of her disappearance. Call it women’s intuition, call it what you will, I knew without a doubt, something grave was upon us. Now I am certain of this ploy you play. Madam Breget.”

The prince and masked lady turn their attention to her.

Devon stood in front of them. “It was in front of us all this time. Hidden in plain sight it could have bit us. I must have walked past this bookcase a million times, but never in a million years I would have suspect or inquired what may be hidden behind the bookcase. Madam Breget. This is your chance of any pardon the Prince may give to you and if My intuition serves me well, An exchange to give back , the real Princess Amelia. Madam Breget. Which fake book should I pull from the bookshelf to unlock the hidden doorway?”

The masked lady stood firm, not sound from her but silent?

Devon, “Very well then.” Taking her steps to the bookcase, looking it over.

Madam Breget, stepped forward of lost bluff. ”Please John Watson, Devon Holmes, it was Mr. Mathews that did it he had given me the most intriguing offer I could not refuse. You are correct. It was only for the ransom at first. Then he promised me more. But I was not sure I could go any further. So I kept her safe from him. Only I know the key to the hidden room.

He is a conniving dangerous man. My lord, how could I have been such a fool? The third book in line, with the black stripe down the book’s spine you should pull.”

Devon, with a sly wry, reaching for the book, pulling it, the door unlocking. Devon commenced to open the hidden door as the room’s light shone upon a young adult woman stood stunned in her noble clothing, a bit nerved wrecked, without mask, her beauty of cooled blushed face in mercy for escape.

Devon, when upon seeing the princess, she gave an expression of an illuminating-‘case closed’. “Watson, I shall need your assistance.”

John, seeing the princess for himself, offered his held out hand to her, as they helped her out of the hidden room.

Devon, with pride. “ Prince Arnell Hamleton. I’d like to introduce to you, Princess Amelia. Your fiancée.”

Prince Arnell goes to the princess, taking her by her hand, kneeled on one knee. “Princess Amelia I am captivated by your beauty. And I would have taken you as is, as my wife, as Princess Amelia, Princess of Hamleton.”

Devon goes to Madam Breget. “Don’t you think for even one moment, to deceive me with your disguise, the same guise you used to lured the princess into dangerous hiding. Now.

When will this alibi be arriving to take the Princess away?”

Madam Breget taking off her mask I quiet surrender.

“Mr.Mathews will be here at 10pm promptly as planned.”

John, “It’s almost 10pm now. I suggest we get prepared to meet him.“

Prince Arnell, taking the princess to hide with him behind the secluded doorway in his protection care, The Princess Amelia, clung to him as they stay quietly huddled.

Devon, John, instructed Madam Breget to stand waiting for him to arrive, as they take their position in next to the Prince and Princess, back to back in readiness.

Mr. Mathews entered like a thief into the room, sees Madam Breget standing in anticipation. Then sees the bookcase opened, quickly goes to view it closer. Sees the hidden room empty. In madness, turns to her. “Where is she? We had made a deal.” Sees Devon and John come out from their

corner standing adamant, then the prince with his princess come out from the shadows in acknowledgement. “YOU

BETRAY ME!!!” He backs up, then turns to run out of the room.

Devon, “Watson!”

John, with Devon, running after him, but then sees him tripping, falling to the floor. Devon, John, as they looked up to see Lestrade standing with adamant pride as he looked down upon Mr. Mathews.

Devon Holmes, dressed in fine attire, stood before the now married Prince and Princess of Hamleton. The Prince Arnell in his finest suit of arms noble clothing, his crown of authority, Princess Amelia adorned of her dark blue noble clothing, her tiara.

Prince, in dignified stance. “Devon Holmes, Detective John Watson. Please come forward.”

John, Devon standing side by side, taking their honorable steps to the Prince.

Princess Amelia, taking a fine dark red colored robe , placing it around her shoulders.

Devon, bowing with reverences before the Prince and Princess, arose in such honor.

The Prince, standing in front of Devon, taking his ritual sword, dubbing one side of her shoulder, then the other shoulder.

“Devon Holmes. I declare with honor, knighted, Dame Devon Holmes.”

John, ready. As the Princess taking a fine dark red colored robe , placing it around him as he bowed with before them.

The prince going to John. In same manner. The Princess giving him a boastful smile, placing a fine dark robe around him.

Detective John Watson. I now declare with honor, knighted, Sir John Watson.” The sword, shoulder to shoulder.

In conclusion. Harold and Clara witness us, now Sir John Watson, and Dame Devon Holmes, as we mark this special occasion by giving each other a congratulant kiss, turn to see our three children lined up beautifully adorned in their finest clothing, as we meet with them, together as family leaving the room, on way out, I am reminded of Detective Greg Lestrade’s time with us, now in his declining years with Harold and Clara at the forefront of being his caretakers. With Devon’s acceptance on her own terms she dealt of the last few years with Lestrade, but now rejoices in the knowledge that Moriarty, with the final say of Lestrade, to take Moriarty back to England as a final testament, will be forever in imprisoned for life with no further contact. The memories of her time with Greg Lestrade she had with him and boasts of true honor of knowing the descendant of Inspector Greg Lestrade. Together, we five walk down the pleasant road hand in hand together as family. I am reminded that our three children, John Sherlock, Hamish Mycroft and Cathern Clara Holmes Watson, will continue the legacy of their third great-Great Grandfather, the Master Detective Sherlock Holmes.

And as I look over to view my wife smiling in happy fulfilment, to me she will always be, the one and only, Devon Myra Holmes.

Signed,

Sincerely,

Detective John Hamish Watson