Penguin Holmes part 3

Penguin Holmes and Walrus Watson sat in silence as Ms. Equulues returned with more tea with a smile on her face. When she had returned to her seat and Holmes and Watson had refilled their cups the silence continued. And as Holmes and Watson sipped their tea the silence went unbroken. And nothing was what continued to be said as they sat there. Finally, Holmes tackled the growing silence with, “Good tea”. But the silence would not go down without a fight.

Holmes watched the second hand on the mantle above the fireplace tick 30 seconds past and a thought struck him.

“Oh right! I suppose I ought to look at the scene of the, uh, theft.” He stumbled over the last word, unsure of how it would be taken be his hostess and her inherent unicornian innocent nature.

She gasped. But composed herself to say, “Of course. It’s right through here” They rose from their seats, and followed her into the kitchen. The kitchen was as cozy and comfortable as the rest of the house, and seemed to be made for baking and then radiating the smell to the rest of the house. Ms. Equulues stood at the doorway as Holmes and Watson moved toward the window in question.

Holmes began to examine the area, noticed her standing there and said, “Excuse us Ms. Equulues, but my partner and I would prefer to look at the scene alone for a moment.”

“Oh, right. I'll just uhh...right.” She said and left.

“Why did you do that?” asked Watson.

“My friend, I would like to be able to say crime, theft, and suicide without a sharp gasp from behind us every time”

“Suicide?”

“As in, I’m going to commit it if I have to stay here longer than I have to.”

“Ah.”

“Watson, up.” Holmes commanded.

Watson lifted Holmes up and began showing him around the kitchen. Watson was unable to resist the temptation of making airplane noises and wooshing Holmes around.

“ Watson, if you do not stop I will be forced to find a new, less childish assistant. Now take me to the windowsill.” And Watson did. Holmes began searching up and down, and all around the aforementioned area of the windowsill.

“This is odd,” Holmes said, after examining the afore-aforementioned area of the windowsill.

“What is?” Watson asked.

“You can set me down now, Watson. Thank you.”

Watson did so on the kitchen table that sat directly underneath the window. And Holmes began to explain himself, “Watson, as you know, usually, in a crime scene we have evidence of some kind. A scuff mark. A hair. Something, anything that the thief, or the murderer may have left behind…” Holmes turned away from his associate and faced the window and said to himself, “Only once have I encountered nothing at a crime scene…”

Holmes turned around sharply, “Watson we must leave immediat-“ But Watson was no longer there. Holmes looked over the edge of the table to see his friend lying on the floor. A floor that was now swirling the new patterns and colors. And it wasn’t just the floor. Holmes blinked several times as the whole room started to dance in front of his eyes.

The tea. Holmes thought as the room started to darken. The stupid, damn, extremely tasty, drugged tea. And he passed out.

How will Watson and Holmes get out of this one? Stay tuned for the clarifying finale of The Endeavors of Penguin Holmes and Walrus Watson in Unicornicopia and the Case of the Stolen Pies from the Windowsill of Ms. Equulues but are Things What They Seem?! (working title)