Title: The Scattered Jewels
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: G
Length: 420 words
Summary: Holmes' plan catches his opponent out completely

Holmes had been trying hard to convince Zebadiah Hardcastle that it would be much wiser if he surrendered the diamonds which were in his possession, and which he was planning to take with him as he left the country.  Hardcastle had listened to him but was clearly unconvinced.  Finally, Holmes decided that he was getting nowhere and in desperation stretched out a hand to reach the small bag which held the diamonds.

“Not so fast, Mr Holmes,” Zebadiah Hardcastle said.  He too reached out, but Holmes was too quick for him.  “White, Dewhurst, get in here!”

“Quick, Watson, catch,” Holmes said, throwing the little bag in my direction.

I wasn’t fast enough, and the bag fell to the floor, where it burst open, and the diamonds scattered in all directions.

Holmes and I turned to defend ourselves from the two ruffians, who, I am pleased to say, had underestimated the resistance we would put up, and found themselves on the losing end of the fight.

At first Hardcastle had watched the fight, but when he realised his side was not going to be victorious, he turned to flee, but not before he had collected most, if not all, of his diamonds.  He gave a howl of anguish, which was sufficient to distract our two assailants, who we were then able to overcome.

“The diamonds, they’re gone!” Hardcastle shouted.

He was right, there wasn’t a single glinting jewel left on the floor.

Leaving me to tie up the other two men, Holmes looked at Hardcastle and said, “This is what happens when you fail to listen to my pearls of wisdom.  You really should have listened to me.”

Hardcastle glared at Holmes before bolting out of the door and down the stairs, only to run into the arms of Lestrade and his men.

Lestrade came into the room and ordered the removal of the two we had tied up.  “You have the diamonds?” he asked.

“Yes, they’re quite safe,” Holmes replied.

Lestrade nodded and departed and, as soon as the door shut, the Ferret, Mouselet and Aemelia Vole appeared, the Ferret pulling the bag the diamonds had been in.

“You found them all?” Holmes asked.

“Every one of them,” Aemelia squeaked.  “I counted them into the bag.”

Holmes bent down and picked it up. 

“You were right, Holmes,” I said, “Hardcastle should have listened to you.  He could have walked away as a free man.  Another case of casting pearls before swine.”

“Pearls?” said the Ferret.  “I thought they were diamonds.”