Preys and Predators Part 1 Chapter 40

 

40                Whatever means needed 

 

Mary Reid stood at the window looking outside, with her nude body she presented quite a view to any who may look up at the window on the third level. She was not entirely nude; she had on the shirt worn by Jon Roxton. It was the scent of the sweat that attracted her to it.

Mary saw the man who sneaked onto the coach and left something on the bottom of it at the rear on the street. She had seen the works of it during the war when a more needed message was to be delivered. She saw the man retreated, and knew she not much time. She turned to her discarded clothes, and found her gun belt. She grabbed the gun there, and cocked the trigger.

“Wow! Did I do a bad task? I am sore from it.” Jon was lying on the bedding with the cover discreetly covering his groin.

Mary ignored him and approached the window. She aimed the gun at the coach. She needed the fast action there. She fired and saw the bullet impacted on the street. It was the noise that caused the horse pulling the coach bolted off.

The horse neighed and then pulled the away. The driver was thrown off by the horse’s action, and the occupants inside the coach was startled.

“Whoo!” Mycroft almost fell off the seating, while Doctor Watson was lying on the side.

“The horse has bolted from the noise of the shot!” Holmes called out. “Driver!”

There was no response form the driver. Holmes looked out and saw their coach was without a driver. The runaway coach slammed into some carts on the side, but maintained it speed approaching the end of the street.

At the end of it was the junction and before it was the park.

“Jump!” Holmes was the first to open the coach door and did just that. Mycroft followed on and Doctor Watson hesitated when he felt the coach was lifted, he did the same.

The coach lifted onto its wheels when the horse swerved to the left to proceed on but the coach had slammed into the fence at the park. It went down sideways and dragged the horse along with it.

The three passengers had landed on the street; bruised but alive.

“By George, we are alive.” Mycroft exclaimed. “What the ……”

It was then the noise of an explosion sounded from the spot where the coach was earlier parked.

“Is that an explosion? What has happened to the city nowadays?” Mycroft looked down the street. “It used to peaceful.”

“It is an explosion.” Doctor Watson said. He was used to that noise from his days in the military when the shells from the three-inch guns exploded on the ground. “Whoever bolted the horse saved our bacons.”

“Apparently.” Holmes had pushed himself. “It is obvious the works of a military person.”

“It cannot be.” Mycroft was on his feet and rubbed his back. “I have no enemy capable of that here. Unless the Boers are in the city.”

“Mycroft, the Boers are down south past the sea. I doubt they will explode your butt here.” Doctor Watson said  to the other. “Bloody oaf!”

“Watson, you are crossing the line there.” Mycroft took offence to the swearing.

“Settle down, men. It is not every other week, we get exploded, but let us check on our guest first.”

Colonel Moran saw the failed attempt from across the street, two buildings from the brothel. He was disappointed at that. He had wanted to eradicate the threat to Mary Reid; she was the niece to the Doctor. It was a wild decision of his, but felt the explosion would have damaged the coach and hurt the occupant but the explosive was on the street. If he had intended to kill them, Tommy would have left the bomb in the rear of the coach.

“Sorry, Sire. I did as what you told me.” Tommy Hill was a explosive expert who had laid the three sticks of dynamites with the lighted wick there.

“You done right, Tommy. Someone caused the horse to bolt. Nevertheless, the message was conveyed.” Colonel Moran stepped away from the window.

“Maintain surveillance on the lady.”

“Aye, Sir.” Tommy stepped away.

The Colonel saw the lady and her man companion stepped out to the street joining the gathered there. The lady was dressed in the oversized shirt and donned a pair of pants with the boots. She held the long coat over the right arm, concealing the gun there. The man was shirtless but wore his pants and boots.

“What an explosion.” Jon commented. “Do you know who did it?”

“Young man! What do you take us here for? The jungle?” The prudish older lady with the umbrella glared at Jon. “Get a shirt on for Pete’s sake.”

“Il peut avoir le mien à tout moment. » (Translated from French; He can have mine any time.) The lady nearby commented.

“Let us move on, George.” The older lady pulled her companion by the sleeve of his coat.

The companion who was an older gentleman was gaping at the ladies who were gathered there. It was not every other moment he gets to watch so many ladies covered in only camisoles. He wished he was still in his teens then.

“Stop looking or I will gorge your eyes out.” The lady forcefully pulled Geroge away.

“I cannot say George was distracted.” Mycroft had reached the spot then. Holmes ignored his brother and examined the blast area. He picked up some of the debris there.

“Part of the blasting cap, and clay.” Holmes looked at the collected bits. “It was a dynamite.”

“Nasty way of sending anyone to the other side.” Doctor Watson said. He had seen the effects of the explosion at the Frontiers. The lucky ones are the dead ones, while maimed may return to Blighty without part of their limbs. It was a sad wound to have when you are getting older.

“Interesting.” Holmes was into his thoughts. “It is unlike the works of Professor Moriarty; killing is within his expertise but to do it in this manner is beyond him unless his had become more vicious.”

“Holmes, Colonel Moran was in the military, and we used explosives there.” Doctor Watson reminded Holmes.

“A possibility….” Holmes frowned on his expression. He saw then the arrival of Mary Reid and Jon Roxton.

“Mary.” Mycroft was the first to greet them. He held the pained expression when he saw the shirt on the lady.

“Jon!” Doctor Watson smiled at the man. “When did you returned? And what happened to your shirt?”

“Elementary, Watson.” Mycroft borrowed the expression from his brother towards the doctor.

“We shall meet inside.” Holmes motioned to Mary. “It may be safer.”

Holmes was looking at the windows for any protruding barrel.

At that moment, Colonel Moran took his leave of the unit and exited by the rear to the awaiting coach. He was given the message to meet Lord Dennis. He was to leave when the other message arrived.

“Holmes with the lady.”