Whiplash

Erin, who'd driven by the Royal house several times on Sunday evening, merely nodded. "It would appear there's lots of money in drugs."

Sherlock gri

A young Hispanic woman with beautiful glossy hair answered the door. She was wearing an actual uniform. Sherlock gave her a big smile and showed her FBI creds. She watched her study them carefully before she said, voice wary, that Mrs. Royal was playing te

"Georgie would, too." Erin shaded her eyes with her hand and looked toward the te

"I would, too," the maid said, smiled, and left them. They skirted the pool area and walked down a flagstone path to the te

"I wonder why the original owners built that fence all around the property," Sherlock said. "It would make this place feel like a prison. Just look at the height of that back wall."

Erin said, "I wonder why they left that last piece. Surely not for protection. Walk around it and you're inside."

"Probably to keep the woods from encroaching. It's stark but beautiful, isn't it?"

Erin nodded. "I'll bet you there are alarms all along where the fence used to be."

"That was good, Erin."

"Yeah, well, I saw an alarm box on the back of the house. Wow, look at her move. She's got a great backhand."

They stood alongside the court watching Jane A

"Yep, that's a teacher, not a friend," Sherlock said. "A friend would be properly pissed at losing."

"Lover too?" Erin wondered aloud.

"We'll soon see. She sure seems like a happy camper, doesn't she? All caught up in wi

Jane A

Sherlock handed over her ID.

Jane A

Sherlock's eyebrow went up as she slipped her creds back in her pocket. "Didn't your husband tell you who the German guy was?"

"No, he was busy, on his way out to some meeting. I heard on TV the dead guy worked for Schiffer Hartwin. I asked Caskie if he knew the guy the next morning, but he said he'd only heard of him, didn't have a clue why the man was even here. What's up?"

"I'm Agent Sherlock and this is Erin Pulaski. We'd like to talk to you, Mrs. Royal."

"You're kidding-Sherlock? That's very cool."

"Thank you," Sherlock said, and smiled. She felt a tug of liking for Jane A

"Come over to the patio, we'll sit down, and Alana can bring us some iced tea." She turned to wave at the te

"Your instructor?"

"Yes. Mick Haggarty. Quite a cutie, isn't he? He couldn't make it in the pros and so he teaches at the Glenis Springs Country Club over in Millstone. Actually, Mick wants to go to Hollywood and see his name up in lights, poor schmuck. I've seen him perform in summer stock at Belson College. He's not a bad actor, but everyone knows it's all about who you know and who you are in L.A. And no, we're not sleeping together." She gri

Sherlock said, "I would imagine your husband doesn't have much time for you, what with the FBI all over him since the murder. Thing is, Mrs. Royal, Caskie did know Helmut Blauvelt."

"Caskie never has much time for anybody, particularly his sons. He knew Blauvelt? That sounds interesting. All he said to me about it was that he met with you guys yesterday at the local police station, in a grungy conference room, his words, to talk about what he knew about Helmut Blauvelt, which wasn't much, he told me. He wasn't happy about it, I can tell you that. So, you caught him out? How did you manage that? Fry his butt?"

"We singed his butt," Sherlock said. "Only singed."

Erin said, "Did he seem worried when he spoke to you?"

Jane A

"I see he's many thousands of square feet smart," Erin said.

"Nearly nine thousand, as a matter of fact," Jane A

The tea arrived and both Erin and Sherlock turned down sugar. Jane A

"And now?" Sherlock asked. She felt a tug of liking again for this woman with her spectacular topaz eyes, colored contacts, she assumed.