Read Online No Place Like Holmes by Jason Lethcoe - Free Book Online
Authors: Jason Lethcoe
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Iâll know better after I measure the area for evidence.â
Snodgrass, armed with a new device, walked over to his nephewâs side. He was wearing green goggles and carried a long pole with an ornate metal bowl on the end of it. His uncle waved the bowl near the earth, back and forth in a sweeping movement just a few inches above the ground.
âWhat is it?â Griffin asked, indicating the device with a nod of his head.
âThe Snodgrass Super Finder. It is a finely tuned instrument for locating and detecting hidden metal. The goggles I wear act as a filter, helping me to observe the slightest glint of reflected light off of metal surfaces.â
Griffin smirked, resisting the urge to ask if everything his uncle had created contained the words The Snodgrass in the name. It seemed to Griffin that his uncle was very particular about getting credit for his work.
Snodgrass continued moving the large bowl back and forth over the unusual tracks. After a few moments, a small beeping noise sounded from the device. With a yelp of triumph, Snodgrass knelt and pawed around in the earth for a moment or two. Seconds later he drew an ornate pocket watch from the sand.
âNot exactly what I was looking for,â he said, disappointed. âI was hoping to find some evidence of mechanics, perhaps a bolt or a discarded bit of wire. But Iâm sure itâs a clue nonetheless!â
Griffin moved closer to peer at the pocket watch. To his surprise, his uncle handed it to him. After studying it for a moment, Griffin noticed some words etched on the inside of the watchâs cover.
To F, with all my love, S It didnât take long for Griffin to deduce who âFâ and âSâ were. Frederick and Sarah Dent! He drew his uncleâs attention to the inscription. Snodgrass brightened perceptively at the discovery.
âWell, that confirms that Frederick Dent was actually here. Good observation, boy.â
Griffin felt quite proud upon hearing his uncleâs praise. Glancing up, he could tell that Snodgrass was so completely preoccupied with studying the watch that he had probably delivered the compliment unconsciously. But to Griffin, it was one more small step on the road to friendship with his uncle.
âThank you, Lord,â Griffin prayed in a whisper.
âWhatâs that?â Snodgrass asked, overhearing Griffin.
âEr, nothing,â Griffin said, smiling, and turned back to examining the ruts on the muddy ground.
While his uncle scanned the beach with his contraption, Griffin walked along the shoreline, looking for more clues.
He didnât find anything of interest for several minutes until, about thirty feet from the shoreline, he spotted something strange. Kneeling down, he noticed several tiny scraps of red paper. They seemed familiar to him, but he couldnât think why. Then, in a flash, he remembered the scraps heâd found in the cab the day before.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, he removed the bits of paper and compared them to the ones in the dirt. They matched perfectly.
Griffin felt sure that there was some strange connection between the tracks on the shoreline, the paper on the shore, and the same unusual red paper heâd found in the cab. His heart beat with excitement as he considered the puzzle. After pocketing the paper, he turned his gaze to the rest of the shoreline. He walked around for several minutes, inspecting every bit of discarded fishing net, piece of glass, or anything else that might yield a clue. But he didnât find anything of interest.
The sun was starting to go down and the air was turning clammy. Griffin hunched up in his jacket and thrust his hands into his pockets.
âI guess thatâs all there is to see,â he murmured. His fingers brushed the little scraps of paper in his pocket, and he turned over possibilities of what they might be in his mind.
Stationery? he wondered. But he dismissed the idea almost
Snodgrass, armed with a new device, walked over to his nephewâs side. He was wearing green goggles and carried a long pole with an ornate metal bowl on the end of it. His uncle waved the bowl near the earth, back and forth in a sweeping movement just a few inches above the ground.
âWhat is it?â Griffin asked, indicating the device with a nod of his head.
âThe Snodgrass Super Finder. It is a finely tuned instrument for locating and detecting hidden metal. The goggles I wear act as a filter, helping me to observe the slightest glint of reflected light off of metal surfaces.â
Griffin smirked, resisting the urge to ask if everything his uncle had created contained the words The Snodgrass in the name. It seemed to Griffin that his uncle was very particular about getting credit for his work.
Snodgrass continued moving the large bowl back and forth over the unusual tracks. After a few moments, a small beeping noise sounded from the device. With a yelp of triumph, Snodgrass knelt and pawed around in the earth for a moment or two. Seconds later he drew an ornate pocket watch from the sand.
âNot exactly what I was looking for,â he said, disappointed. âI was hoping to find some evidence of mechanics, perhaps a bolt or a discarded bit of wire. But Iâm sure itâs a clue nonetheless!â
Griffin moved closer to peer at the pocket watch. To his surprise, his uncle handed it to him. After studying it for a moment, Griffin noticed some words etched on the inside of the watchâs cover.
To F, with all my love, S It didnât take long for Griffin to deduce who âFâ and âSâ were. Frederick and Sarah Dent! He drew his uncleâs attention to the inscription. Snodgrass brightened perceptively at the discovery.
âWell, that confirms that Frederick Dent was actually here. Good observation, boy.â
Griffin felt quite proud upon hearing his uncleâs praise. Glancing up, he could tell that Snodgrass was so completely preoccupied with studying the watch that he had probably delivered the compliment unconsciously. But to Griffin, it was one more small step on the road to friendship with his uncle.
âThank you, Lord,â Griffin prayed in a whisper.
âWhatâs that?â Snodgrass asked, overhearing Griffin.
âEr, nothing,â Griffin said, smiling, and turned back to examining the ruts on the muddy ground.
While his uncle scanned the beach with his contraption, Griffin walked along the shoreline, looking for more clues.
He didnât find anything of interest for several minutes until, about thirty feet from the shoreline, he spotted something strange. Kneeling down, he noticed several tiny scraps of red paper. They seemed familiar to him, but he couldnât think why. Then, in a flash, he remembered the scraps heâd found in the cab the day before.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, he removed the bits of paper and compared them to the ones in the dirt. They matched perfectly.
Griffin felt sure that there was some strange connection between the tracks on the shoreline, the paper on the shore, and the same unusual red paper heâd found in the cab. His heart beat with excitement as he considered the puzzle. After pocketing the paper, he turned his gaze to the rest of the shoreline. He walked around for several minutes, inspecting every bit of discarded fishing net, piece of glass, or anything else that might yield a clue. But he didnât find anything of interest.
The sun was starting to go down and the air was turning clammy. Griffin hunched up in his jacket and thrust his hands into his pockets.
âI guess thatâs all there is to see,â he murmured. His fingers brushed the little scraps of paper in his pocket, and he turned over possibilities of what they might be in his mind.
Stationery? he wondered. But he dismissed the idea almost
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