S.Holmes: Sebastian's Revenge

Samantha said nothing. She pretended to watch the scenery passing by outside. Couldn't this car go any faster? Sam wanted to start the case now. Impatience was one of her many downfalls. Her hand twitched involuntarily. This was pure torture.

((Still waiting for details...))

((oops, sorry))

The car swept past the park, turning left after a mile or so, and again into a side street. A sign on the gate announced the Blakely Stables which occupied the whole mews. Two horses and their riders walked out and down the road, obviously heading for Rotten Row. There was a subdued air to the whole place though. Greg lead the way, past the stables to the office. A harried looking young woman came out to meet them.

"Can I help you? We're closed."

"Ms Straker? Detective Inspector Lestrade, Scotland Yard. This is a consultant of ours, Samantha Holmes. I'm here to see the crime scene again and ask you some more questions. I won't be long." I hope, Greg thought.

The young woman nodded, looking worried, and lead them across the yard to the door at the end of the row. Inside, the stalls could all be accessed from a central aisle, leading the length of the block. One stall at the far end was empty, cleared and cordonned off with crime scene tape. "That's where she was killed," Greg said, noting the flinch from Straker as he spoke. "Have a look, tell me what you think."

Samantha wandered over to the stall. The ground was stained with blood. A smile twisted its way across her face. She loved a good murder. The young detective ducked under the crime scene tape and crouched by the largest puddle. She lowered her nose to it and sniffed. "What the devil is she doing?" Ms. Straker tutted. Samantha's grin grew even bigger. She loved scaring people almost as much as she loved murder cases. Sam stood and studied the pattern the blood made on the concrete floor. Wait...is that what it looks like?
She crouched down once more and examined a U shape in the blood stain.
"Hoof print," She murmured. A horse had trod in the blood when it was still fresh.
"Curious," Sam hummed....

"So the horse was in here when she died?" Greg frowned. "Ms Straker, would you go ask your collagues who tended to Silver Button last? Before Ms Gregory was murdered?"

"I can find out. Although I think you'll find it was Sylvia herself. Why?"

"I just want to determine when was the last time someone saw the horse in here. If you could find out now, please. Time is of the essence." Greg watched her leave then peered over the stall. "There, she's gone. The horse was in with her? Now there's a turn up. But where is it? And if it stepped in the blood, there'll be a trail. Should show up with luminol if it's been washed off."

Sam made an unintelligible noise in response to Lestrade. If the horse had been in the stall, how was the murder commited? It would have been almost impossible - surely the horse would have spooked. Although, that could be why the horse had vanished in the first place....except for the tapes which showed no evidence of the animal fleeing. Sam stood and turned to Lestrade. "Luminol? Right. Yes. You do that. I'll need to see the body after we're done here."

Greg eyed Sam as she stood and paced restlessly around the stall. "I'll give Anderson a call to get his ar...himself over here." While Sam was almost an adult, Greg was aware she was still a minor, so he did try to keep his act clean around her. Involving her like this still didn't quite sit well with him but...he had been asked to help, so help he would.

"You'd like to see the body? You sure?"

((Sorry been so long. Trying to make the story adaptation work, been away and been ill in that order))

((have we stalled on this one then?))

(( No sign of FG for a while ))

((noticed, ah well, we shall see. Hope I didn't put her off))