2 ✎ recruiting

[watsonyourmind]

There are two girls in the town square, pressing brightly-colored flyers into the hands of any people who happen to pass by. This is what the flyers say:

CONSULTING DETECTIVES CLUB
Burby branch

Now recruiting! No experience necessary!
Join us for an experience you won't soon forget!
Contact Shirley Holmes or Jane Watson for meeting details.

It's sort of funny how threatening that accidentally sounds. At least the girls seem friendly. Perhaps you should come say hello.

Comments

[o_tea_p]

You like mysteries? This is perfect! I have been looking everywhere for my favorite tea pot...

[watsonyourmind]

[ It was as if Watson could sense Shirley's distaste for the idea. She smiled brightly. ]

I'm sure we could look into it.

[nopolicelikeholmes]

[ Gives Watson a look. Who gave you permission to accept cases?

But she gives Iroh a patient sort of smile. ]

Surely it's in the last place you left it...?

[o_tea_p]

THAT'S THE THING! It isn't! I always put it on my top shelf, where it can be seen to best effect, but when I went to dust this morning, it was gone!

[nopolicelikeholmes]

Does the teapot have any enemies, that you're aware of?

[watsonyourmind]

[ Jane squinted at Shirley. ]

Or do you know anyone who might have taken it as a joke, or just to borrow it?

[o_tea_p]

My favorite tea pot is no joke, and my friends would certainly know better than to take it without telling me.

[He strokes his beard and contemplates Shirley's question]

I can't imagine how my teapot could have offended anyone [not because the idea of a teapot with enemies is ridiculous, but because it was such a perfect teapot] but.....

[nopolicelikeholmes]

But...?

[ Okay, she really had to admit that the problem was beginning to interest her, despite herself. There was surely some perfectly mundane explanation for the teapot's disappearance, but finding it had now become the cerebral equivalent of peeling little bits of paint off an aging wall. ]

[o_tea_p]

There is a young woman named Alice. I made the mistake of drinking a cup of her tea once.

[watsonyourmind]

[ And here they even had a suspect! Shirley should doubt her less, Watson thought. ]

And did you tell her what you thought of her tea?

[o_tea_p]

Of course! It was an affront to tea everywhere! I couldn't just let it stand!

[watsonyourmind]

And now we have motivation.

[ Jane looks very satisfied. ]

[nopolicelikeholmes]

Potentially. [ Smiles at Watson's apparent self-satisfaction. ] Let's not jump to any conclusions - I want to see the scene of the abduction first.