"I still think you should talk to Holmes," Watson said as they walked through the trashed bedroom.

"I will. After the party starts," Tom replied as he started to pick up a picture.

"Then you should leave everything as it is."

Tom stopped and sighed. They walked back to the living room.

At eight o'clock the next morning, Tom decided that he was tired of waiting and signaled Holmes.

An hour later, he opened the door to admit the five people, and got the shock of his life when he saw Kristen.

"You're Mrs. Harris?" he asked incredulously. She nodded. He thought for a moment, and then remembered where he had heard the name Harris. "Your old boss, Nick Harris. You married him?"

"Yeah," she said with a sigh, "He died right before Deidre was born, though."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He wasn't really, because Nick Harris had been a monster, treating his employees lower than dirt and cheating his customers. He was why Jeremy and Julie Lestrade had been so successful in their department store business. How could Kristen have married that jerk? However, he didn't say anything of what he was thinking. It was in the past.

"Well, then," Tom said to change the subject, "How are you going to get my sister in here?"

Holmes grinned. "Her own impatience. All we have to do is wait until she gets tired of waiting, and she will come right in."

"You seem to be enjoying this, Mr. Holmes," Tom said with a mischievous tone, "Is it because of the challenge...or something else?"

In the dark, Tom couldn't tell if Holmes reddened or not as he answered stiffly, "The challenge, of course."

Tom chuckled. Holmes was almost as much fun to tease as Beth.

He looked over at Kristen who was smiling. Watson was shaking his head, and the three kids were looking confused, which made him laugh all the more.

"Ahem...." Holmes cleared his throat. "We should go and find hiding places. Who knows how long it will take Lestrade to get bored."

An hour later, Beth walked into the living room and they all jumped up and yelled surprise.

After the party was in full swing, Tom pulled Holmes aside. The latter had a wary look on his face, and Tom couldn't help but smile.

"I'm not going to say anything about that lovely necklace you gave her, Mr. Holmes," he began.

"I could not find anything else appropriate in the time alloted. You only informed us yesterday, and with the 'case' to prepare..." His voice trailed off when Tom began to shake in silent laughter.

Tom quickly composed himself and said, "Seriously, someone broke in here last night while Watson and I were playing checkers."

Holmes was immediately alert, "Tell me what happened."

************************************

Once Tom had finished explaining, Holmes asked, "And you are sure you do not know what they were after?"

"Positive. I don't have anything that... that... singular that someone would pass over the other obvious assets."

Holmes pursed his lips and closed his eyes. Tom waited patiently. He had read the journals also.

A minute later, Holmes asked, "What about your sister?"