stonepicnicking_okapi

Title: Ginger
Fandoms: Sherlock Holmes & Miss Marple - Agatha Christie
Characters: Sherlock Holmes, Raymond West (Miss Marple's nephew)
Rating: Gen
Prompt: apricity
Length: 500
Warning: Discussion of murder methods. Deus ex machina. Breaking the fourth wall.
Summary: Raymond West wants to murder his fiancée.

“She might get suspicious,” said Raymond West. “She’s got ideas about the sensitivity of artists, women’s intuition, atmosphere.”

“She is the fiancée you’re intending to murder?” said Sherlock Holmes.

“Yes. Do keep up.”

Rain had turned to snow. The scene beyond the window above their heads was mostly occluded by a blanket of white. There was a cheery spring of holly on the table as centerpiece, and some festive-looking biscuits and marzipan on jolly display. There was an apple on a plate by itself. And a pot of honey.

“Not tea, really,” said Raymond with some disappointment as he peered into the pot. “Ginger. Good for digestion, so they say.” He added, “Old wives’ teas,” then looked embarrassed.

Sherlock Holmes stopped fiddling with his pipe and poured two cups. “Apricity. The warmth of sun in winter. Like the ginger tea with summer’s honey on a winter day.”

Raymond West hummed noncommittally but said under his breath, “I thought you were about cutting out the poetry, sir.” He then deftly unscrewed the lid a small, circular lacquer case which was resting beside the saucer. He took a pinch of the case’s contents and dropped it into the amber liquid and stirred.

“My aunt says it would be terribly easy to poison anyone of my generation because we take so many pills, powders, tonics, and other remedies. Before, during, or after meals. Tampering, in her words, would require no sleight of hand or cleverness at all.”

It was Holmes’ turn to hum noncommittally. “But your novels are clever. Or so you say.”
“Precisely! I can’t just replace a powder and blame the chemist! My idea is brilliant!”

Raymond West held up a sharp knife as if in demonstration.

“I poison one side of the knife.”

He took the spoon from the pot of honey and smeared one side of the knife. Then he held the apple and cut down the middle.

“I share.”

Raymond West gave half the apple to Sherlock Holmes and took the other half for himself. He bit and grinned.

“I triumph!” he declared with his mouth full of masticated fruit.

“Have you determined what poison you are going to employ?” asked Sherlock Holmes.

Raymond stopped chewing abruptly. “Obviously an untraceable one.”

“Untraceable even to yourself,” said Sherlock Holmes who was himself not above the acerbic muttering when the mood struck him. “Might I suggest something?”

“Please do.”

“Honey produced from the nectar of yellow or honeysuckle azalea flowers is highly toxic. It has proved efficacious as far back as 69 BC. King Mithridates tricked Pompey’s army into eating it, and then attacked when his enemy was debilitated by delirium and nausea.”

“Ah-ha! You’ve hit on something there. The touch of history appeals, too. But where to obtain some of this sweet problem solver, hm?” His eyes drifted to the window and the snow, and he frowned. “I suppose I could ask Father Christmas for some.”

Holmes sighed, put the half apple on the plate, and lit his pipe.