Free The Devil's Grin - a Crime Novel Featuring Anna Kronberg and Sherlock Holmes by Annelie Wendeberg

bull’s and sledge hammer fists. I always wondered how he could maintain that occupation of his. How could he sneak through small windows or hide in tiny corners?
    ‘ Don’t know yet,’ I answered.
    He wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me close. I noticed the soapy smell and hid my smile in his shirt.
    ‘ You made plans for tonight?’ I asked through the gap between two button holes.
    ‘ Think so,’ he said softly and pushed the door to the house open.
    Together we entered my small room and with his hand resting on the small of my back, he toed the door shut and took a step forward to push me against the wall. He did that carefully. After all, his weight was about three times mine. If he’d wanted, he could squish me like an insect but most certainly that thought had never touched his brain.
    He helped me undo the countless buttons on my dress, inhaled a sigh as he peeled it off the black sateen corset. His fingers searched for the corset’s secret opening and I heard his heart thumping wildly as the silk ribbons whispered through the small metal eyes. Tense with anticipation, I listened at the rustling of hands on fabric and the staccato of his breath against my skin.
    It was so much easier to get his clothes off; I wasn’t even aware of what my hands were doing until we both were naked. Impatience ignited his eyes and he pressed himself against me and lifted me up without effort. My mouth found his and I wrapped my legs around his waist and urged myself upon him.
    In the mirror across the room I saw his broad back glistening in the candle light, and both, man and light moved rhythmically. To me, all about him was gen tle and rough at the same time and every so often, he with his orange mane and his coarse tongue and paws, made me think of a lion.

    ~~~

    The candle had almost burned down. Its flickering light painted golden sparks into the curls on his chest. I rolled them around my index finger, lazily, again and again. His ribcage moved up and down - a slow and calming rhythm, and my thoughts started to gallop freely.
    I imagined living a normal life. I knew these thoughts were a waste of my time. And yet, I needed to think them, as an experiment of ifs and whys that always brought me back to where I was now.
    I had chosen a life in disguise because I wanted to practice medicine. I was the only female medical doctor in London. Not officially, though.
    What a man had I become! I was so accomplished in speaking, walking, behaving like a man, that no one ever doubted my sex.
    I had split my life in two: the male half, which I maintained during the day - Dr Anton Kronberg, renowned bacteriologist; and my female half at night - Anna Kronberg, a rather fragile looking nurse with a progressively short haircut. But as I lived in the slums where most people made a living with illegal activities, my hacked off hair didn’t really qualify for gossip. My relationship with Garret didn’t, either.
    Garret stirred and drew his hand over my back. His face turned towards me and his breath washed over my face. I kissed him and sat up.
    ‘ Isn’t it time?’ I wondered.
    ‘ Huh?’
    ‘ Thieving activities, Garret. It’s past midnight.’
    ‘ Not tonight,’ he mumbled and his gaze fell on my abdomen, his hand followed. He traced the long scar with his fingers and said frowning: ‘When will ya tell me?’
    I pushed his hand away and rose to my feet, ignoring the question.
    ‘ Goddammit Anna!’ he groaned, ‘you’re trustin’ me enough to fuck ya and not break ya, but anythin’ else is locked up in that big head o’ yours!’
    ‘ Shut up Garret,’ I replied quietly, ‘I hate it when you call it fucking .’
    ‘ What’s it then? Ya wouldn’ even think o’ marryin’ me.’
    ‘ Aren’t you a hypocrite,’ I hissed at him, his quizzical expression told me he didn’t know what the word hypocrite meant. I didn’t bother explaining. ‘Do you suddenly worry about morals, Garret? Could it be? It is