Free The Lost Casebooks of Sherlock Holmes by Donald Thomas Page B

it, is the work of Messrs Milner of Finsbury Pavement? The type is unmistakable. Double locked. Harveyed-Krupp steel plate of several inches, about half the thickness of a battleship’s hull-armour and able to withstand a direct hit from a hundred-pound nickel-plated shell fired by a six-inch gun at a range of fifty yards.’
    â€˜You are admirably informed, Mr Holmes, I must say.’ Sir Arthur spoke with the displeasure of a professional who finds himself outpaced by an amateur.
    â€˜Ah well,’ said Holmes with a touch of insouciance, ‘it comes only from inspecting such doors as these after they have been broken open.’
    The wind left Sir Arthur’s sails at this remark, for Holmes described the very thing our guide dreaded. It seemed as much as Sir Arthur could do to unlock the heavy steel door and draw it back on its smooth hinges. We entered the strong-room. The interior was about twelve feet square, like a library alcove with shelves and cupboards housing the more valuable genealogical volumes. Its window, looking on to the castle yard, was heavily and securely barred. Though most of the jewels were in the library safe, the strong-room contained within its locked cases several of the collars of knighthood, as well as the Irish sword of state, a gilt crown and sceptre, and two silver maces.
    Immediately in front of us, as the door was drawn back, was a locked steel grille. I was surprised to see that the key to this interior grille was already in its lock and asked why.
    â€˜There is only one key,’ Sir Arthur said. ‘It would not do for it to be lost. It is as safe in here as anywhere. Therefore, we leave it in the lock at all times.’
    Holmes nodded at me, exchanging a significant look.
    â€˜Besides,’ said Sir Arthur quickly, ‘beyond that wall is the headquarters of the Dublin Metropolitan Police and beyond the other is the guard-room of the military garrison.’
    Though Holmes had teased him a little, there was little doubt that Sir Arthur had done his job well. Whatever might happen to King Edward himself, Ireland’s Crown Jewels were surely as safe as if they had been in the Bank of England or the Tower of London. The strong-room door was closed and locked. We followed our guide up the spiral staircase to the other floor. There were two rooms at this level, one for Sir Arthur and the second for his secretary.
    â€˜And who has keys to the strong-room door?’ Holmes inquired.
    Sir Arthur stiffened at this renewed questioning.
    â€˜I have one,’ he said. ‘The other is with Stivey while he is on duty. It is returned to me when he leaves. While he is in his office, the strong-room is open so that the books and manuscripts may be consulted by me or my secretary. If he leaves the office, he locks the strong-room door and puts the key in a concealed drawer of his desk. We who are authorised to use it would know where to look, a stranger would not. There is a third key, which is not in use. It is kept in a drawer in the strong-room itself, oiled and wrapped.’
    Holmes touched his fingers together. ‘How many members of your staff use this building?’
    Sir Arthur frowned with an effort of recollection. ‘Stivey is one. My secretary George Burtchaell is another. There is Peirce Mahony as well. Stivey has the key to the strong-room while he is on duty. All three have a key to the front door. Detective Officer Kerr patrols the building from time to time when the office is closed. There is a key to the front door, which is kept in the Metropolitan Police office for his use. The only other person to use it is the cleaning woman, Mrs Farrell. She comes early in the morning and reports first to the police office.’
    â€˜It amounts to this, then,’ Holmes said quietly. ‘You, Burtchaell, Mahony, Stivey, Kerr, and Mrs Farrell have a key to the front door. You yourself have a key to the strong-room. Stivey and your staff have the