Inspector Holmes's room was on the top floor of the Town's police-station. A suitable location for someone who liked to have an overview. A good place also for someone who considered himself elevated high above the other members of the corps. There was the Town's police force and there was inspector Holmes, a descendant of the well known private detective.
The inspector was chewing his pencil and drawing some impressive diagrams when he was rudely interrupted by the telephone on his desk.

" Holmes, Town Police."
" Sgt. Bagheera of the Village Police. We have discovered a dead body."
" Congratulations sgt. It was about time something interesting happened in that boring little hamlet, wasn't it?"
" I was wondering if..."
" If I could hop over and have a look? But of course my dear Bagheera. A very wise decision of you to seek an expert's advice. I whish I could say the same to some other officers. Can you tell me the details?"
" Now?"
" Yes?"

" Not much realy. It was found by a boy called Markus Anderson on an estate which belongs to lady Helen Nascent. I do know the lady owns a weapon and isn't too fond of interlopers. Furthermore there is a suspicious Australian handyman, but I don't think he has been around long enough. The corpse is little more than a skeleton, so I suspect it's rather old."
" Hair? Clothes?"
" None."
" And has somebody gone missing in the last decades?"
" A few people. The old lady Nascent amongst others."
" And the younger lady Nascent replaced her as owner of the property?"
" Indeed she did. She is our prime suspect for now."
" Have you questioned her?"
" I have, but she didn't provide us with any clues so far."

Meanwhile rumour had spread in the village. The Andersons' son had found a corpse on the manor's grounds. Could it have something to do with lady Helen and that Aussie?
It seemed that mrs. Day was especially interested in the case. She had tried to come close to the scene and acted so suspiciously that Bagheera had questioned her as well.

" What was that all about, with sgt. Bagheera?", Doris whished to know, as she visited her friend at the flower booth.
" I explained to him what I thought about the case."
" And? What did he think about it."
" I don't know. He said we shouldn't jump to conclusions. But then consider it: The old lady Nascent disappeared, this miss Helen takes her place and now a body is found in her backyard."
" Do you think she... she..."
" I underestimated her. This miss Helen is a dangerous woman. Perhaps we shouldn't get involved Doris. She'll stop at nothing."
" I always thought she was strange."

At the manor lady Helen was staring out of her window, looking at the wood. The place had been sealed of with red and white tape and a policeman was guarding the area. She shook her head.
" Just when you think you've cleared up everything..."

A few hours later a police car stopped at the main gate and the bell was rung. The lady allowed the visitors in. They were sgt. Bagheera and two men she had never seen before. Sgt. Bagheera introduced them to eachother.
" Lady Nascent, inspector Holmes and doctor Watson of the Town police. Inspector, doctor, Lady Helen Nascent, owner of the Nascent manor."
" Pleased to meet you gentlemen."
" The pleasure is all ours. Now, I'm very curious about your skeleton. Can we have a look?"
" I'm sure sgt. Bagheera knows the way. I don't need to see it again."

The men walked to the restricted area and approached the hole.
" You haven't touched anything, have you?", Holmes asked.
Bagheera shook his head.
" I only dug as far as you can see now."
" Good."
Inspector Holmes squatted and began to remove the earth around the skull. Then suddenly he raised an eyebrow and picked up something shiny.
" What do you think about this, dear Watson?"
" Gold ?"
" Indeed. Maybe you should have a look."

They uncovered more and more of the skeleton and found several golden necklaces and bracelets.

Bagheera had turned pale.
" A very wealthy woman, wasn't she?"

Holmes grinned.
" A man my dear Bagheera, a man. And I don't think you'll have to worry. Of course we should take some samples to the lab to be absolutely sure, but I suspect the poor fellow has been here for quite a while."
" A cold case then?"
" An icy case, my dear Bagheera."