Iris and Arlene sat under the bright yellow umbrella. The sun was at its peak, and its rays were warming up the stone streets of London. The Yellow Umbrella cafe was right across from the two women's new townhouse, on Abbotsbury Road, across from the park. They just finished unpacking. Neither of them volunteered to go get groceries, so they settled for a nice lunch in a cafe instead.

"It's funny how we are sitting under a yellow umbrella in a place called The Yellow Umbrella..." Arlene said, gazing at the sky through her sunglasses.

"And it's funny how they call Earth the blue planet, yet the oceans look green?" Iris said through her laughter.

"You don't have to make fun of me." Arlene said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not. Sometimes you can get rather odd. It's funny." Iris smiled.

Arlene kicked Iris' foot under the table. Then she innocently picked up her cup and looked away.

A scream and the screeching of tires suddenly broke the silence of the street. Iris and Arlene both looked around. On the corner of the street, they saw a man running, knocking over tables, destroying flowerbeds, and pushing people out of his way. As the man ran towards them, Iris grabbed Arlene's sleeve and pulled her out of his way. The man ran through the cafe's sitting area, overturning tables. Iris and Arlene's table was the first to be overturned. Seconds later, another man appeared. As he ran, he apologized to everyone around him. And then the street turned quiet again.

Before anyone had a chance to speak, a hand grabbed Arlene and pulled her inside the cafe. Once inside, the hand let her go, and she spun around to look at the person who grabbed her.

He was tall and lean, with angular face. He was wearing a perfectly tailored suit. His breathing was fast, as if he just ran a marathon. His eyes were full of excitement.

"Can you help me?" He said sharply.

"What?"

"The man who just destroyed your peaceful tea and biscuit date is a murderer. He is going to run through here again, and I need someone whom he has never seen before to slow him down. Can you help me?" He repeated.

"Wha – why me?"

"You are not in any sort of hurry, you and your friend are clearly in need of some money, and the murderer will never suspect a fragile American to be in any way working for me."

"How...Who are you?" Arlene asked.

"Are you going to help me or not?" He was becoming impatient. He eyes flickered around – perhaps in search of another accomplice.

"Yes, yes, fine. What do you need me to do?"

"The owner of the cafe will finish rearranging the tables in ten minutes. He will supply you with new cups and a pot of lemonade and tea seven minutes after. He will also bring you a small porcelain bucket of ice. Five minutes after he will put the bucket on your table, please empty all the ice under your chair. Ask your friend to place her purse under her chair, and make sure than the purse is empty. The murderer will run past the cafe, slip on ice, and trip on the purse. Got it?"

His instructions were so precise, that for a moment Arlene thought that she was being pranked. But the man's eyes stared at hers with such seriousness, she almost couldn't not believe him.

Arlene nodded in agreement, and the man dashed away. She saw him again, wearing The Yellow Umbrella waiter's uniform, and a cap that shadowed his face. He lingered under the roof of the building and the corners of the sitting area.

Arlene quickly explained to Iris what they were supposed to do.

The tall man's words came true with unbelievable preciseness. The tables were back in order in ten minutes, and the bucket of ice appeared on Arlene and Iris' table soon enough. The two women sighed, and followed the directions: Arlene emptied the bucket under her chair, just as Iris put her empty purse under hers.

The street seemed to forget about the rampaging "murderer" that appeared on the street just moment ago. Iris and Arlene waited impatiently for him to show up again. They were about to start a conversation, when a waiter appeared behind Arlene and quietly said, "Would you like to look at our display? We added new treats."

She recognized the voice. "Yes, please," she said. The waiter gestured them, and the three of them made their way inside the cafe.

Just as they entered the building, there was a loud bang, followed by a loud scream of pain right behind them.

There was panic everywhere. After exchanging confused glances, Arlene and Iris ran through the worried crowd onto the street again.

The "waiter" and the apologizing man, had the "murderer" by the arms. The murderer's pants were soaked in lemonade, tea, and his shoes were filled up with ice. His legs appeared to be tangled with the straps of Iris's purse. He was trying to break free from the two men's arms.

Arlene and Iris stared at the scene, amazed at how perfect the plan worked. Within minutes, the police arrived, and they dragged the murderer away. He was screaming insults at the two men who were holding him down earlier.

Arlene watched the police officer have a short conversation with the tall man. Looking rather annoyed, the tall man pointed around the street and the sitting area. The police officer, who looked just as annoyed, shook his head and drove off in the police car.

"He didn't point at us. I guess that means we won't have to be involved in this any longer." Iris said smiling.

"But I kind of want to know what we just did..."

"Let's just go, before we get involved. Do you want to spend the next two weeks in a courtroom, explaining what the hell you were doing involving yourself in a suspect chase?"

"Iris, you are such a party pooper sometimes, and I – "

"Thank you for your help," a voice said.

The girls jumped in surprise to find the two crime fighters standing behind them.

"Sherlock Holmes," the tall one said, outstretching his hand. Arlene shook his hand carefully, smiling.

"John Watson," the other man said.

"So what exactly happened?" Arlene eagerly asked.

Sherlock Holmes rolled his eyes.

John Watson gave Sherlock a look that almost said, "Be nice". He then gave Iris a piece of paper.

"Thank you for your help again. It's a check for fifty pounds." John said.

"Thank you...But what – " Arlene did not even let Iris speak at all.

"You'll read about everything in the paper tomorrow," John smiled.

"That is, if Lestrade does not get the credit again," Sherlock whispered.

"Thank you for your help again." John said. "Have a nice day..."

John Watson already started walking away, but Sherlock Holmes looked back at Arlene, and smiling, said, "You should use that money to buy yourself a better lock, because your new townhouse is about to be robbed."