Basil of Baker Street and the Case of the Lloyd Ruby

                                                                 Chapter III


Samuel knocked on the door the next day, refreshed and ready for another day of working with Basil and Dawson. Mrs. Judson opened the door and smiled at him, stepping aside so he could step inside.
“Good mornin’ Mr. Lloyd, take a seat and Mr. Basil will be with you shortly.” Mrs. Judson said, taking his coat and scarf. Dawson was sitting at a small table, finishing his morning meal.
“Ah good morning Mr. Lloyd, you’re here early.” Dawson said, wiping his moustache. Samuel plopped down on the green armchair, smiling widely.
“I wanted to see if we can get really far in this investigation today. I’ve got a good feeling we’re getting close.” Samuel said, just then Basil made his entrance. Pulling off his morning robe and sitting down opposite Samuel, the most peculiar expression on his face. As though he had an ace hidden in the sleeve, Dawson wandered over to Basil and sat down near him.
“That we are good sir, that we are.” Basil said, locking eyes with Samuel. “Why don’t you take off your cap Samuel? Its common courtesy after all.” Basil said, Samuel tensed up and locked his ankles together.
“No, is it alright if I keep it on? I-It’s my brother’s you see, keeps me close to him.” Samuel said, tweaking it sightly so it squashed down further over his head. Basil took a deep breath and pressed his fingertips together, as though choosing his next words carefully.
“Something wrong Basil?” Dawson asked, Basil opened his eyes and smiled.
“You’re very good you know, very good indeed.” Basil said, not letting Samuel’s hazel eyes escape his green ones. Samuel cocked his head to the side, trying to shake the detective’s strange attitude.
“I don’t understand.” Samuel muttered, shaking his head. Dawson stood up and glared at Basil.
“What are you talking about Basil? We have work to do!” He said, starting to move to Basil’s desk.
“Tell me Mr. Lloyd-” Basil suddenly got to his feet, towering over the mouse still sitting. “-how long have you been female?” He finished, the room fell silent. All Samuel did was blink and then a soft smile broke over his lips which grew to a gentle laugh.
“They said you were the best, I’m not disappointed. It did take you two days however.” The mouse said, removing their cap. Revealing a mass of hair, held up in painful looking twists, buns and held in place with multiple hairpins.
“Y-You’re a girl!?” Dawson cried out in surprise, hurrying back over to the mouse, his eyes were wide with surprise.
“Ever since I was born.” The lady said, raising her paws to try to take out some of the pins. “Mrs. Judson, can you help me please?” The lady asked, startling Basil by changing her voice to its natural and sweet tone. Mrs. Judson opened the door to the kitchen, before hurrying over to the still seated mouse.
“I knew it!” She said, diving her fingers into the girl’s hair. The two of them plucking out metal pins, occasionally she winced in pain.
“Why disguise yourself as a boy?” Dawson asked, the girl looked up at them. Dawson pulled a chair over and plopped down, all too much for a mouse his age. She looked at Dawson then at Basil, who nodded. She withdrew another pin and placed it on her lap with the others.
“When I went to the police, I begged them to let me be a part of the investigation. My mother and I felt it could be solved faster if I was helping them, having an insider view and opinion as well as giving them everything I knew. However-” She scrunched her face up, yanking out a pin and taking a few strands of hair with it. “They told me to ‘Go home, this is men’s work.’ Then I decided then and there, the next person we asked for help I would go as a boy. That way I could see everything going on as well as be involved with the investigation. Besides, I really really loathe dresses and other such instruments of torture like corsets.” She growled, Mrs. Judson pulled the last pin from the girl’s poor scalp. She breathed a sigh of pleasure and ran her long fingers through it, creating a mess of waves around her face.
“Some people can be so small minded.” Mrs. Judson said, smiling at the girl.
“Is there any of that pecan pie left Mrs. Judson?” The girl asked.
“I’ll go and check poppet.” Mrs. Judson said, heading back inside the kitchen. Basil sat back down, now fully examining the young lady before him. Now remembering her using an envelope when setting her tea down, crossing her legs when she sat. All of these could have given away her gender, but very impressively discrete.
‘Now that I know who she really is, everything fits. She must have been the sister taking the acting and harp lessons with Miss Gina, not the other sister in the photograph. Archibald Jr. did appear confused when Dawson mentioned her under the name of Samuel; there is no Samuel in the Lloyd family!’ Basil thought, watching her as she twisted her long tresses around one shoulder and walked over to Basil’s desk.
“Shall we continue? Unless you want to tell me to ‘Go home and leave it to us.’” She said rather coldly, examining the evidence collected from last night. Basil walked up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder and making her jump.
“Of course not, it does not matter if you are a girl or a boy; you have been very helpful to Dawson and I.” She smiled widely.
“Indeed, and I think it would be an honour if you continued with your assistance in this case.” Dawson said, with that she rolled up the sleeves of her very baggy shirt to her elbows and started to review the notes from last night. Basil smirked at her creativity as she pulled her satin tie from her shirt and used it to pull her hair back.
“Miss Lloyd, can I ask you what your first name is?” Basil asked, her eyes widened then she turned to him.
“Of course. It’s Susan, Susan Anne-Marie Lloyd, at your service Mr. Basil.” She said, and so the investigation continued.  

                                                                   ~

“You ask too much of me my dear, I am doing the best I can and you bossing me around isn’t helping me either!” A dark voice said, his followers nodded in agreement. Fearing the worst if they thought otherwise.
“It’s very simple; I don’t see why you haven’t done away with them yet. The police may be scratchin’ the surface but there are rumours that Basil of Baker Street has been asking questions. That twit Susan is apparently helping them along, this is bad news comrade.” A sharp voice with an untamed accent spat, the bulkier one of the two growled and crushed his champagne glass in his fist. Blood seeped into his glove, dripping on the floor.
“I want more than 20%.” He growled in the dark, the thinner, petite shadow leapt over to him.
“Greedy guts!” They said, and then their hazel eyes glowed in the dark. “25%, my final offer.” The other took a long drag of an elegant cigarette, nodding in agreement. “I’ll get’s what’s mine, you’ll get what’s yours. Besides, you’re getting more than money my friend.” Their voice dripped like honey, in the dark they plotted. The silent tears of the captive Lloyd children in their prisons of stone echoed in the dark.

                                                                   ~

The grandfather clock chimed two in the morning, provoking a suppressed yawn from Susan.
“I cannot analyse this note any further, it has clearly been check thoroughly for any traces of evidence that may have been left. The paper itself is standard native Mongolian manufacturing with no watermark, the note has been written with a fine fountain pen and delicate hand. The message itself I don’t understand, ‘Eldest an-’ half of the message has been torn, by the tear itself it appears as intentional.”
“The message itself could intend to target me as the next victim; I am the eldest member of the family left excluding my mother.” Susan said, crossing her arms across her chest.
“You told us your other sister Mina is being protected by hired bodyguards and you’re being protected by us, is there anyway that you could be abducted?” Dawson asked, Susan thought it over. She suddenly inhaled sharply and closed her eyes then looked at the two gentlemice.
“Mina’s birthday is tomorrow; even with her brother and sister disappearing she’s still having a party. My mother says we should carry on as though nothing’s wrong.” Susan said.
“This will be difficult, as you must attend and be there for your sister.” Basil said and then snapped his fingers as he had a revelation. “Ah ha! It will be all too perfect, both remaining Lloyd children at the party and a few guests. Would it be quite alright if Dawson and I came with you?” Basil asked enthusiastically, Susan smiled and nodded.
“I see where you’re getting at! Using my sister and I as bait, we can look for any suspicious activity or suspects.” Susan said brightly. She went to the door and grabbed her coat, her long skirt swaying by her slender ankles. “I’ll return tomorrow, I’ll tell my mother of the plan so she can give you invitations to make it official. Wear something nice!” She said, Basil smiled and bowed his head.
“Goodnight Susan, we’ll see you tomorrow evening.” Basil said, Dawson looked at the two mice. Catching Susan’s blushing face out of the corner of his eye, Basil turned quickly back to the evidence.
“She certainly is a spirited young lady isn’t she?” Dawson said.
“Mmm.” Basil said in agreement, Dawson smiled at his friend’s awkwardness. He always knew that Basil was a social misfit and when it came to young and attractive ladymice he was terrible at it. “Dawson, you’ll have to go to the party with Miss Lloyd. I’ll stay here and work on the case.” Basil said, dimming the lamp on the desk before starting to retire to his quarters.
“Oh!? Why not Basil, I thought you would be delighted to spend some more time with Miss Lloyd!” Dawson said, but Basil had already shut the door. Mrs. Judson came through the kitchen door and handed Dawson his usual nightcap, he tapped her on the plump shoulder. “Mrs. Judson, why doesn’t Basil want to come to the party? Even to get a step closer to finding the criminal responsible.” Dawson said, taking a sip of brandy, the warmth filing every nerve. Mrs. Judson put down the pile of laundry on a chair.
“Well, I think it’s because he doesn’t want to embarrass himself in front of her.” She said, a little smile on her face.
“What do you mean?” Dawson asked.
“Mr. Basil doesn’t go out to social events… he doesn’t know how to dance.” Mrs. Judson said, Dawson chuckled a little.
‘Well, imagine that. ‘The Great Mouse Detective’, one of the smartest mice in London and he doesn’t know how to dance the waltz.’ Dawson thought, now considering what to say in order to try to get him to go, not only to capture the criminal at work at a faster pace but to draw the two young mice closer together, the actress and the detective.