The Great Mouse Detective And His Little Apprentice

Chapter 8 Rescue part 2

Elizabeth took John the same way they got into the cellar. When they heard someone was after them, they hurried out as fast as they could. They soon found themselves at the port, but whoever was behind them was getting close.

"What do we do?" John asks.

Elizabeth notices a rope pile nearby and old boxes. She takes him there and helps him into the rope pile. "No matter what happens, stay quiet till I come." She said before hiding in an old box.

The boxes were worn and had small holes to see. Elizabeth could see Ben, the kidnapper coming out from the sewers. He was so angry. He tried to look around to find her and the boy mouse. It's a good thing the rope pile is huge and thick enough for little mouselings to hide.

Ben, the kidnapper, was getting closer to her hiding spot. Elizabeth prepares to use her hat-pin again when suddenly he stops and gasps. Elizabeth peeks through the hole to see him looking up shocked. Was someone here? She sensed someone big landing on the box she was hiding. Then there's meowing. A cat?!

"I can't believe it… they say you were dead…" Dead? "No…no no. Wait! Look, I have this ransom gig. This guy promised big cash for us… He really wants this other mouse to become chairman of the Diammonium club. You know, the fancy one…" Elizabeth was surprised by what she was hearing. Does someone want Mr. Switchboly as chairman? But he only got three votes. That means… three possible suspects. " I just need to keep it till tomorrow afternoon and… No, please…no NO!"

There's a ring of the bell.

"NOOOOO!!!"

Elizabeth stays all shocked and paralyzed. The ring of the bell. Sudden silence. Now there should be… There’s a silent yet satisfying meow. Elizabeth was now more shocked that lays down.

There's only one criminal who does that… but… he is… he is…

There's mean chuckling above that sounds too familiar before suddenly there's a crack above the box, and a peg leg appears above. Then there's grunting and groaning as in someone trying to get free. Elizabeth covers her mouth, so whoever is up there won't hear her. "You stupid bat! We cannot be seen yet!" Heard an angry voice before there was a distant meow and then nothing but silence.

Elizabeth was now all frozen by shock. She hardly heard police mice arrive and reach the area.

*****

Basil arrived just when Dawson and Toby came with Inspector Lawless and his police mice.

"Mr. Mussen is down there in Ratigan's old lair," Basil tells them. "One of the fiends is there tied."

"And another one?" Lieutenant Black asks.

"He went after the kids. Elizabeth took young Dawnmouse to safety."

"Well, where are they now?" Inspector Lawless asked.

Basil goes to Toby and shows him Elizabeth's hat. "Find her, Toby," he said to Basset hound. Toby starts to track the scent and stops first at to rope pile. A few police mice and Dawson go to see and find John Dawnmouse Junior. Dawson helps the boy out and looks if he is okay. Toby continues tracking and comes to the old box. Toby tries to move it by his paw and starts whining like sensing something feels off.

Basil hurries there and tries to look into the box until he spots the helm of a purple dress. Is she hurt? Did something happen? "Elizabeth!" he shouts to her, but there's no answer. Basil starts to try to make a hole bigger for him. Toby started to help too.

As soon as the hole is big enough Basil squeezes in and finds Elizabeth lying there covering her mouth.

"Elizabeth?"

When she hears him, she turns to look and sees him. Then suddenly she gets up and goes to hug him like her life depends on it. Basil was all surprised by this. Sure, she is a hugger, he knows that, but this feels different. She is burying her face at him instead of leaning her cheek. And… there was a shaky sigh. Something happened here.

Basil slowly pats her back to calm her down, but it doesn't seem to work. What should he do next? He needs to get her out. He picks her up into her arms and carries her out.

As soon as they come out, Toby tries to peek and see Elizabeth and lick her face. Basil calms him down while Dawson comes to see them.

"What happened?" Dawson asked.

"I don't know. I have never seen her like this." Basil said.

"You have never seen her scared?" Dawson asks.

Basil stayed speechless. Scared? Elizabeth was scared? But what could possibly scare her? She faced King Cobra when she was little.

Meanwhile, other police mice come with Mr. Mussen, Miss Kitty, and Tom, who is tied up. John goes to Mr. Mussen.

"You haven't found Ben the kidnapper?" Basil asked while putting Elizabeth down close to Toby. Basil knows how calming effects dogs have on humans, hopefully, it calms Elizabeth too.

"Sadly no." Inspector Lawless said. "Lieutenant Black found a couple of cat's hair on top of the box. It seems the local alley cat ate him up." This wasn't unusual scenery to mice. There are areas with cats in England. Whenever there's a missing person and they find cat hair, it always means one possible conclusion.

"I assume that the boy was the case you mentioned." Inspector Lawless asks Basil.

"Yes," Basil answers. "His father is the new chairman of Diammonium Club. The boy was kidnapped, so he would resign his title as a chairman."

"That may explain some," Lawless said. "But what does Mr.Mussen have to do with this?"

"Because if Mr. Dawnmouse resigns as chairman, and the next possible option would be Mr.Mussen," Elizabeth answers while leaning against Toby. "The plan was to frame Mr.Mussen from kidnapping, but Mr. Mussen has no ill will for Dawnmouse because he suggested an alternative option for him."

"It's true." Mr.Mussen said. "Although I came second, Dawnmouse was kind and considerate. I have no reason to complain or harm his son."

"But why do they want to frame Mr. Mussen?" Dawson wondered.

"Because when Mr.Mussen is out of the way that leaves the third candidate." Basil figures.

"Ronald Switchboly?" Dawson wonders. Some of the police mice try to hold their laughs before the Inspector shushes them.

"I know Ronald was disappointed too, but he would never go that far." Mr. Mussen said. "It would shame his family name, as he would say."

"That then leaves three suspects," Basil confirms. "Ronald Switchboly got only three votes."

"But we don't know who they are," Dawson said.

"But Captain Andermice told us he suggested donating to traveling," Basil said. "I'm pretty sure all three have something to do with traveling. One of them wasn't pleased with the result and is now trying to 'get rid of' competition."

"But how do we know which one it is?" Dawson asked.

Basil thinks a while before coming up with something. "And what if we lure him out?"

"How?"

"Inspector, may I borrow Lieutenant Black and a couple of officers? I assure you, they'll bring the culprit to justice." Basil asks.

"Be my guess," Inspector says.

"What is your plan, Basil?"

"I'll explain later. We need to be ready for tomorrow's meeting."