The Great Mouse Detective And His Little Apprentice

Chapter 10 Afterwards

The meeting was a success. All went well, including for Mr. Switchboly. Since his main donation plan was for libraries, Dawnmouse wanted to include that as well. As soon as it ended, Mr.Dawnmouse went to see his son in the visitors' lounge. It was a touching reunion. Captain Andermice congratulated Basil for solving another case and, of course, hugged Elizabeth.

"Well, I'm relieved that Mr. Swissballs had no part in the kidnapping." Elizabeth said as she, Basil, and Dawson back home.

"Elizabeth!"

"Were you suspicious of him?" Dawson asked.

"I was fearing so when we came to Mr. Mussen's house and learned of his disappearance…"

"But you were hoping it wasn't him, am I right?" Basil confirms.

"Well, he isn't much of a social type. He mostly spends his time with books." Elizabeth said. "But he would never go that far."

"True. But maybe that's why Mr. Richmouse decided to use him to get his hands on the money." Basil said. "As chairman and not so social type, no one wouldn't go speak to him about it. And since he spends most 9f his time in books, he wouldn't even notice what else would've happened in Club. Mr. Richmouse would've taken advantage to embezzle more money from the club."

"And put all blame on Swissballs." Elizabeth said.

"Elizabeth!"

"Oh, calm down, doctor." Basil said. "It wouldn't matter anymore."

"Besides, he doesn't mind if I call him that." Elizabeth said. "It's how I have called him since I was little. I couldn't pronounce his name,so I accidentally said Swissballs. It actually made him laugh a d he said that he understood that I couldn't pronounce his name, so he said he wouldn't mind if I called him rolling Swissballs."

"Could you still not say it. Makes me kinda hungry, thinking swiss cheese balls rolling down." Dawson admits.

Basil laughs on that.

*****

Later on that night, Basil was sitting on his armchair and looking at the fireplace with a thoughtful look. Dawson comes to take his seat across from him with a cup of tea.

"Why so concerned, Basil?" Dawson asked. "You usually play your violin or smoke your pipe after a successful case."

Basil doesn't answer as he keeps looking at the fire in the fireplace.

"Basil?"

"Huh? Sorry, Dawson. I was… in my thoughts."

"Is it because of Elizabeth?" Dawson asked.

Basil sighs and picks a letter from the table near him and gives it to Dawson.

Dawson opens the letter and begins to read it:

"Dear brother,

I sent our daughter to you because we were invited to India again. Normally, we would take Elizabeth with us, but James hasn't gotten over the incident with King Cobra.

Besides, Elizabeth has been tired of traveling. We sadly have already booked many trips and we can't cancel them. So, I thought of you because she admires you.

Ever since she was five and met you, she wanted violin lessons. Then, at the family reunion in Paris, she started playing chess after playing with you. She even collected newspaper articles about you. She has said to me and James that she wants to become a private detective,  like you.

I know she likes Clifford and Bruna too, but as silly as this sounds, she started to remind me of you. Becoming a private detective may not be possible for her, but she may pass that knowledge to future generations. That sounds weird, doesn't it? Must be because of the travel we had in the east…

I have a feeling you two will get along.

Your sister
Cynthia"

Dawson finishes the letter.

"My sister sent it a year ago when Elizabeth came to Baker Street," Basil explains.

"Where are they now?"Dawson asked

"In America," Basil answers. "Whenever they are there, it's hard to say where they exactly are and how long they stay there."

"So, Elizabeth camed here a year ago?" Dawson confirms.

"Yes." Basil said while looking at the fire in the fireplace. "Back then, I was still trying to capture Professor Ratigan. There were a couple of times he got his hands on Elizabeth and used her against me by threatening her life."

"Until you send her to your parents." Dawson figures.

"They live outside the London." Basil said as he got up and picked his pipe. "It was one way to keep her safe. I would've sent her to Captain Andermice, but she made it very clear that she doesn't want to go there. Captain Andermice understood that well. Of course, I could have sent her to my brother Clifford, but she said it's so boring at his place. My sister Bruna lives in France, so I can't send her there. The same went for her aunt Anne from her father's side. She lives in Scotland. So that left my parents."

"How did she take it?" Dawson asked.

"Oh, I never told her why I sent her away." Basil said while lighting his pipe.

"That doesn't mean she would've known why." Dawson said. "By what I have seen during this case, she is clever like you."

Basil sighs and sits back to his armchair. "I never was good with kids, Dawson. Especially with girls."

"Like you weren’t with little Olivia Flaversham." Dawson reminds. Although Basil wouldn't admit it, Dawson has seen how Queen's Diamond Jubilee case had changed him. Before that , he worked alone. When Elizabeth came a year ago to Baker Street, it was all new to him back then. And by what he understood, Elizabeth managed to be only nine or ten months before Basil sent her to her grandparents. All because Professor Ratigan.

"Well, considering you defeated your arch enemy, I don't see any reason for you to send her anywhere." Dawson said, trying to lighten the mood.

Basil looks a bit annoying, but he lets it slide. He knew the doctor tried to cheer him up. To be honest, ever since he met little Miss Flaversham, it reminded him of Elizabeth. One part of him still felt she was in the way, but one part of him was proud of how she managed to handle the situation on the case.

Where this will lead, it's hard to say.

*****

In a dark, cute little room, little mouseling was sleeping in her bed. Or so it looked that way. Elizabeth was actually laying under her bed, writing some notes and adding them to a big board.

What happened in the docks last night had raised huge suspicion. She had gathered one article from the same newspaper when the Queen thanked her uncle. There was a smaller article titled "Time runs out for Ratigan". Elizabeth read it, but by what she heard from Dawson and her uncle, some things didn't add up. She tried to write more notes with questions that had been raised in her mind and added them to the board.

This was only a suspicion, but what if… what if…

Professor Ratigan is still alive.