The Adventure of the Century-Long Turnabout

The Great Detective

A century ago.
September 18, 6:25 am.
Holmes’ flat
Naruhodou Ryuunosuke was dead.
Susato had watched herself how the life had escaped from his black eyes before he closed them one last time, how even with his beaten body he still smiled to her and touched her cheek with love…
“I hope that I will dream with you…” were his last words.
She had watched how he was put inside a casket and then buried the day after…
She had cried a lot but now, back at the place they called home, she just felt empty.
Sherlock didn’t go to the funeral, he spent the day investigating both his death and Baskerville’s case without finding a thing. He was desperate to find something that could point to Ryu’s death as a murder, he was sure that it was, however, the police had clasiffied it as an accident and refused to investigate. The horse that was leading the carriage was found, the only one that dissapeared was the driver assigned to that carrier but the police assumed it was because he didn’t want to be responsible for the accident, the reports said that the carriage was in bad state and broke in the turn thanks to the pressure. Naruhodo’s autopsy report said that he had died due to blood loss, mainly by a severe wound in his middle and other in his head, both occasioned by carriage’s pieces. Sherlock felt a deep pity for his friend, his death had been painful and slow, he didn’t deserve that…he was a good boy, kind and loyal, but trustworthy above everything else. He had ended up as a lawyer almost by accident, it wasn’t his dream or goal, but after a turnabout of events it turned to be his path, one that he never walked alone, he had been lost but also had found the right way again, he had saved so many people.
It was all just so unfortunate, so…unfair…
“ Holmes-sama” the soft voice of Susato wasn’t enough to drag him out of his world, he was again at his desk examining Naruhodou’s bag, he thought that a clue could be waiting in there, even if he had checked it a dozen times. “ You too…doesn’t think it was an accident, right?”
“ Yes…but there’s no proof of that. It doesn’t matter how much I look at it I won’t change the facts…fate took away the life of our dear Naruhodou.” Said Sherlock with a bitter and defeated tone. Susato started crying again but quickly dried her tears.
“ I think there’s one proof…” said with force.
“ W-what?”
“ I received Naruhodou-sama’s belongings after he was buried, I haven’t checked them up until this morning and something is missing. He always carried his journal with him, he used to take notes of everything in there and it always was in his chest pocket.”
“ But it wasn’t there…”
“ I looked for it everywhere I could but it remains lost. Susato believes that someone took it.”
“ It’s impossible for it to be taken by a random thief, it was raining and Mister Naruhodou had things far more valuable than a notebook. Whoever took it knew what was it and its contents..”
“ Maybe Naruhodou-sama discovered something…” suddenly, just as she was talking, Susato fainted and was about to fall to the floor, Sherlock reacted quickly and caught her.
“ Woah, Ms. Susato, are you okay?”
“ Yes, sorry about that. I have been feeling unwell lately, I came to think that that Baskerville curse really did a number on us…”
“ Curses do not exist my lady, don’t let such stories scare you. Since when were you feeling bad? Why didn’t you tell us?”
“ Since we started with the Baskerville case, but with all that happened I just ignored it…it’s mostly in the morning, I feel kinda nauseus. You say curses doesn’t exist Holmes-sama, but, that man was scary, he seemed to be talking seriously…”
Just then, Sherlock hit with a realization… he had said that Naruhodou’s soul would be forever at Susato’s side, but he never expected it to be so…literally. Susato was…no, just when he thought it couldn’t be worse…
“ You said you knew Baskerville-sama’s neighbors, right? What can you tell about Moriarty-sama?”
“ Moriarty…” Sherlock paled at the mention of that name, he jumped on his feet quickly “ James Moriarty?” he asked.
“ Yes, he told us about the curse back at Barkerville’s manor.”
Now Sherlock felt like he was the one about to pass out, that name, that cursed name. Holmes then ran to the street without hearing Susato’s questions, he needed to do something immediately.
James Moriarty, the Napoleon of the Crime, was a terrible enemy, Sherlock knew that he was the mastermind behind every big crime in London but he never left a single clue behind, it was impossible to catch him. Sherlock have been chasing him for years but the man was too smart, too cautious; however, he had appeared in front of Susato and Naruhodou like it was nothing, he even gave them his name…why?
It was all a trap. A dirty trick to mock him, to made him see what he was capable to do, how he could be at plain sight and still be so untouchable.
Moriarty knew he was after him, he knew about Naruhodou and Susato, he knew it all… Sherlock was sure now, Naruhodou’s death wasn’t an accident, it was murder… James Moriarty killed him. But he had more important things to think right now, Moriarty would not stop at anything…he had to protect the girls at all costs.