I sat down to study, having just put dinner in the oven and ready to relax after a full day. Married life was both marvelous and hectic. Matt was still in class, but would certainly be home for dinner before having to head off again for work. Sometimes I felt a little lonely when he was out and missed the old days of living with my roommate, Sheila Holmes in our little apartment on University Avenue. There was never a dull moment in those days, but alas, Matt had appeared in one of our adventures together and swept me off my feet.

Just as I was sitting down with my books, there was a suspicious knock on the door. It was so quiet, that I first discredited it as the neighbors. Nevertheless, it sounded twice more and at last I pushed myself to remove and answer it.

As soon as I opened the door, I was nearly knocked over by a being in a long winter coat who dashed in the opening and locked the door behind them. As I am sure you can imagine, my shock was far advanced and my mind was already racing to decide how I could reach my cellphone to call the police before the being noticed. My fear was premature, however, as I realized when the stranger turned around in the light.

"Good heavens, Sheila! One day you're going give me a heart attack!" I was shaking as it was and my heart was pounding, and yet there was no hiding the grin that crept over my face to see her. The arrival Sheila always promised excitement and adventure, which was just what I craved this lonely Thursday before finals.

"My apologies Jo, but as you can see I am in great distress." There was less of that usual excitement in her voice and she appeared much more distracted than usual for her sharp wits.

"Well, why don't you sit down and explain what the fuss is all about."

Sheila left the door to pace in front of our old hand me down couch. I slumped in my desk chair and waited, facing her.

"No use sitting down, not now. Oh Jo. I have been on the case of all cases! If you knew what sort of person was teaching at this very school...But of course you don't. No one does and he's taken great care to make sure of that."

"Who's he?"

"Who? None other than the bane of all decent existence and man of magnificent genius, Professor James Moriarty!"

"I've heard of him. Isn't he that infamous sociology professor."

"You could say infamous. Hm. He probably thinks it a great joke to teach that particular subject. But, what most ordinary society hasn't even guessed is what has me now dodging here and there for my life - Mark, Luke, John, whatever his face is, isn't here by chance is he?"

The sudden change of subject threw me off. I desperately wanted to know about this professor and the mystery behind him.

"Mark? Who do you mean? Oh, Matt?" Sheila shrugged it off. I half felt that she still resented him for whisking me away. "He'll be home in less than an hour I think, why?"

"Good. Who knows what connections Moriarty has. Now, text him and tell him you have to rush off for the next few days."

"Sheila! I can't just rush off on my husband like that, and next week is finals!"

"Good, that gives us a few days. Tell him it's an emergency."

"Well, I think he probably has a right to know what the emergency is first..."

"Hm. You're creative enough, I'm sure you'll think of something." I stood dumbfounded. However, I knew very well that I couldn't just let Sheila walk out of here alone, especially not in such a state as she was now.

"Very well, I suppose it won't hurt too much, but I'm going to have to call him and explain, so stay calm for a second." I dialed his number in my phone and settled back at my desk. As the ringing tone sounded Sheila impatiently stood next to me, flipping her lighter on and off.

"Hey honey, I'm still on campus, but I'll be home soon. What's up?"

"Matt, I'm sorry but there's and emergency and I have to go out of town with a friend. Everything is fine though and don't worry... Sheila watch it!" I dropped the phone as a fiery bit of paper fluttered to the ground. I jumped up to stomp it out.

"It burned the carpet!"

"I'm sure your landowner will just think it's a cigarette burn."

"Neither flames nor cigarettes are allowed here," I muttered. Remembering Matt, I suddenly scrambled for the phone again.

"Jo? Are you there?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm alright..."

"What did Sheila do and where is she going to drag you off now?" I was silent for a second. Too much was going on. Matt continued with a sigh, "You really want to go, don't you."

"Mmhm."

"Alright, but at least wait until I get home ok?"

"I'll do my best," I responded, with a half grin.

Making Sheila wait was not easy. She was determined that the trail she was on was absolutely urgent. I made a point to her though that I at least needed to gather a few things and so she collapsed again on the couch flipping her lighter. I wished she'd brought her violin. It seemed to be the only other thing that could keep her collected.

Luckily, Matt was home before long. We said our fair-wells and departed; a process that took much longer than Sheila appreciated. Finally, we were out the door and the chase was on. We hopped into my old black Corolla and started off. We weren't far though when I realized I was still unsure of our destination.

"Head towards Las Vegas, I'll have a better idea of where exactly when we get there," Sheila directed, reading my silence.

"Who is this Moriarty anyway? Why is he so fearsome?"

"If only you knew, dear Jo. Let's see. Do you remember the case of the spotted scarf? Moriarty set that ingenious little trap up. And the plumber's shoe? Those villains, and many others, were of the vile sort who have hired Moriarty throughout the years to help them in all their worst plots. They feed on his genius and he loves it. People become reliant on his skill and in turn become his play things. The cases I have set before you even were only solved because some person or other went against the advice of their ever so cunning consulting criminal."

"Really? Can one man be capable of so much and still work as a well-known professor?"

"Indeed. I believe Moriarty to be capable of much more than even I have yet discovered." Rather than sounding distressed or disheartened, her voice was tense with excitement and something like admiration. This was no more than usual for Sheila, but it still concerned me from time to time to see how callous she could be when the mood stuck her.

"Lives were involved in those cases," I remarked and her countenance fell a bit.

"Yes, you're right and that is why this is such an important mission. You see, this is actually something I have been working on for weeks while you've been away. Something the plumber's friends mentioned made me start to suspect. I researched it deeply and did some undercover work that lead me straight to the Professor. I wasn't sure until I had come so close that he seemed even suspicious of me. That was where he gave me just the hint I needed. Gathering loose ends from what his clients had left apart was easy enough. The difficulty with being a consulting criminal is the lack of organization and especially trust. Lots of bits slip by here and there, especially if you are a good liar. It took all my effort to close him in as I have done."

"You have?"

"Indeed. It has been such a chase! I have him now in Las Vegas, hired to commit a particular crime and surrounded by law enforcement. They know who he is now and are waiting only for my signal to move. Of course, Moriarty is undoubtedly aware of them too and that's the tricky part-other than dodging his assassins who have proved rather difficult to shake off."

Staying concentrated on the road was becoming difficult.

"Assassins?! Sheila! What have you pulled me into?"

"Oh hush, I wouldn't have brought you along if it wasn't safe, and we are quite secure on the road it think."

"Quite?" I mumbled in disbelief. Sheila just grinned out the window. Sometimes I think she found great amusement in shocking me, but I had no doubt that it was all true. We drove more in silence. This particular adventure seemed very complex and I was certain to never know all the details.

Finally,we arrived in Vegas and Sheila directed me to a decent hotel. Luckily, she'd prepared a room for us, and we found a place to settle ourselves for the duration of the night despite all my doubts of getting a place at midnight. I made sure and called Matt immediately to assure him, despite my own doubts, that we were safe.