Once Upon A Time…

"Mr. Basil! The chief of police is demanding to see you at once!"

I nodded. "Do show him in, Mrs. Judson."

Leighton had barely entered the room when he began his story.

"Don't speak!" I interrupted. "Do allow me to guess the reason for having such delightful company this evening! It's urgent! Some disaster of the most adverse nature has transpired! A great tragedy that will no doubt bring the empire to ruin!"

"Perhaps not that catastrophic, but certainly serious," Leighton replied. "You see…"

"The entire police force of Mousedom has gone missing!" I continued. "Have you investigated the pastry shops? I would wager that over half the law enforcement officers in the country could be found in such places!"

"When you're finished with the sarcasm, Basil, perhaps we can discuss business."

I settled comfortably into my chair and began smoking my pipe. "You may proceed at will."

"I was patrolling Hyde Park, and I came across a man who looked as if he were asleep under a tree. When I got closer, I realized he was dead. I turned to Mansfield, who had been only a few feet away from me, but when I looked, he wasn't there."

"Mansfield?"

"My partner," he explained.

"So you wish me to investigate a murder and a kidnapping?"

"Will you take the case?" queried Leighton.

"Your story intrigues me, but you forgot the part where the Big Bad Cat arrives, demolishes the house of cheese, and consumes the Three Little Mice, except for the one who climbs the beanstalk to the castle in the clouds." I sighed. "Have you nothing better to do than waste my time with your fairy tales?"

"You don't believe me?!"

"Not a whit!" I rejoined. "First of all, you did not become the chief of police because you are injudicious. You 'just happened' to notice a murder. You heard or saw nothing suspicious beforehand. No concerned citizens reported the crime. You can hardly expect me to believe as much! Furthermore, your partner mysteriously vanished. I would accept such an account from nearly anyone else, but both of you are police officers! How does a kidnapping occur within ten feet of the chief of police without his notice? If Mansfield truly is your partner, could he not have defended himself, or is he the only police officer in Mousedom who was never given weapons or trained to do his job properly?"

"Detective, I give you my word as a gentleman that I have told you…"

"The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you." I opened the door. "Thank you for dropping by. Do return when you can stay longer. Have a pleasant evening."

He stared in astonishment. "Are you telling me goodbye so soon, Basil?"

I stiffened at his accidental reminder of painful memories, but I said nothing.

"Please! Mansfield's my partner! If something were to happen to him…"

"He would be given a hero's funeral and laid to rest in the finest cemetery in London," I stated.

"He's more than my colleague! He's my friend!"

"Fascinating."

"What if something were to happen to Dawson? Wouldn't you try to find him?" Leighton inquired.

"Do you honestly think I, Detective Basil of Baker Street, would be foolish enough to allow my most trusted associate to be spirited away?!"

"What about Prescott?"

I crossed my arms. "If I acquiesce this jocosity of yours, will you allow me to spend the rest of the evening in the comfort of my own domicile?"

"Of course!" he promised eagerly.

"Very well."