The Picture on the Mantle
By Cybra
Disclaimer: The Great Mouse Detective is the property of Disney while the Basil of Baker Street mysteries are the property of Eve Titus. The original name of "Sherringford" for Basil's first name along with his older brother Myerricroft Basil is the property of Mademoiselle Irene Relda.
It was still there.
Not physically, but the picture that had once rested on the mantle still haunted the tan mouse's mind. Neither the framed copy of The Illustrated London Mouse nor the dinner bell could dispel its image from his mind.
In his mind's eye, the picture of his hated enemy remained.
His companion, the good doctor, noted the way he studied the mantle. The younger mouse's tail occasionally twitched as if agitated. The tan mouse's eyes were locked on to a certain spot on the mantle. However, the doctor dared not interrupt his friend's musings. When he was ready, the detective would speak his mind.
At the same time, the detective thought back to his last battle with the Napoleon of Crime. It had literally been a battle to the death at the top of Big Ben. Though outmatched when it came to strength and size, he had escaped using his wits. The rat had fallen to his death.
However, that death had yet to be confirmed. No body had been found.
Either the evil creature he had fought had died in the fall – the rat's body sinking to the bottom of the filthy Thames River – or the vermin was still alive.
If the latter choice was true, the monster was biding his time, waiting for the detective's guard to drop. Either that or he was searching for the chink in his enemy's armor.
Silently, the detective thanked his earlier idea of hardly mentioning his family members. Myerricroft was relatively safe with the government surrounding him. Their father was skilled at defending himself and was a formidable opponent to anyone despite his age. This meant that if he was attacked, he could hold off his attacker until help arrived.
The only one the famous mouse was worried about was his sister Brynna and her family. She was a very determined woman who would do anything to protect her family and her husband was no coward, but they and their children were still in the greatest danger. Her family was a far larger and more attractive target if word ever reached his enemy. The detective had vowed never to mention his sister and her family if he could avoid it.
Even though this helped avoid many dangers, there was one danger that worried the detective: his hated enemy, the nefarious Professor Ratigan.
The famous detective had relished his victory, yes, but it had not seemed as satisfying as he thought it would be. No matter how hard he tried, he could not shake the feeling that the private war between he and his enemy that had started back at Oxford was far from over.
Something his mother once told him entered his mind. A few of the last words of wisdom she would give to her children:
"When logic and reasoning fail you, always trust your instincts."
His instincts were telling him that his victory had been premature, and, in this case, he would follow his mother's advice and trust them.
The doctor started as his friend rose from his chair and walked over to a drawer in his desk. The detective pulled out a picture frame the retired army mouse had not seen in weeks and studied it for a moment before walking back towards the fireplace.
Doctor Dawson and the housekeeper Mrs. Judson watched in surprise as Sherringford Basil took down his trophies from the last battle with Ratigan, replacing them with the rat's old picture.
Basil studied the picture as it sat in its old place on the mantle.
The game was not over yet.
He would not remove the picture on the mantle until it was.