My sudden anger faded quickly under the dangerous glare of the doctor.

Holmes simply looked surprised.

"Interesting," he murmured.

"Holmes?" Watson finally looked away from me and glanced at his friend. I felt relief wash over me now that I wasn't being pinned with that stare.

"Did you see that? It was astonishing. Almost like watching ourselves."

"See what?"

"Just now. 'Holmes' was threatened and 'Watson' stepped in. You do get rather protective, old boy."

Watson looked affronted, "I do not! You're certainly capable of taking care of yourself."

"When you let me," Holmes returned.

Jeremy and I exchanged a bemused look. This was getting so off track.

Watson huffed and began to respond, but Holmes cut him off, "But that is not the point." He swung back to us. "The point is, you cannot know anything about this case."

"But we do," Jeremy insisted. "Just listen to us. Last night you said you believed us. That we are from another place, another time, and that we know things you don't."

"Well, yes, but -"

"No!" Jeremy said forcefully. "We don't have time for this. We can debate this all to our hearts content, but we'll do it later."

I watched Holmes's eyebrow head for his hairline again. It must have been odd-being steamrolled by 'himself' like that.

"Now listen." Jeremy demanded. He quickly outlined the facts – the code to the dancing men, Abe Slaney and the American connection.

"I can verify those facts easily enough," Holmes said. "A telegram to America will take care of that. How long before this all comes to a head?"

"There is time," Jeremy said. "You receive a few messages and another visit from Mr. Cubitt. I don't recall exactly, but I think there were a few weeks before his life was in danger."

"What happens?"

"Abe Slaney kills him. Then Elsie – Mrs. Cubitt – shoots herself in her grief."

Watson looked horrified, "We can't let that happen! We must go there now, Holmes!"

"If there is time, as Mr. Brett says, then I choose to verify the American facts first. We need more data before we go barging in anywhere claiming Mr. Cubitt's life is in danger."