The deal

Basil was stunned. "He killed your wife? In front of your daughter?"

Ratigan nodded. "Now do you understand why I want him dead?"

Basil didn't know what he had to say. "Yes,I...umh...I...I'sorry."

"I don't want your pity, Basil" Ratigan snarled "I want you catch him. I want see him executed in front of all London!"

"And you would help me to catch him?"

"Exactly. For the first time in our lives, Basil, we both want the same thing: you want bring the Killer iof Alleys to justice, and I want him pay for my wife's murder."

"And thus you're suggesting a sort of...alliance?"

"A kind. Honestly, Basil, I'm not so happy of this. I would be happy to destroy your career as you would be happy to send me in a jail. You're my nemesis, and you always will, but I still have some respect for you. I know you're the only one capable to catch him."

"I'm touched" said Basil ironically "anyway, how can you help me?"

"I wasn't lying when I wrote you thet letter. I can give you important informations."

"What kind of informations?"

"First of all" said Ratigan "Ginevra is the only person who saw the Killer of Alleys and survived to tell that. I found her lying unconscious near Theresa's body. I don't know why he didn't kill her too, but..."

"Wait a moment" Basil cut him off "are yuo saying that Ginevra..."

"Ginny" Ratigan corrected him grinning "she doesn't like be called with her full name. I'm the only one allowed to call her like that."

Basil rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Do you mean that Ginny can describe him?"

"Exactly. She said he was tall, dressed with a dark blue suit and with a cat-like mask on his face. He had black eyes, gray fur and a big scar on his right ear. Oh, and he was left-handed. Is it useful?"

"And how!" Basil almost jumped off from the armchair for thr excitement "your daughter is a great observer!"

"Some things are hard to forget" Ratigan said with a gloomy voice. Embarassed, Basil cleared his troath. "Uh...do you have other informations?"

"Yes. You must know that the police doesn't know all the victims, because sometimes their relatives and friends were in trouble with law, so they didn't denounce their death to the police."

"As for your wife."

"Yes, as for her." Ratigan fell silent and glanced at a photo on a bracket at the top of the fireplace. Basil looked at it: it represented a beautiful woman about the late twenties. "Is she your wife?" he asked.

Ratigan nodded shortly and turned his glance away from the photo. For a moment, Basil saw pain in his eyes. "Anyway" Ratigan continued "in one of those murders unknow to the police, he made a mistake."

"What kind of mistake?"

Ratigan took took a little bag from his poket and handed it to Basil. The detective opened it: there was a scrap of of blue stiff, stained with dried blood. "Oh, God" he breathed "it belongs to him?"

"Yes. One of my henchmice found it in the hands of a victim. I hope you can discover something useful for his capture."

"Of course I can!"Basil exclaimed, putting in his coat's poket "gave me just a few time to study it carefully, and this scrap of stiff will tell me everything about our man!"

"I'm glad to know it. I'll send somebody to bring you back here within a few days."

"Why?"

"I just want to be informad about your investigation, nothing more. Oh, by the way...don't try to call the police, Basil. Some of my henchmice will costantly watch over you."

"Don't worry, I won't...for this time" Basil looked at Ratigan right in the eyes "but I want you know, Professor, that I won't change my opinion of you for this."

"Neither will I" said Ratigan.

"Good, I just want you know it. Uhm...and now?"

Ratigan took a glass from the table and handed it to Basil. "Drink this."

Basil took the glass and looked suspiciously at the liquid inside. He carefully smelled it. "What the hell is this?"

"It's just a narcotic. When you'll wake up, you'll be home."

"Should I trust you?"

"Do you have another chance?"

Basil sighed. "Ginny said me the same thing a short time ago. Like father, like daughter."

Ratigan laughed. "Yes, she's rather similer to me. Noe drink it, Basil. I don't have all the night."

Basil raised the glass. "Cheers" he said sarcastically, then he drank the narcotic. When he awakened, a couple of hours later, he was back to Baker Street, in front of the door of his home.