The missing Baroness

Kevin Somerset watched trough the window. "He's here."

"Are you sure he's alone?"

"Yes. I saw the landlady leave the flat a few minutes ago. Are you ready?"

"Yes"said Samuel Morgan, then he suddenly went pale "uh-oh..."

Somerset looked at him. "Uh-oh? What the hell meants 'uh-oh'!"

Morgan gulped. "Er...I'm afraid I forgot the narcotic."

"You did WHAT?"

"I'm sorry!"

"Ooh,you're sorry!HOW COULD YOU..."

Morgan covered his mouth. "Ok,ok,don't worry. I've got an idea."

Ratigan gave to Basil an amused look. "Are you fine?"

Basil grunted. "No,I have a terrible headache. Why your henchmice didn't use the narcotic like the last time?"

"The didn't?"Ratigan asked innocently.

"No, they gave me a blow on the head!"

"I understand"said Ratigan, making a mental note to gave a little reward to Morgan and Somerset.

"Why they bruoght me here so soon?"

"I have some news for you"said the Professor "a woman saw his face the last night."

Basil's jaw dropped. "You're joking!"

"No"Ratigan gave him a paper. Basil stared wordlessy a the portrait: it represented a middle-aged mouse with sharp features, gray fur and a black spot on his left cheek.

"Oh,God" Basil breathed "is this his face?"

"Yes"

Basil tried to recover his composure. "Very well. Now I'm sure I'll catch him. It's only a matter of time."

"Did you discover something about that scrap of stiff?" Ratigan asked.

"Oh,yes. It told me that our is a rather rich one, that he lives in the hight quarters and that he's addicted to drugs,expecially cocaine."

"And you discovered all this things only with a scrap of stiff?"

Basil smiled proudly"Exactly."

Meanwhile,Ginny and Nuts were listen the conversation in the next room, their ears pressed against he wall.

"Wow!"Nuts exclaimed "this detective is really clever,isn't he?"

"Shhh!"Ginny shut him up "just listen."

"But I discovered something else too" Basil added,staring Ratigan straight in his eyes.

"What?"

Basil took an old newspaper from under his coat and handed it to Ratigan. The rat went pale as he saw the photo of the Baroness on the first page.

"Baroness Theresa Alistair"said Basil "this name meants nothing to you?Or maybe I must call her 'Theresa Ratigan'?"

Ginny was stunned. "Ehi, he also discovered who was my mother!"

"I told you he was clev...ouch!"

"Shut up."

Ratigan looked at him. "How did you...?"

"I just found it in an old trunk. You kidnapped her, didn't you?"

"I didn't!"

"Don't lie to me, Ratigan! What have you done to her, you monster? I'm sure you kidnapped her and forced her to stay here!"

"I DIDN'T!" Ratigan screamed. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down, then he spoke quietly: "I never forced her to stay here, Basil. It had been an her own choice."

Basil looked at his arc-enemy. "You must tell me the truth, Ratigan."

The rat stared at him with hatred. "Fine"he finally said "I'll tell you the truth. You're right, Theresa was a Baroness. I met her about ten years ago, when I still was a respected mathematics professor. I immediatly liked her. She was a brilliant woman, you know."

"Go ahead"

"There isn't much to say.Even after my troubles with law began, we secretly continued to see the each other for almost an year. Then..."

"Wait a moment"Basil cut him off "she was going to marry the Duke of York before her disappearance!"

Ratigan snarled. "Damn to that idiot of the Duke! She didn't want marry him. Her family was forcing her!"

"And then you proposed her to move in your hideout with you,didn't you?"

"Yes. She accepted. We married a few months after that. You must believe me, Basil"he said "I never forced her to do anything."

There was a minute of silence, then Basil nodded slowly. "Ok, I believe you. Now order to your henchmice to bring me back to Baker Street,I have a lot to do. And please, no blows on my head this time!"

Ratigan laughed and gave him a glass of narcotic.

"Drink this."

Basil sighed in relief. "God bless the narcotic!"