It's chapter 13, and the story is really close to the end. Lots of readers thought that the last chapter was 12, but please do continue reading the few more chapters to come I hope you guys have enjoyed it until now!
Chapter 13: The Unheard Melancholy Cry
"You are obviously Jeremiah's father, for it will be scientifically and practically impossible for Mr. James Clifton to impregnate Mrs. Annalisa Clifton while he was away and unaware." said Sherlock Holmes in an unreadable tone. The glisten to excitement in his eyes had subsided to a more calculating look. It was obvious that he was trying to guess the next move of the fellow in front of us. Mr. Clifton's brows knitted into an angry frown then relaxed after a few second.
"I knew someday, someone will find out our sins. Ann should have run away with me when I asked her. "He grumbled to himself. "So Mr. Holmes, was it? What does this have to do with you, or the case of Jeremiah going missing?"
"You are making it hard for both of us." Holmes said flatly. "You do know how all this is connected. But if you insist, I would ask you to call out Jeremiah right now. It is ill to keep such a young lad away from his parents after all." At the latter comment, Mr. Clifton scowled.
"I too am his parent, if you put it that way." The statement was just answered by a shrug. Out of the blue, Holmes started to hum the same old tune that I have been hearing for the past few days. I fidgeted on my sit uncomfortably, as the sad tune echoed in the tiny house. After a few minutes, the door connected to the sitting room creaked open, and little boy and a huge dog picked out of it.
"Jeremiah!" an angry voice roared triggering the black mongrel to bark. The little head bobbed back into the room, obviously frightened. Once the bark died down, Mr. Clifton regained his cool, and called the boy out. His golden curls and caramel eyes were a perfect mixture of his parents, and even at this young age, the boy was promised to grow into a handsome man.
"Mr. Holmes, Dr. Watson, This is the boy you are looking for, Jeremiah Clifton." There was a minute or two of silence, before the detective stood up and made his way to the door. I stared blankly at him until I realized he was to leave the place, and hastily went after him. Once out, he turned around, and gave a bow.
"I do wish pardon for my visit today. I will be back in a short while, and I do hope you will be kind enough to care for the boy and his dog until then." He quickly paced through the forest, leaving our host stunned, and I to run after him.
"Holmes? Holmes! Should we not take the boy with us?" I inquired in a bit of panic, unable to understand my partner's agenda. "Holmes? Are you listening? Holmes!"
"Silence, Watson!" the outburst took me by surprised, and I would be lying if I said that I was not offended. A second later, he gave apology. "Pardon me, but I just have too much on my mind. This is dangerous, Watson, but it's not our place to take the boy with us. We should hurry, or it might be too late." We hurried to our client's place, I still unable to fully grasp the twist and turns of this case.
Holmes just barged into the little house, still in his hard-to-catch-up pace. He made his way in to the room where the couple was, not waiting for the invitation.
"Why, Mr. Holmes, it is extremely rude of you to enter my house without invitation." Cried Mr. Clifton with a hint of anger, but more surprised than angry.
"Why, please do accept my apologies, but I am bit in a hurry. I have found your boy." answered he politely.
"Where is he! Is he alright? Why in the world did you not bring him back?" questions exploded at the news of their boys, and Holmes impatiently taped the floor with his foot, waiting for silence. Once the room had regained the gloomy silence, Holmes spoke up.
"Your boy is safe, at least for now. It was not my place to bring him to you, but rather it is your duty to bring him back. We do not have much time, and if we linger any longer, I could not grantee young Jeremiah's safety. Please grab your coat, for we need to head out this instant."
We wasted no time, and soon enough we found ourselves once again running through the green meadow that reflected the last bit of sun light. It was getting dark as we made our way around the trees and finally reached the little house in the middle of nowhere. The door was wide open, with the warm orange lights softly seeping out to the dark forest floor. Stephan was barking loudly, with a soft whine every now and then. Holmes led the way, with me just a few steps away from him. The Cliftons were just behind, eager to see their beloved son once again. But within the small, warm house, hold an unexpected horror. The little sitting room was drenched with blood, and at the middle of it lay the dog panting and barking, unable to get up. Few feet away was a man holding a crying boy, pointing a pistol at his head.
Screams filled the room, and anger roared as the two brothers saw each other.
"What's wrong with you, James? Let my boy go!" growled the younger of the two.
"Your boy? Pardon me, but he is rightfully mine. I could not bear if any longer. You stole away my love, my hometown, now my child. I'll claim what I deserve."
With that there were two loud "bangs!" and the boy slumped to the ground. James Clifton screamed as the bullet fired by Holmes hit his arm, but it was too late. The young and beautiful Jeremiah Clifton was dead. Mrs. Clifton rushed to the boy's side, crying in horror and disgust. How could her boy just die in front of her? Mr. Joseph Clifton just froze where he stood, unable to grasp what had happen. Among the sobs and angry cry of the mother, we heard the last blast of the pistol. Mr. James Clifton was dead.
Holmes sadly shook his head and walk out of this tragic place.
"We failed, my dear Watson. It has been extremely interesting on my part, but it had cost a young boy and his father's lives. But it was not my place to interfere, for the tragedy had started when they both fell in "love" with her. How foolish human beings can be. Now, all that is left is to call the police and hear this melancholy cry that would be left unheard otherwise…"
to be continued in chapter 14...