The Warning, Chapter the Seventeenth
The first thing that Holmes saw when his eyes adjusted to the eerie light provided by the flickering candles was Watson. He had been tied to a chair beside Grandmama's coffin.
A weak whisper reached his ears. It was Watson.
"Holmes, go back. It's a trap."
"I rather thought that it would be, old fellow. Are you all right?"
"I'm all right, Holmes."
Holmes hurriedly untied his friend and led him to the door. Holmes opened it, and felt an explosion of pain in the back of his head. Watson, who had been leaning heavily on Holmes, fell, and felt himself being roughly hauled to his feet.
"Did you really think it would be THAT easy?" a woman's voice asked, as its owner emerged from the shadows by the door. Watson looked up, and was mildly surprised to see that she wore male attire.
Watson felt hands on his shoulders. They propelled him to his recently vacated chair.
"Make sure our guests are tied securely,"said the woman. The man obeyed as the woman held a gun pointed directly at Holmes. " Don't struggle, Doctor, or I'll shoot your friend, and at this distance, I can't miss." she said.
Another chair was placed behind the one which Watson was occupying, so that they were sitting back-to-back. Holmes was deposited in the empty chair and likewise secured. He spluttered when water was thrown in his face.
"Ah, I see you are awake," said Mrs. Moriarty.
"Why are you doing this?" Holmes spoke in a voice weak enough for Watson to be concerned.
"All in good time. I'm not finished yet. I still have to kill your friend. Then I'll answer any questions that you have."
"Leave Watson out of this, Mrs. Moriarty. Yes, I know who you are. Your business is with me—and no one else."
"No, I don't see it that way. Things are working out well for me. You do not appear to be doing so well, though."
As she spoke, Holmes was quietly trying to escape his bonds. While he was doing so, he found that he had something in his hand. It was the stone that the old lady had slipped into his hand earlier. Holmes could have sworn that it was in his pocked. It also had a very sharp edge to it that Holmes had not noticed before. The stone cut his ropes like a hot knife through butter.
Watson's bonds took a little longer, but the ropes finally loosened, and fell away. There was not very much light, which the detective was very thankful for. It ensured that their escape attempts went unnoticed.
Mrs. Moriarty was pacing back and forth, trying to build up her courage, observed Holmes. She stopped in front of Watson.
"Holmes, you took away someone very dear to me. Now I shall return the favour. Say good-bye to your Boswell.
She held her gun to Watson's head. The cocking of the gun was deafening inside the small chamber.
Suddenly, Grandmama's coffin slowly opened with a loud screech.
That was when Mrs. Moriarty's nerve broke, and she ran outside shrieking. Her partner raised his hands and was tied to a chair, with no resistance.
Holmes left Watson in the mausoleum and dashed outside in an attempt to catch Mrs. Moriarty. He had gone about five feet when he came across Inspector Lestrade, who was handcuffing a struggling Mrs. Moriarty.
"Her partner is presently tied to a chair in the mausoleum. Inspector, I am sincerely glad to see you here."
While Holmes was outside, Watson's curiosity got the better of him. He approached the coffin and with great trepidation, looked inside.
Alfie and several young Irregulars looked back, proudly grinning from ear to ear.
I hope that you have as much fun reading this as I did putting it together. Kudos to all who read and reviewed. Medcat, thank you for vetting this.