Family Secrets
An Hope Holmes Adventure Chapter XXI
Faith Robin
Then suddenly I remembered and smiled.
"Granger you crazy girl what in heaven's name are you trying to do?" I asked after laughing at myself. Granger had been in the acting club back at school. We both were excellent actress, especially with me on dressing us as our characters. She sat there grinning at me like the cat that ate the canary.
"Well I have been thinking, your father has Watson so why not me to help you rescue your father?" She asked me trying to stare me down.
"No, there is no earthly way you are going to get involved into this," I said firmly.
"Why not?" she protested.
"Because if they catch you they'll murder you, and I don't want to deal with an entire army of angry Grangers," I said putting away my receipt book pen and paper.
"Well who has your father?" she asked crossing her arms. I sighed.
"Granger what do you know about Professor Moriarty?" I asked staring into the fire.
"Well I know that your father claimed that he was the mastermind of all the crime in London," she said after giving it some thought. I nodded grimly.
"You're somewhat on the right track. Father particularly described it as a spider and its web. Moriarty was the spider that sat in the middle of the web. Feeling all the vibrations and acting accordingly," I said remembering what my father had told me. "If a part of the web breaks he sends an order for it to be taken care of," I continued absent mindedly hearing my father's voice in my memory. He always spoke sharply when dealing with the subject of Moriarty.
"But I thought he died years ago," Granger said interrupting my thoughts.
"He did, but unfortunately his brother has taken over the management of the web now," I said hiding my disgust.
"Oh," she said quietly. By now the fire had dried our clothes completely and the warm was tempting me to fall into a deep slumber. 'I need a plan,' I thought groggily. 'How in the world am I going to pull this off?' I wondered. I relaxed and leaned against the back of the chair. The wood in the fireplace crackled and sent embers into the chimney. I glanced at the clock with leaden eyelids. It was nearly dawn; I rested my eyes for a few minutes. And without realizing it I drifted off to sleep. My dreams were swarming with nightmares; from fighting the goons to my father trying to protect me.
'Don't do it father!' I cried out to him in my dream. I was struggling against my captor's grip for I felt the barrel being forced into my ribcage.
'Let her go Moriarty,' my father commanded pointing a gun towards us.
'No Mr. Holmes, drop the gun and surrender yourself and maybe I'll let her live a little longer,' Moriarty said tightening his grip on me. Father hesitated, the gun waivered. "No! Father please don't do it!' I begged my face nearly drowned in tears. I couldn't break Moriarty's grip, he was too strong.
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