Without A Clue Page #6

for your efforts.

A reward? Who am I

to go against the wishes of the Queen?

Stunning, isn't it?

I'm overwhelmed.

Pity you had to go all the way to Windermere

merely to confirm my theories.

Think nothing of it, old man.

if I hadn't gone to Windermere,

I could not have confirmed MY theories,

namely that YOUR theories

are completely wrong.

- What's that?

- This is utter nonsense, sir.

He refuses to accept

that l solved this case before he did.

- Hello.

- Giles is dead.

The plate's lost, case closed.

Neither Giles nor the plates

were ever in Windermere.

Case open.

Really?

Well, gentlemen. I see Holmes

has taken you into his confidence.

Did he also tell you that we expect

to conclude this case within three days?

BOTH:
No.

I'll let you fill in the details, Holmes.

Let me assure you, Lord Smithwick,

that come...Friday, you shall have your plates.

You must succeed, Mr. Holmes...

..before news of the theft leaks out...

..and causes widespread panic

throughout the Empire.

Steady, sir.

Steady.

That is exactly why the Empire,

now more than ever,

needs all of us to remain calm and composed.

Oh, you're right, of course.

We must remain composed.

- Composed

- And calm.

- Friday? Are you out of your bloody mind?

- Steady on, old boy.

You've made some excellent discoveries

this morning.

Get your coat on. We have a cab waiting.

What discoveries?

For one thing, the Royal Mint purchased

its paper from the Camden Paper Mill.

- You make these things up, don't you?

- Mr. Holmes.

Mr. Holmes. Those men, they were here

about my father, weren't they?

- Oh, Dr Watson, good morning.

- Miss Giles.

Is there any news? Anything at all?

Sadly, no.

But take heart, miss.

Last night something occurred to Holmes and

he suddenly realised how stupid he'd been.

Really?

- Well, I didn't exactly say stupid.

- Yes, you did.

And now he's off to continue the investigation.

Oh, perhaps I could come too.

Trust me, miss,

the moment he knows anything, he'll tell you.

Thank you.

- Cabbie.

- Go on.

(Church bells peal)

(Laughs)

What's that?

A reply to a telegram I sent late last night.

- You might let me in on the joke, old boy.

- In due time.

Doctor! Doctor!

- Doctor Watson!

- Cabbie

Stop.

You was dead right, Doctor. All of 'em,

just sitting there, waiting for Customs.

Wonderful. Just as I thought. Hop in, lad.

Driver! Southwark Docks.

Here will do, cabbie.

Thanks, guvnor.

Wiggins.

Here they are, Doctor.

We found 'em here this morning.

Wonderful.

All these crates, full of imported shoes.

WATSON:
And the ship?

Got in this morning from Germany.

Two days late, she was.

Excellent. You've done well, my boy.

We'll take it from here.

Picture it.

Two, three, maybe four of Moriarty's henchmen

waiting here under cover of darkness

for that ship, but it's delayed.

They wait. They become bored.

Being men of no moral fibre whatsoever,

they can't resist helping themselves

to a new pair of shoes!

Do you think they have these in brown?

(Creaking)

I hate ltalian shoes.

Moriarty.

- Moriarty?

- Without doubt.

This one.

Go on bust it open

(Cuckoo clocks chime)

What's tinte?

German for ink.

He smuggled it in

to avoid the attention of Scotland Yard.

Marvelous. He already has the paper he needs.

He got it from the Camden Paper Mill,

burning the place to the ground

to cover the theft.

And the John Clay case was staged

simply to throw me off the scent.

HOLMES:
What's the German for pen?

Hold it! What's all this, then?

Blast!

You can't be moving things about.

lt has to be cleared through Customs,

and all that.

Sorry, Professor. I thought it was deserted.

Sorry indeed.

I went to all this trouble

for the sake of discretion...

..and then you allow this to happen.

Well?

Do you have your revolver with you?

Yes, somewhere.

(Splash)

Come on. Let's not be all day about it.

- Yes, here it is.

- I'm going to let you have some bullets for it.

Try not to shoot yourself.

At least, not until I give the signal.

Moriarty.

Damn.

(Thud)

- Holmes!

- What?

(Gunshot)

Come on!

Die, Moriarty.

Come on!

They can't follow us down the canal.

How demeaning to be set upon by nitwits.

Watson.

Watson?

What are you doing? Watson?

Damn!

Oh, Watson, look out!

Watson?

Watson?

Watson? Watson?

No luck, sergeant.

- Anything?

- No, sir.

The tide may have carried the body

miles down river.

Mr. Holmes...

..is it true?

Yes, I'm afraid it's true.

Mrs. Hudson, I am so sorry.

He was such a good man.

I can't believe he's gone.

I know it's difficult at such a time, but...

..if it's any consolation,

we still have Mr. Holmes.

Did I say something wrong?

(Thud)

Oh!

I seem to have overestimated

the amount of rope required.

One more thing I've botched.

Mr. Holmes! What would Dr. Watson say?

He would have volunteered

to kick the chair from under me.

He would not.

He said this was going to be

our last case together.

Mr. Holmes.

Mr. Holmes!

You mustn't blame yourself.

You can still avenge the Doctor's death

by capturing this Professor Moriarty

and rescuing my father.

Oh, what a good idea!

While I'm at it,

I'll bring in the Loch Ness Monster.

Please, Mr. Holmes. I don't understand.

I am not a detective. I never solved anything.

- Dr Watson did.

- Oh, nonsense. You're just upset.

I couldn't detect horse manure if I stepped in it.

Please, Mr. Holmes!

Sorry.

- Another one, Mr. Holmes?

- Yes, please.

Stop.

Perhaps not.

I'm afraid my grief has exceeded my resources.

- It's on the house, Mr. Holmes.

- Why, thank you, Henry.

Mr. Holmes.

Thank goodness.

Mrs. Hudson said we might find you here.

We want to offer you our condolences.

Pity about Dr Watson.

I trust, however, it will have no bearing

on the outcome of the case.

What?

You vowed to solve the case by Friday.

Ah, well, you see...

..the fact... The fact of the matter is,

you see, Lord Smithwick, is Dr Watson...

I believe what Mr. Holmes is trying to say

is that it was Dr Watson

who first made that pledge.

And er...with all due respect,

I am sure he did not fully understand

the complexities of the case.

As I have tried to point out to Your Lordship,

Her Majesty should rely on the counsel

of trained criminologists such as myself.

Though well-meaning,

the good Doctor was...no detective.

As I was about to say, Lord Smithwick,

Dr Watson was decidedly precise

in his estimate of the closure of this case.

Have no fear.

You shall have the plates in your hands

come Friday.

Mrs. Hudson?

- What?

- The game's afoot.

Oh!

Dr Watson always said,

Start by listing everything you know.

So, let us begin.

Number...one.

Moriarty.

Isn't he wonderful?

He is behind all this. That's one thing we know.

Very good. We are progressing nicely.

Now, the next thing we know.

Number two.

This might take a while.

I'll away and get some tea.

What?

All right.

Let's go back to number one.

Perhaps the clue's in Moriarty's name.

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