Free The Baker Street Boys - The Case of the Ranjipur Ruby by Anthony Read

you forget it. Oh, I see Dr Watson’s with you! Goodmorning, Doctor. What brings you here?”
    “I’m making sure Prince Ravi is safe.”
    “No Mr Holmes?”
    “No. He is away, on a case.”
    The doctor introduced himself to Captain Nicholson and Uncle Sanjay. He explained how he came to be involved, and how he had accompanied Ravi and the Boys to make sure they got him home safely.
    “I thank you, Doctor,” said Uncle Sanjay. “You acted wisely.”
    “Which is more than can be said of our young prince,” said Captain Nicholson sternly. “What on earth were you thinking of, Ravi, disappearing like that?”
    “I was scared,” said Ravi. “Those geezers had already tried to do me in once.”
    “That’s right,” said Wiggins, giving Inspector Lestrade a hard look. “If it hadn’t been for us…”
    The inspector gave a loud cough.
    “Yes, yes,” he said testily. “We are now investigating a real murder. Not some fabrication about a phantom professor.”
    “It weren’t a fabri-whatsit,” said Beaver. “Ourfriend Shiner seen him again yesterday.”
    “Who?” asked Captain Nicholson.
    “The professor. Moriarty. And he ain’t no ghost.”
    “I can vouch for that, Inspector,” said Dr Watson. “And so can Mr Holmes. Professor Moriarty may be the Devil incarnate, but I assure you he’s as real as you or I.”
    “And what exactly did your young friend see?” the inspector asked sarcastically. “Another empty carriage?”
    “No. This time he seen the professor his self, sittin’ in it. And he stopped to pick up somebody else.”
    “Did he get a good look at the other man?” Captain Nicholson asked.
    “Yeah. But he didn’t know who he was, ’ceptin’ he was a toff.”
    “But would he recognize him if he saw him again?”
    “Course he would. He’s bright as a button is our Shiner. Don’t miss a thing.”
    The captain nodded thoughtfully.
    “What has this Moriarty person to do with themurder of Mr Ram Das?” asked Uncle Sanjay. “Are you suggesting that he killed him?”
    “Oh, no,” Wiggins replied. “The professor’s the brains. He gets other people to do the dirty work while he lurks in the shadows, pulling the strings. Ain’t that right, Doctor?”
    “That is how it appears to be,” Dr Watson agreed.
    “Skulkin’,” said Beaver dramatically.
    Lestrade cleared his throat again. “That’s all very fanciful,” he said. “Like something from the pages of a penny dreadful. But we are dealing with reality here, not make-believe.”
    “Quite right, Inspector,” said the captain. “I think we’ve heard enough of this nonsense.”
    “It’s not nonsense,” Ravi cried. “You must listen to them!”
    “What we have here,” the inspector said impatiently, “is a failed robbery. A jewel robbery that went wrong, with tragic results. Nothing more.”
    “Which reminds me,” the captain said to Ravi. “The key. I presume you took it from poor Ram Das’s body?”
    “Yes, I did.”
    “Why?”
    “To keep it safe.”
    “While you ran around the streets of London in the middle of the night? Really, Ravi, that was not very clever of you.”
    “I thought the murderers might still be in the house. I ran to the Baker Street Boys’ hide-out. The Thugs would never find me there.”
    “Well, you are not to go there again. Ever. Do you hear me?”
    Ravi glowered at his tutor but said nothing. The captain went on.
    “These boys are not suitable companions for you. You are not to see them again.”
    “They are my friends. I’ll see them if I want to!”
    “That’s enough! You are not to set foot outside this house without your uncle or me. And your so-called friends are not to come here again. Now go to your room and get changed out of those revolting rags. I’ll tell Annie to run you a bath – no doubt you need one. But first, hand over the key. I’ll take care of it now.”
    He held out his hand. But Ravi did not move. Instead, he stood up very straight and lookedthe