As soon as they arrived at Mousedom Hospital, the constable led them directly to the waiting area near the resting rooms. There stood Inspector Lawless with a few of his officers along with Lord Adrian, a grieving couple, and a middle-aged mouse. The grieving couple was Lord Adrian's sister Patricia and her husband Thomas Fredrickson. Basil and Elizabeth know this by seeing the resemblance between Lord Adrian and Patricia, plus he has told them about them before.

Lord Adrian recognizes Basil immediately and goes to greet him. "I'm so glad you came, Basil."

"Has something happened, good friend?" Basil asked.

"It's about my niece, Hannah." Lord Adrian explains. "Someone attacked her."

"Attacked? Why?" Elizabeth asked.

"That's why we asked your uncle to come." Lord Adrian said. "According to Mr. Jones…" he said, referring to a middle-aged mouse. "...this could be the third time since Valentine's Day."

Basil and Elizabeth looked at each other. Is this something like Jack the Ripper but in a mouse world?

"Tell me everything from the beginning," Basil said.

Lord Adrian, Mr. Jones, Thomas, and police mice went aside with Basil to talk. Elizabeth stood comforting Patricia while listening to what they were talking about. 

"You see, it all began when Hannah's dear friend, Alice's father, passed away." Lord Adrian began. "The loss was too much for her mother when they lost everything. To look after her mother, Alice decided to work. That is where Mister Jones comes into the picture."

"Mister Jones is the owner of 'Merry Haven' pud?" Basil asked.

"Aye." Mister Jones said. "My wife found poor Miss Alice looking for a job. The poor lass was rejected by many. So, my wife suggested that she could work in my pud. As a father of three girls and a boy, I'm a decent mouse. I made sure no one harassed her when she worked. I treated her like she was my own. We even went to see her poor mother. She was grateful for our family. But still… I fear whatever happened to Miss Hannah might have happened to her."

"What happened?" Basil asked.

"Because of the cold weather, Miss Alice caught a cold. My wife went to see her and told her strictly that she should stay home to rest. She even left some soup for her and her mother." Mister Jones begins. "Usually, that day she works in Pud. Also, it's the day when Miss Hannah comes to see her. Naturally, she came to see her, but she wasn't there. When I told her that Alice was sick, Miss Hannah suggested that she would cover her and do her shift. I, of course, tried to refuse, but she didn't listen."

"She comes to me and Patricia." Lord Adrian points out.

"Miss Hanna was a hard-working lass. She did her work well, and patrons were glad. Of course, they were sorry about Alice, but they were happy that she was helping her friend. Sure, there were a couple of drunken troublemakers, but I threw them out before they would do anything. When her shift ended, she left through the backdoor. Fifteen minutes later, I was closing the pub when I heard screaming. I hurried to see what was going on. I saw someone running into the mist when I found Miss Hannah unconscious and beaten. I picked her up and took her immediately here."

There was deep silence after that until Basil asked more questions.

"How did you get involved, Inspector?"

"The girl's parents call us here." Inspector Lawless explained. "I first suspected Mr. Jones here, but they confirmed that he is a decent mouse."

"Not to mention he was closing his pub fifteen minutes after she left. He couldn't have gotten there and back, " Basil said. "You said this was the third time, Mister Jones?"

"Aye." Mister Jones said. "At first, we didn't believe it because the first victim's husband was a drunken brute."

"You thought it was his doing?" Basil asked.

"He was drunk when we found him, picking a fight as always." Inspector Lawless said.

"But what changed your mind?" Basil asked.

"Because of this." One of the officers said and showed a paper rose. It was red, but it looks like someone has stumbled upon it. "This was found near the second victim."

"And after researching the place where the first victim was found, there was another one." Inspector Lawless said.

"And this time?" Basil asked.

"Right here." Mister Jones said as he picked a handkerchief in which there was another stumbled red rose.

"So this is the culprit's trading card," Basil says. "What have you learned from the first two victims?"

"Well, all I can say is that they refuse to speak to us." Inspector Lawless said annoyingly. "By what we have got so far, they both live in different blocks and haven't met before."

"But there must be a connection in how the culprit picks his victims," Basil said.

"Which is why I suggested asking you, good friend." Lord Adrian said. "If we don't stop this maniac, no mouse lady is safe. It's one thing to be alert by cats, but this… is outrageous."

"Indeed. It does sound similar to "Jack the Reaper" in the human world. Even Sherlock Holmes has been visited for advice. But I am going to solve this case before it gets that serious. So far, no one hasn't died, am I right?"

"No, luckily…" Inspector said.

"Good, because the last thing we need is a serial killer in Mousedom," Basil said.

Indeed. The mice were aware of what was going on in the human world. Jack the Reaper is a known story, and rumor has it that Scotland Yard hasn’t been able to arrest him. And as Lord Adrian said, it's enough that mice must be aware of cats, especially one that belongs to Professor Ratigan. But he so far hasn't been seen since his latest crime, which Basil managed to stop (along with his niece). Having a serial killer in Mousedom would be way horrible. 

"First, I like to speak with other victims if possible," Basil said.

"Well, the good news is they're still here..." One of the officers said.

"... But they refuse to speak." Another officer finished.

"Well, I'm sure I…" Basil says before realizing that Elizabeth and Patricia are gone. It didn't take him long to realize where his niece had gone.

*****

In the resting room, Elizabeth was looking closely at Hannah's injuries. Lady Patricia looked all concerned. She knew what kind of child she was. She also knows her family, so this isn't new to her, but she is still worried about her daughter.

"What doctor said?" Elizabeth asked.

"That she will recover. Nothing serious, but there's a chance it will take longer."

"I think so too," Elizabeth said. "I'm not an expert, but I have seen this type of bruise before. Some local bandits tried to rob us in China. Dad knew how to fence and used his walking stick like a sword. Mom…well, let's just say it was a good thing our friend showed us some kung fu. Later, when they were arrested, I saw them with the same type of bruises."

"Meaning…"

"The culprit used a walking stick to hit her," Elizabeth said. "I'm not sure, but I think this will help identify him. Not everyone has a walking stick, especially in that area where she was found." 

"My goodness…" Patricia said.

Elizabeth looks around and spots two more patients in the resting room. Based on their bruises, they might be the previous victims, like she heard. Elizabeth suggests that Patricia stays with her daughter while she walks to them.

The two patients were both female mice. One was a bit of a strong build with sand-colored fur, smoking in her bed with one eyebandaged and bruises in her arms. Another one was caramel brown fur, a bit thin with a broken arm and a huge bruise on her face.

They both notice Elizabeth walking at them and stopping between their beds.

"Can we help you, dear?" Said one who was smoking.

"What happened to you two?" Elizabeth asks innocently.

"We got beat up." She said while taking one puff from her cigar and blowing smoke out.

"Abusing husband?" Elizabeth asks.

"I'm not married." said the thin one blushingly.

"Lucky." said the first one. "If I wouldn't have known what kind of jerk mine is, I wouldn't have married him. But I have managed to handle him. And to your question, sweetie no. Whoever did this to me was a bit taller than my old man. And definitely someone in a better settlement."

"Really? How can you tell?" Elizabeth asks curiously.

"I saw him wearing a top hat, cloak, and walking stick before he attacked me."

"Like some kind of Mister Hyde?" Elizabeth asked.

"Now that's one way to put it, except I didn't get to see his face." said the first one while taking another puff of her cigar.

"Haven't you told this to the police?" Elizabeth asks innocently.

"Darling, please! Those buffoons wouldn't believe us if we tell them that some rich guy is behind all this." 

"What makes you think the culprit is a rich guy?"

"They always dress like that, darling."

"And I think I saw a gold watch in his pocket when he stopped hitting me." said the thin one.

"Huge"  Top hat… cloak…was by chance a rat?" Elizabeth asks curiously.

Both women looked confused. "No,  Darling, what gives you such an idea?"

"Well, you said he was taller than your husband…"

The first one starts laughing. "Oh sweetie, my husband is only a third of average mouse size. Even if he is drunk and violent, he will lose even for children."

"Then was the attacker mouse?" Elizabeth asks.

"It sure looks like it. I mea,  I at least saw his ears." the second one said.

"No,  why so many questions, dear?" The first one asked. "Trying to play a detective?"

"Oh, didn't you know? There was another victim." Elizabeth said.

"What?" The second one gasped upon hearing it. "Is she alright?"

"I don't know," Elizabeth said innocently. "But she looks so young.

"Wow, wow… You mean that bastard beat a young girl this time?" The first one asked a bit annoyedly. "Where was it?"

"I think I heard it near the "Merry Haven" pub," Elizabeth said.

The second one looked concerned. "You think it's Alice? She lives in the same building as I"

"No, it wasn't." another voice said that came forward. It was Basil that came forward and stood next to Elizabeth. "I'm sorry, ladies. I hope my niece hasn't bothered you much."

“Better her than the cops.” The first one said finishes her cigar. 

Basil looks at Elizabeth, who shows the cutest innocent smile she could make. It's not the first time she has done this.

Basil looks at the second victim. " So, you know Miss Alice?"

"She lives two floors above me." The second victim explains. "But I understood that she is ill."

"She is." Basil cleared. "But her friend decided to help her with her work, and the culprit attacked her."

"What a tosser." First one said. 

Basil got a bit surprised by such a word, but then again, she had the right to call the culprit like that after what he did. 

"Would it be okay if I ask a couple of questions?" Basil asks kindly.

"Depends…" the first one said. "What do you wanna know?"

"Just some small things. Like where each of you work and in what profession."

"Oh… just that." First one shrugs. "I'm a singer in a Lone Song pub. But I also work as a barmaid."

"And which one you were doing when you…?" Elizabeth asks innocently. Basil looks a bit annoyingly at her.

"I sang. There wasn't much entertainment at that time. All were booked on Valentine's Day."

"I see…" Basil mumbles. "What about you, miss?" he asked the second victim.

"I'm a barmaid in Jolly mice pud."

"Thank you for your cooperation, madams." Basil said.

"On what?"

"We're going to catch that abuser." Elizabeth said. Basil looks annoyedly again.

"Make sure he suffers. No matter who he is." First victim said.

"Ma'am, no one is above the law. Who did this to you, and that young girl will face justice." Basil assured.

"But I can bite his tail if you want." Elizabeth suggests. Both ladies smile at her comment while Basil rolls his eyes.