Soon, Basil, Dawson, and Elizabeth were walking in the new location. They decided to go see Mister Mussen and got his address from Nigel.

"You don't think Mr. Mussen is the culprit?" Dawson asked worriedly. "Mister Dawnmouse did want to include art and music studies to his donation."

"Of course not," Elizabeth said. "Mr. Mussen is very kind. He loves children."

"But he doesn't have his own, am I right?" Basil confirms.

"He got married just a half year ago," Elizabeth said. “They probably get later.”

“What else do you know about him?” Basil asked.

“He is not from a noble family, but he became rich five years ago.” Elizabeth begins. “Not all were pleased that he became a member of the Diammonium club. But then again, there are some not from noble families and still are members.”

“How did your grandfather take it?” Dawson asked.

“Oh, he didn’t mind. And neither didn’t Mr. Dawnmouse.” Elizabeth said. “By what I heard, those two have been friends ever since Mr. Mussen joined the club.”

“Yet he hasn’t appeared in the club and hasn’t informed them of being ill.” Basil reminds.

“You think they are connected?” Dawson asked.

“One way to find out,” Basil said.

*****

As they arrived at Mussen's residence, to their surprise, the police mice were there. What has happened?

One of the officers recognizes Basil immediately. "Mister Basil. What brings you here?"

"I have a case, Lieutenant Black. One in which I like to speak with Mr. Mussen." Basil answered.

The officer, Lieutenant Black, looks concerned. "Don't you know, Mr. Mussen has vanished."

Both Dawson and Elizabeth look shocked by the news, while Basil looks more focused. This can't be a coincidence.

“When did this happen?” Basil asked.

“Last night. Mrs. Mussen called us. Inspector Lawless is inside investigating.” Lieutenant Black told.

“Oh no…Him?”

“Elizabeth!” Basil hushed her.

“Inspector Lawless? Wasn’t he the one who came to arrest the culprit in the Emerald ring case? Dawson asked.

“The same,” Basil confirms while pinching between his eyes. “Any leads yet?”

“Not yet.” Lieutenant Black answered.

“Mind if I give a little assistance?” Basil suggests and enters the house before Lieutenant Black could answer Dawson and Elizabeth behind him.

Inside the house, three police mice were checking all around the house. It is probably the possible way to enter the house. Lieutenant Black leads them to the study, Inspector Lawless is with crying Mrs. Mussen and the maid who was consoling her.

As soon as the inspector saw Basil and his companions, he got a bit upset. “Oh for heaven's sake! What are you doing here, Basil?”

“I’m not here to take your case if that’s what upsets you,” Basil said with a teasing smile. “I have another case which led me to come here to see Mr. Mussen.”

“And let me guess, Lieutenant Black told you what has happened.” Inspector figured before sighing. “Well, as much as I like to ask you to leave, we are a bit stuck.”

“A bit?” Elizabeth asked teasingly. The inspector looked annoyingly at her.

“Well, I’m glad to help. My case is a bit urgent, so it’s very necessary to find Mr. Mussen as soon as possible.” Basil said. “What exactly happened?”

"Mrs. Allendale, the maid, told us she heard noises last night from the study," Lawless explained. "As far as we have looked, there's no trace of anything happening here."

"What are you suggesting?" Basil asked.

"Well, to me, it looks like a maid heard things in the middle of the night. Mr. Mussen is probably on a business trip." Lawless said.

"But my husband has no business outside of London." Mrs. Mussen mentions.

"And I did not hear things that night." Mrs. Allendale said upsettingly to the inspector.

"Then do tell me. What happened?' Basil asked politely. Meanwhile, Elizabeth comforts Mrs. Mussen.

"I was checking all the rooms when Mr. Mussen went to his study. After the newly elected Chairman of the Diammonium club, Mr. Mussen was preparing for the next meeting."

"How was he?" Basil asked.

"Quite normal, actually." Mrs. Allendale said. "But just when I was finishing, I heard strange noises from the study. At first, I thought he hit his leg or something, but then I heard mumbling and vase breaking, so I tried to call him, but nothing. Then I tried to get it open, but it was locked. I asked Mrs. Mussen for a spare key, and we managed to get into the study, but when we came in, it was all like this." She said, referring to the room.

Basil now takes the moment to look at the study. The window was open, while one vase near it was in pieces on the floor, which matches Maid's story. The study table is a bit further from the window, about five feet (in mice measures) exactly. From the other side of the table, there were some papers on the floor, with an ink pen that had stained some of the papers. The pen itself seems to have rolled somewhere nearby.

"Tell me, Mrs. Mussen…" Basil begins. "Does your husband always lock up the study?"

"Not always." Mrs. Mussen said after clearing some tears. "Francis did that only if he had important matters to handle and wanted to concentrate on his work fully."

"Like an upcoming meeting in the Diammonium club?"

"Yes. When Mr. Dawnmouse told my husband about his donation plan. My husband wanted to do his best for possible suggestions for art and music studies for children." Mrs. Mussen explained.

"It's true," Elizabeth said, who had walked to the papers on the floor. "These papers show he was working on… Ah!" Elizabeth squeaks when someone picks her up and throws her at Basil, who catches her.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Basil? Keep your niece away from the crime scene!" Inspector Lawless shouts at Basil.

"I wasn't touching!" Elizabeth said for her defense.

Basil remains quiet before putting Elizabeth down on her feet. "Elizabeth, would you be a dear and look outside for me."

Elizabeth looks a bit confused but then smiles when he figures out what he means and walks out from the study. Meanwhile, Basil picks up his magnifying glass and goes to see the papers where she stood before. He could see the same as she did. The last papers showed he was preparing for the meeting, but he also noticed where the ink stains begin and end. With further observation, he spotted the ink pen, too.

"Did you order your men to check outside the window, Inspector?" Basil asked while walking to the window.

"Why.. no…"

"Then it's a good thing I am now," Elizabeth said while appearing in the window.

"Did you find anything?" Basil asks, leaning on the window.

"Two types of footprints, but none of them is Mr. Mussen's," Elizabeth said. "Both are a bit big."

"Yet confirms my suspicion," Basil smirks before turning to look at others in the room. "I have come to the conclusion that Mr.Mussen was kidnapped."

"What brings you to such a conclusion?" Inspector Lawless asks.

"Elementary, dear Inspector." Basil begins. "I'll explain it in order. First of all, the open window. It was a bit windy last night. The kidnapper opened the window, which caused the papers to fly from the table,” he pointed the papers on the floor. “Naturally Mr. Mussen saw what caused it and saw the intruder. To his defense, he picks what’s closest, the ink pen. But the Kidnapper manages to take him down, in which a pen falls from his hand. That shows the stains on the paper. If it fell from the table, there should be a longer stain line, but it begins a bit ahead, which shows that the pen was a bit higher than usual. The broken vase shows that Mr. Mussen tried to fight back and get the maid’s attention to let her know something was not right. And just as my niece found, the kidnapper had an accomplice to help him take away Mr.Mussen.” 

“But why take him?” Dawson wondered.

“For ransom, of course.” Inspector Lawless said.

"But Mr. Mussen is the one with money. If it was to get money, they should have kidnapped Mrs. Mussen." Elizabeth said. Inspector Lawless was going to say something before Lieutenant Black appeared a bit messy on the window.

"Inspector, before you ask, the girl spotted this cap in the bush…" Lieutenant Black said and showed a brown worn cap.

"If I quote my uncle: 'It was a bit windy last night'..." Elizabeth said. "Based on footprints here, they both were carrying Mr. Mussen and because of the windy weather, one of them lost their cap, which got stuck in the bushes. And because both were carrying Mr. Mussen, they couldn't pick it back."

Basil snatches the cap from Lieutenant Black and shouts in excitement. "Ahaa! Well done, you two!" He examines a bit before looking at Elizabeth. "Now we just need…"

"...Toby!" Elizabeth finishes for him. "I'll go get him," she says and leaves the place.

Basil meanwhile puts the cap into his jacket and speaks. "Mrs. Mussen, we will find your husband as soon as possible."

"But we still don't know why Mr. Mussen was taken?" Dawson said.

"Oh, I already have a pretty good guess why," Basil said before leaving the room.