The Red Headed League: The Best Laid Plan

[tripleransom.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Red-headed League
Title: The Best-Laid Plan
Author: tripleransom
Rating: G
Author's Notes: I took my inspiration from the Granada series and their premise that Moriarty was pulling John Clay's strings.

The Best-Laid Plan

John Clay's plan to steal the French gold was nearly flawless. Had it not been for the fortuitous circumstance of Mr Jabez Wilson calling upon my friend, no doubt the thieves would have got clean away.

But was John Clay indeed capable of such meticulous planning? Or, as Holmes suspected, was there another, more sinister intelligence behind the whole affair?

Comments

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

In the end, Clay does seem rather a pompous fool. You can well believe there was someone more intelligent behind the plot.

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

It does sound like something Moriarty could well have been involved in.

[tardisjournal.livejournal.com]

Holmes's remark about Clay being the "fourth smartest man in London" did make me wonder who the others were. If you count Holmes himself (as he surely does) and Mycroft, that does leave room for Moriarty as well. It's entirely plausible that Clay is being guided by someone higher than him on the list.

[debriswoman]

Oh, that makes sense...
Nicely done

Clerihew: Mister John Clay

[tardisjournal.livejournal.com]

Mister John Clay
Is more puffed-up popinjay
Than cunning criminal mastermind.
There's another, Holmes will find.

(I put this on the poetry page, but I wanted to put it here too since it was your 60 and the ensuing comments that inspired it!)

[kestrel337.livejournal.com]

Love it! What an interesting thought, and well done digging into that fascinating bit of dialogue!

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Oh ho ho! The plot, already thick, becomes thicker yet! That's a daunting duo- the second and fourth smartest men in London teaming up. This is excellent- thank you!