Sherlock Holmes grateful Dr. Watson could accompany him in his newest adventure, they rode a train going
to
Boscombe Valley, in Herefordshire. Holmes read the news and brief Watson on their new case. Mr. John Turner a widower has a daughter, Alice, the largest landowner in that place, lived with a fellow expatriates from Australia Mr. Charles McCarthy, a widower has a son James.
Charles was found dead in Boscombe pool. It was reported that he was there to meet someone. But a woman and William Crowder an employee of John testified to see Charles walking into the woods and James came following his father bearing a gun. Patience Moran daughter of a lodge keeper, said she saw John and James arguing and James raised his hand as if to hit his father, she ran to her mother and while telling her what she saw, James rushed to their place asking help. They followed him back to his father and they found his father dead. James was arrested and judged guilty of murder. Alice believed James is innocent hired Lestrade, a detective of Scotland yard who asked Holmes’s help.
James confirmed the testimonies of the witnesses that he went to the woods but not to follow his father but to hunt. When he heard his father calling ‘Cooee", he looked and found his father standing by the pool, who was surprised to see him back. And then a heated argument broke between them, he decided to leave and go back to Hatherley farm. But a few yards from his father he heard him cry, he came back and saw his father lying on the ground, he tried to help him but he died in his arms. James refused to tell the cause of their arguments despite the warnings of the coroner that it could be damaging to his case. James also remembered his father’s last word was hinting to a rat, but he is vague of its meaning and he noticed a cloak but it was gone when he looked for it.
Alice met Holmes, Watson and Lestrade in the hotel; she was hoping Holmes has found a way to prove James innocence. She also believed that she is the subject of the argument of James and his father, for Charles asked James to marry her but he refused and her father is against to it too. Holmes asked Alice if he could meet her father but she said his health worsen after the death of Charles whom he knew since they were in Victoria. Holmes decided to see James.
Holmes thought James knew who killed his father and he was only protecting someone but he was wrong. Alice was right about the cause of their arguments. But she did not know that James love and desired to marry her but he cannot because he married a barmaid, before Alice came back from boarding school. This burdened him, but he could not tell his father his marriage for he will throw him out of their house and he cannot support himself. James’s consolation when his wife knew his troubles confessed she was married before they met so their marriage is invalid.
Holmes with Watson and Lestrade went to Hatherly farm, he examined Charles and James boots noting its key features. They headed to Boscombe Pool following the track from the courtyard. After examinations of the marks Holmes found presence of another man besides Charles and James, he believed the murderer; the person is tall, limping, left-handed man who smokes cigar, but Lestrade insisted that James is the killer. Holmes left a note to the lodge keeper.
At the hotel Holmes explained to Watson that ‘Cooee" is an Australian word and rat means Ballarat a place in Australia. And the person Charles meeting is someone he knows from Australia. Then Mr. John Turner came to their room. John seeing Holmes figured the crime agreed to give his testimony.
John was a member of Ballarat Gang a group of robbers in Australia. When they robbed a gold convoy Charles was the wagon driver he spared his life despite he noticed him remembering his face. Their loot made them rich, they moved to England and resolute to change parted ways to his friends, bought a land, got married and Alice was born. Then he met Charles again, who threatened to report him to the authorities unless he gave him all he wants, so he gave him the Hatherly Farm, money and house but as this were not enough he asked for the marriage of James and Alice. They agreed to meet at the pool. Saw Charles and James arguing, he waited till James left; he struck Charles resolute to kill him to save his memory and daughter, for he likes James but he cannot let Charles be in control of his wealth. James heard him cry came back but he was able to hide in the woods, but he must come back to take the cloak he dropped.
John signed his statement and gratefully said his goodbye after Holmes vowed to keep it hidden unless he needed to use it to free James.
Holmes objections were sufficient to acquit James. John died seven months after his meeting with Holmes and Watson. A brighter future for James and Alice together for as long the dark past of their fathers are unknown to them.