Elementary S2. Ep. 12 "The Diabolical Kind"
Watson heads off for a date, puzzled by Sherlock’s choice of wear. He’s donning a beekeeper’s suit and for good reason; he’s stored his letters to and from Moriarty amongst the bees. He reads a recent letter aloud, as we watch Watson’s date fall flat and Bell struggle in his efforts to regain the use of his arm. Lastly, we see Moriarty, supposedly under arrest, painting a stunning likeness of Watson.
A group of masked men break into a home, shoot and kill the man of the house and then kidnap what we can assume to be his daughter, Kayden. A British national, Mr. Fuller was found by his wife, Mrs. Fuller. The kidnappers left no note but are quick to call. Sherlock recognizes the voice as the same that posed as Moriarty. He speaks directly to Captain Gregson, demanding $50 million for the safe return of her daughter. Sherlock is determined that Moriarty is behind the kidnapping. He suggests that he visit her to gain intel. At this point, Sherlock decides to share the letters that he’s sent and received; he claims he’s simply studying the mind of a criminal. Watson believes otherwise. Moriarty’s being held at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, having traded useful information for comfy digs. Agent Mattoo is her handler and provides art supplies and a copy of the Ledger every morning. Sherlock neglected to tell Watson he told Moriarty about her love life. Gregson tells her about the case and she claims to have no knowledge about Fuller but offers information on her lieutenant and his associates as long as she is offered a few favors in return.
Sherlock is amazed when Moriarty is brought directly into the station. She’s allowed to be out as long as she is another consultant on the case. Mattoo tries to ease Sherlock’s anger by ensuring him that she’s been equipped with agents and implants that will send electric shocks throughout her body should she run.
She identifies the kidnapper as Devon Gasper and has provided sketches of the men along with him. Gregson decides to send out the sketches only to police officers so as not to alert the kidnappers.
Next stop is the crime scene, Moriarty’s been promised a visit. Joan accompanies her. They chat about Sherlock of course; Moriarty doesn’t understand the reason for their partnership. There’s this odd tension in the room as they try not to fight as to who matters more to Sherlock.
Sherlock has hit a wall with the work on the kidnappers. Watson tells him that his correspondence with Moriarty will only lead to heartbreak as much as he claims that all of these letters are simple research.
Two officers respond to a disorderly male and are ambushed by two of the kidnappers. They make off with one of the officers’ phones and see the sketches provided by Moriarty.
The FINEST messages containing the sketches contained hidden messages from Moriarty. Sherlock confronts her and she still claims to have no part in the kidnapping. Gasper phones the station, explaining the reason for the deaths of the two officers and puts Kayden on the phone to speak with her mother, only Mrs. Fuller isn’t at the precinct.
Sherlock is determined to make out the message in the sketches and only comes up with a series of numbers. Those may lead to a location but Sherlock is now unsure that this is about her plan to escape. He’s ordered the past weeks copies of the Ledger to see if Moriarty received any messages in them.
Sherlock admits that a part of him secretly hopes that she will change as he has changed over these past few years.
Back at the navy yard, Mattoo and Moriarty converse over the many ways she might be able to escape. As she speaks, Mattoo notices some drops of blood in front of him. Once he bends down to take a closer look, Moriarty incapacitates him and escapes.
Sherlock finds a message in the newspaper from Gasper, demanding something from Moriarty, saying that her daughter’s life depends on it. Kayden Fuller is her daughter.
As Gasper and Kayden enjoy their game of cribbage, two shots are heard in the distance. He tells her to get under the bed while he seeks out the source of the shots. He finds one of his associates injured and then is confronted by Moriarty. It isn’t going to end well for Gasper.
Gregson, Watson and Sherlock are now at the navy yard, Mattoo is in the hospital, stable and none of the other agents were harmed.
Moriarty phones Sherlock and asks that he meet her in a condemned building in the Bronx while the police wait outside. Gasper wanted the location of a vault and she held him off, giving her time to escape and find him. She has no interest in running and Sherlock then carries her off into the arms of waiting officers outside of the building.
Review:
I enjoy episodes with Moriarty. I don’t find her particularly interesting but Sherlock’s fascination and longing for what was even after finding out what horrible things she has done, make for a great episode. And my favorite scene was between Watson and Moriarty, showing their claws. We need more of that!