- Watson let's us know that this is a very unusual story and it has to be shrouded in some secrecy in order to protect people's identities. Color us intrigued, Watson.
- One night Holmes comes in and tells Watson they're about to have a visitor.
- The visitor is a Charles Augustus Milverton, a professional blackmailer who is scum of the earth in Holmes's opinion.
- Holmes has been hired by a Lady Eva Blackwell to deal with Milverton, who is blackmailing her with some old love letters on the eve of her wedding to a super-rich nobleman.
- Milverton comes over and is a friendly looking guy in his 50s. Not typical super-villain material.
- He toys with Holmes and Watson and demands a huge amount of money from Lady Eva.
- Holmes says she can't pay it and offers a lower amount.
- Milverton refuses, and Holmes tries to reason with him.
- Then Holmes springs up, and he and Watson grab Milverton.
- Milverton mocks them and says that he isn't stupid enough to carry Lady Eva's letters around with him.
- He mocks them some more and then leaves.
- Holmes and Watson just got owned.
- Sherlock Holmes won't be beat, though, so he gets to work.
- A few days later, Holmes comes in to announce that he's engaged.
- A confused Watson wonders if Holmes has had a mental breakdown.
- Turns out Holmes is fake-engaged to a maid in Milverton's house.
- Watson questions the morality of such an action, and Holmes brushes him off.
- He then announces that he pumped his fiancée for intel so that he can break in to Milverton's house.
- Watson is horrified.
- Holmes convinces Watson that their illegal actions are morally justifiable in this case, since Milverton is the Devil, or something.
- Watson then insists that he's coming with Holmes and Holmes argues a bit but finally says OK. He can't do anything without his wingman.
- Holmes points out that they can share a prison cell this way too.
- That night the two head off to break in to Milverton's home.
- They even put on bandanas to hide their faces, which is hilarious. They must've gotten burglary confused with bank robbery.
- They sneak in to the house and are super stealthy.
- Once in Milverton's study, Holmes gets out his tools to break in to Milverton's safe, and Watson stands guard.
- Things are going well until Holmes hears a noise.
- He and Watson duck behind some curtains and in walks Milverton. Oops.
- Holmes is totally calling off this engagement now. He got bad intel out of the bargain.
- Milverton chills out a while and finally a mystery woman knocks at the door.
- She is let in by Milverton, and he gripes that she's late.
- Milverton thinks she's there to buy some letters, but he then recognizes her.
- The lady dramatically removes her veil and then speechifies for a bit about how Milverton blackmailed her, ruined her life, caused her husband to die of a broken heart, etc.
- Milverton tries to throw her out, but she pulls out a gun and shoots him right in the chest.
- Milverton dies after some dramatic stumbling around, and the mystery lady scampers away.
- Holmes and Watson are stunned.
- Holmes recovers quickly and tosses all of Milverton's papers into the fire.
- He and Watson then run for it.
- They are nearly caught scaling a wall in the garden by the cops, who showed up after gun shots were heard.
- But they dynamic duo make it away safely.
- The next day our buddy Inspector Lestrade comes by Baker Street and fills Holmes and Watson in on Milverton's shocking murder.
- Two suspects were seen fleeing the scene, one who looked a bit like Watson.
- Holmes and Watson just shrug. They never tell anyone anything about what they did and saw.
- A while later they see a famous lady's picture in a shop window and realize that she's the murderer. They never tell anyone her identity though.