The Valley of Fear Summary The Valley of Fear begins with Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective, and Dr. Watson, his fellow lodger of 221 b Baker Street, in mid-conversation. Holmes is puzzling over an encrypted message, which he has received from Porlock, an associate of Holmes' nemesis Professor Moriarty. A second message from Porlock, which was supposed to contain the key to the coded message, soon arrives, stating that he (Porlock) is afraid of Moriarty's wrath and will not reveal the purpose of his correspondence. Holmes soon deciphers the message regardless, and discovers that it warns of imminent danger for one Douglas of Birlstone. The two are soon visited by MacDonald, a policeman friend of Holmes, who informs them that this same Douglas has been murdered. Upon inspection of the dead man, it is revealed that he has been killed with a sawed off shotgun, an American weapon. Beside the disfigured body lies a card inscribed "V.V. 341" Other clues in the room include a bloody footprint on the windowsill, a missing dumb-bell, and the fact that the man's wedding ring is missing. Another clue, discovered soon after, is a bicycle, concealed just outside the house grounds. Interrogation of the house servants reveals little, and after Mrs. Douglas, wife of the murdered man, and Cecil Barker, a friend of the family, are questioned, Holmes reveals to Watson that he believes they are in a conspiracy together. Although the other detectives on the scene share their own theories, Holmes informs Watson that he believes the case hangs entirely on the missing dumb-bell, the one piece of evidence deemed as trivial to the police force. Holmes announces that he is going to spend the night alone in the room in which Douglas was murdered, taking nothing with him but Watson's umbrella. The day after Holmes' vigil, he reveals to the police force investigating Douglas' murder that he has solved the case, and asks them to join him in a stakeout that night.