Unfortunately, Mary had already checked Charlie's usual haunts but to no avail. Of course she would have no qualms with returning to them with Mr. Watson and Mr. Holmes, as they were more likely to be able to spot anything she had missed. And it may also be useful for them to hear any statements or tips first hand. "Thank you." She smiled to John as he took her hand briefly. She gave him a light squeeze in return and turned to see the return of the dark haired man. After some brief words, Sherlock Holmes agreed that they would need to keep looking further into the disappearance. That was wonderful news and it meant there was still a chance they could find Charlie, because Mary knew attempting it on it her own, would be highly unwise. As she moved to Ms. Adler, she offered her gratitude to the woman for being so resourceful. "It's a miracle you have such friends who can help mend together tragedy, I owe you and them so much." Even just to listen to her and acknowledge the incident, was a blessing in Mary's eyes. Small progress was much better than none at all.

When his dear doctor friend mentioned needing to look around the house for any signs, Holmes held up his hand. "Already done." He said quickly. "I looked on the inside and used the windows to check the outside." He added. "With the recent downpour, any evidence has surely been washed away but it also gives us some leads." He mentioned. Most of the roads were awfully muddy and Holmes was willing to bet that the weather could have helped leave behind some clues, if they looked hard enough and in the proper places. "I'm not discouraged, however." He assured the man and looked to Irene and Mary. "We will need Mary to show us where Charlie would usually go. If this truly was an incident in relation to the other missing people and pets, we'll need to quickly find a place for them all to intersect. Someone would want to pull victims from a location they're used to, a location that is likely often overlooked." He figured. "The victims may only be connected by being in the wrong place at the wrong time but if we knew the area, we could offer a tempting victim as bait."

Mary moved over to overhead his last sentiment. 

"Would that really be necessary?" Mary frowned and glanced back to Irene, not at all comfortable with setting bait and risking an innocent person being lost. But at the same time, it could be a last resort for them, if it meant finding Charlie and anyone else. So the woman was conflicted, unsure of which moral she ought to stick by and which she could abandon for the greater good. Holmes then assured Mary that it wouldn't come to that unless they were truly out of options. Mary nodded and folded her arms, staying silent for a few moments before saying, "If it does have to happen, I'd prefer it be me." She didn't want to involve anyone else who didn't need to be pulled into something unknown and dangerous. Charlie was more than just her responsibility, she loved him like he was her own and she would be damned if he had to be scared or hurt anymore than she could help. "So you two would like to see where he usually goes, right?" Mary changed the topic. "They aren't very far, just on the edge of the city, I've caught him hanging out after supper on some summer evenings." She mentioned.

For Holmes, the notion of Mary volunteering to pose as possible bait had been somewhat unexpected. 

He hadn't expected Mary to offer herself to such a devious plan, nor did he expect them needing to resort to such a risky tactic. Even so, it was reassuring to know she was capable of tearing herself away from the sidelines. Holes wasn't fond of the wallflowers and that was often made evident by the particular brand of women that caught his attention. Irene Adler was proof that Sherlock much preferred women have some fight to them, otherwise life would become rather dreary. Of course romance wasn't often on Sherlock's radar but with Irene back in the picture, he at least knew he could rely on her to make things more lively around London. Though she claimed to have changed her ways, he wouldn't believe it until he personally tested her claim of now walking the straight and narrow path of a virtuous citizen who kept their nose out of the most tempting of trouble. "Of course, we should make haste at once, chin up Watson." Holmes threw his friend a grin before patting him on the back. Holmes readied himself to go back out into the cold but paused to look at Adler. "Did you wish to accompany us as well?" He questioned her.

When it had been decided, the group got bundled up once more and went back outside. Holmes suggested they walk instead as it could help lead them in the right direction. Mary agreed, mentioning that Charlie often stayed off of the road when he went into town. Holmes gave her a nod though he had suggested it, not because of that or because of Watson's discomfort with the drunkard, but because Sherlock wanted to get an organic feel of the area. He wanted to let his mind wander and invite all other senses. The sights, the smells, the sights, he knew he could get a better grasp of the events leading up to the abduction if he was in the actual environment, as opposed to tottering about in a carriage. "With Christmas almost upon us, I would expect whoever is doing this, to find more and more victims at his disposal. Tourists visiting and even just passing through would provide him with ample victims for whatever plan he's working on." Holmes mentioned as they walked across the street and followed Mary down towards some wooden sheds which many of the nearby manors used for storage. "If we're going to find Charlie, I fear our window may already be closing." 

Although Holmes's assessment was unsettling, she refused to let the odds win against their favor. Mary glanced over her shoulder as she pushed away an empty metal bin which had cardboard boxes atop it. She understood his realism but it wasn't comforting, it was eerily unsettling. "Charlie may be stubborn but he is smart. He'll find a way to keep himself alive and we [i]will[/i] find him as such." She said as she crouched down in front of the newly exposed sewage drain and pulled it off. "He's used this shortcut ever since his sister told him about it. It's not a secret, really. A lot of teenagers and kids use it to get into London unnoticed." She explained and headed down the iron ladder and jumped the last bit to land on the side of the concrete which ran alongside the low river of water. "When I spoke to the others in town, who had missing people and pets of their own, a few of them admitted to knowing about the underground system. I suppose it's possible the one behind these events knows about it too." She said worriedly as Sherlock climbed down. Mary moved to the side and pointed up to where the dim light of the cloudy morning was coming from. There were small round holes all along the top and several feet away long the walkway, there was another ladder.

"How long does it take to get into the city?"

"Only five minutes or so." Mary replied and started to hurry along. "Charlie always went up after four ladders, that puts him at the outskirts of London."

"Then that's where we'll start looking. I'd like to speak to those you spoke to." Sherlock said as he let John pass him. "I'd rather ask my own questions and assess the reliability of these so-called accounts." He said.

"Alright, of course." Mary replied and stopped to make sure everyone was still with her. "At least we're out of the dirt." She said lightly to John.