Mr. Walsh couldn't believe someone had come to him disguised as a councilman. How could he have not bothered to ask for an identity badge. In a hurry to cover up his tracks of affair and the thought of being caught in murder, he hadn't expected he was going to fall into a deeper pit.
The man who had earlier claimed to be a council member, was he related to this woman Annika Burgess? Her husband? Her brother? Or was it someone else's husband who had set him up?
When the ground was completely dug, the men pulled out a woman's body that was in the process of decomposing.
Mr. Walsh's jaw fell on the ground, realising the body belonged to the missing woman from Skellington. It was the body of Lady Camille Wright.
"Check her mouth," ordered the councilman, and one of the men looked at the deceased woman's mouth. After a few seconds, he informed,
"Her fangs are missing, Sire!"
Mr. Walsh shook his head and said, "T-this is a big misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with her death. Lady Camille and I had a healthy good relationship as townspeople. Why would I kill her or anyone else--"
"You killed more than one?" the councilman questioned, his eyes narrowing, and Mr. Walsh wanted to bang his head on the nearby tree.
"I did not kill anyone! I haven't even hit anyone before, killing is a far thought. Believe me!" Mr. Walsh panicked, "I am not capable of murder."
But the councilmen didn't believe a word he uttered. The man in charge said, "Dig the grounds around and see how many other bodies you find. Who knows how many murder he has committed."
"Come on! Are you fucking serious?! You cannot--"
"Mind your language. You are under arrest on the suspicion of killing this woman and you will be taken to the dungeon until your name is cleared as suspect," the councilman declared, whereas Mr. Walsh's face turned pale.
While the councilmen had caught Mr. Walsh in the forest, in Vincent's office in the Council's building, Patton knocked on his office door and entered with a bow.
"Sire, it is done."
Vincent sat on the side of the window, watching the rain outside and the drops of water racing against the window pane. A satisfied smile smeared on his lips, and he responded, "Did you send the man away?"
Patton nodded, "He's already on his way to the South and won't be returning here anytime soon. He wasn't aware of what was going on and only completed the work."
Vincent hummed, raising his hand towards the windowpane and writing his name, "How many men did you see leave from here?"
"Six of them," Patton answered, and he turned worried, "Bringing out everyone in the open, won't it cause trouble for us?"
"There are too many bodies and we don't know which one belongs to whom. It will be an interesting sight to witness tomorrow morning. Go home and get some sleep," Vincent dismissed Patton, who gave a nod and then stepped out of the room.
Patton was loyal to Vincent not just because he had worked for his father in the past. But because he was around when Vincent had killed some of the people, making Patton involved in the murder, and no one wanted to go to the dungeon voluntarily.
Now the only question was, how to know if the body found here belonged to Eve's mother or not. He was sure the councilmen would find more than two or three human bodies resting under the ground, but one couldn't be sure just by looking at the skeleton. By pulling what he did today, it wasn't hitting the two birds with one stone, but there was another bird in the picture and he smiled sinisterly.
One less thing to worry about and the bodies would be cleared.
Vincent watched his name slowly disappearing because of the fog. He got up, leaving the office room, and closed the door behind him.
He made his way towards the other building that stood next to the one which held the office rooms of the council members. The building was made using black rocks, standing firm with the rain that glistened now. The entrance was nothing less than a cave, where torches of fire burned brightly, and he made his way down the stairs.
"Mr. Moriarty," Clarks greeted on noticing Vincent. The woman wore thick-framed glasses and her gloved hands were covered in blood.
"Have you been able to find who the body belongs to, or using the blood of the offspring to know if they are related?" Vincent questioned the woman, while his eyes fell on the dead bodies on the tables, waiting to be examined. Some were rotting, some mostly decomposed, and some were freshly pulled out from the ground.
The woman gave it a thought before answering him, "With blood or tissue of the dead body, it is possible. But from a skeleton it is hard, Mr. Moriarty. It is something no one has ever been able to achieve. The only thing we can identify is what kind the skeleton belongs to by the shape and count of bones. The most I can tell you is the gender, but that is all."
Vincent hummed, taking a look at a man whose eyes were pulled out.
"It is something out of my expertise and something a witch can work on. But knowing how witches are outlaws and don't listen to anyone, I don't think it is a feasible answer you are looking for?" Clarks asked with doubt in her voice.
In the past, all the witches had done was cause problems in the society. Abducting or killing people for their own joy, and after the establishment of the Council, law and order was placed, which drove away the witches to the corner and hide from people.
"Witches," Vincent hummed and wondered where he could find one now.
The following day, Eve and Eugene helped carry Lady Aubrey's trunks from her room to the living room, before Eugene started to take them outside to place them near the inside of the gates. The carriage in which Lady Aubrey was supposed to leave was going to be here soon.
Eve asked, "Did you carry everything you need? It would be best to carry a blanket with you as the weather has turned colder than the last few days and it is only going to get worse."
"I have everything I need. You do not have to worry. Both you and Eugene be careful in my absence," Lady Aubrey stepped out of the room with a shawl hanging around her arms.
"We'll be fine. This isn't the first time you have left us by ourselves," Eve assured the older woman.
LadyAubrey nodded, "I will be staying there for a week or two at the most. Depending on Mr. Lowe's condition. Write to me if anything happens, I will write to you once I reach half way." While the woman bent to pick up a small box under the couch, she screamed in slight pain and held her back.
"Aunt Aubrey!" Eve quickly came to the woman's side, and helped her to stand, whose face was contorted in pain. "Are you alright? We have told you so many times not to pick anything so suddenly, and you never listen. Why don't you sit."
"Oh, dear," Lady Aubrey sat on the couch, feeling intense pain. "I must have pulled an old muscle of mine."
"Maybe you should rest a bit and then leave when you feel alright," advised Eve, but Lady Aubrey shook her head.
"The next available carriage isn't until tomorrow and I have already sent a letter to Paloma. She would be disappointed if she doesn't see me arrive at her place," stated Lady Aubrey, adding, "It is just a slight pull and will be gone in a jiffy."
Eugene, who was done keeping the trunks outside, entered the house and asked, "What happened, Lady Aubrey?"
"Just my body being a child. Are all the things placed outside to load to the back of the carriage?" Lady Aubrey inquired, and Eugene nodded.
"Everything is ready, milady," Eugene affirmed.
When the carriage came to pick up Lady Aubrey, the trunks were tied to the back of the vehicle while the older woman continued to sit on the couch. She pushed herself with great difficulty. Eugene and Eve noticing this, Eve said,
"What if you need help sitting or while standing? I don't think it would be easy for you during the pauses in your journey. How about you sit down for a moment and I bring you a glass of water?"
She could try her ability to help her aunt, but the older woman was in a hurry, and she waved her hand. Aunt Aubrey said, "I will be just fine. You both are making it sound big for no reason," but she could still feel the pain when she walked out of the house and towards the gate.
Eve helped Lady Aubrey sit inside the carriage. Eugene looked troubled and asked,
"Milady, maybe I can accompany you and then get back right away? It will put all of us in ease."
When Lady Aubrey tried to straighten her back, the pain shot up again, and she sighed. The coachman stared at the three of them. The woman was in no condition to travel. If it weren't for her friend, she would not have stepped out of her home now. She wasn't a young woman anymore, and her body made sure to make her aware of it.
Lady Aubrey sighed, "Alright."
