Chapter Eighteen

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The seven people all sat in the Reptile Room on a long line of chairs, prepared by Rowan, and Monty's desk, moved by Klaus.

Mr. Poe sat on the end, with Count Olaf to his right. Dr. Lucafont sat on his right, with Sunny on his right. Then, on Sunny's right was Rowan, with Klaus on his right, and Violet on his.

It looked like this: Mr. Poe, Count Olaf, Dr. Lucafont, Sunny, Rowan, Klaus, Violet.

"Starting with Mr. Poe and ending with my sister, we have to give our evidence." Klaus said. He smiled at Violet. He had seen Violet's evidence, and it would confirm that Monty's death was murder.

Mr. Poe had nothing on his table. "I have no evidence, but I know who the Baudelaires and Rowan will live with next."

Count Olaf spoke up. "I have evidence that the murder - I mean snake bite - happened in the morning."

"I have evidence that Dr. Montgomery was bitten." He held up an official-looking document.

"Aha!" cried Sunny.

"She means that the snake bite was not from the Incredibly Deadly Viper." Klaus pointed as Sunny played with her snake friend.

"I don't have evidence, but Stephano said he tried to marry Violet, proving that he is Count Olaf." Rowan said.

Klaus cleared his throat. "I have evidence." He held up the book. "The Mamba du Mal is one of the deadliest snakes in the hemisphere, noted for its strangulation grip, used in conjunction with its deadly venom, giving all its victims a tenebrous hue, which is ghastly to behold."

Mr. Poe laughed. "I don't understand any of that."

"A basic translation would be," Klaus explained. "The Mamba du Mal is one of the deadliest snakes in the hemisphere, noted for its tight grip, used as well as its deadly venom, giving all its victims a dark colour, which is awful to behold."

"Klaus, you're completely right!" exclaimed Violet. "The Mamba du Mal uses its strong grip and its venom, giving the victim's face a dark colour. Monty's face was," she flinched. "Extremely pale. He wasn't attacked by the Mamba du Mal."

"Maybe the Magna lu Dal was bored of strangling and decided to use its venom." Count Olaf shrugged.

"Mamba du Mal, snake expert." muttered Rowan.

"What about you, Violet?" Klaus prompted.

"I did something that I shouldn't have done - I picked Count Olaf's suitcase lock." she admitted.

"Violet, Count Olaf isn't here! And also nice girls shouldn't know how to do such things." said Mr. Poe.

"Violet is a nice girl, and she knows how to do all sorts of things," said Klaus.

"Count Olaf is a notorious villain and deserves to be arrested." Violet continued. "So I picked the lock."

She put the suitcase on the table and pulled out two gloves, a toothbrush, a packet of crisps, a syringe, a jar filled with green liquid, a quill, an ink pot, powder, and a makeup brush.

"Ignore these." she said, pushing the gloves, toothbrush, crisp packet, quill, and ink pot to the side.

Count Olaf smirked.

"This jar is full of Mamba du Mal venom. Monty keeps all of his snake venoms on a shelf, and one was missing when I looked. The syringe was used to inject the venom into Monty's face, and then Count Olaf added another hole underneath the first one to frame his murder on a snake. As for the powder and brush, he used it to cover up his tattoo." Violet explained.

"You're a genius!" exclaimed Rowan, making Violet blush.

"Violet, don't be-" Mr. Poe began.

"Children, they can be smart, can't they?" said Count Olaf, in a much different voice.

"Count Olaf?" Mr. Poe asked, looking shocked.

"Yes, Poe." laughed Count Olaf. "Do you know what the quill and ink were used for? Forgery."

"Forgery?" repeated Rowan.

"Whose handwriting did you forge?" asked Klaus.

"Gustav's," said Count Olaf.

There was a moment where the children were confused, and then an even worse moment where they realised that Monty wasn't Count Olaf's first murder.

"Gustav didn't quit. I killed him. Drowned him in the Swarthy Swamp." Count Olaf paused to laugh. "Oh, his last words were awful nonsense. 'The world is quiet here', he said. Obviously the world wasn't quiet there - he was dying!"

"Let me get this straight." Mr. Poe began. "I'm in a room with a murderer?"

"Obviously, Mr. Poe, we've been trying to tell you that all along!" exclaimed Rowan.

"Call the police!" exclaimed Violet.

Sunny bit Dr. Lucafont's hand - hard.

"Sunny!" exclaimed Violet, shocked. "Oh, I am so sorry, she-"

Dr. Lucafont's hand fell off, revealing a sharp silver hook.

"Mr. Poe, that doctor works with Count Olaf!" exclaimed Klaus.

"Don't be silly, Klaus, Count Olaf is a notorious villain and dreadful actor, not a doctor." Then he saw two figures running away. "Get them!"

The children looked at each other, rolled their eyes at the banker, and took off. Sunny stayed with Mr. Poe.

Rowan, Violet, and Klaus returned panting.

"Gone." murmured Klaus.

"Well then," said Mr. Poe. "We better take you to the Baudelaire's aunt, Josephine Anwhistle."

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