The Heirs (The Heart's Edge Series, Book #1)

Chapter 16

Ghost orchid - the pale white of the petals unfurled like smoke our of a cigar. The white centre of the flower looked eerily similar to a bony face- a skeletal face with hollow eyes. The name was well deserved. I didn't dare touch the flower, wary of any outcome. I simply stood by the pots and mulled over the conversation I had just had with the Queen. I picked up every word and turned it over in my head carefully but only came back with more questions than answers.

"I suppose you do enjoy me chasing after you, after all."

I sighed, "Shut up, Ravenswood."

"Say please first." He cheekily smiled as I rolled my eyes.

"I was going to meet you in the library." I said. "Things happen."

He hummed, "Like you not being able to part with a gift I gave to you?"

"Don't tempt me into locking this place and never coming back here again." I warned.

"You love me too much for that." He winked like the flirty scoundrel that he was.

I lightly slapped his chest before stepping away, " Careful, or people will think you have a heart."

"Yes-" he said thoughtfully, "That will indeed ruin my reputation. Thank you for the warning, Colfield."

I glared at him before resigning myself on the sofa by the window. The few days of sunlight were gone and fog settled over the mountains. Soon, a snowstorm might arrive- once again causing us great inconvenience. As he sat down by my side, Ravenswood placed something in my lap. My mittens. I had forgetten them in the library.

"So you did go to the library." I said while putting them on.

"Of course. That's where you said you would be." He shrugged and pulled out a page from the pocket of his jacket. His own fingers were bone white and marked with ink as he pointed at a line at the very top of the page. "Look."

I averted my eyes to see what he was pointing at.

Dorothy Wheeler. —— ———— Arsenic sulphate

"There is no address?" I raised my eyebrows.

He shook his head, "No address, no date of sale. Nothing."

I traced a fine over the page. Every other name had complete records in front of it- full name, address, date, chemical. Only Dorothy Wheeler had missing information.

"We should go back." I suggested. "Perhaps he remembers what she looked like or some other detail."

"That we will." Ravenswood nodded. "But first, Professor is here. We should go to the laboratory."

"He's here?" I asked. "When did he arrive?"

"A while ago but I suppose he wanted to be left alone. We should tell him about this." He again stuffed the paper back in his pocket and stood up as I did. On our way to the laboratory, he suggested, "We should send soldiers to bring the shopkeeper here. By the time we are done with professor, he may already be here."

I nodded, "Sure. I also want some insight from professor on how to interpret interrogate someone. It will beneficial to us in the future. So far, our differences have made for some not very stellar questioning techniques."

He turned serious all of a sudden, "I'm sure he'll be impressed by your ability to be emphatic to everyone but I must urge you to go easy on me. Pretend as if I'm wonderful."

I agreed thoughtfully, "A monumental task but I will give it my best."

- "Arsenic". Professor conformed once again, that a serial killer was at large.

"Two women have died and we are no closer to finding out who the culprit is." Professor paced around the room. He hardly needed us here. It's almost as if he was in a different world when he was working on a case - he didn't need anyone.

Julius stood near a chalkboard and twirled a chalk in his hand. "Might I suggest temporarily restricting the sale of Arsenic?"

"Don't be ridiculous." I frowned. "It will take weeks to implement that and there is always an illegal market."

He shrugged, "We can't sit and wait here to find another body because our killer continues to have access to poison."

I sighed, "And what if they start using another poison? How many things do you plan to restrict."

"As long as people are not dying-"

"Shut it, Julius." Professor interrupted. "Don't entertain him, Rose. He talks nonsense when he's frustrated. He knows it's not a solution."

I glared at the brown haired menace standing across from me as professor returned to pacing around.

"Have you tried being actually helpful?" I rolled my eyes.

"I have." He nodded. "A man is on his way to bring the shopkeeper here and another to collect details of all the servants in Lady Agatha's house. I think it's always a smart idea to use the resources if one has them."

"That's just conforming to me that you have no brain." I dismissed him. "I suggest we first identify the second body. It is totally bizarre that she was in the carriage with Lady Sandra and nobody claimed her body. Lady Agatha didn't even mention that a maid might be missing."

"What do you suggest we do about that?" He raised his eyebrows, leaning towards me. "Interrogate Lady Agatha again?"

"No." I shook my head. "Something just isn't right about that family. Did they even give Lady Sandra a proper burial?"

"I heard it was a small funeral." He said. "Only her sister and her parents attended."

"Let me guess- Her parents left the very next day?" I scoffed.

"Correct." He nodded. "They seem very distant."

"Well, it's really no surprise give that the sister wouldn't even give us all the necessary details regarding the investigation. I don't think it's any use asking her anything." I sighed. "She will just continue to omit information."

"Lady Sandra was the ex-wife of a minister-" professor joined in at last, "-have you two considered he might have something to do with this?"

We both exchanged a glance. I had not even met any ministers since arriving here. Ravenswood replied, "I have known Lord Jakoste for over a decade now. Such an elaborate murder...........he's too stupid for that."

I rolled my eyes, "Everyone is too stupid for you. That doesn't mean he can't kill someone."

"It was a rather civil divorce still, given the circumstances of their marriage." He said.

"It's not uncommon for men to kill women, Julius." I sighed. "Particularly, a woman who they had a tendency to beat."

He thought for a moment, "Father knows about the murder, if there was any suspicion on Lord Jakoste, he would have said something."

"Still, we need to investigate him." Professor said. "We can not leave any stone unturned."

"It would also be beneficial to get Lord Jakoste away from any positions of power." Ravenswood added.

"I'm surprised he has any to begin with." I mumbled.

Professor interjected, "I think it would be better if I conduct this part of the investigation myself. It will be easier for me to be a part of his social circle than you two."

He concluded the discussion and we proceeded to the next part of the investigation- Finding the identity of Dorothy Wheeler.