Young Royals Season 3 (Version 3)

Chapter 66

The next morning....

Detective Andersson parked on the grassy shoulder of the country road. It had rained that evening and the roadway was still slick.

He checked his gps to make sure he wasn't mistaken then put his phone away and stepped out of the car letting the door fall closed as he stepped back.

He approached the wrought iron gate and the call box next to it then took a moment as he looked up through the iron bars at the two-storey manor house that stood atop the softly sloping hill. The home didn't quite tower over him the way Hillerska did but it was still an imposing and beautiful, historical building.

He pressed the button and waited.  He looked up at the building again as he did, focussing on the windows to see if he could detect any movement within.

After nearly a full minute a voice came over the intercom, crackling with static.

"Yes?"

He thought she sounded rather annoyed but couldn't be sure.

"Yes! Hello! My name is Detective Andersson and I need to speak to August Horn!" He spoke with a raised voice in case the system was as old as it looked.

There was a long pause before she replied.

"Oh! Alright. Please close the gate behind you when you come through."

She pressed some button nearby in one of the elegant rooms of the manor house he supposed, and there was a buzz that came from the metallic mechanism that held the gate closed causing it to pop open suddenly.  

He pushed the gate wide enough to squeeze through the gap and then did as she asked, pushing it closed again once he was through and waiting to hear the mechanism click back together. 

He glanced around as he made his way up the driveway. It was lined with trees that released a few raindrops onto the detective's coat and head each time the breeze shook their branches.  He brushed them away and hurried along.

He glimpsed the expansive property through the trees on either side and finally reached the stone steps leading to the main door.

Before he could knock, it was opened by an elegant, dark-haired woman with tired blue eyes.  She introduced herself as Louise, August's mother.

Then she welcomed him in reluctantly, standing to one side then showing him through to a parlor where her husband was waiting.

Andersson hesitated then moved forward through the doorway. Rickard stood to shake his hand. 

"Mr. Horn?" Andersson asked.

"No! Carl Johann Horn was August's father. I'm his stepfather, Rickard."

"Ah, sorry. I'm Detective Andersson and I'm here to speak to August about a report I've received. Is he available to speak?"

"He's here. Can I ask what report?"

"I'd like to speak to him about directly first." Andersson gave Rickard a brief smile.

Rickard raised an eyebrow then looked over at Louise who was standing nervously in the doorway.

"Do you mind calling him down, dear?"

Louise nodded and slipped back out through the door to go get her son.

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Early morning sunlight filtered through the tiny gap at the top of the curtains. Simon was still asleep with his head resting in the crook of Wilhelm's arm.

Wilhelm lay awake watching the shaft of sunlight move slowly across the ceiling. He listened to Simon breathing peacefully and even felt the breath on his ear.