Criminal Case: Grimsborough

Chapter 28: The Haunting of Elm Manor-Part 3

At the station, Ramirez told Marie and Jones about the family who lived in the house before the Fernandez family and how they were struck tragedy after tragedy. It was then that Ramirez showed the two officers an old portrait with a woman in it that looked like their suspect Camilla Brown. After he saw it, Jones put on a skeptical face and said, "Okay first of all, everybody here is still convinced that Hector Fernandez was killed by a haunted house. And now you, Ramirez, you give us a centuries old photograph that was taken in front of the house and you claim that the victim's housekeeper Camilla is the one in it!"

"Well she is in it! All the evidence right there proves that Camilla Brown is a centuries old ghost," Ramirez said in fear.

Marie took a close look at the photo and said, "I'm pretty sure that the photograph isn't as old as it looks. There actually seems to be a date on the corner, but it's too faded to make out. I bet if I use my own supernatural skills, I can recover it."

Just as Marie going to get to work on the clue, Chief King appeared before them, looked at Marie and said, "There you are Captain! A patrol unit has just spotted a ghostly figure that was trying to sneak into the greenhouse."

"With all due respect, I honestly doubt that the patrol until saw "ghostly figures." It's probably some kids fooling around at night Chief," Jones said dubiously.

King glared at Jones and said, "Or it could be your killer who's trying to break into the crime scene to cover up their tracks!"

Jones then straightened and told the chief that they'll look into it. After King left for his office, he thought, it looks like we have enough work to keep us busy for a while! The first thing Marie decided to do was brush her powder over the old photograph and as soon as she did that, the two officers looked closely at the date and they saw that it was taken in 1841. Jones the started to sweat and he said, "But that's impossible! Camilla can't be 172 years old!"

Ramirez then placed his hands on Jones' shoulders, squeezed them in fear and said, "Unless she's a ghost!"

Marie just rolled her eyes at the silliness that was happening in front of her and she said, "She's not a ghost Ramirez and I'm sure there's logical explanation to all of this. An explanation that Camilla can kindly give us."

Jones then shook Ramirez's hands off if him, looked at the officer and said, "In the meantime Ramirez, we have an important mission for you. We need you to urgently find out which of our suspects use petroleum jelly."

Ramirez smiled and saluted them and told them that he'll use his "psychic" powers to figure it out in no time. After Jones gave Ramirez his job, the two officers headed towards Elm Manor to talk to Camilla. Once they arrived, Marie showed the woman to photo and asked her, "Camilla, can you explain to us what a woman who looks exactly like you is doing in front of this house in this photograph that was taken in 1841?"

Camilla looked closely at the photo and told them, "That photograph is of my great-grandmother Beatrice the Second; the finest woman that ever lived."

"Was she also a housekeeper in this house?" Jones asked curiously.

Camilla then explained to them sternly, "Of course not, she used to own this house! And she would be turning in her grave if she knew it was now owned by a pair of ghastly foreigners! This once great house was passed down in my family from generation to generation, but then my brother lost our family fortune and he was forced to sell our family home; that stupid idiot! But I just couldn't let foreigners take over the house cause I had to protect our lineage. So I turned up here one day and applied for a job as the Fernandez's housekeeper and gardener."