Masterful Trickery

XVI. Prison Spectacle

Samuel rolled his eyes. He stared at Ralph for some time before he uttered. "If we are to take the bandit out of prison, we might as well take more with us."

Ralph frowned as he thought of his friend's suggestion. "The records."

Samuel nodded, hiding an ecstatic smile. "Jeremy Briars."

Ralph smacked his friend's arm. "I have always known why I've kept you as a friend, you bloody bastard."

*****

Alex had her head up against the wall, thinking of how a spirit could travel out of one's dead body and get hold of a physical object like a knife and utilize it to kill someone when she heard someone clearing his throat.

She rolled her head to the side and sighed. Standing outside was a man in a very fine suit and a bowler's hat that shadowed his face. She could not see his face clearly but his mouth was surrounded by a well-trimmed mustache.

"Good evening, Miss Griggs, I am Mr. John Melvin."

Alex sighed. She hated when she had to tell the Guards her full name earlier and the longer she looked at Mr. Melvin, the more she regretted not attacking the Guard who forced her to sign the paper before they brought her in her cell.

"I am from the Men of Courts and I am here to represent you."

Alex grunted as she pushed to her feet from the floor. "Ye good at what ye de, Mr. Melvin?" she asked, slowly walking toward the iron bars that separated her from the fine-smelling and fine-looking man outside.

"Yes," Mr. Melvin nodded.

Alex doubted his word but decided to play along. She peered to have a better look at him but he simply pulled his bowler hat lower to hide the rest of his face. "How?"

She saw his lips twitch into a smile, his mustache moving along. "I shall do everything in my power and ability for your release if you tell me something I want in exchange."

"Like how I don't like yer mustache at'll?" she asked with a mocking chuckle. "Doesn't become ye, guv, te tell ye the truth."

His lips thinned. "I do get the same sympathy from my wife, Miss Griggs."

"Yer wife 'n I will be best o' friends then."

Mr. Melvin let the silence reign for a moment longer, allowing Alex to feel that the jesting time was over, before he continued, "You will be free, Miss Griggs, if you tell me what I want to know."

Alex sighed. "All ye bleedin' bastards spent years learnin' many things yet ye come te a filthy prison te learn from me. Oi, when did our world turn upside down, eh?"

Ignoring her remark, Mr. Melvin added, "Tell me where the woman from the Dark Forest is."

Alex frowned. "What woman?"

"The one you rescued from the Dark Forest, Miss Griggs. Such heroic act, I must say, by the by." Mr. Melvin tipped his head to the side, studying Alex. "But that woman is being chased down for a crime and we must find her to bring her to justice."

Alex turned around. "Ye can leave now, guv. I don't know what yer talkin' 'bout. I dinna rescue anyone."

"I am your only way out of this place, Miss Griggs. I suggest you give me what I want and you go before the Men of Courts with the best defense. You have merely petty crimes compared to the woman I wish to find. You shall be free from this place anytime soon if you so wish."

Alex started to whistle a tune as she walked to one corner of her cell.

"You must be traumatized merely by being inside this cell, but I do hope that by the morrow, you would have already gathered your wits. I wish to work with you excellently, Miss Griggs."