Criminal Case: Grimsborough

Chapter 55: Ashes to Ashes-Part 3

Jones told her that they don't have much time, but maybe they'll help after the investigation. However, Constance exclaimed in anger, "WHAT DID YOU SAY?! Excuse me Marie, but I thought I heard David Jones refusing to help me! I'm sure that I must've heard wrong!"

Jones then pulled Marie away quickly so they can take care of their more pressing issues. After their talk with Constance, Marie decided to recover the writing from Mary Goodwin's old notes until they were visible enough to read. After Marie did that, she and Jones read them and what they read from Mary's notes was that she discovered that the Crimson Order's decisions were taken by just one person. Which means that the Crimson Order must have an all powerful leader. According to the notes, Theodora Hecate knew who the leader was, but due to Mary's immediate execution, she didn't have time to ask her about it.

Marie looked at Jones and said to him, "I'm guessing that this Theodora Hecate is Luna Hecate's ancestor. Maybe she knows what her ancestor knew. Let's ask Luna about the Crimson Order leader!" And soon they set out to talk to Luna.

As soon as they met with Luna in her forest hideaway, Jones said to her, "Luna, we've just discovered that your ancestor knew who the Crimson Order leader was 400 years ago. Please tell me that that knowledge has been passed on to you."

Luna soon got a look of fear on her face and she said, "My ancestor vowed to never reveal the truth about the Crimson Order leader on the day that Mary Goodwin got killed cause it was too dangerous."

"We know that it's dangerous knowledge Luna, but please try to remember. Hasn't anyone in your family ever mentioned it?" Marie asked.

Luna shook her head sadly and said to them, "I'm not even a member of my family anymore cause they kicked me out when I revealed myself as a witch of the wilds."

Jones scrunched his eyes at the woman and said to her sternly, "Luna, lives are at stake here! Are you positively sure that you don't know anything about the identity of the Crimson Order leader?"

Luna started to sweat nervously and she picked up a black cat and said, "The only people who knew the name of the Crimson Order leader are dead! That's why me and my black cat are hiding in the woods; to escape them forever!"

Once their talk with Luna was over with, Jones and Marie headed back to the station to talk to Morgan. In the interrogation room, Marie sat across the table from the teen girl and she asked, "Morgan, how much do you know about your ancestor's dealings with the Crimson Order?"

Morgan had a look of fear on her face and she said, "I know that she was brought down by the Crimson Order for trying to unmask their plans. She was a very brave woman and I'm proud to be her descendant."

"So you're telling us that she was wrongly accused like she claimed and that she wasn't a witch?" Jones asked.

Morgan shook her head at his words and said, "No, she was! I tried to follow her teachings and it's incredible how much I've learned thanks to them. But they used it as an excuse to get rid of her!"

Morgan started to cry and she said to Marie while sobbing, "You think the Crimson Order killed Tess like they did to Mary 400 years ago Inspector?! If so, why? Did she learn something? And if she did, was she trying to warn us to protect me? That her one attempt at redemption was cut short just like that and it's so unfair. It could have changed some things, but now the only things I have left of my sister are memories and a black cat."