*OLD*Phantom Detectives*OLD*

Ch.23 Locked Room Murder

Tex A.

I stood in shock as the lightning revealed the body of a man who only hours before had been alive and well. Violet screamed and I heard a slight thud from behind me.

"Rodrich!" Eliza exclaimed.

"Calm down, I believe he just fainted." Grey says.

"Please, if I may," I start making my way into the room, "I was a coroner back in the states before I moved to England! I can't do it properly but I believe I can help."

"Do what you must." Eloise nods, her eyes locking with mine.

I rush over to the body. Just in case, I check for a pulse but turn up empty handed. I check his eyes and his mouth though any hint of poison would be hard to trace now because of the heavy smell of liquor.

"What's going on in he- Adam! What on earth happened?!" Connor questions.

"That's what we're trying to find out." Arthur explains.

"He was stabbed in the chest. Whoever did it must have been skilled at handling a weapon since the blade wound was accurately struck over his heart." I confirm.

"Oh my god..." Eliza gasps.

"Alright," Eloise huffs, "we know how the man died, but we don't know who killed him."

"Why I'd say it was the two of you!" Eliza accuses Ace and Violet.

"What?" Violet gasps stunned.

"How dare you accuse us of such things?!" Ace growls.

"You were fighting with him only hours earlier!" Eliza hissed back.

"Easy, easy! There is no need for shouting!" James warns. "Rather than start pointing fingers and arguing, the best course of action at this time would to calmly sort out everyone's alibis."

"James is right," Arthur agrees, "arguing at a time like this will get us nowhere. Now, can everyone please state what they were doing before we heard the screaming?"

It was silent for a while before Ace spoke, "Well I know Violet and I were playing billiards in the game room."

"Yes that's true." Violet nods.

"I was there too, as were James and Eloise... at least for a period of time." Grey shifts his gaze over to the pair.

"Wait, hold up now." I say. "You're suspecting the detectives?"

"I didn't say that exactly," Grey added, "it's just they didn't come to the room right away."

"And why was that?" Eliza asked.

"James was-"

"Eloise, stop." James sighs, placing a hand on her shoulder to cut her off. "Don't lie for me."

No... they weren't the ones who did it... they couldn't have been! They defend the law not break it.

"The reason I pulled Eloise aside was because I had suspicions about my brother."

"James," Connor gasps.

"Don't act so surprised! After what you did to me, after what you did to our family, you should have known!"

"James stop." Eloise warns, stepping in between the two brothers, placing a hand on James' shoulder. "After James and I had that talk we calmly went to the game room and began a game of billiards. We hadn't left the room until we heard the screaming."

"I-I can vouch for them!"

"And who might you be?" I ask.

He was a scrawny kid, around the age of fourteen it seemed, with big green eyes and golden blonde hair. By his attire, I would assume he's the manor's gardener.

"My name is Austin sir."

"Alright then Austin," Arthur says, "after hearing their conversation what did you do?"

"I went back into the hall to find Mister Adrien carrying a empty bottle of wine. It looked like he had come from the lounge." Austin answers.

"Adrien was there because we were all drinking in the lounge." I say.

"That's right," Eliza confirms, "it was you, me, Arthur, and Rodrich."

"After Mister Adrien and Austin came back, the four of us five of us servants were in the kitchen cleaning up." Maria announced.

"Wait five?" Eliza raises a brow.

"Where's the other two?" Arthur asks.

"We're right here mate."

A tall blonde male with dark blue eyes. By his attire it would appear as though he was the chief. The second was a maid with dark hazelnut hair and bronze colored eyes.

"What are your names?" Eloise asks.

"I'm Karen ma'am." The girl bows at the waist.

"I'm Nick, pleasure to meet ya." Nick just barely gives a nod.

"Alright then," James says, "with their alibis in place... that just leaves one person."

The room goes deathly quiet as all the attention turns to Earl Reed. He's hit with shock and tenses up for a moment. Then realization takes it's toll and his shoulders slump.

"Do forgive me for questioning you earl but where were you at the time this murder had taken place?" Eloise asks.

"I was asleep in my room." Connor answers, his eyes closed.

"And can anyone vouch for you my lord?" Eloise interrogates.

"No," Connor replies flatly.

"Oh dear earl," Grey spoke, "it would seem that you've become the main suspect in this murder."

"Sure seems that way..."