We Were There

Chapter 46: Call

Reaching for one after another, I helped myself to the pile as I read the newspaper clippings' titles again and again. 

                                   

                              Josephine Walter, Mistress!?

   6 Years Has Passed, Mrs. Walter's Secret Affair Made Known

                                  Winston Walter No Say

               

                     Custody of Walter Children In Meeting

                           The Walters Tainted By Secrecy

I reread the headlines again and again. The articles, the reports... Everything was one and the same: Josephine Walter had a secret affair with one of her husband's house servants. I scanned for the servant's name and found it. His name was Thomas Garner, a house boy who had worked for Winston Walter for more than a decade. The reports stated that the two fell in love during Josephine and Winston's engagement. And other information was about the couple and the affair itself. 

These were the answers we needed. 

But I needed more. 

An old document holder laid at the bottom of the chest. I picked it up and opened it. The lock broke and gave into its age. Inside, there were newspaper clippings. I took one and read it aloud. 

" Gruesome Murder of the Walters." I looked at the date. " June 6, 1909." I eyed the clipping speculatively.  " Just one month after the revelation." I whispered.

I skimmed the article. 

" Seattle, June 6, 1909. Mr. Winston Walter , the 35-year-old lone heir of the Walter Industries was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his Victorian home on Tuesday night. The body has been sent for an autopsy, police said. 

Mr. Winston Walter had allegedly killed his family following after the incident of the Walter Revelation in which Mrs. Josephine Walter, had an affair with one of her husband's house servants, Thomas Garner. The revelation had speculated that Mrs. Walter's children was not of her husband's keen. 

Neema, an African nanny who served the Walters for 6 years, has reported that after getting back from the police for help after she witnessed Mr. Walter stabbed his children with a machete, she found her master hanging from the ceiling and the Missus nor the children's bodies could not be found anywhere else in the house. "

I shook my head slowly and placed the clipping carefully inside my pocket. I also picked a few clippings about Josephine Walter's affair and placed it alongside it. These were my leads. I just hoped that these would be enough. 

I scanned the room, looking for an exit. Fortunately, the full moon was bright enough to light the whole room. I made my way through the dirty room as I tried to find my balance on all the paper that laid scattered across the floor.

I saw a door, which seemed to be the only exit and started heading towards it. I reached for the doorknob. When I was about to turn it open, I froze when someone called out my name.

" Mau."