It was around 5:00 am when I was awoken by Lucille's screams, it was pitch black outside because of the continuous snow that fell. I got up quickly, and because I was asleep in the spare servants quarters I got to the dinning room where she was first.
Lucille was standing in the door way, trembling horribly. I approached slowly, imagining the horrible sight that caused her to be this way. As I stood behind her I could hear her, whispering something in German.
"Oh mein Gott... dass sie tot..." She whispered. She turned to face me, and then swallowed as she stood to the side. I took a deep breath and walked in and saw what I expected to see, but worse.
Victoria laid there broken out from the handcuffs, an odd sword pierced through her chest. As if it had happened not too long ago, she laid in an expanding pool of her blood. It dropped down her cheeks as it was oozing slightly from the sides of her mouth.
Just as everyone arrived, I got onto my knees staining the old joggers I slept in. I reached into her front coat pocket and took out her badge, the badge that signified her as a Hill detective. I then stood up and faced Lucille, handing it to her.
"From this moment until further notice, you shall be my partner. Being as you are the only other person who has proven the worth and ability in doing so." I said giving a small glare to Jennifer, who stopped glaring at Lucille as I handed her the badge.
"Ja!" She said, standing straight giving me a German salute. I looked at her misty eyes, threatening to burst in tears.
I picked her up and held her in my arms for a second, staining the old white t-shirt I was wearing. I turned and walked out of the dinning room, everyone stood to the side as I walked by.
I went into the boiler room where we had Elizabeth's body, I set her down gently and picked up a white sheet to cover her with. I was lost in thought, I didn't know what I was doing.
I felt a hand in my shoulder and it shocked me back into reality. I looked back and saw Foxhound, and then down Victoria was covered up with the sheet.
"You've been through too much for such a young man." He told me funny, Foxhound rarely speaks unless he has too. Especially if it's about his job, everyone who does know what he does must always keep quiet about it. So in a way I lied to Erika when she asked.
"It's the bad things that happen in life, that make you who you are. I mean, without bad things and the pain felt from them, we would all be a bunch of spineless fools." I said a coldly.
"Well, after all you've been through you must have a pretty thick spine." Foxhound said.
"I guess..." I said.
"Your not the only one who was devastated when your mother died Luka."
"I know..."
"But, what cheers me up is that she's probably the same place your father is. You look exactly like him Luka, except your eyes those are your mothers. I think they're happy with each other don't you agree-" I cut him short and finally snapped.
"WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING! I REMEMBER WHO MY FATHER WAS, I NEVER KNEW HIM. HOW THE HELL WOULD I KNOW IF THEY WERE HAPPY!" I gritted my teeth. Foxhound lowered his voice and spoke slowly.
"I'm just saying you shouldn't let this bother you too much" he said.
"Does I look like it's bothering me, besides why shouldn't it!?" I replied.
"Because Victoria's... nevermind." He turned and began to leave. Foxhound said things that should be said but, didn't when he knew he shouldn't.
* * *
"Elizabeth was found found dead at 10:32 PM after reporting she felt dizzy and sick." Lucille informed as she and I cleared the table from breakfast.
"I examined the body last night, and found a puncture wound at the base of her neck. Just like Mr.Leigh predicted, she was injected with some sort of drug. I found the drug to be unknown to my knowledge after running some blood tests."
I then realized that Mr.Grayson was missing from the table.
"I'll go check in him" Mrs.Grayson stood up fast, and I followed behind her.
Mr.Grayson however, would never rise to sunlight again. The killer had took another victim right under our noses. Just like Elizabeth, Mr.Grayson was foaming at the mouth. Dead.
We put him with the rest of the bodies, and covered him up. We then sat back down, and awaited Lucille who was examining the rest of the bodies. When she finished we sat around the dinning room table once more.
"I found the same thing in Mr.Grayson, he had the puncture wound by his upper arm however." She explained.
"As for Victoria, she has two stab wounds going completely through her. Most likely she was beaten unconscious first, because I managed to find bumps on her head." Lucille finished.
I couldn't bare to listen, I then thought that Victoria might not have the same killer as the others. I scanned the room, everyone looked neutral. Jennifer of course, caught my stare and returned it with a smile.
"I'll be right back" I stood up and Erika followed behind me.
"What's wrong Luka?" She asked me, as we reached my room. I forgot it was locked, I had wanted to retrieve my sword.
"I just don't want to listen to all that, besides I want to get my sword. Might as well have something to protect myself right?" I smiled.
"If anyone's going to catch this murderer, I think it's you Luka." She put her hand on my shoulder.
"No, it's that other person Victoria mentioned when we first discovered Elizabeth. If anything they might know something, I can feel it." I said.
"W-when did she s-say that she was stopping by-" She was cut short by the sound of something running across the roof. I then saw the shadow of something fall past the window at the end of the hall.
"W-was that a cat!?" She squealed, looking up at the ceiling.
"It sounded a little too big to be a cat no?" I said, hoping she didn't she whatever it was fall by the window.
"Let's go to the boiler room maybe I might find the key there." I said, walking down the hall and down the stairs.
The boiler room was located in a downstairs room under the staircase. As we walked by everyone sat in silence, as anyone could be the next victim.
We both entered the boiler room and I closed the door behind me. I felt a breeze and looked over and saw an open window.
"Why's this window open?" Erika said, a small pile of snow gathered on the sill.
"I don't know, it wasn't open when we put Mr.Grayson in here." I said glancing over at the bodies. I went over to check each of them over, I stopped at Victoria whose hair and face were wet.
"Weird, snow couldn't of blown all the way over here." I said noticing the chain of her pocket watch glimmer. I reached into her dress coat pocket and pulled out the watch. I opened it and it had stopped, I smiled and remembered her winding up this watch every morning.
* * *
"What does the A H stand for?" I would ask her. She would look up at me and smile.
"What do you want it to stand for Luka?" She would answer me.
"I feel like your always winding up that watch Victoria." I would tell her.
"Unlike regular watches you need to wind up pocket watches every day so the time runs. It stops if you don't, especially if it's an old one like mine." She wo
"If your watch is so old where did you get that watch Victoria?" I would ask her.
"A time and memory far from this one." She would answer.
"How do you keep it so shiny Victoria?" I would ask her, by then she would be finished winding it up. She would attach the chain to a button on her shirt and into her dress coat pocket. If she was wearing a button up shirt, if not put in her pocket. Then, she would cross her arms and giggle at me.
"Luka Hill, you ask as many questions as a child does." She would say.
* * *
"Luka? Luka are you OK?" My memory was interrupted by Erika looking down at me with a concerned look. I realized I was sitting in my knees and Victoria's corpse was covered once more. I looked back down at my hands and saw I had winded up the watch as it ticked in my hands.
"Huh? Y-yeah I guess I kinda dozed off..." I stood up and brushed myself off putting the watch in the pocket of my pants. I looked over at the washer and dryer by the window and saw Victoria's jacket.
I walked over to it and picked it up, it felt damp and had fresh snow slowly melting into it. I shook it off, as I did I heard the sound of something fall out of her pocket.
"Hey the key! Hmph, that was easy" I said picking up the key.
We went up to my room once more, and I went into my dressing room and got my sword. We were silent the whole time, until Erika spoke up as we were about to leave.
"Can I ask you a question Luka?" She asked.
"Sure go ahead."
"Why was Victoria blind folded?" She gave me a perplexed looked.
"I-it's just h-her eyes, it just creeps me out okay?" I lied. I actually liked Victoria eyes, but it reminded me of Clara that night.
"I don't know if it's because you don't trust me, or you just don't want to talk about it. Just know I wouldn't make you say anything you didn't feel like saying." She said I realized my back was turned to her. Suddenly Mr.Knight appeared at the door.
"We caught them." He said, I thought back to the thing I saw falling past the window. Could it have been them.
I nodded and followed him out, Erika trailing behind. We went down into the living room, where I saw a woman in a habit tied up. What looks like a flour sack covered her face, and a very annoyed Lucille stood back by the front door.
"I caught her Mr.Detective!" Iris purred at me. Ew she's like 29 and I'm 17.
"I don't know how she managed to kill two of us, she knocked at the front door and I like totally saved your Maids life." Jennifer said, of all people why wasn't she killed?
"Well, that is the polite thing to do before entering a home." The young woman piped up.
I got close and pulled the sack off revealing a nun, she wore a black silk scarf that covered her nose and mouth.
"Thank you Mr.Detective" she said as I removes the ropes from her. "Mrs. Victoria asked me to come after a murder occurred here am I correct?"
So let me get this straight, Victoria a demon has connections with a nun I thought, something wasn't right.
The woman turned and looked at me, she stood about at about my shoulder.
"Sorry for wearing this scarf, I've had a pretty bad cold and I wouldn't want to get anyone sick." She said, smiling I think.
"Sorry sister but, how are you going to help us exactly?" Mrs.Knight asked.
"Oh, I have my ways the lord blessed me with such a special ability." She said.
"Like what?" Jennifer asked harshly.
"Well, if someone would please be kind enough to show me where you put the bodies I'll demonstrate." She said.
"Of course, right here sister." I said showing her into the boiler room. She stopped suddenly and turned around. I'll need a bit of time alone with the bodies however, I can't really work with people watching over my shoulder." She said.
* * *
So we waited, and we waited, and we waited, and then we waited some more...
FINALLY! We waited a bit more but, after that she appeared out of the door.
"Alrighty could I have everyone's attention please!" She announced.
Everyone faced her, ready to listen attentively. This whole time I one something was up, I just didn't know what. That is until I was given this moment of silence I realized everything...
"So, how was the older man and woman killed exactly." She asked.
"Y-you mean Mrs.Kindly and Mr.Grayson? They had some sort of drug injected into them, which resulted in them foaming at the mouth dead." Lucille piped up.
"I see... What sort of relationship did these two have with each other?" The nun asked, I sat back and decided to stay quiet. I knew exactly where this was going and exactly who was going to snap.
"Anyone?" The nun asked, her expression hidden by the scarf.
"All I know is that Elizabeth was daddy's partner and that Mr.Grayson was head of New York S.W.A.T" Jennifer squeaked.
"Do you know anything either one did on their free time?" The nun glanced at Mr.Knight.
"Not Elizabeth, she's was young so she didn't have a family yet. She quite the shy person so, I don't think she's seeing anyone either." He said.
"Do you know about Man?" She asked.
"Well, his wife over here might know something." Mrs.Knight mentioned.
All eyes went to Mrs.Grayson, whose mask was now breaking. Her usual expression, the mutual silent expression was fading. Underneath a firm face of anxiety was forming.
"What is Ma'ma, you should be able to tell us what your own husband does in his free time right?" The nun slowly approached her "Or is that the reason you killed him! Because you feared what he did in his free time am I correct!?" She asked, I knew someone was about to snap.
Mrs.Grayson lost all the color in her face, and was shaking. Finally she swallowed and burst into tears. Everyone watched attentively as she began to speak.
"What else was I supposed to do!? I found out he was sleeping with that skank Mr.Knight over there calls 'shy' and a partner!" She was in tears.
"And, because you didn't want be caught you killed any and all witnesses. So you killed Luka's poor partner." The nun finished.
"You heard her, take her away." I said, the nun looked back and winked. I returned it with a smile.
"W-what!? I'll admit I killed Elizabeth and Jamie but, no way in hell did I kill that other bitch!" Mrs.Grayson was struggling to break free as Mr.Knight had her and cuffed her.
I realized that Iris was no where to found anymore either. Perfect timing because outside, the snow had stopped.
"That's not a very good name to call such a kind lady." The nun said.
"Good thing we brought the squad car here." Mrs.Knight smiled.
Mr. and Mrs.Knight managed to get her into the elevator just as Jennifer said her farewell to me.
"Goodbye my love, see you later" she said kissing my cheek.
"I hope not" I mumbled the nun giggled.
Erika left as soon as they did, giving me a more pleasant goodbye.
"Too bad we didn't get to the the interview." She said.
"Oh well, you could just write about everything that just happened here." I said.
"I guess so, Mr.Braun might be a little disappointed in me." She said as she went into the elevator.
"Shall we?" I said to the nun.
"Of course." She responded as we made our way up the stairs, that's when Erika came back.
"WAIT A MINUTE!" She announced. Me and the nun stopped mid stair case, the nun leaned in the rail.
"Pardon me if I'm wrong sister l but, by any chance is your name Victoria Heirwell!?" Erika asked.
I smiled as Victoria pulled off the scarf and veil, revealing her long black hair.
"My, my Luka she would be perfect for a detective." Victoria smiled.
"Lets go somewhere we can speak in private." I said "Lucille still thinks you're dead." I said to Victoria.
* * *
"This is the roof!?" Erika was amazed, we took her up to the roof of the apartment building over looking time square and central park
"Well, when you live in a Penthouse." I smiled.
"So what do you what to know?" Victoria asked her.
"E-everything! W-why, H-how?" She was flustered and confused, how cute.
"Well first things first all that I am about to tell you, must be kept in complete secrecy. Meaning that if you tell anyone absolutely anyone who isn't in this conversation right now, I will damn your soul straight to the underworld. Are we clear?" Victoria said as innocently as possible.
"Y-yes." Erika gulped.
"I'm immortal, and only certain things can kill me. As you can tell by this morning, you see I figured I was going have to go sooner or later. So what I did I plan, I knew telling you guys another person was coming would come in handy." She explained.
"G-go on." Erika said.
"So that why you found me wet, my jacket covered in snow, and the window open. I had left the second Foxhound and Luka did, I know someone who lent me the habit. So I left to get it, I knew I had to be quick so that's what I did you see, my kind are fast creatures." Victoria smiled.
"S-so that's what me and Luka heard when we were in the hallways?" She said, I recalled that moment and wondered how Victoria could survive such a vicious fall.
"Probably, I was in kind of a rush so I guess I did leave the window open. Of course I couldn't close it. I'll have my watch back now." Victoria said offering her palm to me, I reached into my pocket and gave her that watch.
"What so w-what happened, how did Mrs.Grayson catch you?" Erika asked.
"Well late at night, I couldn't fall asleep mainly because being handcuffed to a table cramped me up. I broke free and stood up that's when I got hit multiple times by a frying pan." Victoria smiled.
"A-and then what?" Erika asked.
"She stabbed me from behind so, I played dead. I got up after she left, and took the sword out of me. I knew Luka would need to get the key to his room so I quickly went to where I had it and stuffed it in my jacket before I returned to the kitchen. I then couldn't put the sword back in from behind again so I stabbed myself from in front." Victoria smiled.
"I-it didn't hurt you?" Erika asked.
"My kind isn't as sensitive to pain as you mortals, but it did sting quite a bit."
"S-so are you l-like an angel?" Erika beamed.
"Not even close." Victoria smiled.
"Oh so does that mean... Y-your a demon?" Erika caught on.
"Right in the nose but like I said, keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut about it." Victoria grinned.
"O-one last question, what are you going to do if everyone thinks your dead?"
"The funerals next week Erika, see you then." I smirked.
"V-very well, I-I'll be going now." She left quickly.
"Glad that's over with." I sighed.
"Hey, don't think I've forgotten about what you did Luka." Victoria smirked.
"What are you talking about?" Oh god not this.
"Oh they way you swept me up from the ground and set me ever down ever so gently. The way it wasn't getting to you, and the way you sat next to me winding up my watch. Such a silly boy Luka." She smiled.
"I- I was just acting damn Victoria, I wouldn't want them to think I was some heartless bastard." I said. Oh god I'm blushing aren't I.
"I'll need my badge back Luka."
"Yeah I know, welcome back Victoria." I said facing away from her.
"You really thought I was dead didn't you?" She got beside me and looked up at me. She's always wearing boots and shoes with heels on them I didn't realize she was so short.
"Since I can't lie to you, I only thought you were dead until you came dressed up like that. Besides that's like a holy thing, why isn't it hurting you right now?" I asked.
"Let's just say I'm not like any demon you've met before." She winked at me.
"Your the only demon I've met." I said.
"Since we're admitting things here, Mrs.Grayson didn't kill me." She said looking up at me.
"It was Iris wasn't it?"
"You do have detective running through your veins Luka, we should keep our eyes open for her. There's something about her, something I can't explain." Victoria frowned.
"Come on, Lets go prepare for a funeral." I smiled.
"Let's go with Maeb she can take care of that." Victoria smiled "Besides I need return this anyways."
* * *
We laughed and I told her to wait for outside while I told Lucille I was going out. Maybe I was over thinking it, or maybe I wasn't but I'm pretty sure something holy like that would harm Victoria. Whatever, I guess I shouldn't worry about it. Then again I don't know much about Victoria like, at all.
As walked out through the lobby of the building, I wondered why Victoria would avoid telling me anything about herself. I realized that it was something she did a lot.
I met up with her outside, I guess it was obvious that I was deep in thought because she gave me a puzzled look when she saw me.
"Everything alright." She asked.
"Yeah, everything's fine. Let's go."
But sadly it wasn't and it wouldn't be until I got the answers I am looking for...
* * *
It was a gray and cloudy morning, as per usual during a funeral. Me and Maeb stood back as the casket was lowered into the ground, Jennifer stood far off as well a guilty look adorned her face.
"Three... Two... One..." Maeb counted softly, and then as if we were in a horror movie noise was heard as something from the inside banged on the casket door.
"S-she's...." Lucille opened up her big wide teary eyes.
"What a surprise." I whispered to Maeb, as everyone unburied the grave and out popped quite a cheerful Victoria.
"My, it was quite stuffy in there-" she was cut short as Lucille was hugging her pretty tight.
"Oh what a miracle, Miss.Victoria you're alive!" She cried.
"Guess that's it for now then" I said looking at Maeb.
"I don't know Luka, with you who knows when the adventure ends." She smiled.
That's when I first felt it, dizzy. My breathing got slightly heavy and hard to do. I shut my eyes and opened them, then I felt fine.
"Luka are you ok?" Maeb asked me, everyone was starting to leave and Victoria was a little busy still.
"I'm fine really, it's nothing." I smiled, what was that.
"You don't have asthma do you? Your breathing seemed a little heavy there."
"No it was nothing just, tired I guess."
"If you say so but, if that happens again tell me. I'm a healing witch ya know, my magic is better than wasting time with those human doctors." She smiled.
"Yeah... Will do."
* * *