A MAZE OF GREED

The whole region was shaken by the death, rather than the murder of Barret Addington. They found his mutilated body dumped in the mud. It was so grossly impaired, that no one could take a look at it.

Not only the Garfields but also the royals were tensed by this event. Everyone was busy predicting their theories, but the truth was known only by the Garfields, Augustus O'Dell, Harold Davies and Ripon.

As per Augustus's expectations, Ripon had refused to give any official statement regarding the issue. He put forward the reason for standing with Barret's family at such a saddening time. Thus no one bothered him much, including the royals.

"Edwin, say something." Lester prompted.

They were locked up in Edwin's office chamber for the last one hour. Rees was also present there.

"I... I do not know what to say Lester." Edwin told calmly.

The other two men could see wheels running in Edwin's head, but they could not guess the right direction.

"This is very suspicious Master. Barret Addington was an important person in the regional politics. And his murder and that too in such a gruesome way indicates that there is someone who is more dangerous than he thought." Rees opined.

Lester nodded in agreement. "He is right Edwin. With Addington's death there is now a political vaccum that many contendors would like to fill. Was this the motive of his murder?" He suspected.

Edwin, who was only listening to them for an hour, finally leaned ahead, resting his elbows on the table.

"We are missing on something important here." Edwin said with complete seriousness.

"What?"

"Let's reconsider everything from the beginning."

Rees then started stating every event chronologically. Edwin and Lester listened to every word carefully.

"Pressurising O'Dells for the investigation of the first five murders was something expected from him. I do not think there is anything odd." Lester looked for Edwin's agreeing nod.

Rees then went on till Mr Payne's death. At the mention of his name, Edwin's mind rioted to wander to the hazel-eyed nymph, but Edwin gripped it tightly. This was not the right time for that.

After all the things put on the same board, Edwin realised something.

"Lester, you said during the meeting with Ripon, my uncle said that he knew who was behind those murders, right?"

"Yes." Lester nodded in a puzzle.

"And not long after, Mr Payne was killed in the same way."

"What are you suggesting Edwin?" Lester asked when his brain could not join the dots that Edwin had.

"Is it possible that Barret Addington was involved in this?" Edwin spoke out his suspicion.

"But Master, the Council does not know of the existence of the supernaturals." Rees argued.

"It does not mean they can not ever find out." Lester now got what Edwin was trying to suggest.

"Exactly! How could Vampires get the entry in the woods? They must have gotten help from someone who knew well about the borders. And who could it be better than Barret Addington?" Edwin raised his brow.

"And those spies. I researched about that matter and found out that the Council had never planted their spies in Vincardine before. Then why they did that only when we were going through the trouble?" Rees joined.

Lester nodded his head. "And that spy was coordinating with the spy of the Kinsville. It can not be just a coincident! It must Barret Addington!"

"Still the persistenting question remains unanswered. Who killed Barret Addington and why?" Edwin was eager to find that answer.

Because that would tell him if Barret's killer was his friend or foe.

After a minute, Rees opened his mouth. "Could it be the Garfields?"

"Why do you think that?" Lester asked, furrowing his brows.

"Maybe they came to a disagreement on something. Or the Garfields might have thought that Barret was of no use for them anymore or he might have turned into a threat for them? I do not know! They have many reasons to do that."

Although Rees sounded right logically, Edwin was still not satisfied.

"If it was the Garfields then why would they kill him that brutally? And why would they leave his body for the world to be found? They had no intention of marking their superiority in this case unlike the six deaths in the woods." Edwin spoke his doubts.

Lester shook his head then ran his hands on his face.

"Oh Moon Goddess! This is all so confusing! How are we going to find out the truth? We need to know who did this as soon as possible. It might impact on our world and... and what if it laid down the foundation of the great war?"

Edwin tensed at that possibility.

"There is only one way to find out." He said.

Rees and Lester shared a look with each other. "What?"

"I will attend his funeral!" Edwin declared with finality.

*

*

*

After futile attempts of finding anything against Ruth or Mrs Payne, Florence sat on a stone outside the nearby lighthouse. She had only two days left in her hands, and then she would need to get back to Vincardine.

She had used her contacts and money to plan this trip to Warthford Island in a hope that she would find something. But it seemed like the people she was looking for did not even exist.

"Perrito! Stop it!" She barked in irritation.

The man who was helping her all this time stopped playing with her hair. Draping his hand around her waist, he asked, "Why are you so angry? It is fine! You have two more days and even if you do not find your relatives, I will keep looking for them for you."

He was tempted by her long neck and, giving in to his temptation, he leaned down to shower peppery kisses on her skin. Florence was irritated, angry yet his actions distracted her from those emotions.

"You are not getting it, perrito! It is very important for me!" She cried desperately.

He stopped kissing her, sensing how needy she was. He only rested his head on her shoulder as they both sat in silence.

Ten minutes later, he lifted his head up as if remembered something important.

"I think I know where you may find the clues about your relatives. Come on!"

He took her hand in his and dragged her in the direction of the town. Florence was not sure if she should trust him but had no other choice. So she followed him wordlessly.

Twenty minutes later, They stopped in front of an old, stone-walled building. It was a two-storey structure of humble size.

She read the dusty and faded words written on the stone above the entrance- Warthford Island Library.

"Library? Why are we here, Perrito?" She asked, frowning.

"This is the only library on the Island. It has archives of the Island's history and the people who have lived here. You may find a clue about your relatives in them." He explained.

A new hope lit in Florence's eyes. "let's go!"

They both entered the building that looked too boring and gloomy for Florence's liking. The man asked the librarian where they could find the archives section.

After following his instructions, they found the right track which was stuffed with piles and piles of papers and handwritten manuscripts.

Florence scrunched her face thinking now she needed to go through this year or maybe decades old mess.

"Are you sure about this Perrito?" She asked again sceptically.

"Absolutely! No other way seems working fine for you, so why not?!"

Florence still hesitated. Her eyes kept darting all over the place.

"Is there anything you want to say?" He asked, sensing her hesitation.

Florence thought if she should tell him. It was embarrassing, but still, she decided to tell him.

"I... I am actually not very good with reading and writing." she told him in a low voice.

He watched her blinking with a void face.

"You do not know how to read or write?" She heard him ask in surprise.

Florence did not meet his eyes. "I mean I can read the basics but..."

"You must be thinking how stupid I am, right?" She finally looked at him.

For some reason, she felt comfortable around him. The fact that she would not see this man again made it easy for her to be her true self around him.

He shook his head slightly. "No, Miss Florence. Vincardine is one of the modern and advanced towns in the region and I thought everyone is literate there. That is why I am little surprised that is it!"

Florence smiled at his honesty. "Not everything that glitters is gold, Perrito! There are numerous people in Vincardine- both men and women- who do not even know how to write their name or how to count one to ten.

Education is a privilege available only for the ones who can afford it. It is not a right available for everyone."

He only nodded. "It is fine! I will read them for you if you do not understand anything."

And then they started rummaging through the papers in the hope of finding something.