Chapter 8: A key, a murder and a warning
Author's Note: Glad to see my story is still being followed by a small handful of readers. Specially some who were there since the very beginning, AKA Mocking J and Shimmering Sky. Anyway, time for the next chapter.
Aurora was looking on some shelves for something of any usage to her, Luke and The Professor. She looked up at the portrait on the wall and noticed that the pins on the bottom were loose. But rather than a wall behind it, she noticed a small hole. She pulled the poster from the bottom upwards and saw a hidden alcove, covered perfectly by the picture. And in that alcove was a simple faded gold key.
"Professor," Aurora said looking over her should. "I found a key."
The Professor walked over, as did Luke.
"Ah, well done Aurora, this may of use to us in attempting to find our way into the tower," The Professor praised Aurora.
"There was a keyhole in the wall wasn't there Professor?" Luke asked. "Maybe this is the key to the lock."
"It may very well be Luke, but there is only one way we can be sure, we must test it," The Professor suggested.
"So to the tower?" Luke asked.
"Indeed," The Professor said. They decided that they had what they needed, so Aurora pinned the picture back to the wall, and they left the underground room. They returned to the ladder and climbed out. Once back outside, they set off. However, outside the gates, they heard a voice.
"Stay away from the tower," a woman's voice spoke sharply.
"Ah, hello again," The Professor greeted their acquaintance politely.
"Stay away from the tower, you shouldn't go near there," The girl said. It was the same young lady they had encountered outside the towers wall. Her appearance was unchanged, she wore the same green dress, glasses and orange head scarf.
"Why should we do that?" Luke said in a curious tone.
" Please listen," she said, and without elaborating, before they could ask any other questions, she turned and left quickly, as though she had no further desire to speak with the Professor or the others any further.
"Hmm. Perhaps we had better ask Lady Dahlia about our mysterious young lady," The Professor suggested.
"Why do you think she wants us away from the tower?" Aurora enquired.
"I cannot be sure," The Professor said. They began heading in the direction of Lady Dahlia's mansion.
5 Minutes later, they had arrived outside the doors of Lady Dahlia's mansion and were heading inside.
"Ah Professor, I was just about to come and find you," Matthew the Butler said the moment he saw the Professor's party enter the mansion. He looked exceptionally worried, as though he had just seen someone had a terrible accident.
"Whatever for Matthew?" The Professor said, beginning to look worried himself.
"Upstairs please, there is a man, Inspector Chelmey who wants to see you," Matthew said, ushering them upstairs. The Professor decided they had no choice but to go upstairs and see the "Inspector."
They entered the room, and immediately all heads turned toward them.
"Ah, Professor, you're here, so we may begin I take it," Lady Dahlia said upon noticing them.
"Yes indeed," said a new man, with dark hair, styled over to the right, so it covered one of his eyes. His moustache was black as well, and extremely thick, so one could only see his bottom lip. His voice was rough, as though he was a hardened man from years of battling.
"Professor Hershel Layton," the man said without preamble. "My name is Inspector Chelmey, I am a detective of Scotland Yard and a colleague of Inspector Grosky whom I understand you are familiar with. I arrived her in St. Mystere just yesterday, as I heard a rumor about a supposed Golden Apple."
"Yes, we are familiar with the Inspector. Marvelous to hear of his promotion," The Professor said.
"Yes, well we are not here to talk about his promotion, nor the mystery Golden Apple either in case your are wondering" Chelmey said sharply. "No, we are here to talk about something extremely serious." The Inspector said in a cold voice.
"You Professor are UNDER ARREST," The Inspector declared, pointing a finger at the Professor.
"Whatever for?" The Professor asked immediately, completely caught off guard by this statement.
"For the murder of Simon Reinhold, resident of St. Mystere," The Inspector explained.
"Murder. You're joking," Luke said in a shocked voice.
"The Professor wouldn't do something like that," Aurora chipped in, also in a shocked voice. She knew that when one human did something very bad they may be arrested, but she knew that the Professor was the last person on earth to commit a crime.
"I'm afraid I cannot say I understand," The Professor said. "He looked just as surprised as Luke and Aurora to hear himself accused of such a terrible crime. "I was completely unaware of Simon's death until just now."
"I know it was you and I know what weapon you used to kill him!" The Inspector raged. He lifted an expensive vase that The Professor had never even seen. "This was your weapon." The Inspector continued. And before anyone could a word, he threw the vase straight at the wall where it shattered. Lady Dahlia did not seem concerned about the vase, she was staring at the Professor in shock.
"Inspector, before you arrest the wrong man, I ask that I receive a chance to prove my innocence," The Professor said politely, in the hopes the Inspector would allow him this chance.
"Hah, you think Im going to allow a murderer to run free around a village," The Inspector said. "No, the boy and girl can, but not you." The Inspector said with a grim look on his face, glaring at the Professor.
"May I have a chat with Luke and Aurora privately please?" The Professor said. If he were not allowed to roam free around the village, then it looked as though his hopes rested with Luke and Aurora. He only hoped they would be up to the task he was about to set them.
"Fine, we'll wait outside, but I've seen every trick in the book, so don't try anything," The Inspector warned. They all trooped out, leaving the Professor, Luke and Aurora alone.
"Luke, Aurora, I am about to set you a rather arduous task," The Professor said in a serious tone. "This task will involve you using all skills you have, as I require you to attempt to unearth some evidence to prove my innocence." The Professor explained.
"You know we'll do whatever you ask us to Professor," Luke said proudly. "We'll find something to prove your innocence."
"Yes Professor, we'll try our hardest," Aurora said in a worried tone. Clearly she was worried that they might fail their task.
"I know you'll both do a fine job, I have complete faith in the both of you," The Professor said with a smile. Although this was to encourage both of them, this remark was mostly to bolster Aurora's confidence as he knew she was worried.
"We'll get to it Professor," Luke said. They both turned and left the room immediately. The Inspector returned with a cold look on his face. The Professor sat down, and the Inspector sat opposite him, watching him intently.
"Right, I am going to detain you here until I can contact Scotland Yard Headquarters so they can send some men out to escort you back to London to await trial," The Inspector said. The Professor simply breathed deeply, and fell to waiting for Luke and Aurora to return.
Author's Note: Chapter Complete. Thought a cliff hanger would be a good ending, and the moment I thought of it, I thought Luke and Aurora doing some serious detective work of their own would be an awesome idea. I hope you all like it as well as I do. Next chapter coming soon. I have a break from my exams so I can get some more writing done. Guess I can remove the announcement now. In the meantime, while you all wait for the next chapter…..
STAY AWESOME!
