"...and that is why I think I can't die," Lucretia finished. We had gone back to her house to listen to her explanation because Audrey said he couldn't stay in her office. I had a feeling it was because Lucretia didn't know how to efficiently use a gun and she'd made a mess of things.
"Sounds feasible," Audrey said slowly. He'd been trying to work large words into his vocabulary ever since we'd arrived back at Lucretia's house. I think he was smitten. I didn't blame him, Lucretia was very beautiful and had a certain charm about her that seemed to draw men like honey. The charm of being helpless, that is.
"Claudie... You're angry with me, aren't you?" Lucretia said, ignoring Audrey. I'd taken a seat in what I presumed to be the corner of the room and hadn't said a word, choosing rather to let Audrey make a fool of himself. Yes, I was angry; very angry. Lucretia wasn't supposed to be trying to kill herself. She wasn't supposed to be that depressed, she had someone who would die for her, she wasn't alone the way I was. Sure, Lucretia had pretty much abandoned Vincent for that revolting scientist, Hojo, but I doubted he'd give up that easily. Well... I couldn't be sure, but I certainly hoped that he wouldn't. Which brought me to a question.
"Where's Vincent?" I asked.
"Claudie," Lucretia said, it was almost a whine. "Please, don't-"
"What's happened? Something has. You should have known I'd notice," I said. "Vincent's a Turk, even if he didn't love you, it's still his assignment to protect you. He can't have just dropped of the face of the Planet."
Lucretia attempted a laugh but only brought herself to tears. It was some time before she could speak clearly again.
"I-I didn't know that Hojo... I mean why should I have suspected-? It just-it just happened and then I-I couldn't stop it after that. Well, I-I-I-" She burst into a fresh round of wailing. I needed answers and I wasn't going to get them from Lucretia just then. She was a mess. I remembered how useless she'd been after Grimoire died, I figured it couldn't be much different if something bad had happened to Vincent, which it obviously had.
"Lu, you need a nap," I said, feeling extremely tired myself. "Please go take one. It will be a great aid to all of us if you do. You're tired, upset, not thinking straight. You need to rest and look at things in a new light. It might help." Lucretia made a noise somewhat like a contemptuous snort. It was the first time I'd heard her make that sort of sound and it took me aback.
"You think I didn't try that?" she asked helplessly.
"Try again," I said. "What can it hurt?" I heard the rustle of clothing and I assumed Lucretia was standing.
"You trust me not to-" she broke off not actually wanting to say it.
"Of course," I said. "You wouldn't want to break my heart that way." I got no response to that but after a couple of seconds I heard her footsteps leaving the room.
"Oh, what a mess," I sighed when I felt reasonably sure Lucretia had gone.
"You don't need to tell that to me," Audrey said. "What a poor girl..."
"Lucretia has a bit of a penchant for the dramatic," I said. "If we can sift that out we'll get a pretty good idea of what happened. But... Why does everything need to go up in flames right now?" I rubbed at my eyes and yawned.
"You're tired, too," Audrey said. "Perhaps you should take your own advice and go have a nap. I'll go snoop around and see what I can find out about that Vincent Turk..." I knew what that meant, coming from Audrey. To him it was like he was saying that a Turk had the capacity for good which was like blasphemy in his mind. He really was smitten with Lucretia if he wanted to help me try to help her that badly.
"All right, Aude," I said with a yawn that was not fake despite its timing. "Thank you. I think I'll take your advice and take my advice..." I laughed weakly, feeling like I didn't much want to laugh.