Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q characters belong to their creator.

49. Lady Poison

"Lady Ravenhall, why are you doing this for us?" Ryu asked as they stood in the greenhouse. Normally, it would have been the host or his servants who would show his guests around. The library was immensely large and decorated with antiques from various parts of the world. The Russian-styled chapel was decked out with small bronze discs depicting the martyrdom of saints. The baths were done in the Turkish style and fed with spring water from the island's hot spring. She had conducted the tour in English, giving special attention to Ryu. Erik was left with translating for Kyu and Megumi's benefit.

"Please, call me Jez or Jezebel. I requested this of Vladimir. I am a spoiled brat. I get what I want…" Jezebella laughed. "It so happens I want to know you better…"

Although a light snow was falling outside, the interior of the greenhouse was warm. They were alone. Kyu and Megumi were by the orange trees, admiring the pretty little fruits. "Think they are real?" Kyu asked. "Probably, the climate in here is milder than outside," Megumi said. "Maybe you could try one," she teased.

Erik was engrossed staring out through the glass at a snow-dusted garden. Ryu could make out the Xavier father and daughter engaged in a game which resembled hockey in the garden. Carlos the butler stood like a silent sentinel at the entrance. Jez clipped a leave with her gardening shears and placed it into her basket.

"Foxglove…" she explained. "A folk remedy in mild doses but toxic nonetheless."

"Who exactly are you?" Ryu asked. A shout drew his attention.

"Hey, Ryu, you could really eat these oranges!" Kyu waved, his mouth stuffed with oranges. Megumi swatted him good-naturedly. "At least he didn't sample the holly berries," Jez added tartly. "As to your question, Amakusa Ryu, I am Jezebella-Donna Ravenhall, Lady of Ravenheath and the last in the Ravenhall lineage. My ancestors have been fascinated with poison in its various forms and I have inherited their passion for this subject. I do confess that I supply specimens to some of my acquaintances on occasion."

"Do your acquaintances include Risa Tatiana?" Ryu asked. He knew instinctively he was speaking to Pluto's source for poisons. Jez let out a musical laugh and planted a kiss on Ryu's cheek before he could react. She whispered into his ear.

"Risa is one of my closest friends. We have a rare understanding. You, as Pluto's one-time heir, should be aware of what it means." Violet eyes faced the blue-haired detective. "It is not just for your genius ancestor but for your late grandfather that you were invited here," she strolled up to a nearby rose bush and clipped a single rose from it. "All of us here are linked by darkness. Look at the Xaviers. He calls himself an adventurer but he is a former mercenary and current arms-dealer." She nodded towards the father and daughter gambolling in the new snow.

"I can tell you more about our guests… Senior Wolff is of the SS and ran death camps in Poland during the war. He fled to Argentine when the Reich fell. Junior Wolff has an unfortunate for knocking up underage boys and a tendency to claim diplomatic immunity when things get out of hand. Of course, Senior Wolff will probably kill him for being gay," Jez giggled. "Vladimir's family traded in stolen artworks. Ekaterina's of the Russian mafia and specializes in supplying women and children for the underground sex industry…"

"What is your purpose is sharing this with me?" Ryu asked.

"So that someone will know. Violets are blue, roses are red. Remember me when I am dead. We are not saints. Many of us here are have little qualms about murder. Maybe I will be dead before long, like my father," Jez sighed and dropped the rose into her basket. "I believe my father was murdered because he wanted the Circle to return what we have stolen."

"What has the Circle stolen?" Ryu asked quietly. Close up, he was struck by how violet her eyes were and how small her waist was. "Artworks, jewels, relics…" her reply was guarded.

"Hey, Erik, what are you looking at?" Kyu walked over to where Erik had his palms and nose pressed against the glass. When he saw the scene in the garden, Kyu said "Thinking of your parents and missing sister?" Erik shook his head.

"I've found her. Ryunosuke told me. Both my sister and my biological father," Erik pulled away from the glass reluctantly. "What do you mean?" Megumi asked. Erik did not reply.

A movement by the entrance caught his eye. Carlos and Ekaterina were in a passionate embrace. "Well, well, check that one out," he nudged both Megumi and Kyu. "Lady Ravenhall will definitely kill him if she finds out," Erik muttered under his breath. "She calls him her loyal hunting dog." The amorous pair ducked behind an overgrown rose trellis.


If Jezebella notice the absence of her servant, she did not mention it but continued on her tour after setting aside her basket of cuttings in her room. Ryu became painfully aware of the way Jezebella's hips swayed ever so slightly as she walked ahead of them.

The garden was cold and bare. Classical-styled statutes stood under a light dusting of snow. "Justice," Ryu identified one of them. The blindfold over her eyes and scales in her hand were unmistakable. "Nope," their guide corrected. "She's Ma'at, the ancient Egyptian goddess of Truth. In the afterlife, the hearts of the dead are weighed against her feather of truth. I don't understand why Vladimir's grandmother had her eyes blindfolded when she ordered this." Jezebella brushed aside the snow in the scales to reveal the likeness of a feather and a human heart.

"Blindfolded truth so she does not see," Erik remarked. "Milady, it is a dangerous circle you move in."

"This is the bunker. Vladimir keeps it locked most of the time, but he gave me the key," Jezebella unlocked the metal door of a concrete outhouse. The air inside smelled musty as they worked their way down a flight of stairs. The minute she flicked on the lights, gasps of horror came from the others. "This island was a prison camp during the war where prisoners were subjected to experiments for the purpose of germ warfare," their guide announced calmly.

Six mummified bodies were seated around a sturdy table. The rags on the bodies suggested military uniforms. A seventh was sprawled on the floor, a samurai sword sticking out of its ribs. An eighth was in a corner, apparently decapitated. The bunker bore the militaristic Japanese flag of World War II as well as the banners of the Nazi swastika and eagle. Megumi buried her face into Kyu's shoulder with a shudder. Kyu watched, both fascinated and horrified. Ryu nodded the clear gunshot to the temples of some of the seated mummies and the discarded firearms on the table and floor. Erik let out a low whistle.

"I guess someone has been here after the war…" he bent over the headless mummy. "This one appears to be wearing a digital watch. It's also not so dried out as the others. Strange, where's the skull?"

"Erik, I did not hire you to poke in old bones," Jezebella scolded. "Yes, ma'am," the Norwegian left the corpse alone. "Shall we return to the garden?" Jezebella smiled sweetly as she dangled the key to the bunker.


When they were returning to the mansion, they came across an ancient woman sitting stoically on a bench in the light snow. Several large wolfhounds sat at her booted feet. At first, Ryu thought she was another statute. Then to his surprise, she turned her head to look directly at him. A look of surprise came over her aged face as she rose to her feet and approached him.

"Takumi, is that you?" her Japanese was accented but fluent. When she was a foot from him, she stopped, as if realizing her mistake.

"Alika Nikolai," Ravenhall greeted the old woman with a polite nod. "If you want to know more about this island, she is the one to go to." A round of introductions was made. The old woman took her leave and walked off with her dogs.

"She looks very old," Megumi whispered to Kyu, who nodded in return. "She mistook Ryu for his great-grandfather. Maybe she knew Kuzuryu. She probably lived through the war…"

"There's still the dungeon-room and the war room. The dungeon room contains actual instruments of torture and execution. And the war room has paintings depicting battle scenes…" the lady continued. "Vlad's such a dear, giving us access to his most extensive and priceless collections…"

"Master Vladimir is awfully young…" Ryu said. "Are his parents around?"

"He is sixteen and an orphan. He is under the guardianship of his uncle, Gerard von Holten, head of Bifrost International. However, his uncle is eccentric. He and his wife have been living in seclusion somewhere, relaying instructions via email…" Jezebella replied. "Vlad has health issues and hasn't been off this island since he was born… Most of the day-to-day running of the island is done by Vladimir for the manor and the village is run by little mother Alika Nikola."

"There is a village?"

"Yes, on the other side of the island. About twenty-old folks, mostly descendants of the original 19th century Russian immigrants and the prisoners-of-war who survived and stayed behind. If you are game, we can walk there. It'll be a tough hike though."

Author's Notes:

Ryu and Jezebella are getting along fine, aren't they? Kyu and Megumi are taking a back seat for now. Erik is hiding a secret.

The Egyptian goddess Ma'at and afterlife thing is true. Ancient Egyptians were mummified with their hearts left inside their body while other organs are removed and either disposed of or mummified separately. In the afterlife, a person will be judged by having his heart weighed by Anubis (Egyptian God of Death) on the scales of Ma'at the Goddess of Truth.