So, this chapter will no doubt be a hard chapter to sit through but I saw something in the finally I need to address. I would love to hear if you think the same.
Scrooge looked at the rapport as he went through how it was going in McDuck Enterprise. Since Bradford had been exposed of F.O.W.L. agent Scrooge had to take up a larger amount of the work. Scrooge had to try and a find a new CEO but due to how the last one had turned out progress had been slow he had insisted on screening the applicants himself. Even so today he struggled to concentrate. It was a memory that kept pushing to the forefront of his mind. Back when Bradford had captured him and tied him up while he had shown pictures of all his adventures.
"So I dedicated my life to containing that chaos. First at S.H.U.S.H., then F.O.W.L. even as your CEO. Just in the last 30 years we have seen hyper intelligent rodents, caped crusaders, flying bears, bouncing bears, living statues and a variable troupe of goofs, misfits, and adventures. And all these events of the last centuries has one man in common" Bradford ranted while Scrooge tried to loosen the ties a little more while staring at pictures of all his past adventures.
"Who …could … it … be?" Bradford asked rhetorical.
Until know Scrooge had not really cared to much about what Bradford said but the tone made him look and send a hard glare at Bradford. The buzzard was not a person to be underestimated he had shown that.
"I tried to rain you in" Bradford said as he showed a picture of him partying next Duckworth with Bradford staring angrily at the two.
"I tried to rain you in, isolate you …" Bradford said as he showed Scrooge standing in front of the picture of Duckworth with his hat in his hand clearly morning.
"But your adventures just kept getting bigger as did your family" Bradford said.
What had followed shortly after the speech had been the hardest fight Scrooge had ever had and he had never been so scared when Bradford had shown he had every single member of his family captured. Scrooge had not even hesitated to sign the contract with Bradford when he threatened Donald. He had lost enough people as it was. He did not want to risk anymore of his family. Bette to live a life of misery with his family than seeing them all destroyed.
Even so know that he was safely back he had to wonder if Bradford had managed to have a victory against him some years ago. If so, a dear friend would have paid dearly for it. It was a thought that hurt him more than anything else. Scrooge sighted knowing he would not get any piece of mind before he had tended to this matter. He raised from his chair and went outside to find Duckworth. He found his ghost butler dusting off in one of his room.
"Is there something you need sir" Duckworth asked as he turned to his master.
"Yes Duckworth. I need to discuss something with you of a personal nature" Scrooge said as he closed the door to remain undisturbed.
Duckworth might be a ghost, but he knew his master very well and he knew when Scrooge wanted to talk about something personal it was serious. He floated over to stand next to his master which he had served for many years and he had come to consider him a friend even though he never told Scrooge. Even so he knew the sentiment was the same for Scrooge and he had never tried to talk down to him despite him being his servant. It was one of the reasons Duckworth had stayed so long in Scrooge's service. Most of his former masters had treated him with content or frowned down on him. Yet when he had been hired by Scrooge he had been impressed by his work ethics and respect for people including those leveling under him. Even if was against paying them a single dime more than was necessary.
"What is it sir" Duckworth answered.
"I … I have told you all about what happened when we fought F.O.W.L. except one thing. When Bradford had me tied up and he told me he had tried to rain me in as a CEO that he tried to isolate me. I didn't think over it before now but he … well he" Scrooge said fighting to form the word.
"What did he do sir?" Duckworth said.
Scrooge took a deep breath.
"He strongly hinted that he was responsible for your death" Scrooge said.
Duckworth dropped the duster as he seems to freeze in his spot. It had never occurred to him that his death could be anything other than a heart stroke. Scrooge had seen him collapse and call an ambulance. In the end it was much to late. Duckworth was dead long before they arrived at the hospital. Scrooge had nearly had a stroke himself when they told him. It had taken a lot for Scrooge to come to term with it.
"Where you near Bradford just before it happened?" Scrooge asked.
Duckworth thought over the question. He normally avoided the vulture as he didn't like him, but he had been arranging the annuel McDuck Enterprise Christmas party on the request of the vulture and therefore spend a few hours at the vultures office in the money bin. It was possible that he had slipped something into the sandwich he had brought for lunch. It hurt to think that he had been killed as a mean to remove everyone around Scrooge and hurt his master.
"I am sorry my friend. I did not know it. I never imagined he might do something like that. I thought I could trust him" Scrooge said clearly feeling guilty.
"You didn't know it. Even if it is his aim and he accomplished you couldn't know it" Duckworth said.
"I should have known it. I should have looked after you. You are my friend. I should have looked out for you" Scrooge said filled with guilt.
"You have been looking out for ever since we became friends. You didn't know and I don't hold you against it if was Bradford's doing" Duckworth said.
"I appreciate it lad, but I am not so sure" Scrooge said.
"Well, I am. You did not know. I refuse to let that Buzzard be filled with doubts and shame. None of us knew" Duckworth said.
"Thank you, my friend," Scrooge said but doubt was clear as he went out of the room.
Duckworth looked pained after his friend. It was a hard truth to process it all. As Scrooge came back to his office he collapsed in the chair. What had he done? His negligence had made him overlook that his CEO had killed his friend.
A/N There you have it. I believe Bradford Buzzer killed Duckworth, but I didn't leave it conclusive. I would very much like to hear if you agree with me.