A/N: Sorry it took a few days to review. I had to work n'junk. But I finally finished! Please read and review!
peace, love and lipgloss,
Mlle.Fox
The next morning, the police was there; taking photographs and leaving powder all over the place. Andre went through the desk in the study; Erik was brooding in a corner, Antoinette was going though the house with Jean Claude and the Inspector to determine what was missing, and Firmin was pacing and shouting,
"This is an outrage! I've lived in this house for fifteen years and there has never once been a break in! Now there is one in MY home!"
"Well, nothing's missing from the desk..." sighed Andre. Antoinette threw up her hands,
"And nothing's missing from the rest of the house! It's all here!"
"Then what the devil could they have wanted?" asked Firmin. Erik stroked his chin and asked Firmin,
"What happened to that black notebook you were telling me about? Firmin stopped in his tracks and looked up to the ceiling and thought,
"I believe I left it in my jacket pocket. Jean Claude, go check my clothes from last Wednesday!" Jean Claude bowed before leaving the room,
"Yes sir."
"Do you think that's what they were after?" asked Andre.
"Without a doubt!" said Erik.
"What's this notebook you speak of Mousiers?" asked the Inspector jotting down notes. Firmin answered,
"We are detectives' sir. And the notebook is evidence in a murder case!"
"Any leads?" asked the policeman.
"We have four suspects yes." said Andre.
"Actually Mousiers, I believe we only have three..." said Antoinette in thought.
"What do you mean?" Erik asked her.
"I was thinking; Dr. Christi is a coroner. He of all people would know how to kill someone. Why would he leave Richard alive to possible spill the beans or chance his recovery?" Antoinette submitted to them.
"Richard was killed with a knife. Perhaps he was rushed." thought Andre out loud. Erik stepped forward,
"No, I believe Antoinette is right Mousier. As a doctor who specializes in dead patients, he would know how to kill someone instantly." The Inspector interrupted,
"Did you say Dr. Christi, Mousier?"
"Yes? What of it?" asked Firmin.
"Everyone down at the prescient knows Dr. Christi from murder scenes, but we all took notice when we received an assault report early this morning. Someone beat him up right and proper." the Inspector told him.
"Did you say early this morning? Do you're men all go home at a certain time?" asked Andre.
"No Mousier. There's always at least a dozen officers on duty at the station." he told them as Jean Claude reentered the room.
"Interesting!" said Erik looking to the carpet in thought.
"Mousier, I checked ALL the clothes in your wardrobe, but I found no notebook!" reported Jean Claude.
"What? Are you sure?" asked Firmin.
"Oh M. Firmin, you didn't misplace it did you?" groaned Antoinette.
"No! I could have sworn I had it in my pocket! I had it before we were arrested!" said Firmin. Erik put on a determined face and started to barge out of the room.
"Now where are you going?" asked Andre yelling out to his retreating back. Erik said over his shoulder before moving past the team of policemen inspecting the doorways,
"To confession!" Firmin muttered dryly,
"About time!"
Later, Father Tomas sat down in the confessional and pushed back the screen separating him from the sinner on the other side.
"Forgive me Father for I have sinned." said the rich baritone.
"What do you have to confess my son?" asked Father Tomas.
"You first Father. Tell me of your involvement with the Paris Commune." said the man. Father Tomas gasped and looked through the screen, making out the tall young man with dark hair and an eye patch on his right eye.
"Who are you?" demanded the priest.
"It depends. If you cooperate, a friend. If not, a foe. I work for the Andre and Firmin Detective Agency. I believe you've already met Mlle. Carone." said Erik. The priest gathered his things,
"I don't have to tell you anything!"
"If not me then I'm afraid you'll end up like your friend, Dr. Christi. He was beaten badly this morning."
"You didn't...?" asked Father Tomas sitting back down.
"No, I believe that is the work of our other mutual friend, Col. Brottlemeijer. Please Father...let me help you!" pleaded Erik. Tomas sighed,
"I was only a part of the committee so they'd have a meeting place. The Commune used lots of churches back then. I don't know anything about this so-called collection of fine antiques. But I do know Roland was fearful of someone when I last saw him."
"When was that?" asked Erik.
"About a week ago." Seeing Erik's surprise, Father Tomas chuckled, "Don't be so shocked. He told me he had been taken to a prison and beaten daily for the last four years. He felt guilty for wanting to die. When Mlle. Carone told me he was dead, I knew someone had killed him. I knew...for he came to me and confessed his sin as well."
"It was Sgt. Letrec wasn't it?" asked Erik. The priest nodded,
"I recognized his voice, but he didn't know mine. I was afraid he would come and kill me as well. Apparently, I should have known God would send a rescuer. I ask forgiveness for my cowardess from you and the Father."
"Once you hear what I have done Father...I think you'll find I'm not worthy to give forgiveness..." sighed Erik before pouring out to him his whole life story. He didn't know why he did it, he just felt as if he should. He told it before to Antoinette, with Andre and Firmin listening nearby, but telling it to a man closer to God made him feel better. When he finished, the priest said,
"So you're the fallen angel she prayed for."
"I beg your pardon?" asked Erik.
"Until three years ago, a young girl with long curly brown hair came here every day to pray for her Angel of Music. She also sang the hymns so beautifully, I often thought she was an angel herself. She prayed her tutor would find someone to love him as she could not. And I'm not being too presumptuous by saying He's answered her prayer." replied the priest.
"How?" asked Erik.
"I'm guessing...your Mlle. Carone." said the priest as Erik leaned his head back against the back of the confessional,
"That's another sin I must atone for!"
"How so, My Son?" asked Father Tomas.
"I've lusted in my heart after her. Every time I speak with her, look at her, touch her! How am I suppose to keep both of us pure?" asked Erik.
"By relying on the Father's love, the Savior's wisdom and the Spirit's strength. Well, we've both confessed out sins before God. What now?" asked Father Tomas.
"Go to the police, not Letrec's prescient, and give them this letter!" said Erik slipped a sheet of paper thought a slit in the vent. "I'm going to find Letrec!"
Erik left the church, and headed over to the office. What he found was a mess of ruin like at the house. He looked at Antoinette who sighed,
"They came here too!" Erik nodded,
"Then they are after the wrong person. Letrec has the notebook."
"Sgt. Letrec? So he killed Richard?"
"I just got a confession from Father Tomas. He doesn't know where the collection is, but Richard came to see him last week. He told him he had been tortured in prison for four years." said Erik.
"Of course! And Letrec had the authority to arrest him!" said Antoinette.
"And then the Father told me that Letrec confessed to him about murdering Richard." said Erik.
"That's how he knew Richard was stabbed! But why didn't he tell me?" asked Antoinette.
"When you confess to a priest, you're safe in knowing he won't tell anyone but God." said Erik leaning on the desk.
"But he told you!" she said.
"That was only after I told him what happened to Christi. He saw reason." said Erik.
"But Erik, what if he lied? Maybe he told you what you wanted to hear to throw you off!" suggested Antoinette.
"No, because think about it. Firmin had that notebook when they were arrested. They took all their belongings at the station remember? Letrec must have taken the notebook then. And remember he lied about being alone at the station. In all his years, he knew having no alibi can be useful in making a detective believe you didn't do something. If done properly." said Erik.
"Clever thinking. So what do we do now?" she asked.
"We go over his head to the police commissioner. Meanwhile we have to find where Richard hid those antiques!" said Erik stroking his chin with his thumb. A brief knock came on the door and in came Maurice Richard in mourning black and a little smile.
"M. Richard! We haven't seen you for a few days!" smiled Antoinette.
"I got wrapped up in preparing the funeral, having my father lie in state and helping mother. Erik!" said Maurice shaking Erik's hand.
"Mousier!" said Erik taking his hand and nodding.
"We're to have that poker game Saturday night after the funeral Friday morning. My father loved to play cards so my companions and I thought we'd play a hand for him, toast his memory and all that! Can you come?" asked Maurice.
"Just send a carriage for me!" said Erik.
"So...how goes the investigation?" asked Maurice fiddling with his hat.
"Wonderful! It's solved!" said Antoinette. Maurice became surprised,
"You can't be serious! Who? Who did it?"
"Sgt. Philippe Letrec." said Erik. Maurice ran a hand through his hair,
"I can't believe it! He used to bounce me on his knee! You never know do you?"
"One more thing needs to be resolved before we can have him charged. We discovered your father planned to sell antiques on the black market to raise the funds for the Commune. We just need to know where his stored them! Did he have a warehouse or anything like that?" asked Antoinette.
"He had six warehouses! Plus two summer homes, and an apartment in the city! I know from being the inheritor for the last four years." said Maurice.
"It could be anywhere! I need to sort this out with Firmin and Andre, are they in their office?" Erik asked Antoinette. She paled,
"Yes...but I wouldn't go in there if I were you..." Suddenly, Erik became suspicious so he turned and charged through the door.
"Erik! Don't!" cried Antoinette. Erik stopped short when he saw La Carlotta sitting before Firmin's desk. She had been rattling on about Venice for the last ten minutes and Firmin and Andre slumped in their seats praying she would get to the point she had come to make. But when Erik came in, Carlotta turned to look at him, and instantly paled. Then, with a fiery anger swelling in her eyes, she slowly stood up. Sensing the tension, and fearing for Erik, Andre pleaded with Carlotta,
"Senora! It isn't what you think!" She turned on him and yelled,
"What I think? I think the Phantom of the Opera iza ztanding before me! He threatened me and he killed my love!" Confused and looking at his new friend, Maurice said,
"The Phantom of the Opera?" With her face in her hand, Antoinette leaned on the door frame and said,
"To quote my Jewish friends, Oy Vey!" Carlotta glared at the partners pointing a finger of accusation,
"I don't know what he haz over your headz now, but I'm going to call the police! I'm going, bye bye!"
"Senora please! Let us explain!" cried Firmin standing. She shook him off,
"No! No! I'm really going now, bye bye!" She began to make for the door when Erik blocked her path,
"Senora, I don't want to hurt you. But you must see reason!" he told her trying to control his temper, his tone of voice failing miserably. She cowered for a moment and then with reluctant determination, she slapped Erik hard across the cheek,
"You killed my love! Bye bye Ghozt Man!" She stepped into the outer office, the partners begging her not to say anything. Maurice turned to Antoinette and whispered,
"Erik was that Opera Ghost everyone talked about until the war happened?"
"I'm afraid so. But he is not that man anymore, Mousier! Please...please Maurice, don't tell anyone! Don't turn Erik in!" begged Antoinette. Maurice mulled it over for a moment, then he smiled and said,
"Being friends with a ghost. That should really get my mother's dander up!" She released a breath she didn't know she had been holding and said,
"Merci Mousier."
"I'm going to help the gentlemen calm La Carlotta down. I'll leave you to our favorite specter!" said Maurice pointing to the open window. He left and Antoinette noted the empty room, before walking over to the window and looking out. When she looked to her left side, she saw Erik; standing on the ledge leaning against the wall, positively fuming and blowing smoke out of his ears. She smiled and leaned on the ledge sawing,
"Are you going to stand out here and pout all day or need I remind you we have a case to wrap up?"
"I'm not pouting!" barked Erik with his lower lip sticking out.
"Uh-huh. So I take it Carlotta is not your favorite person in the world!" she said.
"Humph!" grunted Erik. She held out a hand to him and said gently,
"Get in here!" She began to see that eternal little boy in him return to be stubborn, but he sighed and stepped down from the window taking her hand. She rubbed his arms and said taking both of his hands in hers,
"Erik, you mustn't let people like her make you afraid of being caught. For they're going to have to deal with me first!" Erik cracked a small smile,
"Are they now?" She shook her head,
"I'm not letting you get away that easy!" Erik looked warmly into her eyes before leaning over, aiming for her lips. But he was interrupted with Carlotta coming back in followed by the partners and Maurice saying,
"No, no, no! I muzt go to the police! I muzt!"
"Senora please! He's changed! And he's more than repaid his debt to society so let's just let bygones be bygones!" said Firmin. Carlotta began to weep,
"I waz juzt trying to win a bet from Mlle. Cartier! Zhe zaid thiz big fat policeman at the party waz cheating on hiza wife becauze he znapped hiza fingerz and cried out, 'Provance! Of courze!' I told her zhe waz wrong, so zhe told me to prove it, zo I came to you two! I don't need thiz aggravation!" Something snapped in Erik's mind and he took Carlotta by the shoulders and asked,
"Are you sure a POLICEMAN said PROVINCE?"
"Ci?" she said scared. Erik beamed,
"Madame, for the first time in your life, you have proved yourself useful!" He dashed out of the office with Antoinette on his heels yelling,
"Erik! Erik!" Firmin and Andre followed with Firmin saying,
"He's solved the case, Andre!" Maurice went out next with a confused Carlotta bringing up the rear asking to anyone ahead of her,
"The Ghozt Man haz a name?" Erik hailed a cab that Antoinette jumped in just in time, leaving everyone else to follow in a different cab. The drive to Province was slow and infuriating Erik, but a few hours later, they stopped in the small village and Erik burst out demanding the driver,
"How much for your lead horse?"
"Mousier!" cried the driver in disbelief.
"How MUCH?" barked Erik.
"Ten francs?" suggested the driver. Erik tossed him his coin pouch and began to unhitch the animal with Antoinette on his heels asking,
"What are you going to do?" Leading the horse away from the team by the reins, Erik said,
"I'm going to get Letrec."
"How?" she demanded as Erik ignored her for a moment to ask a merchant where the Richard estate was. "How?"
"I'll think of something! Time is short!" said Erik swinging up into the saddle. Antoinette grabbed hold of the reins,
"The last time you galloped off after the villain you got shot!"
"Toni, let go!" Erik told her.
"You aren't getting rid of me that easy!" she told him with an even determination in her eyes. Erik became locked in her gaze and sighed. He pulled her up into the saddle behind him with his right hand and then galloped off down the country road just as the partners, Maurice and La Carlotta poked their heads out of the cab.
"Erik! Blast! Come! Let's get some backup!" said Firmin getting back in.
Meanwhile, Antoinette's heart was racing with adrenaline as she held on to Erik, her arms wrapped around his torso.
"This certainly wasn't in the job description! Oh Father in Heaven, keep us safe!" she prayed. Soon, they came up to a large cottage with a roaring fire in the front and charred remains of furniture in the center.
"We're too late!" said Antoinette. Hearing a crash of glass from inside, Erik said dismounting,
"Not quite!" He stepped cautiously inside the open door and saw Letrec amidst a pile of old processions. Seeing a curtain cord, Erik took it down and silently made a Punjab lasso. A master ventriloquist, Erik threw his voice on the other side of the room,
"Is there a problem, Officer?" Startled, Letrec shot at a Ming Vase in the corner as Erik threw his lasso. However, Letrec moved and Erik's lasso missed it's target. Seeing Erik now, Letrec glared at him and pointed a gun at him,
"Who are you? One of them cowboys from America?" Erik fingered his lasso and began to circle Letrec,
"No. I work with M. Andre and M. Firmin. And I'm placing you under citizen's arrest for the murder of Roland Richard!" Erik told him.
"You're going to have to catch me first!" said Letrec throwing a rug in his face. Erik fumbled with it, before flinging it off his face and running out the front door. Erik skidded to a halt when he saw Antoinette struggling in Letrec grasp with the gun at her head. Letrec said darkly as he stood before the fire,
"I don't want to kill the girl, but I will if I have to!"
"Let her go!" demanded Erik.
"You shouldn't have brought your tramp along Mousier. The fault is yours and now so is the decision. The girl or me?" asked Letrec, Erik's nostrils flared angrily before he threw the lasso to the ground.
"Now, she's coming with me so don't follow!" said Letrec.
"Don't worry!" said Antoinette before kicking backwards into his shin, elbowing him in the stomach pushing against him and kicking his groin. Letrec let go and stumbled backwards, right into the flames. He screamed and Erik wrapped his coat around his hand and took Letrec's pulling him out. Still aflame, Letrec screamed as Erik beat the fire out with his coat. Just as Letrec's scream's turned into weeping and a collection of horses and carriages with local policemen showed up, Antoinette looked at Erik and finished,
"He won't!" As the locals scrambled to get Letrec into a cart to be rushed to the doctor, Erik wrapped his arms around Antoinette, thanking God she was there.