2A: Clue – Dealing the Cards

Pulling up in front of the New York City mansion, Danny allowed his keys to be taken by the valet as he stepped out of his sports car, straightened his tux, and checked his watch. Tonight, he was Ryland Wilmslow, a billionaire playboy and philanthropist, who had been invited for his wallet.

What his host, Mr. Body, didn't know, was that he was agent Danny Brooks of the FBI and he was here to investigate the man's contacts for money laundering.

Glancing around the courtyard to the other side of the drive, he could see decorative shrubbery and lawns intended for outdoor games. Beyond there was the top of a gazebo visible to the left while the tip of a fountain could be seen to the right. There wasn't much room to hide so if he needed to escape in a hurry he'd have to find another area for cover or use the public to avoid the situation turning dangerous. Hoping it wouldn't be necessary; he noted the information and went inside.

Entering the mansion, he encountered people milling in the hallway as they moved between rooms to mingle with other guests. Turning left and heading for the billiard room, he opted to play pool with other guests and see what conversation he could start for gathering information.

As he walked, he flirted and had brief passing conversations with a few guests before diverting from a police officer headed towards the front for the library to arrive at his destination in the second room. Then as he entered the billiard room he observed two men chalking cues while a woman made herself comfortable on the couch. Introducing himself as he entered the room, Danny asked if he could join the game.

The woman was dressed in red and had bulky jewelry while a red scarf held her brown curls back from her face. She introduced herself as Madame Rose and when she spoke, she had a Hungarian accent, "They are settling a wager, and as I see you are the answer, I welcome you."

Grumbling a little, the balding man in a charcoal suit and green tie flashed his pinky ring as he welcomed him. "I do a lotta business around a pool table. I aint an easy man to beat." Mr. Green seemed like a dubious businessman but he was at least cheery enough to allow Danny to join them.

Turning to the remaining man for permission, Danny took in his dark suit and impression of French mannerisms and knew he was dealing with a con artist. Like his own character of Neal Caffrey, Mr. Brunette was a man of many men who could change his talent, character, and history to suit almost any situation. "I suppose. The Madame has predicted that a handsome man could beat Monsieur Green. Although my wager is for myself, perhaps you would care to sweeten the pot?" He attempted to come off as snobbish, but his greed had obviously gotten the best of him at the idea of taking Mr. Wilmslow for a spin.

Smiling carelessly, Danny could give these men a taste of their own games. After all, he'd learned to play pool as a child and his work as Neal Caffrey kept him at the top of his game. Perhaps if he could prove himself worthy he could integrate himself with these men. They were possibly the men he needed to pursue for his money laundering as they obviously didn't make their money legally but they also seemed rather comfortable showing themselves at a public event.

Flirting with Madame Rose as he chalked his cue and Brunette set up the game, he discovered that she was a European psychic. He hadn't picked up on any gimmicks yet, but he'd run into enough scams that he believed her either lucky or very talented at picking her odds.

Allowing the other men to take the first shots, Danny wanted them to feel like they had the advantage, but he would get the first read on them and could set up his approach for how to handle his turn when it came.

Junior wasn't pleased. Sighing as he straightened his tux and mentally prepared to enter the party, he wished he could be somewhere else, nearly anywhere else really. He wasn't one for parties and he didn't enjoy crowds. Growing up, he'd relied on his brothers in order to get through these events, but as an adult, he had to muddle through on his own.

There was no putting it off any longer so he strode forwards, checked his watch to mark his time of arrival, and entered the stone mansion.

His initial encounters were with guests mingling in the hallways as they moved through the crowds. Meandering his way through to the right towards the drawing room in the front, he figured it would be a good place to find those engrossed in conversation as it had the most seating available. Walking through the open door, he was offered a drink by a passing waitress and opted to use it as a prop. With his glass in hand, he was approached by a woman in a floral pink dress who wore a large brim hat despite it being indoors at night.

The southern bell sauntered up to his side and put her blond curls behind her ear to draw attention to her face. "And just who are you, handsome?"

Keeping a stern expression, Junior answered in character. "Colonel Kent Saunders. And who might you be?" He was riding on a skewed version of his military credentials in an effort to attract the arms dealer associated with the host. If he played his cards right, Colonel Mustard might agree to a deal and he could pursue his suspect deeper into the black market.

"Well, I do declare, you seem rather young for a colonel. My name is Peach, Miss Peach." She said her name to insinuate her single status while trailing the fingers of her left hand along his arm in a flirtatious action.

"I started young and have spent half my life in the military." Junior generally discussed his persona for the evening coming off as awkward with the flirting while being more accustomed to military-based conversation. He hoped Miss Peach would gather her gossip and disperse his information for him. Maybe he wouldn't have to seek Colonel Mustard if the man sought him out instead.

Arriving at the mansion, Bryce wondered why crooked businessmen always liked to have big parties and invite a lot of people even if they didn't know all of them personally. It was a show of power and privilege to the public, but it also made it easier to infiltrate their acquaintance by attending the party. In an effort to integrate himself with the varied guests, Bryce was playing a known partier by the name of Manley Cooper, a man who enjoyed as many social events as he could attend.

Shaking his head while he straightened his tux from the drive and checked his watch for his time of arrival, he hoped he could learn the leak of information and seal it. So far, Mr. Body had been linked through an advantageous investment he'd made before the information that made it so advantageous had been made public. It might not seem suspicious, but the investment itself wasn't advertised for public knowledge when he started subtly looking for it. Although they hadn't traced how he knew of the investment, he was their starting point for learning more information on who was sharing government secrets. By attending the party, they intended to learn more about who was the ultimate culprit.

Entering the mansion, he met an older lady wearing a white blouse and turquoise skirt with a jacket. She had more matching jewelry and a friendly smile, but Bryce couldn't help the shiver that went down his spine. Something about her was creepy. Still, he offered to escort her to her destination.

"Ah, a fine young gentleman. You know, my husband was just like you when we met. We were both at university studying ornithology, but I opted for birds of prey while he tended to prefer sea birds." Although she was a widow, she was aptly named Mrs. Peacock as she conversed only on birds as they walked towards the dining room.

Since the room was down the hall and around the corner a right and then left away, they had some time. Bryce encouraged the woman to talk about herself as he gathered more information than he gave while also being allowed to observe the general guests to see if anyone caught his eye as someone to talk to.

Nearing the dining room, Bryce looked up and away pretending to smile at some bird joke when he noticed the maid scurrying back into the kitchen while glancing over her shoulder and down the hall she'd just walked. She'd been to the other side of the cloakroom towards the rear of the mansion while the main guest appeared to be in the front areas.

Interesting, perhaps he should take a walk the long way around after leaving his current companion at her destination.

Although dinner wasn't ready to be served yet, the dining room had drinks and a few snacks on the sideboards to tide hungry guests over until it was time for the main meal. Preparing herself a drink and picking over the appetizers, Mrs. Peacock seemed content with the selection.

Excusing himself as not being hungry, Bryce was able to get away and meander down the hall to investigate.

Having proved himself at the game, Danny had enjoyed the frustrated looks of his opponents as they found him a worthy challenge. Then by changing his approach, he used con artist tactics to hint at his less-than-legal capabilities to make them feel more comfortable with him.

Gaining Brunette's interest, he chose to pursue him as the more difficult opponent. While he had the chance, he needed to learn more about the man so he would have a foundation to build an investigation later.

Changing the topic of conversation, he talked about paintings and the styles of the masters while referencing places and paintings associated with his alleged crimes. He wasn't admitting to anything, but he was planting ideas.

"You paint?" Brunette asked showing a desire to learn more.

"Yes, I dabble," he did a great deal more than dabble, but that was just a part of the game.

"Perhaps you would be interested," Brunette fingered his chin. "Monsieur, our host, he also paints. I would dearly like your opinion on his pieces."

With their game finished and the pot safely in his pocket, Danny agreed to see what their host had for art in addition to anything he could get out of Brunette. He gave the clock on the wall a passing glance before following the man out of the room.

It was a short walk out the side door towards the back of the house and down a stretch of the hallway into the studio next door. Apparently, Mr. Body kept his hobbies close together with a focus on his guests' entertainment.

Studying the paintings, Danny listened to Brunette talk about his admiration of the masters stating, "Monsieur has a definite skill, but I prefer the Mona Lisa."

"This isn't the Mona Lisa, but our host definitely admires someone." Each of the paintings was of an exotic woman in various attire, poses, and props. Whoever she was, she was a frequent guest of Mr. Body as her image filled the room with paintings hung about on the walls and an incomplete picture gracing the easel.

Turning to study the incomplete painting, Danny hoped to get a clue if there was something hidden in it or if it was purely a hobby with some young lady he was infatuated with.

As he looked, he noticed a woman who had been silently sitting on the couch to the far side by the current prop. Although her red dress was bright in contrast to her pale complexion and dark hair, the oriental woman was obviously not the subject of the paintings so she had another reason for her presence. She was sitting quietly in observation but also in a position to not be immediately noticed. Either she wanted time alone, or she was there for a private meeting. Greeting her, Danny barely got a name from Miss Scarlet before she got up and left the room. Whatever her intent had been, she didn't appreciate it being disturbed.

After a while, Junior was able to persuade Miss Peach that she was pursuing the wrong flirtation. He wasn't interested and was looking for a more serious conversation.

Huffing, the young lady wasn't pleased. "Dear me, then maybe you should try talking to Mustard. He's also a Colonel and likes to discuss his glory days as he calls them. The old coot, he distinguished himself in battle and is a good shot. No one cares to hear about such conversations for long, except maybe you." With a glare, she flounced away in search of better company.

"Do you know where I might find this Colonel Mustard?" He asked another guest who was seated nearby gossiping with her neighbor.

With a dismissive wave of their hand, they directed him to try the trophy room. Based on the time, he was likely to be bored with the general company and would have secluded himself there.

"Thank you, ladies." Junior politely dismissed himself and strolled down the hall nonchalantly to avoid drawing attention to his activities.

His goal was in the back of the mansion so he had a few rooms to pass along his way. The first was the dining room and as he approached, he observed a maid listening near the door. When she noticed his presence she scurried for the kitchen as the next room back and the safest retreat. Either she was a gossip or she had additional reasons for spying. Taking note of her, he kept going as he was more interested in finding Mustard for his assignment.

Rounding the end of the hallway just before the kitchen, he headed for the main doors into the trophy room. Walking in, he found a comfortable manly room focused on the owner's passion for horses. While the walls were adorned with pictures of trophy horses and equestrian paraphernalia, there were also horses in the carriage house through the rear doors of the room. Standing in the midst admiring a particular horse's picture, an older man wearing a brown tweed suit had a monocle over one eye as he leaned close to peer at the information plate.

Clearing his throat, Junior made his presence known but wasn't surprised when the old soldier didn't flinch. He'd either been aware of his entrance or wasn't bothered by him enough to react. "I've been told that there is a photograph of a fine stallion that served in World War II hung in here. Perchance, do you know which one he is?"

Harrumphing, Colonel Mustard turned to criticize him. "Young buck, you wouldn't know anything about World War II. My father served with that very stallion so you can rest assured I know which one he is."

Reciting various facts and information he'd heard in firsthand accounts from veterans, Junior was able to warm the old boy up by speaking his language. Those conversations he'd had with fellow soldiers over the years often paid him back because he knew their perspectives through many stories from the modern wars and even a few battles of the big ones.

Furrowing his brow and harrumphing again, the colonel then loosened up by smiling unexpectedly. "Maybe there's hope for you yet, my boy."

Engaging him in conversation, Junior assessed that Mustard might be involved, but he also seemed to be more interested in retirement pursuits such as reminiscing about the old days and enjoying his hobbies where there was little to no risk. If he was involved, he was just one in the organization. Gaining his confidence could bring him into the loop, but he needed to find someone else if he was going to uncover the focused leader running it all.

Taking the long way around, Bryce glanced at the hall clock to mark his time. He was interested to find the same maid with her ear pressed to the doors of the trophy room. She was definitely interested in what happened behind closed doors, but as she once again hurried for the kitchen upon being noticed, he knew she wasn't an easy one to corner for even subtle interrogation.

Noting her as someone who kept tabs on anything that transpired in the mansion, Bryce continued around the hallway past the conservatory, studio, and billiard rooms meandering through the occasional guest until he reached the library towards the front of the mansion on the other side from where he had been in the dining room.

Knocking lightly before opening the door, Bryce let himself into the library on the pretext of being interested in the memoirs Mr. Body collected. They were about famous spies so he pretended to be a fan of James Bond, a man who admired the idea with no idea what it really meant to be a spy.

Two men were conversing in the space. One was wearing a police uniform with a name tag stating him to be Sergeant Gray while his companion was a man wearing a brown suit, smoking a pipe, and clutching a book tightly under his arm. Professor Plum was a known character of dubious distinction since he made expeditions all over the world while also frequenting political hot spots. Although the sergeant was present, the professor was the point of interest. He'd had plenty of exposure to people around the world and was likely a gold mine of information.

Initiating conversation, Bryce asked them about the memoirs and poked around the shelves to see what other contents the library contained. It was already generally known what Mr. Body had purchased, but his collection might have additional acquisitions that weren't legally possessed.

Something had Plumb nervous. He was perspiring and seemed to be rather concerned with his book as he made sure it remained tightly in its place. Interesting, Bryce marked it and knew he'd have to try and find a way to get his hands on it before the evening was up. However, since the man had such a grip on it, it would take some work to create a situation or to make use of a potential opportunity.

Peter had been having a nice evening at home with Elizabeth and Satchmo when the call came through about the murder of Mr. Body. Since he was a suspect connected to several high-profile cases and of interest to nearly as many agencies, there was a wide call for investigators to descend onto the scene. Being the leader of the local White Collar division of the FBI, he'd been called in to see if any of their cases could be closed.

It also didn't hurt that one Neal Caffrey was being held as a suspect in the murder.

Shaking his head as he got his things together, Peter didn't believe Neal was guilty of the murder, but he did wonder what the kid was doing hanging around such a character as Mr. Body. The only way he was going to find answers though was to go down to the local precinct and pick the kid up.

Catching him this way felt like cheating, but Peter was going to take his win anyway. He'd been chasing the kid for three years and could only prove him guilty of forging the bonds. Still, it was going to be a long night followed by several busy days closing casework on the kid due to the mountain of alleged crimes associated with him.

Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing/commenting, and leaving kudos :D

For those of you who wish to see pictures of the mansion layout and the characters, you can do a Google search for Master Clue. I based the layout on the board and the character descriptions come from their images and the information on their individual cards. Also, as this short story progresses, some of you might recognize the concept of one of Quinis' twin stories. I wanted to see more about it and opted to write it with a mixture of Clue and the triplets for my own twist on the idea ;)

An additional note, it's been 4 years since this collection had any additions posted so you might have forgotten. Basically, the collection is composed of short stories and one-shots. Using this chapter for example, it is 2 because it's the second story I wrote and A for the first chapter of this story. The rest of the stories will have numbers and letters according to their order of posting, but the one-shots will just have their titles without numbers or letters as they stand alone.