With information from Arthur, Theodore and Lila had what they needed, promising to keep in touch with him as they progressed their investigation on the matter regarding his uncle's disappearance.
At the core of the curious case, it's Harold Thornton the Third, Arthur wasn't sure where in the family tree he or his father came from, since the Thornton bloodline had the shakeup, but as it's made apparent, the town made quick work of anything that threatened the income stream.
Without the allure, no one would make their way up here, the town will dry up as people leave for better prospects elsewhere, take their money with them.
A tale old as time, plenty of small towns relied heavily on tourism, few go the lengths like Eden did, keeping the tourism going, at the expense of history, that Theodore didn't think they'll find what they're looking for at the Eden library.
Al's on his date, so that's out, too.
With the next set of storms rolling through and the trains not running until the next morning, little ways from Eden, effectively, Theodore and Lila were trapped in Chester.
The chaotic energy from the storms wasn't helping, either, it felt like a samba going on at all hours, and if Theodore tried making his way through, he risked getting lost in the rhythm.
Forced to take refuge in a small inn, Theodore and Lila heard the rain hitting against the windows, sitting on their bed, as they munched on dinner.
Since they have nothing better to do, they decided to talk theories, and with the storms, Lila had one regarding the statue they saw at the garden.
"You don't suppose she went cuckoo and became one, do you?" Lila suggested that Lady Thornton didn't only go crazy that night when she killed her husband, she became one of the Sabbek.
It'd explain the statue, though with the age and exposure to the rains washing away much of the details.
Reasonable theory, yes, with the storms and the chaotic energy, it wouldn't surprise Theodore if she was plucked right after she killed her husband, turned into one right after, and since lost all memories of her former life.
Which, given what she lost, Theodore wasn't sure if by becoming one of them alleviated the anguish she felt that night.
"Al didn't say anything about them being here, though," Lila mentioned that Al would've said something if he saw signatures from the species on his scanners, but Theodore opted to believe that Lady Thornton was lured to a tear that formed during the storms.
If he had to guess, maybe she turned into one of the matriarchs, retaining enough of her memories that she didn't want to come back here, the grief still resonated with her, despite her monstrous transformation.
While they don't know much about the Sabbek because of their stark differences compared to their male counterparts, Theodore assumed that the constant storms in the area would've made it difficult for them to blend into the area.
Meaning, that even if she wasn't filled with grief, Lady Thornton wouldn't bring her newfound flock back here, it'd be a fool's errand, and there's not many places in Eden, that'd hide them all, especially the males.
So, they have that going for them, that they won't have to worry about running into the Sabbek any time soon, if Lila's correct in her theory.
Though, they'll never know how Lady Thornton came to know of their existence in the first place, as it's lost to time.
"He said his uncle went to help the Second with authenticating art, doesn't make sense for the Second to do anything to him," Theodore went on to the next theory in his mind, trying to understand the motives behind Uncle Irvine's disappearance.
From what Arthur said about him, Uncle Irvine wasn't the type willing to cheat the Second out of art pieces, but perhaps the reason for Uncle Irvine's disappearance wasn't because of that reason, maybe it's because he wasn't willing to go along with whatever the Second had in mind?
"Nah, the Second and Third's too prideful to pass off fakes as the real deal," Lila disbelieved the theory, with how the Third described his family, it would be affront to everything if his father tried passing off fakes as real Thornton pieces.
Since she doubted Uncle Irvine would suggest it, those two theories quickly fell the wayside.
Sitting on the bed deep in thought, Theodore hearing the rain hitting the window and lighting flashing through the skies, he then suggested, "Saw something he shouldn't. Tried and true."
If it wasn't an attempt at scamming, then likely, Uncle Irvine saw something he shouldn't and the Second made sure he didn't have a chance of telling anyone what he saw, it's one of the easiest theories to cling onto.
"If that's true, what did he see?" Lila pondered what Uncle Irvine could've saw that incited the Second into acting and capturing him.
Remembering the original basement, the paintings that were left down there, the remnants of the Manchineel fruit, Theodore didn't see anything else except the holes.
If Uncle Irvine saw something, whatever it was, the Second moved it afterwards, and it happening decades ago, there's no chance of them finding it.
Or Uncle Irvine's body, for that matter.
Probably hidden under one of the rose bushes in the garden, somewhere that no one would think to check, or disturb too much to find by mistake.
"If he did, what could've it been?" Theodore wondered what exactly Uncle Irvine saw, since they had nothing to go on, no harm thinking, gives them an idea what might've driven the Second to silence Uncle Irvine.
It had to been something serious enough that the Second couldn't chance Uncle Irvine telling all, if not fraud.
"What about the glowing eyes that the Winchesters saw?" Lila brought up what happened with the Winchesters.
They claimed seeing glowing eyes, while they're unsure what it is, it made Lila think of another theory, something more insidious.
The scratching noises, the eyes, maybe Uncle Irvine wasn't killed like Arthur thinks, a prisoner to the Thorntons.
How they managed to imprison him without anyone knowing, well, the basement's the obvious place to do it, just make sure he doesn't asphyxiate or succumb to the peppery smell of the embedded Manchineel fruits.
"If that were true, it'd explain the message I found," Theodore noted that if there's merit in the theory, then it was Uncle Irvine, begging for help, though there's easier ways of that than throwing books at him and Lila.
Shrugging, Lila responded with, "If he did, what would be the reason for it, other than just to kill him?"
Doesn't make sense for the Second to imprison Uncle Irvine for four decades or so, there's too many risks involved, makes more sense if he just killed the man, than hide him in the walls of the mansion.
Problem came, why wouldn't anyone working at the mansion not know of this, he would've attempted all avenues of contacting them for help.
"Yes, it does raise questions, my dear Watson," Theodore frowned as he pondered their situation.
Someone in the mansion should've known what was going on, however, it wouldn't surprise Theodore that the Thorntons run a tight ship, making sure no one gets nosey.
Theodore didn't believe that the Thorntons would've done the same to them, Uncle Irvine was the rare exception to the rule.
Too many people going missing in one location's bound to draw even more attention.
Uncle Irvine's easily explained away, he was an eccentric man by Arthur's own admission, that all the Thorntons needed to do's convince the authorities that he simply went somewhere else and didn't come back.
No witnesses to dispute it, no visible signs of struggle, no one the wiser.
Cogs turning in their heads, Theodore and Lila pondered their theories while finishing the last of their dinner, nothing fancy, but the way it was made, it'd certainly pass for it.
Croquettes, filled with shredded beef and vegetables, draped in a sauce made with similar ingredients to the stew, a more earthy taste.
No bigger than a jawbreaker, usually comes in an order of four, but Theodore used his tricks into getting them eight each.
It's hard work doing the things they do, after all, they'll work them off within hours' time!
"Surprised you didn't order them for breakfast!" Lila commented as she chewed on the third croquette.
Seeing the look in Theodore's icy blue eyes, caused Lila to pause, before shaking her head in disbelief.
Of course, the aloof giant would order them for breakfast!
"Oh, come now, dear Watson, I have you know, I didn't forget you," Theodore wagged his finger at her, before telling her that he asked for a slice of peach cobbler on top of the croquettes.
Stunned, Lila responded with, "Next thing you'll tell me's you got a personal pot of coffee!"
The pearly whites on this man when he looked over at her!
Thank God for their death-defying feats, else Lila would've had even more interesting conversations with her doctor.
Finishing their dinner, the pair returned the plates, cups, and utensils, readying for bed as the lighting flashed through the closed burgundy curtains.
Come morning, after their breakfast of champions and readying themselves, Theodore and Lila left the inn, finding Hammond waiting for them at the fondly named Ratty-Tin.
Inside, Arthur in the passenger side.
"What's the hubbub?" Lila inquired as she looked between the men.
Arthur leaned forward from the passenger side window, informing them that the trains weren't going to Eden, the rains caused the tracks to become unset and loosened from their spots, that officials had to close the lines to Eden until they redo them.
Everything's diverted to other towns and villages, there's no way to Eden unless by car, herein Ratty-Tin.
"I thought you wouldn't go to Eden," Theodore brought up Arthur's reluctance going there, but Arthur told him that with the storms, there's a chance they couldn't get into contact with each other, the rain potentially causing the phone lines going out.
Although he wasn't happy about it, Arthur said he wanted justice for his beloved uncle, that he'll do what needed doing, even if it means going to Eden.
"He figured four heads are better than two," Hammond informed them that while Arthur believed in their capabilities, he thought all four of them working together would've had better chances.
Piling into the Ratty-Tin, Theodore and Lila climbed in the back seats while Hammond took the driver's side.
"My uncle had an elective taste, history's just one of them, he always said there's hidden passages in what used to be the manor," Arthur told them as Hammond drove the Ratty-Tin through the winding countryside road.
Relying on what his uncle told him, Arthur deduced that there's a way into the mansion, it's unconventional, but it's a start.
"Oh no, you're not going in there," Hammond refused the thought of his charge entering the mansion.
Scoffing at this, Arthur goes, "I can handle myself; you know."
Snorting, Hammond retorted, "You'd be at a disadvantage, ser, it's not your home. You don't know what sorta tricks that man's got up his sleeves."
It caused Lila to ask Hammond, "Does wearing sunglasses at night, count?"
Recoiling at this, Hammond's baffled at this, but Theodore confirmed that when the Third caught them, he wore sunglasses, it was unusual, but neither could call him out on it, as they didn't have a leg to stand on.
"What would drive a man to wear sunglasses at night?" Lila asked the men if they knew anything and Arthur mulled her question before mentioning what his uncle said in one of his last letters, how the Second grew irritable with one of the guests that he ended up wearing sunglasses up until Uncle Irvine's disappearance.
Never understood it, either.
Cogs turning in his head, Theodore went through the laundry list of reasons why someone would've worn sunglasses, going down the list until he concluded that there'd only be a reason for the Thorntons to wear sunglasses.
They have something to hide.
"Hide what?" Lila asked Theodore what the men could've hidden with their sunglasses.