Prologue: The Importance of Being Ernest, Part Two
If one doesn't visit a place for a very long time, it's a flip of the coin as to whether they'll remember the way to get there. For Katrielle, how to get to the university from Scotland Yard left her drawing a blank.
A good thing her very first client was happy to lead the way!
"I say, will this be your first time to visit Gressenheller, Miss Layton?" He asked, hoping talking to her would continue to ease his worries.
"No, I used to go there quite often as a child." She stated softly, trying not to get sucked in to the many memories she had of playing in the campus courtyards, or the hours spent listening to lectures on archaeology, or running around with her sister and brother in the nearby forest.
But as she absentmindedly followed Ernest down the route he knew of, it only grew harder each meter to push these memories to the back of her mind. She must have been spacing out too much, as Ernest helping steady her bike -which she was currently walking alongside her- brought her back to reality with a start.
After assuring him she was alright, they continued on their way.
Gressenheller University stood as prominent as ever in the heart of London, its brick exterior, numerous large windows, and teal roofs proving to stand the test of time. Grass and shrubs in various hues of green had the look and smell of having been recently tended to.
Of course, these smells seemed to have the added effect of drawing out the phantom of a certain gentleman she knew, walking up to the entrance, while holding the little hand of a child in her likeness.
"Here we are, miss. In a jiffy, as promised." Ernest said to her with a smile. That smile vanished when he noticed Katrielle's eyes becoming glossy, and even a little sad as she stared on at the school before them.
"Are, are you alright?" He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She blinked in response, standing up straight before facing him.
"Sorry? Oh! Oh yes, I'm fine." She found herself stammering. "So, they say...they say it has a long and distinguished history, this college."
Ernest nodded. "That's right. It's one of the top two in London."
"Well, it certainly looks the part." remarked Kat. "The buildings have that...that particular character about them that says this is a centre of learning."
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar blue uniform.
"Oh look, there's the constable we saw at Scotland Yard." She pointed out.
"Agh! What if he arrests me?" Ernest cried, his distress from before threatening to return, as his hands waved about.
"Relax. He looks as though he's busy investigating at the moment." Kat spoke in reassurance.
She then suggested they talk to PC Beate, in the hopes that either he or one of his colleagues found something already that proved Ernest's innocence.
"'Ello 'ello 'ello, what 'ave we 'ere? If it isn't the very fellow who Inspector 'Astings brought in for questionin' before." The cop greeted. "You were discharged, lad. What are you doin' 'ere? Thought better of it and come to confess, 'ave you?"
Once again, Ernest found himself proclaiming he was not the one responsible.
"I'm rather intrigued by the case, Constable." Katrielle stated. "I hear some research papers were stolen. Is that right? No money? Not other valuables? Were the documents worth anything?"
"Well, they 'appen to 'ave been the very important research papers of Dr. Gene Ohm." Beate answered.
"And who is this Dr. Gene Ohm?" Kat inquired.
Ernest perked up in an instant.
"Oh, I can fill you in on that front, miss." He started off in his explanation. "He's one of the most influential researchers in his field of plant genetics. He's published countless revolutionary papers on the subject."
"I remember you mentioned before that you were to study under him." Kat added.
The young man nodded.
"I've aspired to for many years now." He said before giving a sad sigh. "But then this happens and on my very first day!"
"Apparently, the results of Dr. Ohm's current research 'as been 'eavily anticipated by boffins all over the world for some time." PC Beate explained.
Katrielle's eyes widened upon hearing this. So they are worth something. This makes the stakes even higher! "I see...Thank you, Constable."
And with those words, the pair walked back to their previous spot by the fence. Kat now intended to solve this mystery before the cops did, and so began plotting. She kept her eyes closed in order to focus better, as every square inch of the university otherwise brought on one reminder after another.
"Perhaps I could recount my exact steps from this morning, Miss Layton." Ernest suggested.
"Yes, why don't you lead the way?" She replied upon opening her eyes, as she followed closely behind.
"Right then, my movements." Ernest cleared his throat. "Well...Today was my first day, as you know."
"Yes, and...?" Kat hinted at him to continue.
"And I've just been dying to have my first lecture from Dr. Ohm." He added. "I think he's simply spiffing, you see."
"Yes, I was looking for more hard facts, Ernest." Kat reminded him. "I need for you to keep as relevant as possible."
"Right, sorry." The uni fresher said sheepishly. "Anyway, nervous as I was, I stood at the gates, trying to process that I was truly here. After a short while, I finally took my first steps onto the campus."
And he played that out by taking what she had gathered were said first steps, as he strode past the gates, stopping a few feet in to make sure she was still following him. University enrollments are done entirely online these days, as she recalled with some of her at the time schoolmates during the tail-end of sixth form, so she was unsurprised that he hadn't actually been to the campus before today.
The research was high-profile. She pondered. And highly anticipated to boot.
"Alright then, Ernest, we've established you entered the university grounds. Then what?" Kat inquired.
But he stood frozen upon spotting another one of Hastings' men, a detective constable by the name of Booker. Worried that he might get booked, he suggested the pair hide; Kat, on the other hand, had other ideas.
She strutted up to the portly policeman, and greeted him in her cheerful demeanor. DC Booker -with the help of his notes- recognized Ernest in an instant; fortunately for the pair, he had also been informed the young man had been acquitted due to lack of evidence.
"Whew! I'm glad your notes are up to date, officer." Ernest sighed, his worries alleviated once more.
"Never go anywhere without my notebook." Booker stated, as he glanced at the pages again, something else catching his attention in the process. "Hm...yes, I see here that there are a number of other suspects in the case."
He showed them the pages with twelve or so other botany researchers -competitors of Ohm's, along with a small handful of fellow professors in the department of botany. Needless to say that Ernest and Kat were both surprised by this revelation.
"We believe, er...What do we believe?" Booker mumbled as he returned the pages in his own direction, giving his notes a once-over. "Ah, yes! We believe it might be a case of a rival academic trying to discredit the professor."
"So does that mean I'm off the hook?" Ernest inquired, hopeful for the answer he wanted to hear.
"No, that's just one possibility. You're still firmly in the picture, I'm afraid." Booker replied with the shake of his head. "If you're still in my notebook, you're still a suspect."
"Oh..." I was afraid of that.
"I see, yes..." Katrielle muttered. "A world-famous professor would inevitably have rivals in his field, I suppose."
She thanked the officer for his time, as they each continued with their respective investigations.
"So let's carry on tracing your movements, Ernest. Did you enter the building next?" inquired Kat.
"I did." said he, nodding. "I was rather eager to find a good seat in class."
"Lead the way, then."
And they entered the main hall of Gressenheller University. The place was bustling, being the first day for new and returning students alike, some of whom were freshers having just arrived and figuring out where to go.
"Well, this place really hasn't changed at all." remarked Katrielle, as a surge of joy swelled up inside her.
"I can hardly describe the euphoria the first time I entered through here!" Ernest spoke as he shook. "And to be perfectly honest, I'm still quite overwhelmed. I only hope I'll still be able to attend here."
"I can't say I share your excitement, Ernest." Kat sighed. "But I don't think even one offense is going to get you expelled. Now then, let's find our way to Dr. Ohm's laboratory. Time is of the essence, after all!"
"It's down this way." Ernest stated, as he led her to one of the many corridors.
"Oi! You two!" Hastings' voice boomed as he spotted them, causing them both to step back startled.
Oh no, it's him again! was the thought in Ernest's mind, as he was otherwise frozen.
"Hello, Inspector. Have you discovered any new information?" inquired Katrielle, in an attempt to regain focus on the case at hand.
"No, we 'aven't got any new leads yet." He answered, with a touch of regret in his tone. "We're just- 'ang on!" He exclaimed. "Why am I tellin' you anythin'? Keep your nose out of police business!"
Kat tsked. "I thought I had you there for a moment."
"I thought I told you to go 'ome back at the Yard, didn't I? So what are you doin' 'ere?" Hastings growled.
"We're also investigating the case. I thought I could prove Ernest was innocent." She bluntly explained. "Besides, you only told him he was off the hook for now; you said nothing about going home."
"Now don't you get smart with me!" Hastings snapped, taken aback. "Either way, this lad 'ere's the prime suspect!"
"But I really didn't do it!" cried Ernest.
"There's no point keepin' up the pretense, sunshine. Ohm 'imelf 'as made a statement sayin' 'e's sure you're the culprit. You're the only one who could've done it."
"That's nonsense!" The teen exclaimed. "I went in after the lecture to ask him some questions, but I left when I saw he wasn't there."
"Anyway, the prof's lab is off limits, you 'ear?" Hastings sternly said. "From now on, no one goes in there without permission!"
"Without permission, hm?" Kat muttered, as Hastings returned to his investigation, the wheels turning in her head. A nearby conversation from one of the other offices caught her attention.
"I mean, we don't see eye to eye, but what would I need those papers for?" asked one of the two professors in the room. "I study plants for their medicinal properties, not for the color flower they produce!"
"Likewise." the other shrugged. "And if a student had done it, where did they hide the papers? Unless they stopped by the goat pen, those research papers would've been found by now!"
"Interesting..." she whispered. "Ernest, did you hear them just now?"
"I did." The uni fresher whispered in response. "They each make a valid point."
"What is this about a goat pen?" She asked, once they were back in the main hall.
"I believe they mean the one just outside on the grounds." Ernest explained. "I heard them bleating when I was out there earlier."
"So you went outside after leaving Dr. Ohm's office?" She inquired further, which he confirmed.
"I saw he wasn't there, but I could see the rose bushes from the window." He stated. "Out of curiosity, I decided to go outside and see them for myself."
"Let's go see them, then." Kat replied confidently, as they returned to retracing Ernest's steps.
It was easy to see why Ernest decided to go see the rose garden along the side grounds of the campus, with the time of year being peak season for the aromatic flowers, blooming in nearly every color of the rainbow. Nearby, as he said, they could hear the goats across the field bleating occasionally as they grazed within the confines of their pen, which still gave them plenty of space to do so.
"I stayed out here for awhile." Ernest stated, as he took in the image of Katrielle smelling one of the roses. "Something as lovely as this deserves all the time in the world."
"So how did you wind up in Dr. Ohm's laboratory the second time from here?" She asked.
"There was a cat wandering nearby. I was concerned it might have been lost, so I tried to retrieve it and return it to its owner." He explained.
"Aren't you sweet!" Kat remarked.
Ernest blushed slightly at hearing that, then continued.
"Unfortunately, it wriggled free before I could even find a name tag, and it squeezed through that window above the pink roses -it was open at the time. I was careful not to trample the flowers while I tried to reach in for the cat, but as a result, I tumbled into the room." He added. "The cat ran down the hallway, yet nobody else saw it. The next thing I knew, I was accused of theft."
"I see..." Kat whispered, as she stood upright. "I have one trick up my sleeve, one that is sure to get us into the lab." She spoke up. "As it happens, I was coming to meet with a few individuals on a separate case of mine, and one of them may be able to help us with this mess. I'm sure he'll say we're allowed into the lab."
"I was under the impression Inspector Hastings was in charge." Ernest stated, surprised.
Either she didn't hear what he said, or she flat out ignored it, as Kat promptly flagged down DC Booker to request another bit of info from him. This all happened so quickly, that Ernest had to take a minute to process where they were headed next.
"What are we doing back here, Miss Layton?" Ernest asked, as they entered the infamous police station, the sight of which made him nervous all over again. "Does it have to do with whoever you were intending to meet with today? Why would he be here of all places?"
"Now then, where is he? Ah! There he is, over there." She indirectly replied as she spotted the older gentleman she was looking for. "No time for nerves, now, Ernest. Come along!" She finally spoke to her client as she led him by the hand to none other than Dean Delmona.
What? Him, of all people?! Ernest thought, stunned.
"Hello, Dean. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Kat greeted in her cheerful demeanor.
"Katrielle? Katrielle Layton!" The dean exclaimed, happily surprised. "Well bless my cotton socks! It has been a long time. How are you, my girl?"
"Very well, thank you. You haven't changed at all!" She replied, smiling, before changing the subject. "Are you here in regards to the stolen research papers?"
"Yes, I was supposed to meet with Inspector Hastings, but I can't seem to find him." explained Delmona.
"That's because he's investigating the crime scene at the university." Kat stated.
"Ah, so we missed each other, then?" The dean remarked. "Then I suppose I'll be heading back to Gressenheller."
"Before you do, I have one request." Kat said. "I was hoping you could give my...assistant and I permission to investigate the crime scene for ourselves. I feel that, with a different point of view, we will bring the truth to light in no time."
Delmona chuckled. "Investigating crime scenes with an assistant in tow? You really are a Layton, aren't you? Well, if you are anything like your father, I'm sure you'll find the truth of the matter -as you said- in no time. I've no idea what conclusion this case will reach, so I'll allow you access to the whole campus."
"Thank you!" Kat beamed, then thought of something else. "Speaking of my father. I know they're looking into...What happened...Here at Scotland Yard, but you wouldn't happen to have any ideas where he might have gone, would you?"
"I'm afraid not, my dear." The dean sadly replied. "But I wouldn't worry too much about old Hershel. Wherever he is, I'm sure he's alright. That said, I'm well aware he and Dr. Triton were friends for many years; I suggest visiting him in the archaeology department."
"I will, thank you again." She nodded.
"I say, that was beezer!" Ernest exclaimed once the dean left to make his way back to the university. "You were speaking with Dean Delmona as if you were old friends!"
"Actually, it's my father who he's more of old friends with." Kat corrected.
"Your father, miss?" Ernest questioned.
"I'll explain later." She said. "Right now, we need to head back to Gressenheller."
"Miss Layton, Dr. Ohm's laboratory is that way." Ernest said, pointing in the direction of the corridor they had just passed. "Why are we going to the back of the building?"
"Don't you worry. I haven't forgotten." She replied reassuringly, before stopping at one of the office doors in the department of archaeology; the very one with the emblem of a top hat.
She knocked twice, and whoever was inside replied with "It's open!".
With her father's office had originally been cleared of his collections of newspaper articles (which currently resided in her sister's attic), it hadn't occurred to Kat until she entered the room for the first time in a decade how much of the floor was actually...Floor! The larger items, along with anything on the walls, were exactly where she remembered them being. If there was one other difference, it was the man sitting at the desk; not the top-hatted gentleman, but rather a bearded one.
"Hello, Dr. Triton." She greeted, as she stepped into the room. "I do hope I'm not intruding."
"Not at all, Kat." Clark answered, as he stood to face her. "I'd hardly expect you to visit here again."
"Well, you know, things change." She remarked.
"And who is this young man with you?" Clark inquired. "I'm sure he's treating you well."
Ernest blushed at the older man's implication.
"So far, yes. This is Ernest, and I've agreed to help him clear his name in an earlier incident." explained Kat.
"So you are going through with it then?" Clark retorted, his eyes dulling slightly as it had occurred to him this was anything but a casual visit.
"I intend to find the truth of the matter." She stated. "'Any mystery solved.' That's my motto!"
She leaned into Clark's line of vision as he sat back down. "I've tried to ask your wife before, but she cut me off before I could question her in full."
"Katrielle, you know this is a...Difficult and sensitive topic for Brenda and I." Clark heaved a heavy sigh, the back of his thumbs pressed between his eyes. "That said, I do agree we all deserve answers."
The younger pair watched silently -Kat intently- as Clark stood back up long enough to search the chest of drawers across the room until he found what he was looking for: A flat strongbox, the key for which the older man conjured from his jacket pocket. Inside were various letters and other documents that the older man sorted through, placing a few aside before locking the strongbox and putting it back in its designated place.
"These are the letters my son wrote to my wife and I before all correspondences suddenly ended." He said stoically, holding up the aged envelopes. "I'm not sure how much help they will end up being in your quest, but knowing you, they are bound to give you some sort of clue to go on. Either way, do be careful with them."
"I will." She stated sincerely, as she gently placed the envelopes into her handbag. Meanwhile, the wheels in her head were now turning rapidly. She was now certain she had solved this case!