-Prologue: The Importance of Being Ernest, Part Three-
Once they had established to Inspector Hastings they had permission to investigate the scene of the crime, Ernest and Katrielle found themselves stepping into Dr. Ohm's laboratory.
The room itself was a decent size, and exceedingly neat and tidy, much to Katrielle's surprise. The plants that grew in various containers were all vividly green, and as Ernest had previously stated, the rose bushes outside were fully visible from the two large windows along the back wall.
"This is it, miss. The research laboratory of the highly regarded Dr. Gene Ohm!" Ernest exclaimed. "Isn't it exciting?"
"So this is where the incident took place. And you came in here twice; first through the door, then again through that window over there, was it?" Kat questioned.
"That's right." Ernest nodded, confirming. "The right hand window is the one I was peering through when I slipped and fell inside."
"And that's presumably Dr. Ohm over there?" She asked, in regards to the middle-aged curly haired man who just entered the room. "According to Inspector Hastings, he's accused you of the crime."
"You've got that right." The botany professor remarked. "Who are you, anyway?"
"I'm Katrielle Layton. Dean Delmona has given me permission to investigate the theft of your research papers." She explained.
"It's a disgrace, I tell you. And-" Ohm sighed, before something caught his attention. "Wait. You're the chap who took them!" He shouted.
Ernest should not have been stunned to hear this, yet that was his first reaction to receiving such an accusation directly from someone he greatly admired; the second was to plead his innocence one more time.
"What are you even doing here?" Dr. Ohm snapped. "Didn't they take you back to Scotland Yard?"
"They did, but they had to let me go because they didn't have enough evidence to hold me." The younger man explained.
"I intend to clear Ernest's name by finding the true thief and bringing them to justice." Katrielle affirmed. "We'll need to make a thorough search of this laboratory in order to gather supporting evidence."
"Hmph, I don't know what you think you'll be able to find, but if the dean's given you permission, I can't stop you." Ohm grumbled. "Be my guest. Just don't upset any of my experiments!"
"Thank you. We'll try not take too much of your time." chimed Kat, as she resumed her investigation.
In her search, she found that there was nothing out of place; if a theft had truly occurred, would there not have been at least somewhat of a mess? Especially on the presumption Ernest really had done it, as it was his very first day on the campus, much less in that little room. It wasn't like he knew where to look right away! Plus, she knew this couldn't have been the work of the police; most knew better than to tamper with a crime scene.
"The tidiness of this desk is certainly a far cry from a certain other Gressenheller professor I know!" Kat remarked.
"I'm not sure which professor you're referring to, but thank you for not lumping us in together." Ohm commented dryly.
Kat was slightly offended, but held her tongue. The student called Ernest was still her priority.
"To be perfectly frank, I'm not sure how anyone can allow a mess to get that bad." Ohm added. "It's really quite simple: you put things away when you're finished with them, and dispose of rubbish in the bin. Don't keep papers you no longer need."
Kat was now certain that the uni fresher she had only known a few hours was absolutely innocent.
In her handbag, she kept a small sack of "tricks" given to her by her uncle, who considered himself something of a vigilante. His only instructions to her were to save them for when they were absolutely necessary. She consider now to be one of those times. After glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she inconspicuously released one of those "tricks".
Ernest perked up as he noticed smoke coming from the adjacent storage closet.
"Fire!" He screamed. "There's a fire!"
"Everyone to the emergency exits!" Hastings instructed, making the younger two leave the room first. "Prof, do you know which way- Oi! Wait a minute, what's that you got there?"
As Ohm stood frozen like a deer in headlights, a packet of papers he gathered from the storage closet in hand, Kat smirked, her intuition on point.
"I-is that what I think it is?" Ernest hesitantly questioned. "Miss Layton?"
"Dr. Ohm, would you mind if I asked you one or two questions?" Kat confidently asked.
Once the smoke had dissipated, and everyone in the vicinity had been informed that the 'fire' was a false alarm, Dr. Gene Ohm's research laboratory was now cordoned off as an impromptu interrogation room.
"Alright, start talkin'." Hastings demanded. "Why'd you cry wolf and claim your research papers were stolen when they never were?"
"If I may, Inspector, recount what I believe to be the order of events." Kat requested, as she began her explanation. "Dr. Ohm -likely due to his work coming to a standstill- had not completed his highly anticipated research like he had hoped, so he hid them away in a secret compartment in his lab only he knew of, initially long enough to figure out what to do. For whatever reason, perhaps dropping a pen, he found himself getting out of his seat, temporarily out of sight when one of his students entered the room, looking for him."
Ernest gasped lightly. So he was in here before!
Kat continued. "Once that student had gone, Dr. Ohm had come up with a rather elaborate idea: Claim the next person -no matter who it was- to enter the room stile his research papers. Once the commotion died down, and he was alone once more, he would dispose of his work."
"But we checked every bin on campus. None of the papers we did find, intact or shredded turned out to be what were searching for." DC Booker stated, referencing his notes as he spoke.
"That's because he didn't intend to use a paper shredder, at least not a mechanical one." Kat said. "Rather, a natural one."
"The goats!" Ernest blurted in realization.
"I recall hearing once that goats can and do eat virtually anything, including paper. What better way to get rid of the evidence!" commented Kat.
The botany professor was silent at first, staring down at the incomplete work on his desk with the most desolated look in his eyes. Then he sighed a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It's just as you say." He answered, emotionless. "I was stuck, having hit a snag in my research for so long, that I knew I wouldn't meet the deadline for paper submission. It doesn't help that'll be tomorrow."
"And for that, you were willing to frame a totally innocent person?" asked Dean Delmona, who was more than displeased. "This is simply disgraceful, Gene. Utterly disgraceful!"
Ernest's eyes went dull as the conversation went on.
"If I had a little more time." said Dr. Ohm, turning to face Ernest with a confident -and sympathy seeking- smirk. "And a little help." He faced the dean again. "I know I'll have the solution for producing a blue rose in time for the next deadline."
"Then go and ask one of your students." The nineteen year old hissed, his face void of any emotion beyond anger.
"What?!" Ohm yelped, stunned by this reaction. "But you were saying at the start of the lecture this morning how you were so honored to be my student."
"That was before I saw you for what you truly are!" Ernest snapped, tears welling up in his eyes, as he stormed out of the room, leaving the botany professor blinking in disbelief.
"Unbelievable..." Inspector Hastings said at last, shaking his head. "Guess that clears the lad's name entirely!"
Hastings and Booker both then left, with Katrielle following closely behind.
"All's well that ends well, I suppose." She sarcastically remarked.
The inspector scoffed. "Really. And yet, some'ow not the worst revelation in my career."
They stopped once they reached the main hall.
"But certainly one of the most shocking." He added.
"I can imagine so." Kat remarked.
"There's one thing that I've been curious about, what was it...?" Booker muttered as he glanced at his notes. "Oh yes! Where did you hear that about the goats? That they eat paper? I'm not familiar with farm animals."
"Two of my old sitters -siblings- were raised on a farm." Kat explained. "They learnt early on in life that even though goats can eat paper, they really shouldn't, as it is bad for them. Sort of like humans eating grass."
Both men gave a look of disgust at the thought.
"Well, at least that boy can go back to 'is studies." Hastings said, changing the subject. "Assuming this incident doesn't make 'im drop out, that is."
I'm sure he'll be alright." Katrielle reassured. "But just in case, I'll talk to him if I see him again."
She shook hands with both of them, and they began to leave the campus.
"Oh, and Inspector?" She spoke up, as she remembered one more thing.
"Yes?" He turned back to her, while Booker went on ahead.
"I'm aware of the rumors -some of which you've probably heard- about my brother. But I assure you they are all baseless." Katrielle stated.
"Wha-"
"Don't think I didn't notice you flinch every time I mentioned Alfendi back there." She sternly added, with a touch of sadness trying to make itself known. "The past few years have been especially hard for him. Please don't add to it by contributing to the rumor mill."
"I 'ad no idea." Hastings blinked. "But I'll try to do better."
"Thank you."
With those words, the two parted ways, with the inspector returning to Scotland Yard to finish up his report, and Kat staying behind, trying to figure out where Ernest had disappeared to.
Though that didn't take long.
A short walk outside led Katrielle to the goat shed where Ernest was leaning on the fence. She noticed him chatting with who she guessed was one of the agriculture students before they returned to their work, leaving Ernest to watch the goats go about their business grazing, feeding, and occasionally head-butting one another, bleating all the while.
Cautiously, she approached him. Ernest acknowledged her presence, greeting her just above a mumble. A closer look at the younger man told her exactly how he was feeling.
"They are cute animals, aren't they?" She commented to make conversation.
"Mm-hm." He nodded, a faint smile forming, before it quickly vanished.
Together, they continued to watch the goats in silence, petting the animals as any one of them came close enough. There were at least six altogether, they figured; four adult ones and two babies. Most of them were grey, aside from a black one, and a white one.
As the minutes passed, the pair had nearly forgotten about their worries. Ernest's gaze soon changed its focus from the goats to Miss Layton.
She is such a lovely woman. thought he.
Of course, as soon as she noticed him looking at her, his gaze tried to return to the animals.
"Something on your mind?" She asked, smiling softly.
He pondered for a moment on whether or not to answer, before ultimately deciding to.
"I know we've only met just today." He started off. "But I was wondering something, Miss Layton: Have you ever been at a point in your life where everything you thought you knew came crumbling before your eyes, and you're left questioning what to do?"
"Actually, yes." she answered three seconds later. "Without going into detail, I have. A few times, in fact."
There was a pause in the conversation.
"If this is about...you-know-who, don't let that alone ruin your experience of university, or cut your goals short." She said, reassuringly placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's still early in the semester; you could transfer to a different class. I don't know how often you take advise from strangers, but that's what I would do, if I were you."
With a sad sigh, Ernest looked at her again. "I'll look into that, thank you. In fact, thank you for everything today. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."
Kat hummed. "Well, if you ever do think of anything, my detective agency will be open soon. Let me give you the address."
She wrote down the address of the building she had recently started leasing on a blank page in her notebook, then tore the page out before giving it to Ernest.
"Chancer Lane? I know exactly where that is!" He exclaimed, joy returning to him wholeheartedly.
"Feel free to stop by sometime!" Katrielle winked.
They each soon left for their respective destinations. Ernest to the admin offices, and Kat to the Mystery Room as she couldn't wait to share with someone how her first case went down.
Though even after she was long gone, Ernest still had butterflies over the very thought of Miss Katrielle Layton.
-End of Chapter-