Yay for chapter five! I want to give a big thanks to xJill Lovett and Lightwolfheart for reviewing and for the rest of you that favorited or subscribed. Means a lot!
Anywho, this chapter focuses on the happenings in Port Veridian instead of with Kate and Jack. Enjoy! (:
Chapter Five: Investigations
Two men surrounded the body of the governor of Port Veridian, Albert Willows. Someone had covered the body with a sheet, and now the two stood in a comfortable silence, trying to figure out what the next step of action should be.
One finally spoke up. "Well, we realize that this Katherine girl has been missing for a few days now, and she worked at this tavern." This was one of the naval officers stationed at Port Veridian, George.
"Yes, but we don't know that she has been involved with this." The other man, tall with black her, commented. "She may have left, for personal business; she may have been captured. We don't know."
"So far she has been our only connection though with Willow's murder." George argued with the taller man. "Captain Garner, we have no other leads."
The captain named Garner put up his hand. "No, that is not entirely true." He leaned down, lifting the sheet from the bottom of the man's body and pulling it upwards, leaving the governor's head covered.
"Who did you say Willows' last meeting was with?" Garner inquired, searching the governor's pockets for something, anything.
"Captain Clarke, sir." George replied promptly.
"And where is Clarke now?" Garner stopped searching, looking up at the officer.
"I believe a neighboring port, sir. He…he left this morning." George replied.
Garner silently went back to searching the governor's many pockets. He felt something brush his fingers in one of the inside pockets, and he grabbed a small piece of parchment. He unfolded it, trying to read the scrawl that was written on it. He could only make out a few words and signature that was left at the bottom of the note.
"Then Katherine isn't our only link. We need to find Clarke, and to see what that last meeting consisted of."
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"Is the commodore in?" Phillip Garner strode past the clerk at the desk after he gave a nod. Garner entered the commodore's office without knocking. John Bolton was hunched over his desk, examining a mound of papers that were strewn across his desk.
"Captain Garner," The commodore addressed, surprised to see him in his office.
"Commodore Bolton, I was assigned to investigate the governor's murder." Garner reminded him.
"Take a seat." The commodore leaned back in his chair, throwing down his quill as he did so. "Yes, that seems to be the talk of the town." He took some of the papers and threw them on a chair to the side. "You wouldn't believe the paperwork I have to do because of this, especially when the more pressing matter is who committed the murder." Commodore Bolton frowned.
"That's why I wanted to come and talk to you." Garner cut to the point.
The commodore raised his eyebrows in interest. "Any leads?"
Garner hesitated. "Kind of. The rumor is that a Miss Katherine Smith, a woman who worked at the tavern, committed it, but it doesn't make any sense." He paused. "First of all, why would the governor come to that part of town? Second, neighbors said they heard a woman scream. We have to assume that was Katherine. If Katherine was the murderer, why would she be the one screaming? Furthermore, Willow was killed with a firearm. What single woman in Katherine's position is able to get her hands on a firearm?"
The commodore held his hand up for Garner to stop. "I realize that you do not believe it was the woman. I don't believe it was her either, but we have no evidence to prove her innocent or guilty at the moment. What else have you found?"
Garner pullet out the small piece of parchment that he had found. "I found this in one of the governor's pockets." He unfolded the piece of parchment and handed it to Bolton. "I couldn't make out exactly what it said, it seemed a little weather-worn, but I was able to make out the signature."
The commodore examined the piece of paper. "Henry Clarke." He stated.
Garner nodded. "Yes. I also managed to decipher a few of the words. I immediately recognized 'The Trader's Flask,' the name of the tavern Willow was killed behind." He explained.
The commodore nodded. "Yes, that is what it seems to say."
Phillip Garner hesitated before he said what was on his mind, making sure to phrase it correctly. "I don't mean to accuse him, but I do believe that this ties Henry Clarke to the governor's murder."
The commodore folded up the piece of parchment, laying it down on his desk. He stood, without a word, and walked to the window, peering out at the view before him. The port was bustling with activity below him; a large ship was coming into the dock and merchants and townsfolk alike were mingling among the streets, haggling for prices in the market and socializing good naturedly.
Bolton turned to face Garner. "Clarke left this morning for Port Nox." He informed him. "He may or may not know that the governor is dead." He turned to face the window again. "You are to stay at Port, Garner, but prepare a ship for Port Nox. They'll be bringing back Captain Clarke on their return voyage."
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It had been two days since Garner had ordered his ship, The Cambria, to set sail to Port Nox without him, and he was anxiously awaiting their return. They had moved the governor's body to a private holding in the naval headquarters, and Garner had returned to the body, numerous times, not finding anything new or of importance.
Numerous citizens had tracked down him and other British Naval officials, either wanting to inform them of the latest rumor or wanting to know what they had discovered so far. Each time he thanked them for their concern and sent them on their way. He wished he had something more substantial to go on, some hard concrete evidence, but he would just have to wait until his ship returned with Captain Henry Clarke to find out anything more.
At that moment, a young boy who worked by the docks darted up the stairs of Garner's home. He was about to knock when he realized the captain was sitting outside already and that he had run past him. "Sir! The Cambria is coming into port!" He informed him, out of breath.
Garner nodded and dismissed the boy. He took another drink of the tea he had been sipping and set it down on the porch, not bothering to put the cup where it meant to go in the sink. The captain hurried to the commodore's office, trying to avoid as many people as he could. He didn't want to be delayed information that was vital to the case because of a curious citizen.
Garner opened the door to see Bolton scribbling away on a piece of paper. "The Cambria is docking." Garner said.
The commodore stopped what he was doing and the two men walked to the docks together. "And if your men could not find him?" The commodore thought aloud.
Garner shook his head. "They wouldn't have returned so quickly if they hadn't been able to."
The commodore gave a little, "Hmmm," but after that the two remained silent as they watched the large vessel maneuver slowly into the dock. A gangplank was finally lowered and a number of men began to descend from the ship. Garner immediately recognized the tall, blonde man that walked in the midst of the others. "They have him." Garner muttered to the commodore.
Bolton and Garner both headed towards the group of men.
"Commodore Bolton, Commander Garner," Clarke greeted the two men, purposefully calling Garner the wrong title.
"That's Captain Garner to you Clarke," Bolton reprimanded.
"My apologies," he replied sarcastically.
"You know why you are here, Henry. I would not dawdle in petty games when your reputation and life is on the line." The commodore said sharply.
Clarke did not reply, but his lip curled up in distaste.
"I believe we will settle this in my office." Bolton commanded, leading the way.
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"This note was found in the governor's pocket after he was found dead behind The Trader's Flask." Commodore Bolton delicately handed the piece of parchment to Clarke. The other captain took it and glanced down at it.
"What does this have to do with me?" He asked after looking it over.
"You signed it." Garner stated, surprised that Clarke had the audacity to play stupid.
Clarke shook his head and threw it back on the commodore's desk. "It's not mine."
"Let me see your signature," Bolton asked the man, "and your initials. How you would sign a letter, please."
Clarke looked between the two men, not believing what they were asking him to do. "You think I would lie?"
"Men higher up than you have done so." Bolton simply stated.
Clarke furiously grabbed the quill and scribbled on a random piece of parchment on Bolton's desk. "There, compare and you will see it's not my writing." Clarke threw the quill down onto the desk.
Garner and Bolton both leaned forward, comparing Clarke's scribbles to the writing on the paper they had found. "They actually look quite similar…" Garner had, deep down, hoped that Clarke would be connected to the murder. He had never like the man and wouldn't mind seeing him locked up, but he didn't actually expect for the handwriting to match up so well.
"Yes, it does." Bolton said curiously. "You can tell by the tail of the extra curl on the 'y' and that 'h.'" Bolton pointed out the capitalized 'h' to Garner.
The two men leaned back and exchanged looks. Clarke was growing agitated and he snatched up his signature and the piece of paper, comparing them. "It's merely coincidence!" He exclaimed. "Even if it was my handwriting, you cannot accuse me of murdering the governor for simply sending him a message—"
"—that led to the tavern where he was murdered." Garner interrupted.
"—to have a drink." Clarke finished, ignoring Garner. "You have nothing else on me. I am an innocent and honest man, a reputable one at that." He shook his head and stood, about ready to leave.
"You have not had a clear record, Clarke." Garner corrected.
"Sit, Clarke. Do not make me get a guard and complicate things further." Bolton commanded. Clarke sat after a moment, growing angrier by the moment.
"Let's not forget the case of Conrad Bulstrong." Garner continued, reminding the commodore and Clarke.
"What? Oh you can't be talking about that dimwitted officer turned pirate." Clarke said dismissively.
"Garner has a point," the commodore conceded. "Under normal circumstances, you would have been charged for that crime."
"But it wasn't normal circumstances!" Clarke banged his fist on the table. The commodore looked disapprovingly at his outburst. Clarke tried to regain his composure. He ran his hand over his hair. "Look, that bastard slept with my wife. I taught him a lesson was all."
"Your allegations that he slept with your wife were never confirmed. Your wife did not testify under trail." Garner argued.
Clarke rounded on Garner. "This happened five years ago, in the past, where it belongs. Besides, this is none of your business." Clarke spat.
Garner rose, unable to control his anger. "This becomes my business when the governor of my Port was just murdered!" Garner's voice rose and Clarke said nothing.
"Gentleman, sit." The commodore commanded.
Still staring each other down, the two captains obeyed.
"Clarke is right, though. His past does not necessarily connect himself with right now, so we should leave it where it belongs." Bolton mediated. "We still have yet to discuss the meeting you had with Willows." The commodore continued. "That was the last meeting he had had with anyone before his death."
Clarke shook his head. "The meeting is no one's business but mine and Willow's. I don't need to tell you what we discussed."
This time it was Bolton who lost his patience. "The governor of our port has just been murdered! The little evidence that we currently obtain points directly at you, Mr. Clarke! If you want to save your own neck, you will tell us what was discussed during the meeting!" Bolton thundered.
Both men cowered back in their seats. It was a rare occasion that Jonathon Bolton lost his temper. Clarke hesitantly spoke, "We've had meeting of the like before. It wasn't out of the ordinary. We merely discussed business."
Bolton glowered at his vagueness and Clarke was quick to continue, "He wanted the specifics of the trades we were currently negotiation, the times, the conditions. He also wanted news from England. You know I had just traveled from there." He explained.
This extra information seemed to appease the commodore some, but not Garner. "What were you doing in England?" Garner questioned suspiciously.
"I was visiting my wife and family, thank you." He snapped.
"A likely story…" Garner mumbled, not loud enough for either of the two men to hear.
"I'm afraid you will have to make accommodations here in Port Veridian, Captain. You will not be free to go back to your stationed port until we have sorted this mess out." Bolton looked up at Clarke. "Understood?"
"Yes, though you'll regret dragging me into this once you find my hands are clean." He growled. He stood from his chair, not bothering to dismiss himself from the other two men, and stormed out of the room.
"Well," Bolton said, leaning back in his char, "that went well."
Hmm, who is this Clarke fellow and how does he fit into the story? Tell me what you think in a review! They make my day. :)