Chapter 4 Sleeping Beauty
In short Arthur was amazing, brilliant even. Francis concluded that this was the reason he listened to him and allowed Arthur to order him around. However he, or rather I, am getting slightly ahead of myself, as Francis is in the staffroom looking at three cups of tea hesitantly wondering when he should remove the tea bags.
"Don't tell me Francis that after all your bragging about how you can cook the most amazing dishes ever you can't even handle a simple cup of tea? Any English child can make that." Complained Arthur
Francis jumped as he hadn't even noticed the three brothers come in, least of all Arthur creep up behind him. Francis decided then and there just to take the tea bags out, but as he did so Arthur poured the steaming blackish brown liquid down the sink.
"No time for that Bonnefoy, the murderer has struck again and I will need you to accompany me to the crime scene." Arthur explained
"B-but the tea!" Stammered Francis
"It was bound to be ghastly." Arthur replied
Francis grumbled under his breath as he followed the Kirland's out and into a waiting cab. It was oddly quiet in the cab, as Arthur was staring at Tristain as if he had never seen him before. Tristain was likewise staring at Arthur and smirking at him.
"Don't you have something else to do like advise the queen or bore some boring politician?" Arthur asked Tristain rudely
"And miss you acting strangely Albion? I don't think so! I wonder if this could be the closest thing to love that your simple emotions can handle..." Pondered Tristain
"Love? What are you talking about?" Arthur asked in confusion
"It's an emotion Arthur, the one where a person likes to be in the company of another and feels quiet lost without them. Sometimes they find it unbearable to be without that person." Tristain explained as if Arthur was a small child
Arthur sat in silence actually contemplating what Tristain had said. He didn't know much about love, and he wondered exactly how much his twin brother could possibly know, but by that definition he arrived at a conclusion.
" Oh you mean Francis and I? Well I suppose I would feel lost without him. I mean chemistry and cooking are not as related as everyone says. Yes, without him I would have to eat my own cooking! It would also be unbearable if I had to rely on that idiot mortician like the police do." Arthur nodded in agreement
"Azzur, I think that you may have missed some critical points there mon ami." Francis laughed
Arthur looked at Francis quizzically. Did someone just say he was incorrect and had missed something? What was the world coming to! He was starting to get a headache because of this strange conundrum. Francis noticed Arthur wincing in pain and looking utterly lost and sighed.
"Azzur, you 'ave just announced that you love me." Francis tried
"So?"
"So? That's the emotion that 'usbands and wives feel, most people who 'ave sexual relations-" Francis started
"Okay stop I get it! I just forgot the name of that emotion that's all. I see it as irrelevant so why should I remember its name?" Arthur cut Francis off
Yet again the cab remained quiet as Francis openly gawked at Arthur in disbelief. Arthur glared out the window as he was sulking and was trying to ignore Francis. Iain was looking from Arthur to Francis and then Tristain in confusion. Tristain was silently shaking with laughter.
It was a still laughing Tristain who paid the taxi driver as Arthur stormed off into a grand brick manor with ivy growing up its face. Iain and Francis had to jog to keep up as Arthur practically ran up the grand sweeping staircase and into a bedroom with a grand four poster bed, knocking policeman to the side as he did so.
The sight before him stunned Francis and Iain, but Arthur merely blinked. On the four poster bed was a man wearing a long elegant satin white evening gown with a tiara on his brown haired head. The light net curtains blew lazily in the wind coming from the French windows. The victim looked like he was sleeping peacefully. Well he would if he didn't have a knife poking out of his chest where his heart was.
"It's sleepin beauty. Tha is the fairy tale the murderer has set up." Iain informed them
"Yes thank you again for the statement about the obvious Iain, I can now see how you got the position of chief inspector." Arthur said rolling his eyes
"Bas" Muttered Iain
Arthur ignored him as he strolled around the room looking at the wooden bookshelves filled with books, and examining everything but the dead man. Francis opened the man's wardrobe and let out an appreciative whistle. Arthur followed him with Iain shadowing. To Iain the wardrobe looked like every well to do Victorian aged mans closest. Neatly folded suits, waistcoats and shirts as well as nicely shined shoes.
"Good work Bonnefoy!" Arthur exclaimed staring in the closet
"Aboot what?" Asked Iain
"Just look at those shoes!" Arthur exclaimed
"Sae?"
"They are ze latest of fashion from Italy!" Cried Francis
"How dae ye ken tha? Oh bloody hell, dinnea tell me tha Cymru isn't jokin and yer twa-"
"No, I just happened to try and buy a new pair of shoes the other day and noticed these, which the clerk tried to sell to me." Arthur waved his hand in dismissal
"Francis however is French so he is naturally inclined that way. Now go and examine the body Francis, I will find your opinion far more useful than that idiot that Iain brings with him." Arthur instructed
Francis went to stand by the man's body while Arthur stood next to him and examined the bedside table. On the table was a bible open to Leviticus:18 and 19. Arthur noted this with interest and decided to examine the body over Francis's shoulder. He lent a little too close to Francis, but it was all unintentional. Still his hot breath on Francis's neck as he bent down to examine the body and speak to him made Francis blush slightly.
"Well? What is your opinion?" Arthur asked
"Ee ez ... erm...dead." Francis replied as he momentarily forgot himself
"Well yes, I suppose that is a good start. Keep going." Arthur encouraged
" Ee as been stabbed in ze heart, but that ez not what killed him. It looks like ee was strangled. But you knew that already didn't you?" Francis said as Arthur nodded the whole time
"Continue."
"Ee died about twelve hours ago." Francis finished
Arthur eyed the knife sticking out of the man's chest and his hair. The other policemen were examining the dress. Arthur rolled his eyes but before he could complain Tristain walked into the room. The elder twin paused as he looked at the body and then allowed his eyes to flicker over Arthur and Francis.
"I suppose you know who this man is?" Tristain asked
"Non, desole am I suppose to?" Asked Francis
"Tcht, it is rather clear who he is Bonnefoy. Look at his wardrobe, all business suits, a well loved pocket watch is on the bedroom table. Not to mention that the desk across the room holds an abacus and a governmental seal. What can we deduct from that?" asked an exasperated Arthur
"Ee was a government official?" Francis replied
"Yes. From the abacus I would say an accountant for the government. Fairly high up due to the size of this house and his expensive taste in clothing. There are ring marks on his desk from drinks, as well as a bottle of whisky kept in the top draw of the desk, so he was a drinker. In conclusion I believe this man to be Mr Howards, who was a top government accountant who was well known for his love of the bottle." Concluded a smug Arthur
"That is all true Arthur, but it does help that there are a bunch of letters addressed to him on his desk doesn't it?" Teased Tristain
Arthur blushed and glared at Tristain, who winked at him in return. Francis was looking at Arthur with interest. Arthur noticed this and looked at him questionly.
"Can you really tell all that from a few simple observations?" Asked Francis
"Of course you can. It is the power of deduction. I have made a few observations of the scene here. I believe that I have narrowed the reason for this mans death to two probabilities." Arthur said
Authors notes:
Ah sorry this is so late! I have been working and volunteering.
The crime scene is marvellously weird isn't it?