Chapter Four: Industria - Acedia Tristitia
When Clair returned to the dinning room where Kai and Gotz were, she was dressed in a black ninja outfit similar to Kai's. Her golden hair was tugged away under a black bandana and she was ready to blend in with the night. This was only a precaution of course, since if all went well no one should be out there to see them, but better safe than sorry.
Gotz picked up his large black jacket from the back of his chair and put it on. "One of these days Clair... one of these days..." he muttered as the trio left Clair's mansion via the back door.
Clair smiled at the remark and even let out a soft laugh, as if remembering something from the past that she and Gotz witnessed. "I'm always armed, you know that." She patted the black holster on her waist that hid her favorite silver gun.
Kai's uneasiness returned to him as he wondered just how well acquainted those two were with firearms. Kai himself had never had the opportunity nor the necessity or desire to hold one.
As if reading Kai's curiosity in his face, Gotz elaborated while they walked down the dark path of Clair's yard. "Clair's father, my brother and I used to go on hunting trips. The three of us were inseparable. One day when Clair was only fourteen, her father brought her to hunt with us. I told him I would never think of bringing my daughter on one of our trips, since it was no place for a girl. Then Clair shot my hat right off my head and gave me a look that no one would dare to challenge. She's got great aim and sharp senses; she's known how to shoot, and shoot well, since she was thirteen."
"Are you serious?" Kai stammered, no matter how much of a firearm enthusiast Clair's father was, to let someone so young train with a weapon felt dangerous.
"There were reasons of course," Gotz left it at that, hinting that the reasons were private and not even he knew about them. He trusted the judgment of his friend, Clair's father, may he rest in peace.
"Was your mom okay with that too?" Kai curiously asked. Clair ignored the question and kept walking with a noticeably more aggressive stride. Kai felt one of Gotz large hands on his shoulder. He looked at the tall bearded man who sternly shook his head. Kai knew that he had stumbled on a sour topic. Clair was quite an enigma, her thoughts, her personality, her family, her past. This was obviously a puzzle that he wouldn't solve any time soon, if he ever did.
"We should all go to the mountains and hunt wild bears sometime. What do you say Clair?" Gotz tried to lighten the mood as they approached the far end of Clair's vast property. "You can bring your pet!" He playfully elbowed Kai, almost knocking the younger man to the ground.
Kai stumbled but managed to maintain his balance. He was so puzzled and curious about Clair and her mother that he didn't even bother to complain about being called Clair's pet.
"He's like Cliff," Clair finally spoke, "he's not a hunter. I can't turn him into one any more than Cliff's father could."
"Ah, I see," Gotz nodded in understanding.
With the mention of another person that both Clair and Gotz knew but Kai didn't, his curiosity grew but he kept quiet about it. The silence went uninterrupted as they were close to the fence that marked the border of Clair's land.
Gotz revealed a rope that he had hidden in his large black jacket. The rope had a hook at the end, which he skillfully threw up into the tall brick fence that stood about fifteen feet up. He pulled the rope to test it before Clair stepped in to take it. She skillfully climbed up and peered over the fence. She looked back and nodded, then jumped to the other side of the fence.
"Go on, boy," Gotz offered Kai the rope, "I'll catch you if you fall."
"I won't fall," Kai assured before going up the rope himself. His primary skills outside of the culinary arts lay in swimming and surfing, but he was generally athletic, so climbing up a rope was no problem.
"What do you know, he didn't fall," Gotz chuckled and followed the other two, climbing the rope to the top of the fence where he unhooked it. He jumped down to the other side with the rope in hand. He quickly wrapped it up and put it away in his coat.
The three then followed Gotz towards a small shed nestled between two trees in the darkness of the night. Gotz clearly knew exactly where he was going. He pulled out a key from his pocket and opened up the lock on the wooden shed. Inside it there was a small metal cabin which Gotz proceeded to unlock with a code on an electronic lock. "I work in home security," Gotz confessed to Kai's bewildered look. "This here's an emergency escape. The tunnel leads to the basement."
"Thank you, Gotz" Clair acknowledge before going into the tunnel. She stopped and looked back for a moment, "Kai," she indicated for him to follow, then continued on.
Kai followed into the tunnel, pausing at the entrance to look at Gotz, who nodded. He would be there waiting for them, this was all he was willing to do, to open the door. The investigation was up to Clair and Kai to conduct.
Kai was quick to catch up to Clair in the tunnel, "be on the look out for anything suspicious, substances, liquid, dust, anything that could be poison," Clair instructed. Not only that, letters, receipts journals, notes contact information, anything that hints at Sasha acquiring poison or expressing intentions of acquiring it. Once we have something to work with, we can get a confession out of her and record it."
Though Kai should have been relived at the possibility of proving his innocence with the confession of the real culprit, he was worried. Was the recorded confession needed because a live one would become impossible? Did Clair really intend to kill Sasha? A life for a life? Even if it meant his freedom and regardless of how well acquainted with firearms Clair was, he didn't like the idea. Even if she could get away with it due to her fortune and connections, he still didn't like the idea at all. Maybe Clair was right, maybe he simply wasn't a hunter and maybe she was too much of a hunter.
The emergency exit tunnel that Clair and Kai were using to enter the mansion, home of Karen and her parents, Sasha and Jeff, seemed endless in its darkness. Clair stopped near its end and Kai bumped into her, though thankfully not too hard. He stepped back quickly muttering an inaudible apology and waited. She produced a small pen flashlight from her pocket and a silver key. Kai realized that Gotz must have given her the key in advance before he joined them for cake.
He could imagine Gotz excuses for having a copy of the combination and keys of people's homes. They lost their keys and forgot the codes, then who did they go to? The one who installed them in the first place. It was a cheap excuse but one that most would overlook as somewhat logical and even convenient. Kai supposed that they assumed that one person being able to get into their homes wasn't a big deal. Why would he? He would be the obvious culprit after all.
All those musings reminded Kai of how he was thought of as the obvious culprit in the poisoning of Jack Harvest simply because he was the chef. Gotz must really care about Clair as his own daughter if he was taking such risks.
The inside of the mansion was dark, as all its occupants were sleeping. The decor was elegant, Kai had seen it before, as had Clair. Yet the cheerful shades of fiery colors, blending in red, orange and yellow, accented in gold, were lost to the blackness of the night.
Quiet and sneaky, the two intruders advanced, "go to the studio, the one with the art supplies," Clair whispered, assuming that Kai knew his way around the mansion well enough. She knew Sasha liked to pretend she was good at painting. She would spend hours in her art studio and would have no doubt at some point requested a snack or beverage to be delivered to her, which would fall upon the chef to prepare. "Meet me in the kitchen in ten minutes."
"Right," Kai went on his way, while Clair left in the opposite direction, turning off her light.
Kai made his way to the art studio in the darkness, but was able to find it without stumbling on anything. He saw that there was a light coming from the studio and froze. Maybe Sasha was up late, painting to calm her nerves. Was the therapy of art needed because she had committed a murder or because she was an innocent mourner? It was a big risk, but Kai couldn't help it but to discreetly peek in to the studio.
Inside the studio he didn't find Sasha in front of a canvas depicting something abstract that was not supposed to be abstract. Instead he found a young woman with a rare shade of strawberry hair, so in between red and blond that it could be more accurately defined as pink. Her canvas depicted an ocean view so vivid that Kai felt that he had seen that place before. The sun was setting, tinting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The ocean glowed, clear and calm. There was a rock far from the shore. On top of it a small figure, merely a dot in the distance seemed to be waving to someone who was out of the picture's view in the beach.
A few seconds passed in silence and Kai recognized the scenery. He had indeed seen that place before. He had been to that beach last summer. He had swam out and climbed that rock. The tiny dot was him; he was waving to Popuri who was back at the beach, chronometer in hand. He was trying to see how fast he could swim out there and if his time would improve when they went out to the beach every summer evening. Karen and her family were there as well, enjoying their private area of the beach. On the far left and right there would be fences in the distance that marked the limit of their shore property, but that was out of the picture's view.
"Popuri..." The name escaped his voice before he could stop himself and he entered the art studio.
The pink haired young woman dropped her paint brush, staining the polished hardwood floor with the colors of the sunset. She turned around and saw him, eyes brimming with tears, "Kai," his name left her so softly that it was barely audible. Then she rushed to him and buried her face in his shoulder with muffled cries. "I know you're innocent, I know you didn't do it."
He tried to console her as best he could, "it's okay, I'm going to prove my innocence, it'll be alright." Remembering his mission he looked around the studio, "isn't this Sasha's studio?"
"Yes," Popuri nodded, still holding onto Kai, "she knew I've been depressed since you were accused so she's been letting me use it. She's been very kind to me."
Upon hearing Popuri's words, Kai felt guilty about thinking of Sasha as a murderer, though something felt off. "I thought Sasha didn't particularly care about the working class."
Popuri's face was a mixture of sadness, confusion and thought, "it's strange really. Sasha has been acting different since Jack passed away. It's very recent so none of us have even begun to recover. I still think it's odd, she seemed angry with Karen. Poor Karen has been crying none stop since Dr. Trent pronounced Jack was... never going to wake up."
Kai patted Popuri's back softly, tracing circles to ease her crying. "You mean Sasha hasn't been consoling her as much as one would expect from a mother?"
Popuri nodded sadly, "now that you mention it, it's exactly like that." She frowned with guilt, "she's been more kind to me, a maid, than her own daughter."
"Maybe seeing Karen reminds her too much of the event," it was Karen's husband who passed away after all. Kai tried to find some sort of logical justification in Sasha's behavior, but no matter how he looked at it, something was off. Maybe Sasha was feeling frustrated that Karen married Jack, since she had wished that her daughter would marry someone else. Perhaps Sasha was reproaching Karen, thinking that if she had married another man, they would have no one to mourn or maybe... maybe she really was the culprit and was consoling Popuri out of guilt and to keep up appearances, unable to face her own daughter after her crime. Yet Kai found he had a hard time condemning anyone who had shown Popuri kindness in her time of need, when he was not there to offer his support, instead being part of her grief.
Realizing that he was going in mental circles, Kai decided it was best to take care of the task at hand before his ten minutes passed and Clair came to find him. He trusted Popuri and knew she trusted him. Even so, Clair might not be happy that he revealed himself to her. "I'm here looking for clues. There's someone who's helping me prove my innocence."
Popuri's redish amber eyes met Kai's brown orbs and in an instant she offered without hesitation, "I'll help."
xoxox xox xoxox
After searching all over Sasha's art studio, Kai and Popuri didn't find anything that would accuse her. "I should be heading back to the meeting point now. Stay here," Kai finally decided. He hoped Clair's search went better than his.
"I'm coming with you," Popuri insisted with great determination. "I want to meet the person who is helping you; I want to give my thanks."
"No," Kai was firm in his decision and seeing Popuri's frown he added, "please understand, I don't think Clair wants anyone else involved in this and I don't want to break her rules after she has been hiding me..." Kai realized his mistake too late, "I have a big mouth, don't I?"
Popuri's eyes were wide in surprise, "Clair, as in Clair Moon, Karen's cousin? Why would she want to help you? I didn't even think you two were friends."
"We weren't," Kai assured, wondering if he had imagined the hint of jealousy in Popuri's voice. "Actually, I don't think we're friends now either, Clair is not exactly the easiest person to spend time with. Either way, for whatever personal reasons she may have, she wants to find the culprit. I don't understand it either, but I can tell you that it's not about me, it's about uncovering the truth."
"I see, so she's not helping you specifically, she just wants justice," Popuri sighed, "then maybe..." she shook her head as if pushing away her thoughts.
Kai's interest had already been captured and he had to ask, "maybe what? Anything at all could be a clue, so if you know something..."
"It's nothing, just something Karen said some time ago," Popuri recalled, "it was before she and Jack got married. She was having a fit in her room; I don't think she realized how loud she was being. She said something about Clair being a spoiled brat that could have everything she wanted, even if she didn't deserve it, even Jack. The way she said it made me wonder if there was something between Clair and Jack. I've heard nothing but bad things about Clair; maybe she had tried to steal Jack away from Karen."
Kai thought about the option and more so about Clair's possible feelings for Jack. Then he remembered something Clair had told him. 'They say you hurt the ones you love, but that's only when you don't know how to love. I know the difference between that superficial lustful love and true love. I've felt both in the past, neither ever amounts to anything in the end, but true love lets go.'
Remembering her words, Kai couldn't help it but to wonder which was it that Clair had felt for Jack. If his death upset her, then it was reasonable to think that she had feelings for him. In the end Jack married Karen, did Clair let him go? Did she still love him none the less? Kai felt his curiosity for Clair growing, if she truly had been selfless and let Jack pursue Karen. Then, even though he left her for another, she still wanted to avenge him; she wasn't so selfish after all. Maybe she could feel for others, even if she was hard to understand at times. Maybe in payment for her sanctuary, Kai could offer his friendship to help her heal from past wounds.
"Kai?" Popuri's soft voice got Kai out of his thoughts.
"Thanks for telling me everything, at least I have a clue as to why Clair would want to avenge Jack," Kai finally spoke. "Don't tell anyone I was here and don't worry, everything will work out. I have to go now, please stay here, I really don't want to give Clair any reasons to throw me to the police and continue her search for justice on her own. I don't know what jail is like, but I think I rather stick to cleaning and cooking for Clair and not find out."
Popuri nodded, she seemed almost relieved that Clair was making Kai work as it gave their unusual partnership more of a business feeling. She helped him avoid the police until his innocence was proven and he worked in payment. "I understand, even if the culprit is found by Clair of all people, I wouldn't want you to have to wait in jail until then."
"Yeah, neither would I," something told Kai that if he ended up in jail, he wouldn't be getting out any time soon. Clair wanted vengeance more than anything. If he angered her, she would probably let him rot in jail while she carried out her own murderous revenge, seemingly unrelated to his case. If it was in his hands, he would stop her from doing that. By his newly formed theories, she was hurt and someone as temperamental as Clair could be dangerous when dealing with pain. It made her more defensive and her best defense was offense.
xoxox xox xoxox
While Kai had been investigating Sasha's art studio, Clair had gone in a more dangerous mission. She snuck into the largest bedroom of the mansion where Sasha and her husband, Jeff, slept. A small nightlight was plugged to the wall on the husband's side of the bed as he was an uneasy sleeper that often got up in need of a glass of water, a little fresh air or a trip to the bathroom. The small light illuminated the area at the bed side, showing some of the light blue wallpaper, while the rest of the room was shrouded in darkness. The bed and furniture were of polished white painted wood with dark blue details.
Clair immediately headed for the vanity, which held a large mirror and an assortment of facial creams and makeup. Obviously, the majority of the furniture in the room was there for Sasha's benefit. She opened up the drawers one by one finding an assortment of things she wasn't looking for. Jewelry, nail products, hair brushes, combs and accessories. Finally, in the bottom drawer of the vanity, Clair found a music box with a thin slip of paper peeking out from its cover. She pulled it out seeing that it was a small white enveloped addressed to Sasha from Tim Trent. Dr. Trent had treated Jack and had been in the past one of Karen's suitors.
Clair heard Jeff stir and mumble something. She took the music box along with its contents and gently closed the drawer before hastily crawling out of the room. She couldn't open the box, as its sound may alert her uncle, who was out of bed muttering something about being thirsty. Jeff couldn't stand warm water, he had to drink it cool, but not icy, from the refrigerator, or else he claimed it made him nauseous. A lot of things seemed to make him sick to his stomach if his food was not served in a certain way, with only the lightest condiments and very little salt, if any, when his drinks were not a certain temperature, etcetera. Clair knew he would head to the kitchen which she was hoping to search with Kai's help.
The blond young woman, hurried to the kitchen, easily beating the half asleep Jeff there, but Kai had not yet arrived. With the music box still in her arms and that one letter that slipped out hinting at the possibility of others within it in her pocket, Clair hurried to find Kai. She fortunately located him heading down the hall towards the kitchen, when she arrived from a connecting hallway emerging behind him. She silently caught up to him placing her hand on his shoulder.
Kai gasped and jumped in surprise but managed to keep himself quiet. He breathed in relief when he turned around to see Clair, barely perceptible in the darkness, but just clear enough to be recognized. "Change of plans, we're leaving," Clair ordered, leaving no room for argument, not that Kai had any intentions of arguing with the end of their property invasion.
The kitchen search would have to wait for another occasion, if it was even necessary. It was time to leave and investigate the letters. The thought of murder by poison seemed to fit with the background of someone knowledgeable in medicine. Maybe they were accomplices, or maybe not, but it was definitely worth looking into. As for the music box, Sasha wouldn't know what happened to it. Perhaps later, Clair would sneak it back and leave it in the mansion for Sasha to find and believe her husband or someone from the mansion staff had moved it. For the time being, the next step was to retreat and study their findings.
To be Continued
Disclaimer, I don't own Harvest Moon.