At Pseudopolis Yard, Lily was taken to a waiting room and treated to a cup of something that was neither tea nor coffee but some sort of concoction in-between. One sip was quite enough she decided. She pondered whether or not the officers used it to draw out confessions, then her thoughts went back to Otto and she felt sick with worry. Murder? Long in his past she expected there was, but she hadn't exactly acknowledged that directly. What had happened?
"Miss Flach?" Angua again, "Follow me please."
She was taken to an interview room where Otto was seated, thankfully not cuffed, opposite Commander Vimes and Captain Carrot.
"Lily!" he went to get up but the Captain drew himself to his full height, wordlessly indicating that his suspect should remain seated.
"Miss Flach, would you take a seat?" the Captain asked. Vimes was impassive, just watching. She did as she was told, glancing at Otto with a concerned expression. Angua left and waited outside the door, but she was still able to listen in.
"You are aware that the Ohulan Watch detained one Larry Prosper earlier today?" Carrot continued and Lily nodded, "Can you confirm his relationship to you?"
"He was a friend of my brother Neville. My brother arranged for me to marry Larry but I refused."
"I see. What was the nature of your refusal?"
"I told him to stuff it, sir. Then I left to live here in Ankh-Morpork."
There was a barely perceptible twinkle of amusement in the Commander's eye at that.
"How long have you been residing here? Bluffwilder Street isn't it?"
"Just over three months. Sorry, I know you have a job to do, a very important one, but Sergeant Angua said there had been a murder." she looked at the vampire, "I can't believe Otto would ever lose faith in his oath. Because if he did," she swallowed, voice breaking, "he'd lose me."
"Well," Captain Carrot started, but was interrupted by his superior.
"Larry Prosper. The train he was on went into a tunnel, there was a scream and when they came out the other side he was dead." Lily hated Prosper but he was not just a name, she had known him and was horrified, "A vampire had got him." he concluded.
"And you think it was Otto?"
"As yet he's not come up with an alibi for his whereabouts."
"Well, he went to the Times," she looked at him, but Otto did not return her gaze, "Didn't you? After the Commander left you said you were going to the Times." he also said he would never let her come to harm. Had he really done something so stupid?
"That's where we arrested him," The Captain confirmed, "But he was just arriving at that point, a little after 5:30pm"
"So where were you Otto?" Vimes asked firmly.
"No comment." the vampire said, again avoiding Lily's gaze.
"Otto? Come on! Tell them where you were!" she demanded, "I know you didn't do this!" but did she know?
"Are you covering for someone?" Carrot asked.
"No comment."
"Otto!?" Lily's voice became plaintive. It was at this point that the door to the interview room was flung open.
"I did try to stop her Commander!" Angua insisted, as again, at just the most dramatic moment Lady Margolotta appeared.
"He vas viz me," the Lady announced; this time in an angora cardigan, blouse and slacks. The black pearls remained at her neck.
"Could you possibly elaborate?" the Captain asked, surprisingly unruffled by the intrusion.
"On a matter of National Security." she clasped her hands in front of her. "Commander, I believe zer Patrician vill corroborate for me. He vishes to see you now as a matter of fact."
Bloody vampires, Vimes cursed inwardly, the bloody worst of the upper class. "Alright, I'll bite," Vimes jested inappropriately, "but if it wasn't Otto then which one of your lot was it?"
"My lot, as you so put it Commander are all svorn to zer black ribbon."
"I think...I think I might be able to help?" Lily piped up. "Provided the crime scene hasn't been cleaned up yet."
"I'm all ears," Vimes answered.
###
One of Lord Vetinari's carriages awaited the Commander and Margolotta outside the Yard. Vimes was relieved it wasn't Lady M's all-black carriage, the 'creepy coach' as he had come to think of it. They were swiftly carried to their destination, Vimes maintaining a brooding silence. He wasn't a fan of being summoned.
As they were ushered into the Oblong office and the Patrician, Lady Margolotta took the lead. "My Dear Lady," Vetinari took her outstretched hand and kissed it. "Please do sit down Commander." Vimes sat; Lady Margolotta did not. She remained standing next to the Patrician and something struck Sam as odd, different, a little off.
Cutting to the chase, "So, what was this matter of National Security that Chriek was supposed to be occupied with whilst a bloody murder was going on?"
The pair looked at each other with knowing smiles but didn't answer, waiting for the well-worn boot to drop. It took a few moments then Vimes spotted it; the ring on Lady Margolotta's hand, a simple black band. On her left ring finger. Vetinari took off his black leather gloves to reveal an identical ring on the same finger.
"Quiet affair was it?" Vimes responded as coolly as possible.
"Oh Commander are you disappointed you didn't get an invitation? We thought it best to be discreet. Lest other nations feel the special relationship between our two cities is unbalancing the status quo."
"So, Chriek was your wedding iconographer?"
"He did such a luffly job," the now, was she the First Lady? enthused, "And ve knew he could be trusted to keep it qviet."
"Who married you?" although why he was asking, he didn't know.
"Drumknott!" Vetinari smiled, the man himself turned and nodded, "He got himself ordained for the very purpose."
Vimes shook his head imperceptibly, "What about witnesses?" there was Otto, "Don't you need two?"
Vetinari nodded, "And there were." He was clearly not about to reveal the identity of the other person present at the very private ceremony.
"Please keep us informed as to any furzer developments in zis murder case," Lady Margolotta said imperiously, "If a vampire is givink in to it's base urges zen if zere is any chance for rehabilitation..."
"Yes, but in all due respect," Vimes interrupted stony-faced, "if they've committed murder, then the Watch stakes their claim first."