What's this? I'm uploading a chapter without a three to four month wait?

It's a miracle XD

Anyway, I'm surprised this chapter happened so fast. And, if there are any typos, just bear with me, my keyboard is doing a thing.

Enjoy!

~Goldie

"Where's the key?"

Wadsworth stares for a moment, then snaps back in focus and feels around in his pockets, "The key's gone!"

"Never mind about the key! Unlock the door!" The Professor shouts, enticing me to respond with greater volume, grabbing his collar and shaking him,

"I can't unlock the door without the key!"

I turn toward the door, pounding on it, "Let us in, let us in!" with a startled Mustard and Scarlet banging as well, "Let us out! Let us out!"

That is when Wadsworth attempts to ram down the door, but fails miserably-and painfully. Did he seriously think running head on into a thick, wooden door was a good idea? Watching him cringe and hobble away from the door, I rush over and begin rubbing his hurt shoulder. I can't heal his ego, so I might as well do the next best thing. He relaxes under my grasp, just to tense up again when Yvette comes tiptoeing out of the Study, brandishing a revolver. The rest of the group becomes aware when she trips and accidentally fires a bullet at the rope holding the chandelier above us. Recovering gracefully, she fires at the lounge door, hitting the locks with startling accuracy.

From the room, Mustard's panicked voice is heard. "I've been shot. I've been shot!"

"Come out, the door is open!" The maid announces with her thick French accent.

Mustard and Scarlet stumble out, the colonel unharmed and furious with Yvette's reckless actions. "Why are you shooting that thing at us?"

"To get you out!"

"You could've killed me! I could've been killed!" The mustache man fumed. I noticed the chandelier above his head spinning precariously, due to the misfired bullet slicing the rope holding it up in half. Opening my mouth to warn him, I just couldn't find the words. "I can't take any more scares…"

Just as he says that, he takes a couple of steps forward, and the chandelier falls. It shatters in the exact spot Mustard was in a moment ago and the sound of breaking glass echoes in the main hall, causing everyone to jump. The said war veteran clutched his chest, sitting down for a breather. The shock must have been immense. I look towards Wadsworth, then to the broken light fixture now on the ground. Great. Now what?

A moment of silence is given so everyone may take a soothing breath. After, Scarlet catches everyone's attention with a shriek of "But look!" Pointing to inside the lounge, we all see what was the cause of panic. The motorist was lying on the floor, blood trickling from his head. Another dead body.

Peachy.

"Which one of you killed him?" Peacock said, voice filled with menacing accusation.

Trying to make a case of their innocence, Scarlet replied "We found him! Together!"

"How did you get in?" I spoke up, asking the question on the rest of the guest's minds, "The door was locked!"

"It's a great trick." White remarked. It was difficult to tell whether she was impressed or sarcastic about the matter.

"There's a secret passageway from the Conservatory!"

The group looked towards the fireplace inside the lounge, now spun sideways and revealing a dark and damp tunnel. Plum pointed to the gun that was still in Yvette's possession. "Is that the same gun?" Peacock, an incredulous look on her face, stepped closer to the revolver-wielding maid, "From the cupboard?"

"But it was locked…"

"No," the blonde Frenchwoman interrupted, "Eet was unlocked!"

I pale drastically. The weapons aren't safe anymore? That couldn't be! Wadsworth locked them up and threw away the key, we all saw that! The butler joined me and Plum, already gathered around Yvette. I-as well as the two men alongside me- exclaimed "Unlocked?!"

"But yes! See for yourselves!" Yvette ran toward the study, quickly followed by Plum. Wadsworth and I shared a look of panic, running after the two-the group following after us. Noting the discarded gun Yvette threw under the shattered chandelier, we all gathered in front of the wide-open cupboard.

"How did you know it was unlocked?" Peacock jabbed Yvette with her sharp tone.

"I didn't! I'd think I would break it open, but it was open already!"

"A likely story." The senator's wife obviously didn't believe her, but that was understandable. The thick tension in the air was cut by the shrill ring of the doorbell. Everyone jumped at the sudden sound, panicking silently.

"…maybe they'll just go away." Scarlet muttered to no one in particular. The guests held their breath, letting a moment pass.

As it rang again, sighs of disbelief filled the room. I can't take this much longer, this whole night is just getting ridiculous. "I'm going to open it." I stated, earning a shocked look from most, as well as a yelp of "Why?!" from Scarlet. I scoffed, shouting afterwards, "I have nothing to hide! I didn't do it!" Walking briskly to Wadsworth, I back him up against the wall and held my palm out expectantly.

"The key." I demand.

The strict and serious tone in my voice surprised me, but I wouldn't let anyone see that. Apparently, it surprised the butler as well…his eyes wide, hands shaking.

Not out of fear.

It must have been something else.

Adrenaline, maybe? Who knows.

Clenching my hand into a fist, I repeat my demand again.

"The. Key."

His dilated eyes meet mine briefly, but he hurriedly looks away. A blush dusts his cheeks as he fished around in his pockets, finally slapping the key into my hand.

"Thank you." My hand grasps the key while I walk to the front door. Unlocking it, I open it to see a policeman standing there. He politely addresses me, "Good evening sir-" Having a last minute moment of panic, I shut the door in the kind man's face. 'Geez, that was rude. Take a deep breath, and try again.'

I open the door, putting on a smile as the rest of the guests crowd around behind me. "Yes?"

"Uh, I found an abandoned car down near the gates of this house…did the drive come here for help, by any chance?"

I roll my eyes as I hear a chorus of "No, no." and "Nu-uh." from behind me. I sigh.

"Well, actually, yes."

"NO!"

The policeman looks confused. Eyeing the crowd behind me he scratches his head, hesitantly saying "There seems to be some confusion."

"No! No, not really." Everyone chimes.

Grinning, I nod. "Yes."

"Uh, can I come in and use your phone?"

The cop asked the same question the motorist did-what if he ends up dead, too? Can we let him in and risk that happening? With my mouth wide open, I try to come up with an answer for the nice lawman. But before I can, Wadsworth pushes his way through the crown and stands at my side, addressing the cop.

"Of course you may, sir!"

Should we really let him in?

…I guess it's not my decision to make.

Continuing, Wadsworth clasps his hands together. "You may use the one in the Lou-no…you could use the one in the Stu-er, no…would you be kind enough to wait in the…in the, uh, um, Library?"

"…sure."

The policeman walks inside and I shut the door behind him as he asks Yvette if they've met before. She shrugs, and the cop turns to me and the others. "Anyway," he changes the subject, "You all seem to be anxious about something."

Wadsworth steps towards him, "Uh, it's the chandelier. It fell and almost killed us!" He led the cop to the library, nonchalantly pointing to Scarlet and Plum. They rush over and close the doors to the Study and Lounge, attempting to drive attention away from said rooms. But the loud bang the doors created did exactly the opposite. An alarmed look on his face, the dashing butler shook his head and smiled at the lawman.

"Frightfully drafty, these old houses." He laughed awkwardly and gestured to the open Library. 'Nice save there. Could you have been any more obvious?' I smirk at the lithe figure at the Library's doorway. The policeman walked inside, looking around.

"Please help yourself to a drink, if you'd like." Wadsworth offers, grabbing the door handles and slowly pulling them closed.

"Not the cognac, just in case!"

"Just in case of what?" I hear the cop ask, but he was given no answer as Wadsworth shut the doors and locked them. Hastily walking towards the group of guests, Wadsworth gives a panicked whisper. "What now?!"

I stood straight up (no pun intended), giving him a glance before looking around at the others, feeling sick. "We should have told him."

The group groans, and Peacock mutters "Oh, of course you say that now…"

"I said it then!" My voice rose louder than I'd like to admit, and everyone simultaneously shushed me. Shrinking back slightly, I sighed. How did the night go from dinner and strawberries from a…er, eye-catching butler, to three dead bodies?

"Let's get this cleaned up." The mentioned 'eye-catching' butler points to the broken glass chandelier on the floor. We begin picking up glass, but Yvette took Plum and Mustard and had them help her carry brooms to clean up the mess. I grab one, nodding in thanks. As we sweep, I dare to start up conversation.

"…who'd have thought things would've gotten so crazy, huh?"

A couple of scattered "Mmhm."s were given. I sigh, seeing my attempt as a failure.

"Let us hope no one else will be killed. That'd be a shame."

I keep sweeping, smiling at Wadsworth's comment. Wanting to keep the conversation alive, I jokingly reply "Three bodies is a party, four is a massacre. Anything greater than that is just ridiculous." He smirks, giving me a look of amusement.

At least someone is helping me keep the mood light.

Everyone else is in their own little world; Scarlet seems to have gotten an idea of some sorts. Maybe because of my joke?

I return Wadsworth's smile. It seems to be the only thing I can do right now. His eyes don't stray away from mine when they should have, and we become trapped in each other's gaze. I can't recall exactly when I stopped sweeping, but it doesn't matter much.

The ringing of a telephone in the house breaks us out of our stupor, and I blush.

It rings three, four times-and then nothing.

"Maybe the cop answered it!" Wadsworth whispered to us.

We all strain to hear what was being said in the library, when the cop began banging on the door and shouting.

"Let me out of here! Let me out, you have no right to shut me in! I'll book you for false arrest, and wrongful imprisonment, and obstructing an officer in the course of his duty, and murder!"