The Inspection of a Curator
DISCLAIMER: All rights belong to Deborah Harkness. Just borrowing the characters for an alternate universe fanfiction story.
SUMMARY: A 1940's Police Inspector gets caught up in the world of rare books when a valuable manuscript is stolen and a murder occurs. Together, with a book curator, this Detective will face obstacles as they traverse the secret world of asylum's, wealth and mystery as well as their blossoming romance.
CREDIT: A huge thank you to Shawna! I wouldn't be the author I am without your editing help, suggestions and ideas!
Chapter SEVEN: Sweeping, Theories & Dinner Dates
By: Goode Girl
~TIOAC~
Matthew had asked everyone to wait in the driveway and a few minutes later the FSI team he'd called arrived. They were sweeping the whole house for any kind of listening devices. Philippe had secured Ashmole in a separate hidden safe outside of the library prior to joining everyone outside. He did inform Baldwin, Philippe and Diana that the tunnels under the manor home lead directly to the asylum.
"Are you certain they've bugged the house?" Baldwin queried, as both he and Matthew watched Diana pace nervously.
"No," he stated, rubbing at the back of his neck apprehensively. "We have no idea how often they entered the house using those secret passages, and if they knew about the one in the library, we can't rule out they wouldn't know of the others." He concluded.
Baldwin nodded in understanding as they watched Marthe approach Diana.
Matthew rubbed a hand over his chin, pensively. "But whoever broke into Diana's office certainly seemed to think that she would have the manuscript." He added, concern showing on his face.
When Matthew didn't hear Baldwin reply right away, he turned to look at him. "I can see the wheels turning in your head, what's on your mind?" He urged.
Baldwin took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. "The break-in to her office makes more sense if there's another person involved in the crime somehow. They didn't take the manuscript, Matthew. So clearly, they wanted her to decipher it, or whatever it is she does, while listening in." Baldwin replied. Matthew nodded in agreement. "But the new question is not only who, but whether they were working together as a trio or against one another." He paused for a moment. ", or two against one." He surmised.
"I'm pretty sure Knox and Gerbert are a team, although we can't know for certain unless we can break one of them." Matthew replied. 'Or Gallowglass can share some information from his undercover work', he thought to himself.
"How do we find the possible third suspect?" Baldwin posed.
"The book was auctioned off, and until we find out how things went at that auction and who lost out on the bid for the book -" Baldwin cut him off.
"I'll get on that tomorrow if you like." He offered. "I know you'll likely have to return here to go over those blueprints to find the passages and all that." He concluded.
"Being that I helped you on your last case, it can't hurt to have some help on this one." Matthew nodded, accepting the help.
"Don't worry about it." Baldwin gave a small nod and both men turned, watching as Marthe approached Diana who had been pacing restlessly since coming outside.
"You need to calm yourself, dear." Marthe tried to comfort, halting Diana's movements.
"If they're listening, then they know, they know!" She replied in fear, a sob threatening to escape. Marthe pulled her into her embrace to settle her. "Shhh, everything will be just fine." Marthe added, her gaze meeting Matthew's. She nodded her head for him to come and give Diana some sort of reassurance of his own. "You have no idea how scary it was, being in that building and hearing someone break in next door!" She cried.
Matthew moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as Marthe stepped back. "I know you're scared." He murmured as she lay her head against his chest. "But you're safe… with me." He murmured, only loud enough for the two of them to hear.
Diana pulled back abruptly realizing how this could look to Baldwin, as she didn't want Matthew to get in any kind of trouble.
"Goodness, I'm a mess. I'm so sorry." Diana apologized, wiping her face before rubbing at her arms. They'd left the house so abruptly at Matthew's insistence, that she hadn't had time to grab her coat.
A car pulled into the drive and parked at the far right. Ysabeau stepped out, looking regal as ever. "What is all this?" She posed, approaching the foursome. "Where's Philippe?" She added.
"Right here, darling." He smiled, emerging from the front door and kissing her on the cheek before addressing their company. "You can all rest easy, they've cleared the top floor and not one listening device was found in the library or any other room on that floor." He relayed. "They're moving down to the next levels as we speak." He concluded before turning to Ysabeau and helping her with her shopping bags from the car. Marthe followed after, leaving Baldwin, Matthew and Diana alone together.
Diana exhaled a breath of relief as she stood next to Matthew, gripping his arm and leaning a little closer for the warmth he was emanating. "So, they don't know the book was returned, but that doesn't make any sense." She interjected, a note of perplexity in her tone.
"What do you mean? You want them to find bugs?" Baldwin questioned.
"No, no, of course not. What I mean is, you've been under the assumption that a certain psychiatrist and his counterpart are behind this." She stated. "But, what if there's someone else, someone you've not identified yet."
"And how on earth did you come to that conclusion based on the fact that no bugs were found?" Baldwin asked in surprise.
"The auction…" She trailed off, looking up at Matthew. "Someone, with money, lost the manuscript to Philippe." She clarified.
Matthew and Baldwin shared a look of understanding. If Diana could come to the same conclusion that they just did, then it felt like a solid theory to move forward with.
"Can you elaborate?" Baldwin urged.
"It doesn't matter if there are two or three perpetrators involved. For all of them, their focus was the manuscript, and one or all of them could have been at that auction." Diana explained. "Unfortunately, Hugh was the innocent bystander who somehow stumbled upon them and became a victim. Likely because he recognized them and would report them." She rationalized out loud, as if speaking to herself. "If they had been complete strangers, why kill him?" She finalized, rubbing her hands together as the chill in the air became more apparent.
"That's a good point. They didn't' have to kill him." Baldwin confirmed.
"While that is very true, we don't know that the death was intentional. Based on the coroner's report, he was hit twice. The first blow was likely to subdue him and the second, well the second for compliance." Matthew explained. "Whoever did the killing likely didn't mean to kill but they hit him at just the right spot on his head." Matthew added.
"Hmmm..." Diana mumbled, sadly.
Matthew wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave a quick squeeze of comfort before releasing her just as quickly. Diana, still being a little chilly, wrapped her hand around his elbow once more.
"I wonder…" Diana interjected.
"What?" Baldwin urged.
"If you're at an auction for a book like the one Philippe secured, then it's pretty clear that you have money." She began.
"Okay," Matthew nodded, ", and?" he queried.
"What if the mysterious possible third person isn't necessarily working with Knox and Gerbert but hired them simply because of the asylum's underground tunnels leading directly to the house with the secret passages." She detailed.
"Shit, that's a huge possibility." Matthew voiced in wonder as he pulled his hat from his head and ran his hand through his hair.
Baldwin nodded. "So, who lost to Philippe in the bidding?" he inserted.
"That, Inspector Montclair, is our next lead." Matthew stated, as Philippe re-emerged from the house, followed shortly thereafter by the head if the FSI team, Miriam Shepherd.
"Matthew," She addressed as Matthew placed his hat back on his head reaching out a hand.
"Miriam, good to see you." He replied as they exchanged a handshake in greeting. "So, nothing was found?" Matthew questioned. Diana stood next to him but removed her hand from his arm, so as not to appear unprofessional as she watched their exchange.
"Nothing at all, which makes it easier for me on the paperwork." She stated. "Unlike that book shop break in." She added.
"You were the lead on the sweep of my office?" Diana interjected.
"Second Story?" She asked in clarification. Diana nodded in reply. "I was. The bugs they used there are rather advanced and unfortunately, no usable prints were found in your office." She explained. "Other than yours." She tacked on.
"Has your team processed the evidence collected from the crime that night?" Matthew interjected.
"Again, no usable prints that didn't already belong to the staff or household. But, we're pretty sure one of the ceramic figures that was placed back on a shelf, was the murder weapon." She relayed. "Traces of blood were present." She added.
"So, they must have been wearing gloves." Baldwin deduced.
"Can I ask you something?" Diana posed.
"Of course," Miriam replied.
"Your team examined the manuscript, is that right?" Diana questioned. "No evidence on it?" She added
"We did. There was no evidence to be found." She explained.
"What would need to be on it for it remain in police custody?" Diana continued. "I mean it didn't have any blood evidence on it from the victim, did it?" She added.
Miriam looked to Matthew as if asking for permission to share this evidence.
"Diana is a consultant on the case, we've been sharing information about the manuscript." He clarified.
"Well, the manuscript being stolen and then found meant we of course, had to process it. The only reason to retain it as evidence is if it was required for further testing due to more evidence being found." She explained. "Nothing was gathered from our analysis that was essential to the case like blood or fingerprints, except for yours and Matthew's, but those are clearly explained away. Therefore, extensive photographs are taken for use later if needed at trial and then it was approved for release back to the owner."
"Thank you," Diana smiled politely, understanding more fully how the focus of the crime itself, the manuscript, could be so quickly released back into the owner's hands.
"That being said, the central focus has now turned to the victim and his murder, so if any blood evidence had been on that book, then it would not have been released. The statue though requires a bit more work."
"Thank you, Ms. Shepherd." Matthew added as she signalled for her team to pack it up.
Baldwin excused himself, to start some research on the auction of Edward Kelley's catalogue. "Diana, shall I?" He hinted, pointing to his car. That uncomfortable feeling Diana first felt when Baldwin picked her up, made a reappearance.
"I'll drive her home. Thanks, Baldwin." Matthew interjected. Baldwin nodded and left the manor home.
…..
After the events at the De Clermont's, Matthew and Diana were in his car headed down the road as the sun was just starting to set. They had a quick conversation with Philippe about going over the blueprints Matthew had acquired at the 'Municipality Building Department Archives' earlier that day, and planned to meet at 10:00AM the next morning to start to map out their locations and access points.
Diana had retrieved her coat before leaving but was still shivering. Matthew noticed and reached over, tugging her hand gently. "Slide over, I can tell you're cold." He advised. She couldn't scoot over fast enough as she cuddled into his side. "I knew you were cold in the drive way and I'm sorry, I just…" He trailed off.
"No, I'm sorry, I was hanging off of you a-" Matthew cut her off.
"You've nothing to be sorry for." He stated, as her hand swept against the lapel of his coat, straightening it. She brushed against something and she pulled her hand back suddenly, her gaze moving up to his face.
"Ahh, yeah, my service weapon." He clarified.
"I've never really been fond of guns." She admitted.
"The safety is on." He tried to alleviate as she leaned against his side once more, her hand moving to straighten his coat when once again, her hand brushed against something and gently, she pulled it free.
"What's this?" She questioned, turning it over in her hands.
He glanced down to see what she was referring to. "A pamphlet from the asylum about the man who built the place. Something Champier." He relayed.
"Hmmm…" Diana murmured as she perused the text. "So, he built it in the 1800's and the manor house," She rattled off as she continued to examine the text. "And he built the tunnels under the two buildings… which is the manor house owned by the De Clermont's." She confirmed.
"It is indeed." He stated.
"You told Philippe about this today?" She asked.
"Uh, yeah, he's actually the one who told me they were used as escape tunnels by the Nazis." He explained and Diana nodded as she continued to read.
"The Nazis knew about the tunnels, but did they know about the secret passages in the house?" She queried.
"That is a very good question. But I can only assume that Knox and Gerbert know because of the asylum. They had to have had access to their own copies of the blueprints." He surmised.
"That makes sense." She murmured as she continued to read. "Oh, Matthew!" Diana exclaimed.
"What is it?" He pressed.
"You don't have to be inside the asylum, or inside the manor house to access these tunnels." She revealed as Matthew stopped at a light before he looked down at the pamphlet as she read the printed biography.
"Listen to this," She started, 'Champier's efforts were for the good of the town as he also implemented access points to the tunnels throughout the streets via man holes (*Map pictured below). These safety access points were built to ensure safe extraction should a medical emergency occur during the transportation of patients. Not all the man hole access points would lead to these tunnels, and were in fact only marked as access points in the tunnels below,' She read, "Did the plans you looked at show this?" She questioned.
"I think it did, I copied them the best I could, -" He was cut off when a car horn honked behind him as the light was now green.
They continued for a few minutes in silence, as though they were processing the new information. Diana rested her head against his shoulder.
"Are you hungry?" Matthew questioned, as he continued to make a point to keep both hands on the steering wheel.
"Goodness, I'm starving." She giggled, turning to look at him and resting her chin on his shoulder. "What are you thinking?" She added, moving her hand to run through the hair at the back of his head below the rim of his hat.
"I thought that Italian place about two blocks up from the station. I've got the prints with me; we can look at them and well…" He trailed off.
"Have a dinner date?" She offered with a smile before leaning up to kiss his cheek before moving back to her original seat on the other side of the car. Matthew smiled and glanced at her.
"Dinner date," He mused. "Yes, it is." He grinned before turning onto the main road that would take them to said restaurant.
Matthew parked a block and a half up from the restaurant, and went to open Diana's door. She was still finishing her perusal of the pamphlet when the cool air from the open door finally caught her attention.
"Oh! Sorry, I was so caught up in this." She smiled as she took his offered hand while slipping the pamphlet back into his pocket.
"For two?" The hostess greeted and Matthew confirmed with a nod of his head as he removed his hat.
They were seated at a booth in the back corner. Matthew helped her off with her jacket before removing his own and sliding into the booth. Diana slid in on the opposite side and kept scooting until they were almost side by side.
"Your server will be with you shortly." The hostess smiled before laying two menus on the table and returning to her post.
They each ordered a pasta dish and some wine before Matthew pulled out his copied blueprints. He scooted just a little closer to Diana so she could see them more clearly and his leg brushed against hers under the table. Instead of pulling it away, he kept it where it was. She smiled while looking down at the prints, enjoying the simplicity of the physical contact.
"These here," he indicated, ", were on the prints and simply said 'access' on the archive copy." Matthew informed as he pointed out the circular like marks on the street view of his ill-drawn copy.
"Where's that pamphlet? It has some on it, so we can lay it over this and match up the street names, which you've…" She trailed off.
"Shit, neglected to add. Damnit." He retorted in frustration as he reached to his coat for the pamphlet.
"It's fine," She giggled as he handed over the pamphlet. Diana placed her hand on his knee under the table and squeezed.
"You're laughing at me, I can tell." He smiled in return, running a hand through his hair, while the other joined hers under the table. He clasped her hand in his, running his thumb over palm soothingly.
"You are so cute when you're flustered." She smiled, cupping his cheek as their server approached with their wine choice.
With wine poured, they looked back at the prints and found the correlation on Matthew's sketched version to the printed map in the pamphlet and could now determine the man hole access points. One of which was outside the main gates to the De Clermont manor home.
A few moments later their server brought out their dinner orders and placed the hot dishes before each of them before asking if there was anything else they needed. They politely declined before digging in and enjoying their meals as time passed in silence.
"This is really good." Matthew commented. "How's yours?" He asked, sipping from his wine.
"It's great." She murmured in response, pushing the last remnants of her uneaten dinner across her plate with her fork.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He prodded, his hand moving over hers to stop the fork.
"I'm scared, Matthew." Diana confessed as she pushed her almost empty plate to the side.
Matthew moved his plate to the side as well before looking at her and taking her hand in his. "I figured you were upset about something more than the idea that there were possible bugs in the house." He surmised. "You kinda seemed panicked in the driveway earlier, but Marthe seemed to calm you down." He added, brushing her hair out of her face.
"I don't think Knox or that other one bugged my office." She confessed. "And I think that they will come back, for what I don't know, but I'm scared." She added as he tugged her against him, his arm moving around her shoulders.
"I know you are, sweetheart. I wish I could make it better." He stated as she lay her head against his chest.
"You already are…making it better that is." She replied, enjoying their closeness. "I know it's irrational. I mean one break in doesn't mean two." She rationalized.
"Typically, that would be correct, but whoever broke in wants to listen in on you." He clarified. "So, the chances of a second are heightened."
"Okay, now you are not making it better." She stated with a small nervous laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" He posed, his hand moving down her back and around her waist.
"These have been some of the craziest days of my life, and all I can think about is…" She trailed off, biting at her lip as her gaze met his.
"Think about what?" He murmured, raising a hand to cup her cheek.
"Kissing you." She whispered in reply. Her eyes drifted to his lips before meeting his intense stare once more.
The second their eyes met, his lips were on hers, kissing her urgently. Her hands gripped at his arms as their lips found a rhythm. After a few moments, he pulled away reluctantly and rested his forehead against hers.
"We're still in public, we should tone it down." He stated, smirking at her as a blush crossed her cheeks before scanning the other patrons in the restaurant to see if anyone was paying them any attention.
"Right, of course." She replied, leaning over to kiss his cheek.
Their server made an appearance just then and offered them dessert, which they politely declined. With their bill paid, they grabbed their coats, and Matthew helped Diana on with hers, before pulling on his own. Diana picked up his hat and gleefully signalled for him to crouch so she could place it on his head in a nostalgic nod to their first kiss outside her office and flat, before giving him a quick peck on the lips.
The drive to Diana's flat was in a comfortable silence as she reclaimed her seat closest to Matthew as he drove. Her hand looped around his elbow and his hand on her knee.
They were only a few minutes away from her building when a light bulb seemed to go off in Diana's mind.
"OHMYGOD!" She announced in a loud whisper.
"What is it?" He asked in concern, pulling the car up in front of her building.
"Dinner, that night you said Knox felt ill right?" Diana urged.
"Yes, he left just after dinner." Matthew confirmed.
"Matthew, I know how they did it!" She exclaimed excitedly.
…..
