Chapter Twenty-Three: Interviews

…

Although he had gone home early, Link had not slept well the previous evening. He spent most of the time trying to wrap his mind around the idea of stealing organs. It was a very unique concept, one which he was not likely to encounter ever again. Unfortunately, this also meant that he had no idea of why someone's internal organs would be stolen. This was in addition to the fact that the organs were taken in a way that left no visible marks. How was that supposed to be investigated? Could it be that maybe, rather than removed, the organs could have been destroyed? He would have to hope not; those organs would surely connect their current owner to Yoanna Merrill's murder. Then again, he wondered if she could have been given something that would cause her organs to dissolve. However, that only raised the question of why. Was there further evidence inside Yoanna Merrill's body that the killer wanted to remove? What could it possibly be, and why would it be inside of Yoanna? It took Link finally reading into conspiracy to make him realize that his speculating on the case was beginning to spiral into madness. By all observations, there could not have been any kind of criminal activity that would rationalize killing Merrill's teenage daughter nor was it any likelier that she stumbled into something that she should not have. He dismissed the rest of his thoughts and picked up his alarm clock to check it in the sliver of moonlight that was still shining through the only window in his apartment. Nearly three hours past midnight, at least that was what it appeared to be on the clock's dirty face. He set the clock back down, eliciting a short ring of objection from the device, and flipped to stare at the wall. He would have to get up in another four hours, and he could tell he was going to be miserable. He tried to focus his mind on anything not related to the Watch; it clearly was not doing him any good dwelling on the case.

He rose from bed two hours later and readied himself for his shift early.

This was not Link's first time not getting sleep because of something that happened at the Watch. There had been a few incidents that left him wondering late at night. However, he had learned that he could only do his job and not much else; being what was effectively a grunt on the streets had rarely let him see a situation reach a resolution. This was a case, though, and it was gnawing at him that there did not seem to be any motive.

He coped by finding a small coffee shop that was open in the early morning and used his meager salary to by a cup of straight coffee. He drank on the way to Watch Headquarters. After the usual bout with the lobby, he walked into the Homicide office. Chief Inspector Winterbean, who was in charge of the night shift when Wheatfield clocked out for the evening, asked Link what he was doing there and warned Link that he was not supposed to sign in for his shift early. Link, with a fresh bout of energy courtesy of a disgusting cup of strong coffee, explained that he was just going to sit somewhere and plan out questions for the Merrill household. An hour and a half later saw a wastebin full of crumpled paper due to Link's frustration making him write down questions that would very likely have him thrown out of Merrill's house and, upon realizing what he was writing, throw the paper away. When Wheatfield showed up, Link immediately clocked in after him.

Navi walked into the office not too long afterward and, after signing in for her shift, noticed the wastebin next to her desk. "Constable, I hope there's a reason my trash basket looks like Snowpeak Top," she told him, her arms crossed and her hair tinged a dark shade of red.

"Uuuuh…" Link droned as he looked around the side of the desk. "There is, but you're probably not gonna like it."

"Do you want to explain anyway?" Navi asked.

"Not really."

"Constable Fieldview."

Link heaved a sigh. "Okay, look, I couldn't get any sleep last night, so I showed up early and started thinkin' up questions to ask. It was the only thing I could do to pass the time."

"He's been here for nearly two hours," Chief Inspector Winterbean, a short, stout man wearing a white, wrinkled shirt and black work trousers, said as he stepped up behind Navi. "He looks like he dosed himself on coffee."

"Yeah, I had a feeling, sir," Navi said, angling her head as if she was just noticing the dark circles around Link's eyes. "Constable, don't tell me you're letting this case get to you."

"Look, it just doesn't make sense," Link replied, one elbow planted on the desk so that he could hold the side of his head in frustration. "Everything we have so far says that this girl shouldn't be dead."

"Sometimes the motive doesn't matter as much as you think, Constable," Winterbean said. "Working Homicide for about ten years myself, I've learned that people can kill one another for little or no reason at all."

"That works for an accident on the street, sir," Link said. "This girl was killed by a professional, and we don't know why."

"A hired gun doesn't necessarily need to ask why," Winterbean countered. "It's all about the money."

Navi rounded the desk and looked at the paper in front of Link. "Well, I'll give you this, Constable," she said. "This is a pretty standard battery of questions, maybe a few that pushes the investigation a little. This one, though…" She picked up a pen and struck a line through the paper. "… That doesn't need to get asked."

Link glanced down at the question she had struck out. "Why?" he asked.

"Because any insinuation that the daughter of a noble hired a gunman to kill herself is a good way to make them angry. Suicide is only found in Houses run by madmen, and Marcus Merrill will most certainly not appreciate the idea."

"She has a point, Constable," Winterbean said.

Link rubbed his forehead. "Yeah… but it's the only way some things seem to make sense."

"Then we need to ask in a way that does not make the idea apparent," Navi told him. "We can ask Lord Merrill what kind of funds she had access to or what she usually spent money on, anything that won't hint that she may have arranged this herself."

"Why would you think this might have been a suicide, anyway?" Winterbean asked.

"Well, not much, really," Link admitted. "It was just… something I was toyin' with earlier. It might fit things together, but… it doesn't really account for her organs being gone."

Winterbean put on a stunned look. "Wait, what?"

"The coroner opened her up and discovered that all of her internal organs have gone missing, sir," Navi told him. "We're still waiting to see if she has any follow-up, but… I doubt it."

Winterbean shrugged a shoulder and suggested, "Could it have been done with magic?"

"I cannot imagine any sort of magic that would cause this, sir," Navi said. Then, as she started scratching her head, she added, "Admittedly, my knowledge of magic isn't the best these days. I don't really recall any sort of spell or creature that could extract a human's organs so completely. If it was a complete evisceration, I could probably name a few. But I can't think of any magic that has surgical precision as one of its attributes; I've never known anyone with that kind of talent."

"But could magic do this?" Wheatfield asked as he stepped closer to the group. "I don't mean if you've seen it, I mean do you think magic could have taken her organs out?"

"Maybe, sir," Navi said. "But our key point is Justine's report. She said where the girl's throat would have been connected, the tissue is atrophied. Magic doesn't cause that; magic would just take the organs and leave her remains untouched. According to Justine, Yoanna Merrill's organs have been missing for a while."

Winterbean glanced between Link and Navi for a moment. Then he let a sigh out through his lips. "Okay, Superintendent," he said as he turned for the door. He clapped Wheatfield on the shoulder as he walked by. "I'm clocking out and leaving before my head explodes."

"Wish I could go with you…" Wheatfield grumbled at him.

Navi glanced at a clock over Wheatfield's desk. "Sir, we'll need a couple more officers and a carriage," she said.

"Want a cage wagon, too?" Wheatfield asked.

Navi shook her head. "If they think we're there to arrest someone, they might get spooked and disappear, sir. We'll just try to make it a quick interview."

…

An hour later, Link and Navi, along with two other officers and Constable White, stopped at the front of the Merrills' property. Once inside, Miss Bisset escorted them to a small study off the parlor at the front of the house. She had already arranged chairs for them at a rectangular conference table. There, they found a list of the family and servants living on the property as well as a handwritten copy of Yoanna Merrill's calendar. Navi had the extra officers remain at the doorway with orders to detain anyone trying to enter or leave the room without being told. Constable White had been instructed to investigate anyone she happened to spot sneaking around the property as she sat with the carriage. Link and Navi went over the list before they started calling people in.

Marcus Merrill, 43.

Claire Merrill, 42.

Jane Bisset, 38. Head of housekeeping, custodian, and lady's maid.

Kyle Oberg, 63. Butler.

Tawry Beldter, 38. Chambermaid.

Addel Coldwater, 36. Parlor maid.

Jean Vale, 45. Parlor maid and laundress.

Liis Weaver, 32. Nanny to Cirilo Merrill.

Ander Wayne, 51. Coachman.

Milia Wayne, 47. Storeroom maid.

Tessio Wayne, 24. Stable boy.

Baldric Goodwind, 38. Cook.

Talita Macon, 24. Kitchen maid.

Dace Bander, 27. Kitchen maid.

Tamas Quinn, 23. Groundskeeper.

Brent Stonebridge, 49. Groundskeeper.

Horward Irons, 48. Gatekeeper.

Eyden Beigh, 39. Gatekeeper.

Char Oliand, 35. Porter.

Please note that the following does not reflect the manner in which each of these above individuals were interviewed. Link and Navi asked the same or a similar battery of questions to each person consecutively and only recalled a handful of interviewees for clarity on a previous response. However, only a few individuals gave responses of any interest to Link and Navi while the rest of the interviews were full of either short responses corroborated by others or answers in which the individual was unfamiliar with a particular fact. In lieu of presenting a long section of interviews, the following presents each question and relevant or colorful responses given by each individual and only presents dialogue when Link or Navi had a follow-up question.

…

Can you account for your whereabouts on the morning Yoanna Merrill was killed?

Most answered that they had been at the house.

…

"Asleep in the servants' quarters," answered Eyden Beigh, a bleary-eyed man who wobbled as he rested against the back of the chair.

"Asleep?" Navi asked.

Mr. Beigh nodded and snorted before using a palm to wipe his nose. "I'm… I watch the gate at nights. Mister Irons relieves me before sunrise."

"Can anyone vouch for you?" Navi asked.

Mr. Beigh nodded again and said, "I usually get a snack from the kitchen before I head to my room; Mister Goodwind knows I do it every day." Mr. Goodwind, when later asked, confirmed Mr. Beigh's account as part of their routine.

…

"Over at the flower shop on Green Road," Brent Stonebridge, a lanky, grizzled man, replied.

"The flower shop?" Navi repeated. "In the morning?"

"I have serious problems with mobility," Stonebridge replied. "I have to walk in the morning so I can pick up an order for Lady Merrill and have them planted before it gets dark."

"How long is that walk?" Link asked.

"About two hours there, two hours back," Stonebridge said.

"Do you ever take a horse to make the trip easier?" Link asked.

"Constable, my horse looks about as old as I am," Stonebridge answered with a chuckle. "He doesn't do good riding unless he's carrying a kid. Won't go very far from the house, either; I think he's trying to court Miss Merrill's mare. Between you and me…" He leaned forward and whispered. "… He has about as much chance of breeding as I do. That sorrel won't give him the time of day."

"I am sure your horse appreciates you not exposing his lack of aptitude in intimacy, Mister Stonebridge," Navi commented while her hair flickered to a lighter shade of blue. Mr. Stonebridge just chuckled in response.

"What about a carriage?" Link asked.

Mr. Stonebridge shook his head. "Miss Merrill had already taken the carriage by the time I had to leave this morning. Not that I'd be able to use it; Lord Merrill reserves that for the family's business mostly. The best any of us staff has is an old wagon behind our quarters, and I can't hitch that up on my own. It's less trouble to just walk."

…

Have you noticed anyone suspicious on the property or nearby? Either that day or at any other time?

"Well, I saw Tessio lingering around the stables a few nights ago," said Tamas Quinn, a spry young man who seemed to bounce in his chair on occasion.

"Tessio Wayne?" Link asked. "The stable boy?"

Tamas cringed. "Oooh, I forgot about that…"

…

"The house is sort of on the border between the district and the rest of the Adages," answered Horward Irons, a heavyset man in a black uniform-like outfit. "Eyden and I see a bunch of people going back and forth, some walking, some riding."

"Anybody stick out?" Link asked.

"Well, most of the people walking up and down the road are usually servants from other Houses. Some of them are friendly enough. But it's not like they stop to have a conversation with me. Many just nod or say hello if they happen to be on this side of the street, and they just go on. You know, these people have jobs, and some of the bosses around here can be pretty rotten."

"Has anyone stopped to chat with you?" Link asked. "Possibly… distractin' you?"

Mr. Irons shook his head and said, "Nah, no one's done that for years."

…

"Sorry, Detective," said Eyden Beigh. "By the time I take over, about all I see is maybe a stray animal or two slinking around at night. We have a small whistle in the gatehouse that I'll blow to warn them away, but… well, you know, some of these small creatures will squeeze through the fence anyway."

"Do you have to go chase them?" Link asked.

Mr. Beigh paused to rub his eyes. "No," he said. "I did once, but Lord Merrill chewed me out for it, so I just stay by the gate. If I get a chance, I warn Mister Irons or pass word to Tamas before I go to bed.

…

What was your relationship like with Yoanna Merrill?

"I have managed Miss Yoanna's schedule since she was old enough to write," Miss Bisset explained. "I used to wait on Lady Merrill exclusively, but I have been waiting on Miss Yoanna as well for a few years now."

"Has there been any… personal things that she has shared with you?" Navi asked. "Anything that she might not be inclined to share with her parents?"

"With me, perhaps not," Miss Bisset replied. "While I have aided Miss Yoanna through the…" She paused and took note of Link standing over Navi's shoulder. "… difficulties of womanhood, I feel that she found me too old to be a confidant in her personal affairs."

"Any idea who might have been?" Link asked.

"I would have to guess Talita Macon, one of the kitchen maids," Miss Bisset replied. "They are only four years apart in age."

…

"Well, I suppose we were friends," answered Talita Macon, a slightly plump young woman with her hair cropped to just above her shoulders. "We didn't really do the kinds of things you'd expect friends to do, but it wasn't like she bossed me around a whole lot, either. She would ask me about things in the kitchen, usually if she was feeling peckish. She would sometimes come chat with me and Dace when things are running slow."

"What would you talk about?" Navi asked.

"Well, she wasn't really forward about it," Talita said, "but I think she might've had a crush on Tessio."

"The stable boy?" Navi asked, checking the list in front of her.

Talita nodded. "I think she said she thought he looked handsome whenever he's handling Timber," she said.

"Timber?" Link asked.

"Her horse," Talita clarified. "I personally can't see what the appeal is; I couldn't stand being around a boy that smells like manure all day."

…

"Absolutely nothing!" Tessio Wayne answered, throwing up his well-built arms in frustration. "Man, I just haven't made it anywhere with her! It's like she ignores me on purpose!"

"Well, I'm sure there's a small issue of station to consider," Link pointed out.

"I didn't think anything like that would bother her!" Tessio replied. "I glance in the kitchen window, I know they're talking about me! What does a guy have to do to attract some attention?"

"You could try being forward about it," Link suggested.

Navi looked over her shoulder at him. "This is coming from the officer who is in constant pursuit of a pickpocket?" she asked him.

"I'm just sayin' it'd be easier to go for it," Link said. "You can't just wait around thinking that lookin' sexy is gonna get you a relationship."

"Constable, this is hardly the time to be giving relationship advice," Navi said. "We are here on a homicide investigation."

"Wait, wait," Tessio said as he leaned his dirty elbows on the table. "You think that would work? Just… talk to her?" Navi groaned and covered her face with a hand.

"Well… you might wanna look at the situation a little better," Link said. "Yoanna Merrill's dead."

Tessio grimaced. "Oh, yeah…" he said. "Yeah, this might not be a good time… You think she'll be okay after a week?"

Link gave him a stupid look. "What?"

"Two weeks?" Tessio suggested, causing Navi to uncover here face to show a confounded look capped by her hair turning purple.

Link paused before asking, "You know we're asking about your relationship with Yoanna Merrill, right?"

Tessio put on a concerned look. "Oh, you were talking about Yoanna…"

"Who were you talking about?" Navi asked.

"Ap—… no one?"

…

"I think we're friendly enough," said Tamas Quinn. "I mean, we've exchanged a few words in passing, and I think she likes it when I'm around."

"What makes you say that?" Navi asked.

"Well, she brings me something to drink whenever it gets hot outside," Tamas said. "And she always accepts the flowers that I bring her from the garden. She set them in her room; she has a vase set right in the window."

"Are you friendly, or are you friendly?" Link asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Well… do you think I have a shot?" Tamas asked.

"Even though she's dead?" Navi asked.

Tamas put on a confused look. "Talita's dead?"

"No!" Navi snapped. "Yoanna Merrill, your employer's daughter! Who do you think we've been talking about this whole time!?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Tamas cried, shoving his chair backwards as if he intended to bolt. Link snorted and ducked behind Navi to hide his face.

"Would you rein in your hormones for two minutes?!" Then she heard Link sniggering behind her and hollered at him, "Oh, stop it!"

…

Do you have any contact with others in House Merrill, such as the plantation or the factory?

Marcus Merrill raised an eyebrow. "You have been pretty thorough if you've been asking about my other property," he commented to Navi. "Why do you ask?"

"We are concerned that, if someone has been stalking your daughter, they may have done it through someone who frequently visits the house," Navi explained. "It might explain why no one suspicious has been noticed on the property."

Lord Merrill nodded. "I suppose that is a reasonable assumption," he admitted. "However, ultimately, I'm afraid nothing will come of it. I meet with both the plantation and factory managers about once a month. They send their secretaries if something has come up and I must be notified right away. I generally see them in this study, and then I see them out the door; they are never alone in this house."

"Do they have any assistants that they bring over?" Navi asked.

"None other than their secretaries, and they never leave this room. The staff does not have much contact with them; I usually have drinks waiting if I feel it necessary, but not many other than Miss Bisset have ever seen them."

"Do any of them know Yoanna?"

"Yoanna has come to the study on occasion when they're here. I had intended to start inviting her to these meetings so that she could start learning how to manage them. She's never formally met them otherwise."

"Have there been any employees that have been… problematic?"

"Not frequently. If you suspect that one of my former employees might have done this, I couldn't begin to tell you who. Most of them are either out to get me or one of the managers; no one has ever threatened my daughter."

"Nevertheless, my lord, are there any employees that you suspect might have decided to kill your daughter?"

Lord Merrill shook his head. "Neither I nor my managers have had to fire anyone for months, so I don't think there's anyone seeking vengeance on me at the moment."

…

What kind of funds did Yoanna have access to? (This question was only asked to Marcus and Claire Merrill.)

When Navi posed the question, Marcus Merrill frowned at her. "How is this relevant to her death?" he asked.

"Well, it would seem reasonable to assume she might have had some money on her when she was killed," Navi replied. "It seems the only thing on her person when she was killed was her signet ring and a necklace; no wallet. It may be possible she was robbed after she was killed."

"I see…" Lord Merrill said as he settled against the back of his chair with his arms crossed. He eyed the two officers in front of him for a moment. "Well… she mostly came to me to ask for whatever money she needs. As far as I know, she didn't keep much with her."

"Did she take some money with her the day she was killed?" Navi asked.

Lord Merrill's frown grew deeper as he thought. "Now that you mention it, I don't believe she did," he answered.

"Could she have approached your wife for the money?" Navi asked.

"I suppose that's possible," Merrill said. "Sometimes it seems to be easier for her to go to Claire than come to me. I know I was looking over the financial records for my company that morning, so she may have just decided to see her mother."

…

"Yoanna rarely ever seemed to carry money with her," Claire Merrill said. "She would often ask us before she leaves if she needed some money."

"You keep money with you?" Navi asked.

"My husband gives me an allowance to spend on things for the house," Lady Merrill replied. "I am not in the habit of spending it all, so I occasionally have a little set aside for odd things here and there."

"Did Yoanna approach you for money that morning?" Navi asked.

Lady Merrill shook her head. "No, she did not. I assume she asked her father for some before she left."

"How much does she usually ask for whenever she goes to get her hair dressed?" Link asked, interrupting Navi before she could ask another question.

"Usually, she asks for about fifty rupees," Lady Merrill replied. "She uses a few coins for the bakery, and then she usually gives the rest to Madame Blue, thirty-five for the appointment and then the rest is a tip."

"Does she have a purse that she carries around?" Link asked.

"She had a purse when she was younger," Lady Merrill said. "She hasn't used it for a couple years; she just carries the money in a pocket. She once told me that it was too easy for a pickpocket to take a purse; having the rupees loose in a pocket, the pickpocket would either steal only part of the money or be caught trying to fit their whole hand into the pocket."

"A sound theory," Navi admitted. Link, however, looked away to cover the contemplative look on his face.

…

The interviews concluded just a little before noon, and the Watch officers returned straight to headquarters. Once Link and Navi were in the squad room, Navi moved over to her desk and set the notes she had been taking on top of the other paperwork piled on her desk. Then she fell heavily into her chair while Link leaned a hip on one side of the desk.

"How did it go?" Wheatland asked as he approached the desk.

"Not very well, sir," Navi replied. "Other than uncovering a love war between a stable boy and a groundskeeper, there is almost nothing of interest going on in the Merrill house."

"I had a question," Link said.

"Yes, Constable?" Navi asked.

"Are you sure Yoanna Merrill didn't have any money on her when she was found?"

Navi moved to a small stack of papers and pulled out the transport form. She handed it to Link and explained as he looked at it, "When Graves picked her up, both Keporra and Sergeant Marlow verified her belongings before passing her body to the next person. It's standard procedure; we've had dirty officers steal money from corpses before."

"So, assuming neither one lied on the form…" Link said as he noted the only things in the "Possessions" box was her family's signet ring and a gold chain necklace. "Where's the money for the salon?"

"Hm?" Wheatland grunted while Navi asked, "What?"

"Her mom said she usually takes fifty rupees to her hair appointment," Link pointed out. He poked the form with a finger and asked, "Where's the thirty-five rupees she needed for the appointment? Where did that go?"

Navi exchanged confused looks with Wheatland before saying to Link, "You don't suppose she was robbed when she was killed, do you."

"Well, unless she was planning to pay with the gold chain she was wearing, she's thirty-five rupees short of a hair dressing."

Wheatland shrugged. "Maybe she forgot the money," he suggested.

"Not likely, sir," Navi replied. "She goes to a bakery before the appointment; it's part of her routine. We verified she was there the morning she was killed." She crossed her arms. "But then… she bought and ate a pastry; she should have at least had change with her."

"Did the baker forget to give her change?" Wheatland asked.

"No one just overlooks missing nearly forty rupees in change, sir," Link said. "She can't get her hair dressed without paying."

"Maybe her purse was lifted before she was killed," Wheatland said.

"She doesn't carry a purse, sir," Navi said. "According to her mother, she keeps money loose in her pockets so a thief would either have to get caught grabbing a handful or only get part of what she had on her."

"Could it have fallen out when she was shot?" Wheatland asked. "Maybe lost in all her blood?"

Link frowned. "Well… maybe, sir," he admitted. "Her body would've been folded in a strange way, and the scene was covered in blood, so I suppose it's possible that it all fell out and Inspector Keporra missed it when Graves picked her up. If she had it, it could be anywhere by now."

Wheatland crossed his arms and contemplated Link. "But you're still convinced that she may have arranged to kill herself," he said. "And you figured she didn't bother taking any because she knew she was going to die."

"Yes, sir…" Link said with a defeated tone as he let the form fall onto Navi's desk. He sighed and added, "We just don't have any other evidence. No one at the Merrill house seemed suspicious. Either they all planned to kill her and are covering it up, or there really isn't a killer."

"Nor is there much chance someone from a different property killed her, sir," Navi spoke up. "Lord Merrill seems to keep business matters from involving his staff; Miss Bisset doesn't even know his business managers' names, just faces. No one else has ever met anyone from the plantation or the factory." She raised her hands in defeat for a moment before rubbing her face. "That is all, sir. I'm afraid this one is going cold."

"There's still gotta be something we missed," Link said. "Maybe something will come up when we talk to Keporra or Sergeant Marlow."

"Maybe," Wheatfield said, "but you have to realize that only about twenty percent of cases that come through Homicide ever get solved, Constable. I know it's disappointing for your first case, but not really out of character; a lot of us started with a case that ran cold. It's just the nature of the business."

Link sighed again. "Yes, sir…"