"I can't believe I suspected the dolls to be part of this conspiracy," Gwen said, laughing. "Now look at us – you and me trying to solve this murder mystery!"
"Strange how things work out sometimes, right?" Penny chuckled.
"Jack would have thought I'd gone mad if I told him we have this amazing connection," Gwen smiled. "They would have locked you up and stored you in the archives. Or worse, they would have destroyed you! No, no, I'm glad we're doing this together."
After Jack had given her the okay to continue her investigation, Gwen ran into one dead end after another. Even she began to believe she was wasting her time. She'd seriously considered giving up and dropping the case, but everything changed when she returned home one night and was surprised by Rhys and his unusual gift.
Gwen and Rhys weren't usually the most romantic couple. They preferred to buy things together rather than for each other. She was speechless when she opened the box that night and saw the doll. The Everdream doll resembled the one Tosh and Ianto had bought a few days earlier. But this one was for her. She was at once taken by the dark, mysterious eyes and the beautiful face. She was nothing like the blank-eyed dolls of her childhood.
It had felt strange when the doll began talking to her as she lay awake in bed later that night. The doll introduced herself as Penelope and showed nothing but kindness and interest. It was refreshing, and after a while, Gwen had to admit that the company was more than welcome.
Speaking to the surviving family members of the victims had been harrowing for Gwen. The pain and loss of those left behind were almost unbearable.
She remembered Jack telling her when he hired her for Torchwood, how important it was to him that she was compassionate and caring. Qualities that his team struggled with after being exposed to the daily grind of Torchwood for too long.
That's what she's been trying to do ever since.
She cared, she loved, and she did her best to show her teammates what it meant to have a heart. She was happy that her efforts were beginning to bear fruit, but in the last few days, she had to wonder if she had made any progress. No one in the team showed much interest in solving the case.
Gwen often felt Ianto was a kindred spirit, far less jaded than the others. Yes, he was good at hiding his emotions, but beneath the surface, he cared and had a big heart, just like her. And yet, even he avoided her when she tried to talk to him about her investigation.
He seemed so preoccupied with his problems lately. Gwen treasured their friendship and loved their conversations, especially when they gossiped about their relationships. She was looking forward to her wedding, yet she couldn't help feeling jealous when Ianto got to the juicy details about Jack. She almost felt like a voyeur, but she loved soaking up every detail he was willing to share.
Gwen was happy with how comfortable Ianto had become around her in recent months. Unfortunately, when something bothered him, his demeanour shifted. He kept everything bottled up and never allowed her to help him.
She longed for someone to talk to.
Gwen loved Rhys, and although he was now aware of Torchwood, she couldn't tell him about her daily activities, especially when it came to her worries and fears. Penny's arrival had felt like a godsend.
She listened without judgment, showed sympathy and offered advice. Good advice. She turned out to be a natural private investigator.
Penny was the main reason Gwen was sitting in her car today.
When all her investigations had proved fruitless, the doll had suggested speaking with Lady Baughan again. Gwen had never spoken to the toy factory owner in person, and Penny kept insisting that Tosh and Ianto probably hadn't asked the right questions.
To her surprise, Lady Baughan invited Gwen not to the toy factory but to her summer residence a few miles north of the site. And not just for a short meeting, but for the whole weekend. She had told Gwen that she hoped a more extended visit would dispel any suspicions. The toy factory couldn't afford bad press now that sales were finally picking up again after many years in the doldrums.
Without hesitation, Gwen packed a bag, left a note for Rhys, and was on her way.
After her conversations with Penny, Gwen was convinced that she was on the verge of solving this mystery. She had no intention of returning to Cardiff until she knew what was going on. The victims deserved nothing less than her complete dedication to finding the truth.
Gwen had been driving through the forest for what seemed like an eternity. The roads were getting narrower and narrower. By now, she was steering her car along an uneven gravel road, wondering if she had missed a turn. Then, the trees suddenly fell back, and a clearing opened up in front of her.
An old building occupied a large portion of the area. It looked almost like a medieval castle. Or was it a church? Some sort of monastery, probably.
"This can't be right," Gwen muttered as she double-checked the address on her phone.
The address was correct.
"Never thought the head of a large company would prefer to live in such an old shack," Gwen joked, trying to dispel the uneasy feeling in her stomach.
"Lady Baughan has a great interest in the history of this country. She strives to preserve the past for the future," Penny commented, sounding slightly reserved.
"To each their own. I prefer to live in the present, you know? What we can do here and now matters to me. With Torchwood, we've had our fair share of run-ins with the past and the future recently. Can't say it's been much fun. Usually it just screams trouble," Gwen rolled her eyes.
Massive walls surrounded the estate. She stopped the car in front of a large gate and peered through the windscreen in search of a buzzer. As if by magic, the doors opened with a deep rumble. There must be invisible cameras installed somewhere, Gwen mused as she restarted the engine to let the car roll inside.
A servant greeted her and let her into the main building. The monastery was in excellent condition, particularly the cloistered courtyard they were passing through. It had a well-tended lawn with a gravel path leading around a stone statue in the garden's centre. Gwen tried to see what the sculpture was of but couldn't get a clear look as neatly trimmed hedges obscured the view.
The place was beautiful, but she couldn't help herself; the old stones felt like they were pressing down on her. She clutched her bag even tighter. It was reassuring to know that Penny was with her. She had intended to leave her in the car at first, but now she was glad she had brought her inside.
They reached Lady Baughan's study after walking down a seemingly endless number of empty corridors. The large room was crammed with rows and rows of dolls. Gwen eyed them suspiciously. It felt as if thousands of eyes were peering into her soul.
Gwen chided herself. Of course, a toy factory owner would have toys in her study. That was not unusual and perfectly reasonable. Nevertheless, she cast another uneasy glance at the dolls. With so many eyes on her, she felt like an exhibit herself.
A few minutes passed before Lady Baughan joined her, greeting her with a smile and a firm handshake.
"Good day, Mrs. Cooper, it's a pleasure to meet you," the older woman said. Her black bobbed hair and piercing dark eyes made her look impeccable.
Lady Baughan motioned for Gwen to sit down. A housekeeper came in and poured the two women a cup of tea after they had settled into armchairs around a coffee table.
"Thank you for seeing me at such short notice," Gwen said politely as she thanked the housekeeper with a nod and reached for the fragile porcelain cup. The young woman smiled shyly and withdrew from the room.
Gwen sugared her tea and thought about how to start the conversation. She wasn't in the mood for small talk, so she got straight to the point of her visit.
"I'm working with the police on several murder cases, and I have a few leads that connect with your name, Lady Baughan. Maybe you could answer a few questions."
Gwen sipped her surprisingly good tea politely. She'd have to ask the housekeeper later what tea blend she'd used.
"Murder cases? That sounds rather disturbing," the older woman said, watching her guest closely. "The world is such a dark place, but I'm not sure why this has anything to do with me. The purpose of my factory is to make people happy."
"And I think you do a brilliant job," Gwen laughed. "I actually have one of your dolls. My husband gave it to me."
Gwen opened her bag and took Penny out.
Lady Baughan smiled smugly.
Gwen hesitated as she noticed a gradual change in the woman's attitude. Something was strangely out of place. She looked down at Penny and frowned.
"You look as if you're wondering why she's not speaking to you," Lady Baughan observed as she stirred her tea.
"Actually... yeah, I'm...," Gwen said, unsure how to respond.
"Oh, Gwen, you're a grown woman. Don't you know? Dolls can't talk."
Gwen laughed tentatively. "Of course, they can't. I was just kidding. I guess."
She returned her gaze to Penny. Something was wrong. There was nothing where she had expected Penny's comforting presence in her mind. Instead, fatigue seeped into her bones, making it increasingly difficult to concentrate.
Lady Baughan's smile broadened and turned sinister.
"I am so glad you are finally here, Gwen," she said with satisfaction. "I'm impressed by how much you care. So eager to help those in need. So selfless. Your compassion is extraordinary. You will play an important part in my collection."
Gwen looked at her in confusion, blinking a few times as her vision began to blur.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked with a shaky voice.
"Usually, it's a bit of a challenge to convince the doll owners to leave their families and join me, especially when their DNA doesn't match with the doll. You've been so eager to come here, you've made it so easy for me. So yes, dolls really can't talk; I meant it. The voice you heard was mine. You've been talking to me all this time. Your secrets, your dreams, I know everything about you."
Gwen's eyes widened as her words sank in.
She realised how badly she had miscalculated the situation. Lady Baughan had set a trap for her, and the doll had led her straight into it. Gwen had been so wrapped up in making plans with Penny that she had forgotten to call the hub and tell them about her destination.
No one knew where she was.
She tried to get up, but her limbs felt like lead. Moments later, she felt her consciousness slip away as she sank back into the armchair, unconscious.
Viola Baughan sighed happily.
"Just one more to go."