( chapter nineteen ! )
"He's dead!"
Thunder crackles in the stormy night sky, creating a flash in the window that highlights Georg Von Siemens' cold and lifeless eyes. The party attendees crowd the room with tense postures, mixtures of silence and loud chatter travel through their ears. Naturally, no one can be calm in this situation, like Patrick Phelps who collapsed.
Even Leah keeps a firm grip on Ciel, her robe hardly working to counter the chill in the air, both from the weather and atmosphere. She keeps her head against his shoulder but subtly peeks out to view the scene, the fabric of her fiancé's robe gently rubbing against her cheek.
"A.. Anyway, we shouldn't move anything until the yard arrives.." Grimsby struggles to keep his voice steady as he glances around at the others in the room.
Bardroy gives a shake of his head. "No. It'd be better if we move the body now."
"Huh?" asks Finnian.
"I can't say it any nicer than this.. meat rots faster than you might think," Bardroy's eyebrows furrow in thought and his cigarette sits between his lips. "Even if we turn off the fire now, time will be up before you know it if he stays next to the hearth."
Leah groans at the sound of the words leaving the chef's lips, almost shivering in disgust. However, the feeling of Anna's hand on her head does keep her somewhat calm. Barely.
Irene's face fills with dread as she nearly collapses, trying to grab ahold of Grimsby's coat. "Rot.. you say?"
"Irene!" Grimsby calls out with worry, leaning down to catch her.
"It's like he says," Arthur chimes in, his stance tense as he stares at the two. "I also think it'd be better if we take him to a cool, dark place until an expert can take a look at him."
"Well then, let's move him to the cellar until the yard gets here," Sebastian turns back to look at the gardener. "Finny, bring a stretcher."
It doesn't take Finnian long to jog back into the room with a long stretcher in his arms, lying it across the floor as he and Bardroy lift Georg's lifeless body on top. As the two cover him with a blanket, Leah instead focuses on the stitched flower that now sits on the top of Finnian's hat. 'That is quite cute..'
Looking out the window, Lau listens to the servants exit the room. "But, I'd think the yard won't be showing up for a while," he comments.
Everyone shifts their attention over to the window that Lau stands beside, holding the curtain to give them a better view. Outside, the storm rages and sways the trees, pounding against the glass and making it harder to see.
"Seeing as there is quite the storm?" Lau's brow raises and Ran Mao leans across him to see for herself.
"So you mean we can't leave here either?!" Carl Woodley exclaims in a mixture of anger and nervousness.
"Why do you ask that now?" with a shrug of his shoulders, Lau smiles indifferently. "It's fine right, everyone was meant to stay over anyway."
Woodley releases a noise of annoyance, his brows knitted as he stares down the Chinese man. "Like you can call this fine! I'm not staying at a place where a murder took—"
"Indeed. We surely are on the shores of a deserted island right now," Lau interrupts, his tone chilling. "It also means that there is a good chance that the killer is still inside the mansion."
A loud crackle of thunder flashes atop Phantomhive Manor, ringing out through the halls. But it isn't the sound that makes Leah's hands tighten around Ciel's arms, rather the words of Lau that unnerve her. Even Bardroy and Finnian are uncomfortable with their return to the room.
"Now that you mention it," Charles Grey speaks up. "If you think about it logically, wouldn't the killer be one of us then?"
The guests in the room stiffen, their eyes filled with dread at the thought of being near a potential murderer and not knowing.
"Why us?! This isn't a joke!" Grimsby yells.
"Th.. That's right!" Woodley agrees.
Kneeling, Arthur checks on Patrick who is still lying unconscious on the floor. "Well, first of all, we only just met each other.."
Leah squints her eyes as she observes all of the people in the room, leaning her mouth to her fiancé's ear. "I believe it was that irritating man who kept speaking about diamonds," she whispers.
With a raised brow, Ciel turns his face to Leah's, their noses nearly colliding. "Carl Woodley? What makes you think that?"
"Nothing," she shrugs. "I just hate irritating people, so I shall point a finger at him."
Ciel releases a sigh as he turns his attention back to the matter at hand, keeping his hand on Leah's shoulder to hold her close. Sometimes he can't comprehend what goes on in that head of hers, but he can't say he hates it.
"So wouldn't it be likely that someone broke in through the window, locked the door to leave time for an escape, and then went back out the window again?" asks Irene, continuing her question that the teenagers weren't listening to.
"But if you came in through this kind of rain.. wouldn't you leave footprints? Not to mention that this room is on the second floor," Charles walks over to the window and pulls on the handle, "and the windows were locked."
Looking off to the side, Grimsby places a hand on his chin. "So.. someone locked it from the hallway and escaped that way after all.." he says lowly.
"That is unlikely."
The sound of Sebastian's voice draws the attention of everyone in the room, looking over at the butler who holds a key in his gloved hand.
"The keys for this mansion all go with the original ward locks from when this mansion was first built. They are complex pieces so it is unlikely that someone other than a craftsman could make an imitation," explains Sebastian. "Furthermore, these keys have all been locked away in a safe. The only copy of the key that opens the safe is in possession of the butler, me. Therefore the keys stored there can't be taken."
Leah stares incredulously as the words fly out of the butler's mouth, trying to prevent herself from looking bored. God forbid she looks suspicious in a time like this.
"Also, in order for it to be locked simply from the inside, other than the ward lock there is also a latch attached to the door. In a situation where the key cannot be taken out of the safe, there is the possibility of locking the room from the inside only," Sebastian makes Leah's eye twitch as he glances around the room as he speaks. "In other words.."
"This is a locked room murder," Lau finishes off Sebastian's sentence with a smirk, his hand stationed loosely on Ran Mao's shoulder.
There is a still in the room as the guests and servants stare in worry, realizing they truly are amongst a murderer. This information doesn't sit lightly though, as everyone is willing to try and prove their innocence.
Woodley speaks up first with wide eyes and sweat dripping down his forehead. "Preposterous.. we're not in a novel!" he exclaims.
"Indeed," chimes in Ciel is a yawn, his hair brushing against Leah's and a bit of her forehead. "If anyone published this kind of crude locked room drama, they'd surely get complaints. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Wordsmith?"
Both Woodley and Arthur perk up in surprise and confusion at Ciel's words before the writer quickly sees what the boy is trying to say.
"That's right.. Surely if you used those.." with a hand to his chin, Arthur stares at the floor in thought.
Lau tilts his head. "What's that?"
"A needle and thread," says Ciel.
"Here I go not knowing anything again," Leah rolls her eyes in annoyance, forgetting that she's often at fault for not understanding what is happening.
Unlike the Barrett's annoyance, the other guests hold confusion in their eyes. There are too many words and discoveries to accurately keep up with new information while balancing their emotions.
"Needle and.. thread?"
"Like Sebastian says, the only way to lock the door is from inside, but if you use a needle and thread you could easily do it from the outside. It works like this.." Ciel takes a deep, quiet breath. "First you jab the needle and thread into the door somewhere to hold the latch in place. Then you pull the thread down under the door and go outside of the room. Finally, if you pull the thread carefully to avoid breaking it and manage to pull out the needle.. the latch will close and you'll be able to lock it!"
Everyone tries to envision Ciel's description in their heads, some understanding while others fail. Anna on the other hand now seems focused on the fact that no slippers are adorning Leah's feet.
"Then if you pull the needle and thread through the crevice under the door, you won't leave any evidence behind either. So with the needle and thread, cleaning up is easy also," despite the serious situation, Ciel's voice lacks emotion. "In mystery novels, it's the oldest trick in the book, not to mention plain and boring. However, the criminal isn't looking to write a mystery novel, of course, it's more like he's trying to create a realistic smoke screen or something."
Lau tilts his head. "That sure does explain the locked room murder but..
"It also means that anyone could be the killer," Arthur finishes with sweat dripping down the side of his face.
Bringing Irene closer to him, Grimsby starts to get defensive. "It definitely wasn't us! It was someone else!" he yells.
"It wasn't me either!" Woodley chimes in. "A.. Amongst all of us, aren't you the most suspicious? You had a fight with the Lord at the buffet, didn't you?!" he points an accusatory finger at Grimsby.
"Don't make false accusations, you old man! Like I'd kill someone over that!" beginning to get aggravated, Grimsby starts shouting. "What about the girl who said she wanted the Lord to die?! She hit him with a glass!" the theatrical producer ignores Irene's calls of his name to now try and throw the blame on Leah.
Both Leah and Anna gasp, though Leah's noise comes from a place of displeasure. If Ciel didn't have his hand wrapped around her so firmly, she would certainly be jumping at Grimsby or Woodley by now.
She nearly stomps her foot to the floor in the manner of a child. "How dare you accuse me! I was merely being dramatic," Leah grumbles.
"You still said it!" Grimsby points a long finger in her direction, not noticing the look she gives him that screams that she wants to rip his face off.
Ciel doesn't appreciate Grimsby or Woodley's tone, his expression darkening. "Don't accuse my fiancé so lightly!" he barks.
"Now, now," Lau cuts in with a troubled shrug of his shoulders. "Let's calm down and hear everyone's alibis, shall we?"
Everyone goes silent in thought, disturbed by the stressed atmosphere of the room. 'They are one to point fingers..' Leah rolls her eyes this time around, feeling the care slip from her body while Anna steps closer to stand against her master.
"Lord Siemens was killed after he had retired to his room. Actually, to be precise, it was between the time that the Lord rang the servant's bell and the time that the butler and co. arrived at his room. If you have an alibi to cover that time, you're safe," explains Lau, observing the guests with closed eyes.
Grimsby is the first to speak up, looking off to the side. "Me and Irene were in the billiards room."
"Yes," Irene nods along with saddened eyes.
Charles raises a hand. "I was in there too."
"So were me and Mr. Phelps," Arthur gestures to the blonde that he kneels beside.
"For the whole time, from the moment that Lord Siemens went to bed up until the disturbance, we were all in there."
They think back to the game of billiards, where everything went normal.
"During that time, no one left their place either."
Turning his head to Lau and Ran Mao, Ciel raises a brow. "What were you two doing?"
"We were drinking in the lounge with Mr. Woodley," Lau raises a hand and tilts his head dismissively. "Weren't we Ran Mao?"
Woodley and Ran Mao both nod along with Lau's words. "Right! We were together the entire time before the commotion started," Woodley remains tense.
"If I remember correctly, after midnight the alcohol ran out and we had the butler fetch us some more right?"
The three think back to themselves sitting in the lounge, drinking away.
"Yes, I brought it to you at around twelve ten," Sebastian confirms.
Attention shifts to the Phantomhive servants who sweat and shake with worry. "U-Us servants were all cleaning up together!" Meyrin has a quiver in her voice.
"Anna was helping me retire for bed," Leah speaks up from her spot as she turns to get a quiet confirmation from her lady's maid.
Eyes shift to Leah, realizing the number of suspects is dwindling. Lucky enough for the girl, she has an alibi. Otherwise, she is beyond suspicious given her behavior earlier in the night. If anything, there is a big red mark on her forehead.
"First and foremost, none of us even knew what room Siemens was staying in," says Grimsby, though he does raise a brow at Leah who may potentially know her way around the manor. "To find him in such a large mansion would take quite some time right?!"
Charles' eyes are trained on the floor. "Which means that.."
All focus shifts to Ciel who stands with wide eyes, but his grip on Leah doesn't falter. 'Should I be moving away..?' Leah questions. What is one meant to do when your betrothed may potentially be a murderer?
"Excuse me for asking Earl, but what were you doing at the time?" asks Lau with a smirk.
Ciel's eyes darken at the question, his hand tightening around Leah's arm and feeling the silk fabric of her robe. "Certainly I'm the only one who hasn't got an alibi, but I don't have any reason to kill the Lord."
"Oh? Is that so?" Charles tilts his head cockily.
"What?" Ciel retaliates with an annoyed glare.
"Well you wouldn't say there was no reason at all now would you?" Lau lowers his head and crosses his arms. "Most of the reasons for someone to kill another are reasons inconceivable to other people. It doesn't matter how many times a genius scientist studies it, the psychology of a person is something that cannot be comprehended by other people."
The rain patters against the glass louder, causing a faint ringing in Leah's ears.
"Besides, your company has a branch in Germany does it not? There could have been some memos outside of the official books with a major bank executive from Germany like him," Lau continues his ideas and brings a hand to his chest. "That's something we don't know anything about though."
Woodley's face hardens.
On the other hand, Ciel brings a hand up to his face in annoyance. "You're suggesting that my Funtom Company has some kind of horrible debt? That's absurd!"
"It's not an unrealistic story, right? No matter how big a company is, there are times when all of it can vanish overnight," the words of Lau begin to upset a specific gardener. Though they confuse Leah more than anything.
Tears prick Finnian's eyes and his voice is filled with protest. "Wai.. Wait a minute! I don't get all the complicated stuff but.. but.. Young Master would never.." his hands are clenched.
"Finny," cutting in, Ciel doesn't bother glancing at the boy. "Enough. Back off."
Staring off with a dejected look, Finnian stands off to the side with his arms at his side. This prompts a look of pity from Leah. It is the first time she's seen the gardener without a smile on his face and frankly, she doesn't like it.
Speaking up through the silence, Charles stands stationed by the window with a gloved hand to his chin. "I'd like some insurance."
"Insurance?" asks Irene.
The white-haired man shifts his eyes up to her. "Insurance that we'll get out of here alive."
Leah and a few others cringe at Charles' words.
"What.." Irene's voice trails off, "do you mean by that?" her brows knit.
"Well, this mansion is currently under the control of a killer, you know? And we can't get out until the storm settles down," the storm rages outside and Charles' face darkens. "What if we were all 'gagged' before the storm settles?"
The face of the guests fill with dread, even sparking a faint reaction from Anna. When they all accepted their invitations, they hadn't anticipated dying the same night.
"Well then.." starts Lau. "Let's confine him!" he says with a smile, holding his finger high.
"Confinement?!"
"Confine the young master?!"
"Confinement?!"
Finnian, Bardroy, and Meyrin don't take Lau's words lightly. The thought unsettles them. They have always been so loyal after all.
"But he's scary.." sighs Lau dramatically.
Releasing a sigh, Ciel looks off tiredly. "If that makes you feel better, go ahead."
"If we're going to confine him, it can't be in his own room," says Charles. "Nobles' rooms generally have some kind of secret built-in escape route built in. My place has them too," he pictures a moving closet that moves and shows a descending staircase.
For the first time in a while, Sebastian's voice can be heard. "Well then, we'll keep an eye on him while attending to his—"
"That won't do," Lau crosses his fingers in an X, "seeing as you might help the Earl escape, right?" the servants are placed under the spotlight at his words.
"So in other words, it'd be best if one of the guests would stay with him and keep watch," Charles moves a hand to explain, looking towards Grimsby.
But this suggestion only prompts Grimsby to tighten his hold on Irene. "No, thank you! Like I'd leave Irene by herself!" he yells loudly.
"I.. I just can't!" Woodley sweats rather cowardly.
Lau has a faint hint of nervousness in his expression as he glances off to the side, Ran Mao pressed against him. "I don't want to either~"
"Well I don't want to either but someone has to do it?" speaks Charles, his face now showing annoyance as seemingly every male in the room refuses.
The room goes silent, only filled with the ambiance of the storm. Women know they can't, nor want to stay in a room with Ciel so it is up to the men. But the men don't want to either, until their eyes fall to Arthur who has yet to speak a word about his stance on the idea.
"So," sneaking up behind the writer, Lau places a hand on his shoulder. "It's up to you, Mr. Wordsmith!"
Jumping in his place with a scream, Arthur turns around to notice Lau who gives a carefree smile. "Wha.. What?!"
"Please watch him carefully so that he doesn't escape."
"B-But.."
"That's right. I have something good stored in my horse carriage," Charles looks up and disrupts the two, pointing to Bardroy and Finnian. "Would you get it for me?"
Ciel and Leah stare at the scene with mild disinterest, acting like the bratty, spoiled children that they are. If it didn't make them look like murderers, they would be expressing it much more openly at the moment.
"It looks like this is where we split up," Ciel glances down at Leah and notes the slight hint of sleepiness in her eyes.
Looking up with a pout, Leah nods and brings a hand up to rub her eye. "I suppose.."
"Sebastian," the Phantomhive calls to his butler. "Escort everyone to their rooms."
"Certainly," Sebastian gives a half bow. "Well then, everyone let me guide you. This way please.."
With reluctance, the guests file out of the room after Sebastian to be taken to their respective rooms. Except for Leah and Anna who already know where they shall go, preparing for the night ahead of them.
Inside the bedroom originally meant for Leah, Anna is now in her nightwear as well as they attempt to settle in for the night. The weight of Georg Von Siemens' death is heavy. Despite often being insensitive towards other people, Leah can't deny that his death has made her uncomfortable and she can't bring herself to make many comments.
Silence clouds over them, neither having anything to say as they get beneath the covers. But as her head hits the pillow, Leah finally glances over at Anna and observes her face.
Watching her lady's maids expression, Leah gazes into her brown eyes. "You don't look scared," she remarks.
"Hm?" Anna's brows furrow.
"I haven't seen you look scared for even a moment," Leah's voice is low and quiet, "despite the fact that a murderer might be within these very walls."
Anna's facial expression remains steel as she chooses to fluff her pillow, avoiding the teen's eyes. "I am just accustomed to it," she nods along to her words.
Leah perks up at Anna's words. "Did you have a rough upbringing?"
The maid squints her eyes, focusing on her thoughts. Sometimes she doesn't appreciate that Leah is quite chatty with people she actually likes to be around.
"No," replies Anna, her tone rather sharp.
"What is it? You can tell me," Leah tries to reassure the maid, preparing for the struggle she'll deal with to comfort another person.
The maid inhales. "Mistress—"
"Seriously! You can confide in me!" Leah repeats, voice becoming clearer.
For a moment, Anna goes silent and the room is still. Her eyes can't help but soften as Leah stares at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue. Anna knows Leah has always struggled emotionally, with herself and others due to emotional neglect, and she's not quite sure if the girl can handle her words.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Anna looks into Leah's blue eyes that sparkle from the room's light source. "It is you," she is straight to the point.
A pout forms on Leah's face, the gears in her head moving but unable to understand what Anna means. "What?"
"You are why I am accustomed to it," the blank expression on Anna's face doesn't help Leah comprehend any better. "That and I have never been one to openly react to things."
"I.." Leah shakes her head softly, her hair rubbing against the pillow. "I don't understand."
Anna takes a deep breath in. "Sometimes you harm people and you don't remember.. so I clean up the mess," her voice doesn't raise above a whisper.
"What? No," Leah shifts to sit straight with her right arm supporting herself. "I don't hurt people!"
"Yes you do," a flash of pity goes across Anna's face, unable to handle the pained and confused expression on Leah's face. "Don't you recall the times that someone has broken into the manor?"
Mouth gaping like a fish, Leah shakes her head incredulously. "Yes, but Thomas took care of that!"
"You took care of it," Anna corrects. "You only ever remember the beginning and the end. Someone intrudes, you lose yourself and attack them, then you calm down and Thomas claims he did it, and I clean you up," her voice trembles.
Tears well up in Leah's eyes, her head beginning to hurt. "No! Thomas says—"
"Thomas lies!" Anna's voice raises. "I have seen you kill people with my own two eyes, you are the one who does it. He just wants to protect you the same way I have. That is why I never mention it."
Shoving her head into her hands, Leah shakes her head profusely. 'I don't remember..' Her face begins to heat up. 'It wasn't me!' Leah's hands twitch against her skin as her breaths struggle to steady themselves.
"I don't remember!"
Cold air filled the night. It was late and everyone in the house lay in their beds, hoping for sleep to overcome them. But for poor Leah Barrett, that seemed impossible when she heard the sudden sound of glass shattering in the distance.
She stumbled out of her bed and opened her door with a creak, turning her head every which way to see if she could notice anything. When she didn't, she stepped out and stood in the middle of the hallway, waiting to see if she could notice a servant exiting a room.
Only more uncomfortable noises sounded from down the hall, prompting Leah to walk closer. Had Thomas been there, he would have easily guided Leah back to her bed. But it isn't that simple.
Turning a corner, her eyes fell onto a group of men whispering loudly, weapons tightly clenched in their hands. After that, the memory begins to distort.
A blur.
Everything is a blur.
Down to her rigid movements and the sounds of screams, or the slippery feeling of the crimson liquid that dripped on her body, Leah can't seem to clearly remember a single thing. All she can see are small, blurred flashes of things she cannot make out.
The scene changes, her head throbbing.
"It is just me, My Lady," Thomas' voice rang out in her head, echoing against the walls.
Leah's eyebrows furrowed as she opened and closed her hand, toying with the blood that drenched it. "Thomas? What happened?" she asked, feeling disoriented.
"Someone broke in," he knelt to her spot on the cold floor. "But do not worry.. I took care of it," his voice was filled with sheer lies as he stared at the girl in fascination.
Thomas lies.
Of course he lies.. he isn't human.
The faces in her head are unclear and she now standing bare in the bathroom. Leah looked down and noticed small patches of blood that covered her lower body, but it was nothing compared to her hands and face.
"I'll get you all clean and then you can settle in for bed," Anna mumbled, guiding her over to the bathtub.
Leah opened her mouth to speak but no words left, the memory slowly beginning to fade out.
"No," Leah shakes her head and tightly grips her hair. "No!"
"Mistress—" Anna starts, reaching out for her.
Lifting her head from her hands, Leah stares at Anna with wide, glazed-over eyes. "Do you think I murdered that man?" her voice wavers.
"No!" taking ahold of Leah's hand, Anna grips it tightly and locks eyes with the girl. "You couldn't have!"
Leah's hand twitches in Anna's hold. "But you said I don't remember when I do it.. I don't remember!" she bites down on her lips in an attempt to hold in her tears.
Eyes full of guilt, Anna regrets ever speaking in the first place. "I was with you the entire time, you never left my sight. It is impossible for you to have done it," she brings her hands up to Leah's face.
"I am a murderer.." the teen whispers.
Anna's breath catches in her throat, pulling Leah in for a hug. "You were protecting yourself."
With dull eyes, Leah's head collides with Anna's chest as she chooses to stare at a wall, struggling to comprehend this information being thrown at her. 'Why can't I be normal?' She bites down on her bottom lip, nearly drawing blood.
"But I am still a murderer," Leah retorts, her lips moving against Anna's nightgown. "It was those sword lessons, wasn't it? Is this all my mother's fault? They always made me feel barbaric.."
Unable to think of a counterargument, Anna simply runs her hand through Leah's hair. She lowers the both of them until they lay side by side, keeping the girl held tightly against her despite the initial desire to pull away at the feeling of the teen's cold skin.
"Forget I ever said anything.." whispers Anna. She can only hope it works, though the likelihood is low.
Lifting her head, Leah can't see Anna's face to show her confused frown. "But—"
Anna cuts the girl off by gently shushing her, laying her head atop Leah's in an attempt to comfort her.
"Just go to sleep, Mistress."