Chapter 217 Rat into the trap

Music Recommendation: Don’t be Voyeur with me- Michael Giacchino

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As night arrived in the towns and villages, with heavy clouds gathered in the sky, a carriage entered Skellington and stopped in front of one of the mansions. The time was eight at night. The man who stepped out of the carriage was dressed well, with a grim expression on his face.

The man walked and came to stand in front of the mansion’s main door. When he knocked on the door, it made a sharp sound against the silence surrounding the mansion’s front part.

The butler of the mansion opened the door, and the visitor inquired, “I would like to talk to Mr. Walsh. It is urgent. I will wait here.”

The butler bowed at the man who wore a hat, leaving a slight shadow on one side of his face. Going back inside the mansion, he returned after three minutes with Mr. Walsh, whose eyebrows were furrowed. On noticing the unfamiliar man, Mr. Walsh questioned,

“Yes? What did you want to talk to me about?”

The man looked at the butler and then back at Mr. Walsh before saying, “I am from the Council. Landon Stone, who works under Mr. Ingram’s department. I would like to talk to you privately for a minute.”

Mr. Walsh’s lips set themselves in a thin line, and he wondered what this person from the Council wanted from him. He turned to his butler, who bowed and left them alone. He said, “What is going on?”

“This is about a woman named Annika Burges. We received information that you were close with each other?” Questioned the man, and Mr. Walsh quickly looked left and right to make sure there was no one to eavesdrop.

“I don’t know any woman by that name,” Mr. Walsh quickly denied.

“The evidence we have received states otherwise, Mr. Walsh. There have been a few witnesses who have confirmed your relationship with that woman. I am here because we found her body in Darthmore. We will need you to come to the Council for inquiry.”

Mr. Walsh’s eyes widened, and he stuttered, “D-dead? I did not kill her!”

“We can only know it once we are done cross examining you and you confirm her body. We found a letter in Ms. Burgess’s dress that addressed you. You are one of the main suspects,” the man calmly informed. He pulled the pocket watch as if he had to hurry back to Darthmore.

“I do not agree with this false accusation!” Mr. Walsh had slept with the woman not more than two times, and he had met her just last evening. Spending a good time with her yesterday, and thinking he could sleep with her again this weekend.

The man from the council said, “You can either come with me now, or be dragged in front of the people and your wife. Considering you are a man of your status, I thought to give you an option, Mr. Walsh.”

Mr. Walsh imagined being dragged by the authorities in public towards the carriage. He gritted his teeth in frustration and said, “Let us go to the Council then and clear my name.”

“The journey is long and the weather is cold. I insist you wear a coat, Mr. Walsh,” and Mr. Walsh stared at the councilman before said,

“I will pay you if you can completely clear my name and disappear Ms. Burgess’s letter,” Mr. Walsh whispered, not wanting his wife to know what he was doing behind her back. He stared at the man, who said,

“I will see what I can do,” Mr. Stone bowed.

Mr. Walsh turned pleased and stepped inside the mansion to get a bag of money and to wear his coat. The two men then got inside the carriage and left for Darthmore.

Once the carriage entered Darthmore, Mr. Walsh anxiously wrung his hands, not expecting the woman to be dead. Now he would have to look for a new woman, he thought to himself while staring outside the carriage window.

He then remembered the woman he had seen attend Quintin’s soiree this noon. The woman had turned out to be the governess of the Moriarty family. If only she had obliged him, he would have done her many times. In and outside the mansion. He thoughtfully rubbed his chin, not realising the Council’s gates pass by.

When the carriage stopped, the coachman pulled open the carriage door, and Mr. Stone stepped out, followed by Mr. Walsh. The rain had started to drizzle, and Mr. Stone said,

“Ms. Burgess’s body has been placed in another building. Follow me,” Mr. Stone carried a lantern in his hand.

“I didn’t know the Council had another building built here,” Mr. Walsh followed Mr. Stone when the man started to walk.

As they continued to walk through the forest, the drizzle increased. Three minutes passed, and soon it started to rain.

Turning doubtful now, Mr. Walsh questioned, “Where are we going?”

“Just a few steps more,” Mr. Stone stated, and dragged the man up the forest area.

A minute later, when Mr. Walsh looked up at the trees, one of his feet got stuck in the creepers on the ground and fell flat on the muddy ground. In the process, a sharp stick stabbed into his leg and he screamed in pain. He found it hard to pull his leg out.

The councilman offered to him, “Why don’t you stay here and I will bring help!”

“I don’t need that. Just help me get up! Wait!” Mr. Walsh shouted, but the councilman had already disappeared behind the curtain of rain. “Ugh!” He exclaimed in annoyance, he couldn’t believe his clothes were now covered in dirt.

He tried to pull his leg and freed it. Getting up from the forest ground, he walked around the forest, looking for the Council building. On noticing a dim light coming from a tree, he believed Mr. Stone had returned and made his way towards the light. But when he reached near the lantern, he realised it was hanging on a branch, and soon the flame exhausted itself.

“Where the hell did he go?” Mr. Walsh angrily questioned, with water drops dripping down his face.

When he looked back and forth, his eyes fell on something shiny on the ground. Walking nearing it, he bent down and picked it.

It was a muddy shovel.

Without paying much attention, he used it as a support when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.

“Put the shovel away!” One of the men ordered Mr. Walsh.

Mr. Walsh, turning confused and not realising it was his earlier scream that had brought the men here, said, “Look, I didn’t do anything.”

“Throw the shovel away and surrender yourself,” demanded the same man.

“Sire, look there!” Another council member pointed his hand to the right side. It was a grave that was half dug or half buried.

Mr. Walsh’s eyes turned wide and the shovel from his hand dropped. He coughed in disbelief and said,

“I had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all. I just came here with Mr. Landon Stone. He said Ms. Burgess’s body was found. He should have met you! He’s your fellow councilman!”

The men looked at each other before staring at Mr. Walsh, “There’s no person named Landon Stone working in the Council. Go check him!” The man in charge ordered two of his men.

Mr. Walsh raised his hands, “You will not find anything on me. This shovel was found on the ground.”

The two men started searching Mr. Walsh and one of them found fangs, in one of the wealthy man’s coat pocket. Mr. Walsh’s mouth hung open on seeing the fangs, and he pleaded, “T-that is not mine! I don’t even know how it came into my pocket!”

The in-charge councilman glared at Mr. Walsh. He ordered, “Check the ground there and the one next to it!”

“I am an innocent man!” Mr. Walsh tried to make them listen, watching four men who started digging the ground as it continued to rain.