Chapter 43 Moment Of Truth

Finally! My exams this month are over and I am completely free for a month. Regular updates from today. And 2 chaps/day updates from July.

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Morning.

Xavier and Eulene were sitting quietly on the sofa set. Neither had they entered the room, nor did they take a single ounce of sleep.

All they did was sit quietly and observe outside into the distance through the windows. Suddenly, Eulene took in a deep breath.

And a moment later, the bell rang.

Sensing Aunt Maisel's movements, Eulene decided to stay silent in her place. The moment of truth has come.

The matron opened the door.

Outside, stood a man in his forties- garbed in black. He was wearing a pair of round spectacles with a looped string hanging from one side. It was the Superintendent of Derbury Detectivete- Solomon Franklin.

The moment he saw Miss Maisel, his old friend's wife, the superintendent took off his cap and looked down, avoiding her eyes. Melancholy was written all over his face.

"How have you been?" Superintendent Solomon asked sheepishly, lacking all the firmness of a policeman.

"Good," she said with a slight smile. "It has been ages since you last visited."

Eulene could clearly hear the matron's heart pounding. Aunt Maisel was a wise and intelligent woman. She definitely knew something was up, and that something was related to her long lost daughter.

Eulene could sense a confusing blend of hope and fear from the matron's heartbeats: hope of finding something lost and important, and fear- of losing something forever.

But Eulene already knew the answer her aunt was longing for, and sadly- the answer was not the one the matron was hoping for.

"I wish I never had to visit you," the man inaudibly muttered with a sigh, but Xavier and Eulene clearly heard it.

The matron frowned. "Pardon?"

The superintendent turned to where Xavier and Eulene were sitting. His eyes widened in relief, as if he found a bit of solace in that suffocating pressure. "Detective Ashdown wants to meet you," he said with a firm tone.

Xavier stood up. Before Eulene could do the same, Xavier pressed on her shoulder and looked into her eyes.

No words were exchanged, but she got the message. She replied with a nod.

Xavier walked to the superintendent. "Where is he?" he asked with his ever-nonchalant tone.

"Inside the carriage."

Xavier gave Miss Maisel one last glance before walking past the superintendent and heading out.

He walked to the carriage upon which a flag depicting a winged shield was hoisted, and climbed into it.

"Greetings," he said as he sat opposite David.

David was wearing his signature brown outfit. His combed black hair and stern grey eyes were giving out all the vibes a perfect inspector would give.

"If I remember correctly," David spoke, "you said you would take your hands off this case."

"I thought I did," Xavier replied.

"You can put down the act," David said. "You already knew you two would be our foremost suspect of yesterday's shenanigans- so much that you did not even bother to erase the tracks that could not work as evidence in court."

"I just did what a good citizen of Avarynth would do," Xavier said. "I was afraid you were too understaffed to take on a big case such as this. Hence, you can treat this like our final gift."

"You expect me to thank you?" David raised a brow. "You better not pull off such misdeeds again. Otherwise, I will-"

"'Arrest you on charge of interrupting an active investigation.'" Xavier interrupted. "Rest assured. This is my last week here in Derbury. I am catching the train after a few days."

David stayed silent for a couple of seconds before asking something. "It is such an odd sight- you without your partner. Where is she?"

"Where she is needed right now the most," Xavier answered.

David looked through the windows and set his sight on the wooden house. He knew what Xavier meant.

After a couple of silent seconds, he turned back to Xavier. "You know that I have all the rights to arrest her."

Xavier subtly shook his head. "I also know that you know how pointless that is, especially with me as her attorney. The only organisation that can grant her legalised residency in this country is in Aramon, and she has yet to visit it. Not to mention, it has not even been a month since she became aware of the Thirteenth. Everything is in her favour."

"And that's the very reason I did not waste my time and energy." David looked Xavier dead in the eyes. "Even if it broke the laws, it doesn't change the fact that your efforts last night will bring us closer to the culprit. Hence, I will look over what you did back at the crash site. And this is the last time I am doing this. Next time something points at you," his voice turned cold, "you are dead."

Xavier remained as indifferent as always. "Once you detain the perpetrator- the one who killed 13 children, 13 minds with potential to be great kinetics in the future- what punishment will he get?"

"You don't have to fret over that," David stated.

"You think I am not aware of the fact that the 'cursed' don't get any sort of capital punishment regardless of the severity of their crimes? Moreover, they can easily have their sentences reduced provided they let the Thirteenth experiment on them."

David frowned. That was indeed the case, and it was something he himself was not happy with. Nevertheless, he was a servant of the state, and following and enforcing the laws was his duty.

"I will make sure that the culprit gets the most severe punishment possible." The firmness in David's tone belied his hesitating thoughts.

"I am sure you'll do," Xavier muttered. "I am sure you'll do."

He left the carriage soon after and headed back to Miss Maisel's home. Just when he was about to enter, the superintendent exited- with both his hat and glasses on his hands. With a downcast face, he walked past Xavier and got into the carriage.

Xavier took in a deep breath. Facing two different parents who lost their children in a matter of half a day was a bit overwhelming even for a veteran and immortal like he.

No sooner had he stepped into the house than the sounds of muffled groans struck his ears. The middle aged Miss Maisel was on a couch, in Eulene's arms. She pressed her entire face into Eulene's bosom and cried her heart out. Her entire body shook while Eulene tightened her hug on Aunt Maisel's body.

Eulene stayed silent and only caressed the matron's back. Any words of consolation would be useless. Silence was the best answer in such situations.

Xavier, being the good physician he was, kept his eyes on the woman's vitals, making sure she was safe.

After almost half an hour, Eulene led the matron to her room and let her rest.

Both Xavier and Eulene knew no sleep would come to those tears and tired eyes for next few hours. But they decided to give her some alone time. She need that to gather her thoughts.

"Did you find him?" Eulene asked as she walked out of the room.

"No." Xavier replied.

He turned East.

"But I know some who would."