EPISODE 1
WHO?
“Nothing could ever beat the details”, I said to myself. “Not a fake clue and definitely not the princess’s dead body.”
“Master”, Gregory ran in. “The king…..her father is here.”
I stood in my black costume as the entire environment read itself through my eyes. I wasn’t going to falter before an enraged father neither would I show remorse lest he be the murderer.
“Flaw!”, He called from the entrance.
“Who did this”?
“Be calm Your Majesty”, I smirked. “This is no easy case and it isn’t hard either.”
“Then crack it”, he roared. “Or are your achievements just the rumours of derailed folks in my kingdom”?
“Far be it from that, Your Majesty”, Gregory quickly intercepted. “He’s as diabolical in crime solving as the myths you’ve heard sir.”
“Then please solve it…..and today”, he broke in tears.
I stood still watching his entire game plan unfold behind my fedora.
“Pretense”, my conscience quivered. “He’s every bit a liar just as the onion scent in the air.”
“Master”, Gregory snapped me out of my brief judgement. “We have sixteen hours until the next day.”
“That’s more than enough time”, I said to him.
My steps halted as I looked at the princess once again in her pool of blood. She was dressed in white just as I instructed her.
“Oh my lover”, a tear came crawling through my lids.
I told her to wait for my call……our signal of escape to the outskirts of Fucharest.
“We would have been together”, I voiced out in whispers. “But your killer roam these walls.”
“What do we do Master Flaw”?, the voice struck me like death.
“Well we invite everyone who was in the palace last night.”
“You mean everyone”?, Gregory panted hoping I rephrase my words.
“Yes everyone”, I gave my solid assurance.
“And one more thing Gregory”, I raised my right hand. “You do it now!”
Immediately I uttered this, he fled like an osprey with a fish in talons. I giggled subtly as I watched him run. Gregory had been with me since he was nine; so hard to find him steal from me or worse betray me in the face like most sapiens do.
“A really good lad”, I concluded.
However, I would want to see this case to the end and by end I mean death, nothing but a cold hearted brutal murder just like that of my secret lover, Jia Shu.
“Do you want tea sir”?, the male maid came too close.
“No!”, I blatantly refused.
Everyone is a suspect in this domain and for him being too familiar, there has to be fish eyes under the water.
“Your name”?, I asked calmly.
“Nubico”, he replied.
“Okay Nubico! A born servant or hired for money”?, I clawed at his words.
“A born servant.”
It was at this point I reluctantly smiled with that predatory gaze.
“I’ll gladly take the tea now”, I gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder.
His shivers sent me the wrong message making him a blank book in my library of suspects.
At first, he appeared so inviting then he played the kid who cried wolf which to an extent makes him a victim in the murder.
“The body”? my thoughts reminded me. “Check the body for gold.”
I quickly halted the royal mortuary attendants as they were led by the chief physician in the whole of Fucharest.
“Flaw”, he quickly beckoned to me.
I knew what his words would be but best to give respect to a foolish elder than despise his ugly counsel.
“The body”?, I switched course as I checked on it for the gold necklace I wrapped around her neck two nights ago.
“Interesting!”, my smile rekindled.
It was obvious that it would be the first thing to take from the dead but then Mr Yuron couldn’t withhold his negativity as he dragged me to a corner.
“Why are you in the midst of these wolves”?, He asked with all furiousness.
“Cause that’s where my peace lies”, I answered in sarcasm.
“Do yourself a favour and don’t meddle much”, he drew his ears. “Your gifts for seeing the flaws in others won’t save you from these ravenous crows.”
“Then so be it”, I bowed in respect as he saw my cross necklace with all awe.
“You best be on your way now”, I sealed his lips before he could reveal my secret without an iota of restraint.
He nodded casually and left alongside his crew who had Jia’s dead body.
“Here they come”, Gregory ran back as the king was the first to approach me.
“Flaw!”, He poked me gently. “Good job.”
“Not done yet Your Majesty”, I walked beside him.
Our meeting was scheduled to take place in his throne room as six other seats were beside his.
“Six other culprits”, I whispered to Gregory.
“Master! I fear this is going to be a hard case”, he opened up with that heavy heave.
“Not really”, I smiled again. “They will reveal themselves in the end. They always do.”
“How”?, He asked me with those nervous beginnings in his eyes.
“Well……….just from their presence here my boy! We have solved the first part.”
He still stood confused even as the first queen walked in.
“How”?, He asked again but I remained quiet observing Mrs Tempest even as she pretended to have cried a bucket full.
“Those tears can’t be fake Master!”, Gregory pitied her but I saw what he didn’t. Her attitude to the king which was porous as well as her survey of me.
“Let’s just bring in the police”, she suggested. “Why hire a quack”?
“I’m not a quack Your Majesty”, I spoke in my defense. “Kingdoms have bowed to my knowledge.”
“Good for you”, she showed disinterest.
I nodded in conjunction to my feelings at that moment. They sure guessed her right.
It was positive that Jia Shu lacked love from her birth mother to begin with but why? Why would you birth a child all to show hate at the latter end?
“Master”, Gregory called my attention. “Look at the princess personal guard.”
I turned immediately to see a man bred in war. His countenance was no different than that of a lion’s.
“Commander Snowden Maslow”, he shook my hand as that firm grip of his spoke highly of pure energy and egoistic charisma.
“Master Lloyd Flaw!”, I replied smiling just I did to the rest early guests.
His sudden departure and walking posture showed that he was slightly injured from a battle I know not of.
“Suspicious”, Gregory squinted his eyes at me.
I then watched carefully how he paid his condolences to the king.
“How honourable”, I told myself. It was a sight to behold especially when the praises made the queen blush.
“Are they in mourning or was there something I forgot”?, my apprentice started to see the bigger picture.
“The royal son of King Majetha Koy, Timolette Koy graces the kingdom of Fucharest with his presence”, a guard yelled from behind.
“How quick the groom was to be present at such an investigation”?, I hissed within me.
“These people killed her”, I faced Gregory with pain in my eyes.
“Funny enough! The prince is coming towards you”, he replied with that chuckle.
I extended my hand to grace him with a warm welcome but suddenly I was smacked hard in the face.
“How dare you not bow”?, He roared at me.
“I have seen fools like you in my kingdom, here to eat the king’s bread.”
“I highly doubt that”, my guttural stubbornness erupted from my oesophagus.
King Tempest Shu had to come in, seeing the friction that already took place between us both.
“What rights does he has to slap a royal investigator”?, Gregory gnashed his teeth.
“He’s not guilty……for now”, I replied him much to his amazement.
It was better a rough start than the boomslang snakes that pretend to shake and laugh with me.
“Do not be offended”, I bowed as he ignored me.
What followed next was the second queen and her stone faced son.
“Don’t bow! Let’s get this over with”, she raised me up. Her son however has fresh wounds underneath those sleeves but he’s smart to cover it hoping the wools and tight fittings stay in place till the sixteen hours are over.
“Are you okay, your majesty”?, I approached him carefully.
“Not really”, he started with the truth telling. “I lost a sister yesternight after a party and a soon to be wedding celebration, how cold is that”?
“Very cold your majesty”, I responded with a stern look. “But fear not, the day and the case would both be over.”
“Okay”, he sighed relief as his injury wouldn’t give space for a brief laughter.
“Mrs Harik Tempest!”, Gregory called her.
“Your gold necklace just fell off you.”
“Gold”?, my heart skipped a bit. “I must never be suspected in relation to the murder.
“Anybody else”?, I withheld Mrs Harik quote of thanks.
“Yes of course”, another detective barged in.
“I am Mr Jones Styger”, he smartly walked up to me.
“And while we await the autopsy from the chief physician, I am going to play second fiddle to your investigation.”
“Meaning”?, I scowled.
“Meaning that I would make sure you’re of no bias or relation to the case. You can just call me the judge!”, he mischievously laughed.
“A judge”?, Gregory was just as surprised as I am. “Why weren’t we informed”?
“Because I am the King and I can do what I like”, Tempest Shu chipped in.
“Well your Highness”, I bowed to him. “I brought with me someone else as well.”
“Who”?, they all murmured
“An executioner”, I replied as fear encircled the whole throne room.
“Meet Rudervyn”, I grinned as a hefty man walked in.
“He is the man who would slay your daughter’s murderer, with your permission of course”?
“Permission granted”, Tempest gestured with his hands as almost everyone gulped in some saliva.
Continue The Next Episode Here : Detective Flaw Epi 2
