Containment Of Secrets

Chapter 30

(Mallory's point of view)

 I lift my dress discreetly, as my hand lands on the handle of my knife. I quickly pull it out, turning it to aim it at my target. The blade of my knife lands just a few inches away from the exposed skin on the woman's neck. I look up, meeting the gaze of the familiar face I once used to know. It was Veronica, my once personal security guard.

 "Not bad, I'm impressed with your skills." She says, as she calmly lowers her gun, "Lower your knife, Mallory."

I calmly removed the blade from her neck without taking my eyes off her, " I was raised by the best."

 "That you were." Veronica replies.

"Wait? You know Mallory?" Hazel asks, gesturing between us.

"Why of course. I was her personal security for years when she was a child."

 I nod my head to confirm, "It's true."

 "Back then, she was a little thing. All she cared for was frilly dresses and dolls, not so much for weapons and dress suits."

 "Why did you leave your job?" Hazel asks.

"I felt like I didn't complete my duty to the royal family successfully."

"Why are we here?" I ask, as I cross my arms.

 "I have vital information. Hazel, here, has been working tirelessly for about a year here in Wilachia, trying to seek out any information she can find. Veronica says, as she gestures toward Hazel.

"Information like what?"

 "Information involving the cases of murders that have occurred here."

"What murders? I know crime can get pretty high at times, but this is not like back at home, in the States." 

"Mallory, truth to be told, Wilachia has a total of ten murders happen in the time span of last year. Hazel was called in last year per the king's request to come solve these murders. The king himself believes the murders were connected." Veronica states.

 "We also had five in my country of Degheny." Hazel informs me.

"Explain to me how they are connected?" I ask.

"That's easy, all the victims had known someone, or had someone that had ties to the Reign of Prestige." Veronica replies.

 "You can't just go by that one fact." I inform them both.

"Alright, then, tell us how you would go about this?" Hazel asks, as she crosses her arms.

 "Well, first, is there a certain trait? Did they have a certain hair color, or eye color? You could even go as far as gender."

 "There was no specific pattern when it came to those topics." Veronica states.

 "Okay, well, did all the victims attend the same restaurant when dining out, or work around the same area?"

"No, but there is something, now that you pointed it out." Hazel chimes in.

 "What's that?"

"I remember when Thane and I first took the case back in Degheny, we both noticed something right off the bat."

"Which was?"

 "When we talked to their families, the family members always said that their family member had happened to be at some big event days prior to their deaths. Whether it be a big party or a charitable dinner. Some of the victims were even traced back to being related to some of the noble houses here."