Kate's Parisian Escape

Chapter 23

July 26th, 2011

To: Katherine Perryman <dreamchaser89@gmail.com>

From: Henri De La Fontaine <dangerouslycharming26@gmail.com>

Re: ETA

Lovely Kate,

I'm pretending I never received your last email. Despite your wishes and insistence our relationship is finished I know it's necessary for us to speak once more face to face. I expect to arrive in the next day or so depending how the trains are running.

Your vehemence only convinces me further we have much to discuss. I will apologize as often as I have too. You must know I have never met a woman like you Kate. So vibrant and full of life. Even with that pixie haircut you gave yourself. Which I might add is another reason I was so surprised by your appearance. Are you quite fond of this short hair?

I only ask that when we meet again you keep an open mind and hear me out. If after you feel the same as you do now, I of course will quietly leave, and you will never hear from me again. But if not...well then, I look forward to making up!

Jusqu'ὰ ce que nous soyons ὰ nouveau ensemble,

Henri

P.S. What's wrong with winter mint gum?

Kate had decided her new focus should be on discovering who the third set of footprints belonged to that was discovered on the night Juliette and Adaline disappeared. Kate asked Jeremy to take her to the room that Marc Roux was discovered murdered in. Not that she expected to find any clues, it had been centuries since it was a crime scene, but Kate wanted a sense of how things looked and may have played out.

The room Kate was startled to find was empty.

"No one wanted to stay in a room where a murder occurred. Even with new paint, floors, and furnishings." Jeremy explained. "And especially, not after people began hearing voices."

Kate gave him a "be careful what you say," look.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that." He added.

The room was a decent size. There was a window overlooking the main drive and a large fireplace. It no longer worked of course. Kate surmised the bed must have been across from the fireplace and away from the window.

"Marc was shot in the back." Kate said more to herself than Jeremy. "And he was found by the bed. So, he must have been talking to Adaline."

"Or Juliette. She was there too."

"But what caused the fire?" Kate mused.

"Could be a number of things. But most are confident the fire was an accident."

"But why was Marc in Adeline's room?" Kate mused, "The plan was to run away with Juliette."

"Perhaps Juliette had come to say goodbye to Adaline," Jeremy guessed.

"That still doesn't explain why Marc was there."

Before Jeremy could reply a commotion was heard downstairs.

"What's that?" Kate asked, it sounded like a woman was shouting.

"No idea, let's go find out."

Jeremy and Kate left Adeline's room and hurried to the great hall. There they found a ridiculously beautiful woman surrounded by a mountain of luggage and wearing an impossibly tight dress that barely contained her breasts.