Circus of Shadows: A Deadly Performance

Chapter 27: Family Secrets Unearthed

Detective Black considered heading back to the circus grounds to speak with Madame Hattie over the photo she found in Ralph Ortiz's trailer, she was hoping to identify the boy in the picture. While at the Carnival of Curiosity she wanted to speak with Ms Delights about her connections with Ralph and also with Luna over her pregnancy and keeping Felix under arrest.

She once again used her better judgement, with the release of Sofia back to the circus, she thought Miss Bauer's reappearance may unsettle the harmony and create divisions in the camp.

However a message on her desk sparked intrigue, it read, you have been asked to visit the Haven Herald. As Detective Black was searching for answers she was now being led back to the Haven Herald, the local newspaper where it all once began for her as a junior reporter.

As Connie entered the newsroom, which prompted many flash backs and memories from her time there, it all felt so familiar. A warm glow showed on her face as she was greeted by the bustling energy of another busy news day, where the main headlines were still about the murder under the big top. The newspaper had always been fast paced and a hub of information and discoveries. She had arranged to meet Mr Boden Mack, the young and ambitious junior reporter, who Rupert Fowkes the bookstore owner and former Editor, had brought Connie's attention too.

Boden Mack had called Detective Black as he had uncovered a surprising revelation about Mr Ortiz and Marco the Magnificent. He greeted Connie with a warm and endearing smile, eager to share his findings. He had been digging through old archives and had uncovered a hidden chapter of history involving the two circus figures. It was a story of family ties and feuds that had ripped through the years.

Boden announced that Ralph and Marco were, in fact, stepbrothers. They had grown up in the same split family but never really together, but were torn apart by a deep-seated feud. The reasons behind the family discord were murky, but it appeared that the circus was the centre of this which caused the rivalry for the spotlight.

In their youth, both grew up dreaming to star in the circus and had aspired to be performers, and the competition for the attention had created a rift within the family. I assume the feud had become so intense that it eventually tore their family apart.

Connie listened intently, aware that some facts needed clarifying, it felt like she was seeing her younger self look back at her. Boden was displaying the same eagerness and determination, she once had to unlock mysteries, back when she worked at the Herald.

Connie knew, realising this revelation shed a whole new light on the dynamics between the two men, now not only did they share a past but a parent as well. This shared history and rivalry over the spotlight hinted at a potential motive for Marco the Magnificent in the murder of his stepbrother.

Detective Black also managed to get her answer to the identity of the boy in the picture frame. This was proved to be Marco based on photos that Boden Mack had found in his research. This was a significant discovery that gave Detective Black a fresh perspective on the case.

As Connie thanked Boden for his invaluable information and hard work to identify this, she encouraged him to keep seeking the truth and he will have a bright future in journalism. Connie left the newsroom with a renewed sense of purpose. She knew she had one suspect in Felix but now had strong suspicions over Marco and needed to discuss her new findings with him to bring Detective Black closer to the truth.

Detective Black felt before she could question Marco on this new discovery she wanted to dig deeper on the newfound knowledge of the history and the feud that ripped them apart. Determined to uncover more evidence that would shed some light on the circumstances that surrounded Mr Ortiz's murder. She headed back to the big top and returned to Mr Ortiz's trailer, this time she decided to look more thoroughly based on Boden Mack's discovery. She began searching the trailer for any hidden compartments or safes that might hold valuable information.

Her persistence paid off as she stumbled upon a concealed safety trunk under the bed of Mr Ortiz. With a sense of anticipation, Connie opened the trunk and discovered a trove of documents and personal items.

Among the items inside the safety trunk, she found a journal that appears to belong to Mr Ortiz. It contained entries that chronicled his personal thoughts, experiences, and the thunderous relationship with Marco. The journal provided insights into the family feud and impact it had on Mr Ortiz's life.

Next to the journal, Connie uncovered a photo album filled with pictures, of Marco the Magnificent during his younger years, there were even pictures of Madame Hattie too. The photographs depicted a family that had once been close, highlighting happier times before the rivalry had torn them apart.

As she continued to explore the contents of the safe, Connie also discovered legal documents. These had included contracts for all the circus performers, which indicated the terms of their employment and the intricacies of the circus business. Scanning through them nothing appeared out of place in the contracts. They all were similar to the document signed by Madame Felicity Fontaine found at Post Office so Detective Black moved on.

She also found the deeds to the rights of the circus itself, a revelation that showed the importance of the circus in Mr Ortiz's life. These were important and she wanted to show the legal documents to Mr Oscar Harrison, Haven's solicitor, to see what he could unearth in these deeds.

The safe had revealed a wealth of information that shed light on the family history of Mr Ortiz and Marco, the dynamics within the circus and the legal and financial aspects of the operation. Connie realised that these documents held crucial details that could be instrumental in solving Marco's innocence.

Connie had not found the exact details within Mr Ortiz's trailer that she was hoping for but had unfolded information that could rejuvenate the case.