Murders of the Past

A Murder Carol

The night before Christmas Eve, on the airship...

"Argo, we're living in troubled times! It transpired that the fire in Concordia was started by a police officer..." Isaac sighs, "worse yet, the young officer started the fire in an attempt to destroy evidence!"

"A disquieting development indeed! And Koll refuses to reveal who made him light that fire!" Maddie complained, "but chin up, Bontemps! We shall turn our minds to a more cheerful business: decorating our airship for Christmas!"

"Christmas? Bah, I take a dim view of such childish distractions!" he proclaimed, "Argo, care to join me on a walk before Madeline enlists our help with the festivities?"

"Aw... I was hoping to decorate the tree!" Argo pouts, gesturing to the bare tree standing in front of the map on the navigation room's wall.

Maddie chuckled, "don't worry, I'll save the tree trimming for you, Argo!"

Argo's spirits brightened as he followed Isaac out of the airship. The ship had been docked at its New Haven platform, so the detectives immediately found themselves walking through the decorated streets of the district. There were trees, candles in windows, tinsel and colourful ornaments on nearly every building, making it feel like they had entered the Christmas Carol story. They could even smell gingerbread, mulled cider and countless holiday scents in the air.

"Argo, I confess that Christmas festivities do not make my spirit soar with enthusiasm. It is not that I am a joyless fellow, but-" Isaac cuts himself off as a strong gust of wind hits them, blowing his hat straight off his head, "thunderation! The blasted wind blew my hat away!"

"It flew towards that alleyway over there!" Argo points to the alley as Caspian flies after the hat.

"It shan't take long to capture it, Argo!" he promises, hurrying to catch his hat before it could blow further away.

Argo intended to wait on the street for Isaac and Caspian's return, but a familiar squawk from the robotic bird put him on high alert. It was the cry Caspian was trained to make when he found danger or a murder victim... Argo wasn't sure which would be better in this situation. But since he hadn't heard anything from Isaac, he felt it was safe to assume it was the latter Caspian had found.

He followed them into the alleyway where Isaac was retrieving his hat from inside a barrel while Caspain was further into the alley. The bird was perched on the rail of a staircase leading to the back entrance of one of the buildings. At the base of the stairs was a young man slumped over a barrel with a nasty gash to the head. But the lifeless eyes showed he was long past saving. On the ground a few feet from the body was a set of brass knuckles and also a note with blood staining one of its corners.

"I've found my hat, Argo!" Isaac announces, placing it on his head, "I shall not permit the treacherous wind to-"

"I think the wind is the least of our problems right now, Isaac," Argo pokes the body with his crutch, "this man is dead!"

"My word, you're right! I took him for a drunk, slumped as he is over that barrel, but there is a wound on his skull! His life was taken by violence," he squints as he takes in the victim's appearance, "and... Wait, I recognize this fellow! He's Rowdy Rick, a known miscreant, habitually disturbing the place in New Haven! I've apprehended him many a time!"

"With an alias like Rowdy Rick, perhaps it was a fight that led to his demise!" he speculates as Caspian brings him the brass knuckles, "if so, this knuckle duster could belong to his killer! Revealing what's carved in the middle shall be enlightening!"

"And that blood-stained note may be something the killer lost, fleeing the scene! Young Charlie's machine should help decipher those symbols!" he says, recognizing the code as he picks up the note, "Argo, I did not wish for this somber turn of events to halt our Christmas preparations... But work shall come before festivities!"