Erudition of Doyle: Volume One

CHAPTER 22: CASE V - THE UNEXPLAINED DEATHS

Case 5: The Unexplained
Deaths (The Pre-Continuation
of Mammon's Game Chapter,
Part Five)

ROSALINDA

We arrived at Avarice’s Funland with the police. Hidden among the surrounding woods, the guards kept their rifles ready, while some officers roamed the fairgrounds. If they spot anything suspicious, they’ll call us, the inspector, and the chief.

Clark and I shared a quick glance before we stepped inside. The moment we crossed the threshold, the lights flared to life and the music erupted. The games and rides began moving on their own, as if pulled by an unseen hand, turning the carnival into a living, breathing machine.

We scanned the area, two pairs of eyes sweeping every corner. The carnival seemed deserted, yet the sudden motions told us someone was watching us from the shadows.

Our attention snapped when a boy sprinted toward us.

“Jack!” Clark called out, smiling as he opened his arms for the boy. But he froze mid-step, confusion flickering across his face. Jack’s eyes were empty, lifeless, and his skin had gone unnervingly pale.

“Jack, are you okay?” Clark asked, his voice thick with worry. He was about to move closer, but I caught his arm, stopping him. That’s when I saw her.

If I remembered right, she was the woman who caused chaos in that fancy restaurant. Now she stood there, a 9mm pistol aimed straight at Clark, a sweet smile curling on her lips. She looked angelic, almost fragile, but the glint in her eyes said otherwise. On the other hand, she held a glass bottle of dark red wine—steady, elegant, and terrifying all at once.

The woman behind Jack leveled her gun at the boy’s head, startling Clark. “Shall we play a game again, hm?”

I grit my teeth

“But first, turn around and close your eyes,” she said, and we had no choice but to comply. I know the police can hear this. I’m wearing Doyle’s father’s headband. “The game is simple: hide and seek. I’ll start counting from one to ten, and Jack will hide. After I finish, you’ll find him around the carnival before the timer runs out. Two minutes to locate him. If you fail, we’ll go to round two.”

Her words carry a playful edge, but I know better. Herald Mortiferum’s own—one of the most hunted, bounty over fifty million. I had seen her poster in a newspaper, twice as deadly as any boast.

The game she’s about to start isn’t easy. It never is when she’s the one in charge.

“I’ll start counting, okay?” she says, a hint of glee tinting her voice. She isn’t loud with threats, but the menace leaks from every syllable.

“3,”

The carnival music cuts out.

“2,”

Music returns, carnival-toned, with kids laughing and soft cries drifting through the air.

“1.”

I flinched, hands flying to my ears as the gunshot shattered the air. When I turned, my eyes widened as Clark lay sprawled on the ground, clutching his back.