Murders of the Past

Family and Foes

Celine yawns as she packs up her toolbox. She'd spent most of the evening working on her Chessmaton, fixing some smaller parts and analyzing its motion cylinder to improve its chess program. If Isaac could bet it, Celine would need to design a more challenging gameplay strategy for her automaton to follow... She knows her cousin is one of the best chess players, so maybe he would let her analyze his playing to develop a better program.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Celine pauses in her packing to turn and face the entranceway of her exhibition booth. Standing there was Isaac, carrying a small wooden case with a chess board on the sides. The detective smiles when they make eye contact, and he enters the booth.

"Hello, Cece," Isaac says, placing his case on an empty table in the booth.

"What have I said about that name, Isaac?" Celine glares, secretly enjoying hearing her childhood nickname again. But she would never inflate her cousin's ego.

"You enjoy it; I know you better than you think," he said proudly, "how is your work coming along?"

"Bien, but I need to redesign the Chessmaton's motion cylinder," she answers, "and your arrival was perfectly timed... I was going to ask if you would let me observe you playing a match!"

"Fitting, since I was going to suggest a game of it!" he chuckles, "it's been too long since we've seen each other, and I was hoping to have the opportunity to talk to you... If you're not too tired, that is!"

She smirked, "I've stayed up much later, Isaac; this is nothing! Now, I see you've brought your chess set? It's well crafted..."

"Of course it is; you made it!" he rolls his eyes, "but did you have to send it to me in pieces?"

"If I sent it to you all at once, where would the fun be in every letter?" she teased.

He rolls his eyes again, "at least the chess pieces were more useful than the rocks you used to send me first!"

"Oi! I only picked the best rocks for ma cousine!" Celine boasted, grabbing two chairs and bringing them over to the table.

"Apparently, France has a lot of rocks..." Isaac teased, removing the chess pieces from the case.

"I could have sent you sticks if you'd prefer," she suggested.

"I'll take the rocks... Knowing you, you would have found a way to send me spiders!" he grumbled.

"Oh! I should have thought of that..." she mused.

"No! Don't get any ideas!" he glares.

She laughs, "se détendre! I'm teasing you!"

Isaac grumbled under his breath as he set up the chessboard. He lined up the pieces on either side of the chessboard painted on the case and took his seat after the last piece was in place. He gave Celine the black pieces so he could start the game when they were ready. The inventor grabbed a journal and pencil to make notes and placed them on the table before watching her cousin make his first move.

Isaac moves a pawn forward, "so, how have you been since your last letter? I assume all is still well in France?"

"Things are well. I've been getting more commissions, so business is good," Celine replies, moving one of her pawns, "I wish I could have visited sooner... But with school, trying to start up my shop and competing in the World Exhibition, I never seemed to have the time or money to travel!"

"There's no need to apologize, Celine; it's not like I had the opportunity to travel to France," he says, deciding which pawn to move next, "how is your father? Still in good health, I hope?"