Death on the Royal Empress

Chapter 4: The first death

The lobby remained a scene of quiet chaos, the murmurs of the crowd mingling with the distant clatter of staff moving behind the scenes. As Officer Collins began to interview the remaining staff members, I decided it was time to follow up on the conversations I'd overheard and get a clearer picture of what had transpired. I approached Officer Collins as she wrapped up her interview with a particularly anxious waiter. "Officer Collins," I began, "I'd like to provide some additional information that might be relevant." She looked up, her expression both tired and attentive. "What do you have for me, Avery?" "I overheard some conversations among the maids and staff," I explained. "They mentioned that one of the maids seemed troubled this morning and had a disagreement with one of the guests. They also mentioned that the maid had been acting strangely, almost like she was anticipating something bad." Officer Collins raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. We'll need to follow up on those leads. Did you catch which maid they were talking about?" "Yes," I said, trying to recall the details. "Her name is Lydia. She was the one brought in earlier." Officer Collins nodded. "We'll make sure to look into her interactions with the guests and any recent behavior. For now, though, we need to keep everyone in the lobby until we can ensure their safety and conduct a thorough search." As Officer Collins moved on to question other witnesses, I decided to revisit the scene of the supposed crime. The blood-spattered room had been temporarily closed off, but with the right persuasion, I was able to convince one of the officers to let me in briefly. The room was now being examined by forensic experts, but I wanted to take another look at the knife I had hidden. Returning to my room, I carefully retrieved the knife from the drawer. It had been cleaned, but a quick inspection showed that the blood was still fresh enough to be useful. I knew I needed to be cautious, any direct interference with the evidence could backfire. I was so absorbed in examining the knife that I almost didn't notice the knock on my door. I opened it to find Ariadne, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She stepped in without waiting for an invitation. "Avery," she said, her voice shaky but determined. "I need to talk to you.""Of course," I said, closing the door behind her. "What's on your mind?" "I've been thinking about what happened," Ariadne began, pacing the small room. "There's something that doesn't add up. The blood in Jack's room, it was everywhere, but Jack was unharmed. How could someone have staged that scene and then just walked away?" "It's definitely strange," I agreed. "The scene in Jack's room seemed too elaborate to be a random act of violence. It was as if someone wanted to create a specific impression." Ariadne nodded, her brow furrowed. "Exactly. And when Jack was found, he seemed so calm—almost too calm. I know he's good at hiding his emotions, but this is different." "That's a good point," I said, thinking it over. "We need to consider everyone's behavior and try to piece together how it fits with the evidence. Have you noticed anything else unusual?" "Actually," Ariadne said, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I remember Luke talking to Lydia earlier today. They seemed to be arguing about something, but I couldn't hear what it was about." "Luke and Lydia?" I repeated, making a note of it. "That's definitely worth looking into. Maybe they had a personal conflict or some kind of motive." Ariadne sighed, looking more exhausted than before. "I just want to understand what's happening. I don't want anyone else to get hurt." "I understand," I said reassuringly. "I'll do my best to get to the bottom of this. We'll find out what's really going on." Ariadne gave me a grateful nod and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I needed to talk to Lydia and Luke, but the investigation was still ongoing, and I had to tread carefully. Every detail mattered, and with each new piece of information, the puzzle grew more complex. I decided to head back to the lobby and see if there were any new developments. As I walked through the corridors, I couldn't shake the feeling that the truth was just within reach but obscured by the labyrinth of lies and deception surrounding us. In the lobby, Officer Collins was still managing the situation, and I could see that her patience was wearing thin. I approached her and offered my findings. "I've learned that Lydia had a disagreement with Luke and was acting strangely this morning. I think it's important to follow up on their interactions." Officer Collins took note of my observations, her face serious. "I appreciate the information, Avery. We'll investigate further. In the meantime, please stay alert and continue to observe. If you see or hear anything suspicious, let us know immediately." As Officer Collins continued her work, I couldn't help but feel the weight of responsibility settling on my shoulders. The mystery of the ship was unraveling slowly, but each clue seemed to lead to more questions. The knife, the blood, and the conflicting stories—all of them were pieces of a puzzle that had yet to reveal its full picture. Determined, I resolved to follow every lead, question every possibility, and uncover the truth before the ship's dark secrets claimed another victim.