HUES OF A MURDER

Chapter 21: Beware of the colour red!

The next morning, after a scrumptious breakfast of poached eggs, toasts, jams, marmalades and roasted carrots and mushrooms, the four friends sat around the table and discussed their next plan.

"So, after we go to Blackwater, what are we going to do? How are we going to find the woman with just a name?" Scarlett asked.

"We can check the social media for the surname and see if we get any hits," Rowan typed in his phone.

"Well, we can go to the church there and ask the priest. He might know them. I checked on Blackwater. It is a small village, a farming community. It has a population of around twelve hundred people. It's probably the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else. I am pretty sure we will find them." Cyan was sure.

"And then what? What are we going to do? And what if they have nothing to do with all these?" Rose blew her hot tea.

"I honestly don't know. Then..." Cyan broke off.

"Well, then I think all we can do is to hope for the police to catch the murderers." Scarlett stated.

"Did the police check on that guy from the hospital?" Cyan turned to Rose.

"Nope. I asked Rusty. He had checked with the police. They said that they got his pic from the hospital CCTV but they are yet to find him. They said that with the fair going on, it's difficult."

"Well, there is nothing on the social media regarding any Briarwraiths. What a weird name though. Kinda spooky!" Rowan rolled his eyes.

"Well, let's get going," Cyan got up and paid the bills. Soon they hit the road.

The road trip was a balm to the tortured minds. However, as they were nearing the village of Blackwater, their mood changed from a gleeful one to sombre. The marshes surrounding the village was foggy and lonely. The narrow road that wound through the marshes felt tortuous. Silence descended upon them as they reached the village.

Blackwater was a remote village shadowed by mountains on one side and marshes on the other. The villagers were mostly farmers who cultivated wheat, oats and apples. The village got its name from Lake Blackwater which on summer became a tourist spot. There were cabins for tourists near the lake at the base of mountains surrounding it. Tourists visited the lake for fishing, camping and mountaineering. But there were no facilities in the village to accommodate the tourists. The villagers were suspicious of the outsiders and were hostile.

Cyan consulted google maps and gave instructions to Rowan to the local chapel. Scarlett and Rose followed them. The chapel was a small one and was empty. The four went inside and found an altar boy and requested to meet the priest. They were pointed to the direction of the priest's house.

They found themselves facing a little cottage and a man in a loose shirt and trousers working in the garden tending to the peas, barefooted. The man was wearing a straw hat.

"Hello," Cyan said in a tentative tone.

The man turned around. His eyes widened with surprise. His face was flushed with sweat. "Hello," he waved at them.

"Ugh! We are.... Ah! We are coming from Maplewood." Cyan stammered and put his hands in his pockets.

"Maplewood, huh? It's a long way from home. What can I do for you?" the man took the towel in his shoulders and wiped his hands caked with dirt in it.

"We are here to see the priest at the chapel." Rowan told him.

"I am the one you are seeking." The man smiled pointing to the house. "It's hot today. Come in."

They went after him to the cool house. He asked them to sit and went inside. He came with glasses of apple juice and passed them around.

"So, why did four youngsters travel all the way from Maplewood to Blackwater to see a poor chaplain?" the priest sipped his juice and sat on the armchair opposite them.