The Black Butterfly

Chapter 2: The Woodpecker

Nock!Nock!Nock! It was a light noise coming from outside a room located on the third floor of a big villa with gothic architecture of the 16th century wich was actually very modern at the time. It was a huge mansion indeed, far too big for an elderly women to live alone, but not too big for her highborn ego.

-"Yes, what is it?"- the Madame answered while sitting in a beautiful chair near a window with a curved top.

The young maid put her hand at the golden doorhandle and slipped her white thin fragile fingers through the long handle while curving it down as to open it slowly without making a single sound and answered:"Madame Lieselotte, I apologise for disturbing you, but Mr. Johnn and his companion have arrived."

-"Is that so? Tell them to come in."

-"Excuse our intrusion, Madame. I'm Mr. Johnn and this is my assistant Mr. Floyd. We've come here at your request."

-"Welcome, forgive my rudeness. I couldn't greet you properly. Please have a seat."-she said directing her wrinkled trembling hand to the sofa in front of her.

-"Please, heed us no mind. Actually I would like to know the reason we were summoned here."

-"Do not haste. Let's talk this over a warm cup of tea." ... "Lili"-she cried-"prepare the Chinese set on the second shelf."-as she demanded the maid she than turned her attention toward the man and his assistant sitting now on a sofa with a green and beige ornamental seating."Don't you think that the streets have been to lively this time around? It makes me wonder what makes them so energetic, I mean most of them barely have anything to eat yet they are so noisy that it's annoying. What do you think Mr. Johnn?"

-"Indeed it is too much of an uproar today. Something must have happened, but even if it has it does not concern us."

The sound of the door was heard once more when the maid Lili made her entrance with a silver tray on top of which there was a porcelain teapot along with three teacups, very elegant ones. She approached them slowly so to not spill the black tea she had prepared. She put the tray down, served the tea to her mistress' guests, than slowly backed down from the wooden coffe table where she served a moment ago. She then went to the Madame's side, standing behind her.

-"Thank you Lili!"-she said without adverting her eyes from the men in front of her.-"Mr. Johnn I am sure you can guess why I called you here. You are a great detective after all. Even if you can not guess I am sure you can understand why someone would ask for a detective, right?

-"Yes, you are right. I can imagine what you may ask. Seeing as you have many photos in this room, a girls photos, she has to be very special to you. As to why you couldn't get up to greet us, I can only think that you can not get up, maybe something happened to you not too long ago, something like falling off the stairs and when I came in I smelled a slight smell of tranquilizer. That means that it hasn't been too long since you fell. You look like a very careful women because you actually remember where your tea sets are held, even if they are actually held in the kitchen and with such a high pride you posses, I can not think that you attend the cuisine very much, so you might have gone only two or three times. That means you actually have a terribly good memory, so you can not possibly fall off the stairs that easely, so something must have happened. Certainly something regarding the girl in your photos."

-"Correct! Amazing! You could find out all this by only looking at me? You really live up to your name Mr. Johnn!"

-"Thank you Madame, you flatter me, but it all has to do with observation, everyone can do it, but people just aren't attentive."