The Secrets of Whitechaple

Chapter 10

Melissa's P.O.V.

It's sunny. It should be sunny. A great man is dead and nothing changes, everything and everyone just moves along as if he was never here. 

My mental musings end as the carriage pulls up to the grave site. The diver opens the small black door and offers me a hand as I begin to step out. I smile and thank him as my feet hit the ground.

I glance around at the other mourners. I see Chief Inspector Abberline with his wife, a few distant cousins I recognize from the occasion visit to the office, and quiet a few lifelong patients. They are all wearing black. The women in long dresses paired with hats adorned with veils and flowers, the men in black suits and top hats. 

Chief Inspector Abberline notices me and begins to walk in my direction with his wife latched onto his arm. It must be nice to have someone special in your life. 

"Good afternoon, Chief Inspector, Mrs. Abberline." I greet them both when they are within hearing distance. 

"Now, now, Melissa, there's no need to bother with that Chief Inspector nonsense. Unless I'm questioning you in my offices just call me Mr. Abberline." I can see he's trying to make the best of the situation, but I just can't do that today. 

I return a small forced smile, "okay, Mr. Abberline." He gives me a sympathetic smile and Mrs. Abberline reaches up and squeezes my shoulder.

"Stay strong, dear." She says and Mr. Abberline moves them away to converse with the others. 

I just wander for a while, greeting some people whom I recognize and sipping a ding that was handed to me a few minutes after my talk with Mr. and Mrs. Abberline. I glance to my left and freeze. Right in my line of vision is something I wished I would never have to see; Dr. Williams pale, lifeless face resting in a wooden box already in the spot waiting to be lowered into the ground. 

Tears begin to run down my face and I now realize that I can't do this. I faintly hear someone trying to gather the group together to give the parting words before they lower him into the ground. But all I do is turn on my heel and begin walking towards the carriage I hired. 

I open the door myself and climb in, all the while  the man up front looks very confused.

"Miss?"

"Don't ask questions. Just take me to East End London." The confusion does not leave his face but he does what he is told and begins maneuvering the carriage onto the little make shit road in the general direction of East End. 

From my seat I can see Mr. Abberline in the little group of little mourners staring hard and quizzically at my carriage but I pay this no mind, I have something to do. 

*    *      *

Once we reach the border of East End I instruct the driver to let me out and leave, now I'm all alone and that's just how it should be for what I'm about to do.

I begin to look around, it's dark already since the distance between the graveyard and the East End is quite large. I look and look and look util I spot just what I'm looking for. A brunette woman is leaving a building looking a bit disheveled and a man is following closely behind her. They speak a few words and he hands her a few bills. 

I walk straight to her. I don't look anywhere but her. " Hello. My name is Melissa and I was wondering if I could talk to you privately for a moment?" I use the most polite voice I can muster for something like her. 

"Well, sure. I don' see why not. Come on in." She holds the door open for me to enter. 

Once we are inside I ask for her name. "'Round 'ere I'm known as Fairy Fay."