Paint Me Black and Leave Me Alone

-8-

Morgan POV-

"Morgan." I turned to look at Ciel who sipped his tea. "That will do."

I nodded and turned back to the man I had just assaulted. "Mister Woodley. You'll follow our instructions now, won't you?"

He just stood and 'tched', keeping as little eye contact with me as he could. I turned back to the group of guests and bowed to them before moving back to the other servants.

I was only able to stay silent for a few seconds before my excitement spilled over.

"Holly shit, did you see that? I felt so badass! That was so fucking awesome!" I squealed and clapped and bounced in happiness while the others just laughed.

I stopped suddenly as a searing pain in my jaw suddenly burst forth and attacked my poor nervous system.

I gasped and dropped to the floor, clutching the left side of my jaw. Arthur ran forward and gently moved my hands away to examine it. He poked it and I screamed in pain.

"It's slightly broken." He informed me. "Only a hairline fracture at most. The adrenalin is most likely the only reason you have really been able to talk so far."

I nodded enough where it wouldn't really hurt, and he helped me to stand. "It's probably best you try not to talk for a while." I nodded again and he smiled slightly.

Ciel cleared his throat. "Well then, back to business. As things currently stand, the professor is the only one among us who, without a doubt, cannot be the culprit. Thus, I believe the safest and fairest option is to have the professor decide on how we should proceed."

Arthur looked surprised and pointed to himself. "M-me?!"

Ciel nodded. "Yes. For my part, I have no desire to leave the perpetrators endlessly wandering about my manor..."

Arthur looked down to the ground. "W-Well I can't say I'm not of the same mind on that account, but-"

"Of course, the same goes for us, yeah?" Grimsby added. Ciel smirked.

"That settles it then. We have nothing but time until the storm lets up anyhow." He laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them. He then smiled a smile that could have melted the heart of any girl. "So what do you say we hunt down and corner the culprits at our leisure, hmm professor?"

-/-/-/-/-

"Hearing your sides of the story have made much clearer..." Arthur began, writing in his notebook again. "But what concerns me the most is the whereabouts of the key to the earl's quarters."

Everyone had calmed down and were all sitting around once more.

"As it stands," he continued. "Only Sebastian who was in possession of the key, could have killed mister Phelps, but if the key had passed into the hands of another, that would change matters."

I nodded. Dammit! I hate not being able to talk!

Ciel looked to me and nodded back, then turned to look at Arthur again. "But now that Sebastian has been killed, can it not be said that if anyone does have the key, that person is the culprit?"

"Quite."

Earl Grey spoke up and I looked to him in slight shock. It's been a while since he's said anything at all, I almost forgot he was there. "Then fist we have to check whether or not the butler has the key. If he does have it, consider that theory squashed."

"You're right." Arthur said. "To that point, I think it will be best that we conduct ourselves in groups from now on. I do not wish to have a lady accompany us to the makeshift morgue, so Miss Irene and Mister Grimsby, if you would please remain here. And mister Woodley as well..."