The Witch's Doll ⚢

Chapter 5

"What's this sudden fascination with a murder case?" Henri asked.

Isla remained silent. Her lips pursed in thought so deep that she was trying her best to tune out the man beside her.

"Would you really think that the local Sergeant or that the Scotland Yard would need help from a random 17-year old who suddenly injected herself into the case?"

Isla remained indifferent. No amount of disparagement from close friends to strangers would stop her from getting to the bottom of it. She also regretted the decision on sharing her theories with him.

"Isla, please. Think about it." Henri said. She followed the girl to her car and they were on their way to the Salisbury Police Service. Both of them were sitting in the backseat as Isla's personal driver was set on driving the route from the Academy. "Who would share details about their case files to a 17-year old girl?"

Isla sighed. Her patience or Henri's bothersome qualities seemingly has its limits. And here, she thought the only ones who could annoy her as much were Poppy and Harper. "Believe it or not, the only reason I do what I do is that I want peace and order in this academy."

Henri rolled his eyes. "For sure it is."

"As Student Council President, the Headmistress herself permitted me to oversee the investigation. You were there when that occurred, Henri. Or were you just busy being fussed over by Poppy?"

Henri scoffed. "Oh please, I turned Miss Anderson to the Deputy Headmistress. The point of being in the Student Council is to be the bridge between the faculty and staff and the students. We implement rules, govern and in return, give the students what they want. Heading over to the police isn't what the students want."

Isla frowned. As if the tall young man beside her was a puzzle that needs solving. "You witnessed what happened at the cafeteria after Amani pretty much escaped our clutches for questioning."

"Yes," Henri said tersely. "I was with you on the balcony. The Sergeant gained a stone and a quarter. His hairline is receding since last week we saw him."

"Then you should see my distress on how the authoritative figures treat one of our students poorly." The sight she had witnessed when the Salisbury Police was being rude to a minor Asian immigrant was burned into the back of her head, forgetting was impossible. "Your observations are slipping, Henri. He gained a stone and a half."

"I'm being courteous," Henri said.

"Either way," Isla hated it when they stray off topics. "The Headmistress herself agreed for the cops to interrogate Miss Lu when she was presented with the paperwork. She still has not conversed with her legal guardian when the Sergeant himself went rogue and treated a minor like a dangerous criminal. I'll see to it that the cops get sued for this."

Henri crossed his arms. "You know, you wouldn't be doing this if the Headmistress herself wasn't as old as my great-grandmother and wouldn't have asked you to manage it."

"Do not speak ill of the old, especially one like Headmistress Imogen Collins. There is a reason why she preferred not to handle anything with the cops."

"Is it because of the old fact that her father was an old bounty hunter pirate?"

"Yes, she preferred not to interfere for she wishes to avoid the unnecessary possibility that might shed light on her past issue. I know all about bad reputations, Henri. You must know that. After all the years she tried to cut apart herself from her father's evil doing, it will all be for naught if I don't help her."

"I see you speak from the heart. Do you see yourself growing up in similar situations as her?" Henri hinted at Isla's own issues but didn't push through. "Speaking of olden times, I read before that in Victorian times, attacking the police was a national pastime. Would you like to bring it back?"