Sabbath's 2 Darlings- The 12: Book Two

20. Clue in the Rhyme

Ottaline watched Providence trotting around on Bach's back in the front yard. She was happy to see her sister so happy and moving with grace. She waved to her from the balcony before going back inside. She sought out Mr. Idris and found him in his rooms poring over papers. She realized she seldom found him doing much of anything else.

She knocked on the open door and he asked her to enter. Taking a seat at the opposite side of the desk she watched him for a moment. "Have you found out anything new?"

"I'm still trying to make connections," Idris said. "So far we have accusations but we don't have solid proof. These people's deaths have been accepted as accidents for years and now here I come saying it was murder and by the most affluent family in town."

Ottaline looked down at her hands when she realized the difficulty of it all. "I used to love detective games but now that I'm really in one...I wish I could escape."

Idris nodded. "I feel we have all the pieces except the most crucial one."

"The motive," Ottaline said and smiled when Idris nodded. "Maybe we should focus harder on Isaac Richmond. He's the oldest case we have followed by Miss Heritage and then my mother..." She thought. "What if it's all connected to him?"

"That's possible but we still don't have a motive," Idris said. "Granville thinks it was Ishmael that killed him. But if that's so then why? Why kill my own brother? Am I angry with him...jealous? Those reasons alone just don't seem like enough for me."

Ottaline shrugged. "It was enough for Cain," she said.

"True," Idris said. "But even then Cain was jealous over something Abel did or had."

Ottaline thought. "Maybe an inheritance." She suggested. "Isaac was the oldest, so maybe he was going to get more and Master Ishmael wanted it so he killed him. But then he'd still have to be second to Master Esau..."

Idris sighed. "Maybe we are looking in the wrong places," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean maybe Isaac is not the first."

"The first born?"

"No the first murdered."

Ottaline leaned back in her chair. It seemed the mystery would never end. But if the pattern stayed the same then that would mean this other victim was also a resident of Drinking Water and if that was the case then they were more than likely buried in Sabbath Cemetery.

/

"Can I help you, sir?"

"Mr. Arnold?

"I'm he."

"Idris St. Cloud." Idris extended his hand and he man shook it. "I'm here to inquire about the cemetery."

Mr. Arnold looked back into his house then stepped out of the way to let Idris in out of the mountain rain. He walked him past the kitchen where his wife was preparing food and took him into his private office.

"Well, Sonny what do you need to know?" he asked. "You trying to find out about some of those old weathered graves?"

"No, sir," Idris said. "I would like to see a record of the graves. I was told at the courthouse that you might keep such a book." Idris sat himself at the man's request and waited.

"I do," Arnold said. "But I only have information for so many decades back. What year are you looking for?

"Let's try the 70s." Idris said and Arnold turned to the cluttered shelf behind him. He ran his finger over several books before taking one down.