Mystery of the Guillotine Killer (FrUK)

Chapter eleven

"So strong, Arthur, go a little easy on me."
"Sorry, I just.....I have a theory, and what I want to ask you will prove it....well, sort of"
"I see....ask me anything then."
"Why did you not want Lucile and her husband to marry?" I asked. I looked at him, whose face dropped slowly. "Still about that? What is up with you?" He asked nervously. "Please....just answer," I begged. "Alright...fine," he said slowly. Francis sat up straight, looking at me with a smile. He looked so sad and troubled. Of course, he did; whatever happened between his sister and him was terrible.

"They only married almost two years ago....but ever since then...I have only witnessed hell. When they first started dating, he would threaten me, I did not want to tell Lucile because she seemed so happy, but I knew they were not right for each other." He started. "The threats....how bad were they?" I asked.
"He would threaten to hurt her if I tried to tear them apart. He manipulated her daily, and she was too head over heels to realize it."

"How come you did not report it? Surely the police would have arrested him for violent behavior."
"Yes...but he would have just denied it; there was no physical evidence. All he did was make threats to me, and her...just behind her back, when I mentioned it to her, she didn't believe me, she thought I was crazy about the whole situation...it was a bit disappointing," he placed a hand on his forehead tiredly. "I am interviewing him tomorrow...at the station...I expect them to show up, and if they don't, I have what I need...I am sure Lucile realizes that"

"What? What do you mean?" Francis asked. "Sorry, but I will let you know soon what it means. I just want to make sure you are by me at all times. I do not want you getting hurt," I explained. He suspiciously looked at me before accepting my answer. "So go on; what happened next?" I asked. "Ahhh...well, he asked to marry her that same month they got together; I knew for a fact the relationship was toxic, so I did my best to try and convince her to find someone better; of course, that did not work out."

"Hmmm....in your opinion, do you think he would ever influence her to....do a crime?" I asked. Please don't think anything of the question, please don't think anything of the question, PLEASE don't think anything of the question. "Well.....knowing the type of person he has been behind her back...I would not doubt he would influence her that way. He is manipulative," once he said that last word, a thunderstorm started outside. It creeped me out a bit, but Francis knows what he is capable of, and I will have to truly find out tomorrow.

"I see.... do me a favor. I would like that the relationship between us stay a secret, so try your best to act like we have no relationship with each other,"
"Relationship? So we really are dating.....well, I suppose it was a matter of time."
"No! I mean, how we know each other,"
"Sure thing," he laughed. I turned to look at him, annoyed, as I shook my head. "For your safety, I would like you to act that way," I added. "Alright, fine, whatever you say, detective Kirkland" he smiled as he did a salute.

"Thank you; I wanted to ask about your deceased lover...if that is alright with you?...."
"Ahh...no worries, I am okay to talk about it. We had not been dating long, maybe two weeks. I feel bad about thinking this way, but her death did not really affect me much because I had not known her for a long time, and we had not been together." He said sadly, looking down. "It is alright...I want to know her relationship with your sister," I spoke softly. I needed to be careful about what I said and did not want to be rude.

"Lucile hated her; I assume she wanted to take her anger out on her after I refused to let them marry. Lucile would say rude things to her or, at times, push her around. I tried getting her to stop, but she never did....till the day Maria was murdered, Lucile acted that way. When she died, Lucile never asked me how I was doing, Or if I was okay, I was the mortician, so I had to work on her corpse....it was the only time I dreaded my job."

"I am sorry to hear that," I spoke slowly. "The day before she died, can you explain it to me?" I asked. Something had to have happened that day that led to her murder. "Well....she and Lucile had another fallout, only this time, Maria said something back to her. I pulled them apart, but Maria hated her with everything she had," Francis started. His words made me shocked. Of course, she would have been murdered the next day. Lucile was making my job too easy right now. "Everything is going to be alright, Francis, I promise."

"I know it will....it is because France has someone like you working on this case. I ask that you please be careful; who knows if you will get caught up in something...again. Arthur, I look forward to working with you and becoming closer as friends. I mean it, so it scares me knowing you are risking your life every day," he spoke. My eyes widened at his words as I smiled at him softly. "I solve plenty of cases like this back home, do not worry, I promise....everything is going to be alright, Francis."

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