The Manor Murder

Chapter 6

A bewildered George faced Dan when he posed his next question.

"But why? Why did Alex lie about this?"

"That is precisely what we must figure out dear George. Although I don't suspect it will add much to our case." Replied Dan.

A shrill noise rang throughout the house. It was the doorbell. Loud barks sounded throughout the house. It jolted Dan out of his deep train of thought. One which would eventually prove untrue. A knock sounded at the door of the parlor. In came a man wearing a signature khaki coat. A maid hussled about him and gently took his coat in her arms. It was Will Andrews.

"Ahh! Welcome Will. I was just waiting for you. You see, we have encountered a minute obstruction. When initially questioned, Alex said that Henry the butler was first on scene. On later questioning, Henry has stated that Alex was the first on on the scene. I believe Henry is saying the truth. What do you have to say about this?" Asked George

"I would like to hear Alex out before making a statement." Replied Will.

George stood up and walked out of the parlor. He came in with Alex.

""Good morning Alex. This is my good friend Will. He has assisted me in several cases and I assure you that he is trustworthy." Said Dan.

"Yes sir. That's perfectly fine. Before we start. I would like to say that yesterday I made an error. I was actually the first one on the scene and not Henry. I had gone to check in on mum later that night when i heard the scuffle." Said Alex in a somber tone.

"What made you lie yesterday Alex?"asked Inspector George.

"Fear sir. I was scared i would become a prime suspect. You see, I was in Mum's room while it was going on. I tried to enter but it was locked on the inside."

"Alex, did you hear anything other than noises of the struggle?" Asked Dan.

"No. I heard no Voices. No footsteps. Nothing ." Replied Alex

"Did you notice anything strange about your father throughout the day?" Asked Dan.

"No. Not really. Although, he did ask Henry quite clearly not to disturb him the next morning. What for I have no idea. Although mum was surely acting strange. "

"How so?" Asked Will.

" Well, she did warn dad that she felt something was wrong. She asked him to stay in her room that night. She was sure something would go wrong. The last time she felt something so strongly was the day we lost Jack. I personally think it was a big mistake on Dad's part to ward off mom's intuition as just superstition."

"What did you do throughout the day Alex?" Asked George.

"Let's see. I went for a walk with Gypsy girl here. She used to love walks. Jack was the one who used to take her. Ever since his death, she has become averse to the idea of walks. Then I went to the medical store to pick up some balm for my leg. After that I came back and decorated the hall."

"Thank you Alex. I hope you will not mind if we need to ask you a few more questions later on. For now you can go." Said Dan.

Alex nodded and briskly left the room. Will was in deep thought.

"That was unexpected. I thought there would be more to it." He said.

"There is more to it. Why did Alex Decide to visit his mom yesterday? Was it a daily practice? I suspect it wasn't. Why did he take Gypsy out for a walk if she was averse to it? Why did Alex believe it a mistake on his father's part to have ignored his mother's intuition? Most important of all. Why did he confess to lying so quickly?" Said Dan.

"This case is just getting more and more confusing. We haven't picked up any clues as yet" said George with extreme frustration.

"Of course we have my dear friend. It will all soon become evident. In the mean time let's next call in Miss Celia."

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Though Alice was physically restricted, her mind was sharp as ever. She trusted her institution beyond all. She had felt it yesterday. That feeling in the bottom of her stomach. The very same feeling she had felt the day she had lost her beloved Jake.

' It was Christmas eve. A night that everyone cherished. Every house was lit up and there was a warm cozy atmosphere throughout the suburb of Ealing.

The Manor house proved that looks can be deceptive. On the outside, it was just as lit up and bright as the Others. The inside was another story. Jake and his father Elliott were having another row. Both being headstrong, they refused to hear each Others point of view. In the peak of anger, Jake left the house.

Alice did not sleep that night. It was common for Jake to leave the house during his fights with his father, but this time something felt wrong. She couldn't sleep. Suddenly a loud ring pierced the silent night. It was the telephone.

Alice rose up from the bed. She walked up to the telephone beside the stairs and with trembling hands she answered the call. It was Jack.

"Hello?" Alice said in a small voice.

"Hi mum. Its Jack. I just wanted you to know that I love you for being both my mum and my father. I know it hasn't been easy. You don't have to worry anymore. I love you."

A gunshot sounded through the phone. Alice screamed. She couldn't feel anything. It was as though it was her and not Jack who had been shot. The shock overcame her body and she fainted backwards.

A man standing opposite city street stood still in shock. He then shook it off and ran towards the young man now lying on the ground. He was bleeding through his head, the result of the gunshot he inflicted upon himself. He checked for a pulse. There was none. He the turned to the pay phone and dialled the number for the police. He explained the events to the officer. When he turned to give a description of the young man, he was shocked. The body was missing.

The police searched everywhere. There were no clues to where Jake's body had vanished. It was a huge mystery.

Oddly enough, Jake's body had never been found.
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Heyy guys. Another update. Like always, constructive criticism is always appreciated and don't be a ghost reader :) That being said, .... adiós , I'll be back with more.