Private Investigation

Don't Lie

TW: Strong language and brief talk of blood and shooting
Agatha sat on the steps of the grand staircase waiting for Sophie. They had planned to go into town to ask Nicola if she had anything to prove Sophie's innocence, but she was taking too long and Agatha was starting to worry they wouldn't make it before the pub opened.  

Agatha glanced down to check her watch, twenty three minutes past ten, and the looked up to see Kei coming down the staircase behind her. "Your turn today?" asked Agatha before he stopped beside her, two steps from the ground. Kei  took a deep breath and sat down on the steps. He didn't look at Agatha instead picking at the stitching on his work trousers. After a few moments he turned to Agatha, his eyes were puff and blood shot most likely from a night of tears. He was back in his mechanics uniform with a white oil stained shirt and heavy black boots. For the first time, Agatha actually felt sorry for him. 

"If you knew something important, but it would put you and others in danger, would you tell them?" he nodded towards the study that he was clearly avoiding for as long as possible. 

Agatha was utterly confused. Sophie had told her stories of an former mobster with a criminal record that could encircle the manor, forced to flee and take up a job as a  mechanic. But now he was sat before her she could hardly imagine him hurting a fly let alone another human being. He looked utterly broken. "It depends on who I was putting in danger, but if it lead to justice, I think I would."

Above them the sound of a door closing echoed down the hallway and Kei bolted to his feet and headed towards the study. 

"Kei!" he stopped in his tracks and turned back to Agatha, "they can tell if you lie, about anything." 

Kei gave her a weak smile and went into the study as Sophie came down the stairs in a white swing dress and a red shawl. 

***

Kei entered the study with Agatha's words echoing in his head. This wasn't going to be like any other investigation. He was not going to be able to lie his way through this. 

"Take a  seat." 

Having been caught up in his thoughts Kei only just realised he had been awkwardly standing in the doorway . He hurried over to the chair in the middle of the room, still worried about what was going to happen. Briefly, he glanced up at Dot, who was inserting a fresh piece of paper into the type writer. 

There wasn't anything he would not give to see Rhian sat there one last time. He always seemed in his element when scribbling away on document after document. Most men would find it tedious work, Kei included, but Rhian never did. Kei could still picture how his brow furrowed as he read another legal document or a request from a local, how he would take a sip of scotch or whatever else he had when someone knocked on the door, or  even just the tiny things like the way he draped his coat over the chair. Then the next thought crept into Kei's mind. How long would it be until he could no longer remember? 

"You smoke, don't you?" Hester asked placing a small box on the edge of the desk which Dot turned her nose up at. 

"Now and then," was all the man said. 

To most people this would appear to be a polite offer perhaps to break the tension, but those people don't know Hester.
It was the first thing that Hester noticed. After Kei got into an argument with Hort, he got stressed and he pulled out a cigarette. Again after the funeral when the mob turned up there were used ashtrays all over the manor.  Experience had shown Hester that habits like these always helped reveal the truth. 

"What's your trade, Mr Fox?" Dot's fingers started to skim across the keys of her typewriter as Hester began the interview. 

"I I'm a mechanic." 

"And before that?" 

Kei remained silent. He knew what they wanted to hear. He had lost count of how many police investigations he had been a part of and over the years he learnt never to confess even if he thought they knew something. 

"You lived in London, right? Before you came up here."

They definitely knew about the mob.

"I worked as an apprentice down there." Kei was kicking himself on the inside. Why did he sound so nervous? 

"Is that how you and Rhian met?" asked Anadil having no trace of the comforting glimpse Kei saw yesterday. 

Kei's mouth went dry. Questions about the mob suddenly became a lot more appealing. "He came to pick up his old man's car."

"Arthur? I thought that crap only came out two years ago. You must have known each other longer than that."  

"His step-father's" Kei quickly corrected, "Evelyn's partner. She had a new one every month." 

Hester walked behind Kei but he didn't dare look to see what she was doing. He slowly reached towards the cigarette box and Anadil threw him a silver lighter with a simplistic engraving on one side of three rats.  

"What do you think of Sophie?" Anadil asked with a glint in her ruby eye. "You must have known her a while. Chrome- plated model that married your best friend. Question is did she-"

"Cut the crap!" Hester marched in front of the suspect with a stained cloth in her hand. Kei's heart rate quickened as he noticed the oil stains bleeding into the red across the shirt. The same shirt he was wearing now.

Hester threw it to him. 

"Tell us what happened that night and don't think about fucking lying." 

*** 

"Sophie, if Nicola doesn't have anything to help us I doubt anyone else will." Agatha called down to her sister as she limped down the cobbled streets, away from the pub. Nicola  unfortunately said there was nothing she could offer to prove Sophie's where abouts. After Sophie started contemplating forgery Agatha had to drag her out by her crimson scarf.  

"Some one must have seen us. Hurry up." Sophie glanced back to see Agatha had come to a stop. 

"And then what? You get some random person to testify for you. 'Yes detective, I was finishing my ninth pint when they arrived. At least I think it was them, you see everything was too blurry.'" 

Sophie opened her mouth to argue but she knew Agatha was right. No one in that pub was sober. All she could do was hope that justice prevailed. 

With a sigh she went to link arms with Agatha, giving what little support she could, and helped her walk back to the manor. 

*** 

When the pair returned they were greeted by the sight of Hort an Tedros with their ears to the study door. 

"It's Kei" mouthed Hort, trying not to make too much noise as he moved to the side giving Sophie space to listen in. 

Agatha merely rolled her eyes and took a seat opposite them. That is until she saw Sophie's eyes bulge and Tedros gesture for her to come over. 

*** 

"I went to see Rhian at half ten, most of 'em had gone out and Japeth was no where to be seen so I thought we'd be safe. When I opened the door he was kneeling on the floor  gripping the bed." Kei paused and took a deep breath. "As I got closer I noticed the blood, someone had fucking shot him." With great difficulty Kei fought through his emotions but it was no use. 

"Take all the time you need." Dot offered him a handkerchief but he declined it. 

"But not too much time." Hester added. 

  "I managed to get him to sit on the bed and I used my shirt to try and stop the bleeding since it was already stained. I tried to go, to  phone the police or an ambulance but he wouldn't let me. I stayed there until he - until he-" 

"Died?" Hester had little patience for emotions or sentimentality. "Then what?"

"I stayed there until I heard a car pull up. I panicked and I ran to my room. The next think I knew Sophie was screaming the house down."  

Outside the four of them turned to each other in shock. 

Kei was done for.