hawk & sable

CHAPTER NINETEEN,

HAWK & SABLE | NINETEEN

"HER NAME'S DU Luyin," Rhys began, "and she had been working here for two years."

"Perfect timing," Laurence muttered. A new employee would be easier to manipulate, inexperienced and naive. If Ciri was looking to bribe or turn someone to her side, she'd be looking for someone like that.

Dominic continued. "She leaves behind her parents and two younger siblings, all of whom live near the outskirts of the city. She had quarters here and visited home once a week. On one of these trips, she was attacked and killed. That was exactly a month ago."

"Friends?" Irina asked, raising a perfectly sculpted brow.

"A few childhood friends, but they say they had been growing apart for a while before she had stepped foot in the palace. A few other maids here, I think. Generally reclusive."

"Another coincidence," Asteria pointed out. "Both girls were generally loners with only small friend groups."

"No one overlaps," Rhys said apologetically. "We checked. The link between them has been kept secret, I think, if the two girls knew about the other at all."

"Then we'll have to do with what we have," Asteria murmured. "The family and the friends."

Irina eyed them. "Rhys, and take Ciri with you. For the family. Dominic and... ah, Malcolm. For the maids. Better that way." The Circle of Cranes had joined them tonight, keeping mostly to themselves. Malcolm nodded, and Ciri did as well. Rhys and Dominic's presence would show a certain degree of urgency and importance to the issue, but Ciri would calm the family. If they thought they were suspecting their daughter of a crime, they'd be watching their tongues. Between Dominic and Malcolm, besides, they'd be able to charm the pants off of anyone.

She turned her gaze to the rest of them, scrutinising. Ryan looked deep in thought. "The rest of you, do what you were doing before. Banquet at the Baroness's tonight."

"Do we go now, then?" Ciri asked, raising her hand.

Ryan nodded. "No time like the present. We'll prepare a carriage. Dominic, Malcolm..."

The two men nodded and left quickly. Ryan ordered a carriage for them, as he had promised to. That left the others to their own devices as Rhys and Ciri walked out of the palace, both quiet.

"We should probably plan our questions."

Rhys snorted. "Even though it'll all go out of the window the moment we step in there?"

"No plan ever sticks. It's still nice to have a general idea, Miss Jiang."

"I suppose so. We'll have to ask... about her friends. And if she had ever mentioned any paintings. If she ever acted strange, in the case it's blackmail. Probably not, though."

Ciri agreed with a nod of her head. "Seems more like coercion. Persuaded into doing it. We're looking at a charismatic monster."

Rhys hummed pensively. "I'm beginning to form a profile of this character. That's good. That usually happens when I'm close to the bottom of a case." But this was no ordinary case. They both knew that. Even when they found the culprit, they'd have to catch them, and then clean up the mess left behind.

God knew how big of a web they had already weaved in the Scarlet Palace. The officials were already busy enough trying to prevent the international incident Hua Jueying had wanted to cause.

And when this case is finished, Laurence is leaving, a tiny voice in her head told her.

Rhys glanced at her. "What's wrong? You look like that time I forced Dominic to eat furu."