Under the Oak Tree - Time Before You

04 Encounter

The journey to their next lead was relatively quiet. Captain Calypse had offered to take control of the wheels, after observing that his subordinate was still queasy from the autopsy. Embarrassed but relieved, Sergeant Charon handled the car keys over. The younger man then inspected his watch and asked after his partner with genuine concern.

"Pardon my manners, Captain. It's your first day at work after all. Shall we grab some lunch?"

Riftan shook his head in response.

"I'm used to skipping lunch. Besides, I doubt you've much appetite either? Let's just head over and hopefully end the day sooner."

With long nimble fingers, the captain unravelled the paper in his hand and keyed its stated address into their car's in-built GPS system.

"Rest, the GPS will guide me through and I'll appreciate the silence."

Elliot slid into his passenger seat uneasily. However as the engine started to pick up, the discomfort he was holding in worsened and he had to rest his eyes for most part of the journey.

On the other hand, Riftan was elated to be back on the driver's seat again. While Elliot had proven to be an experience driver, the commander was still uncomfortable to be driven around instead of having full control over the steering wheel. His personal transport required a few more days to be shipped over, and it was one of the errands he was desperate to complete.

Following the navigation system, Riftan noticed that the appointed location was further up from the coroner's office, and a few streets north-east from the Anatol castle. It would take approximately one hour, longer than the previous drive, but sufficient time for his subordinate to rest.

***

"You have arrived at your destination."

The GPS announcement stirred Elliot from his rest. Waking up apologetically, the sergeant rubbed his hands coarsely over his face. Blood was finally returning to his complexion.

"I'm sorry, Captain."

Once again, Riftan dismissed the formalities with his hand. He preferred a flat hierarchy and would rather his partner be well-rested to focus on the investigation instead.

Pulling up their car by the roadside, the duo alighted in front of a large mansion surrounded by bare winter trees. The estate was stretched over a vast land, with a large icy lake further down but within insight. Riftan noted that the mansion was built relatively short with only three storeys, and despite its stone-built facades, the building appeared humble and approachable.

As Riftan crossed the lawn, his eyes were drawn to a flash of azure before the entrance. Upon closer observation, it was actually a field of blue hydrangeas. The soft petals were moving gently with the wind, yet they appeared to be weeping for a loss. Riftan was confused. While he was not a person for flowers, his architectural degree had required him to complete a course on horticulture. And he was pretty certain that these flowers would not bloom in such low temperatures.

Dismissing the bizarre observation, Riftan caught up with his partner at the entrance. Elliot pressed on an electronic bell for attention and the two waited in silence. Once again, the captain made a mental appreciation of Anatol's beauty as he marvelled the fact that even the gates preserved the antique beauty of late medieval period well.

"Rem Foundation."

A tall woman with a purple pixie-cut answered the door. Her tone was blunt like her haircut, and Riftan observed illustrative tattoos trailing from her neck to arms. As the woman wrapped her shawl even tighter, her expression exhibited her clear annoyance at both the cold and their unannounced visit. Nevertheless, Elliot smiled politely and held his police identification to the woman.