Murder at the Academy

Chapter VIII: The Conclusion Part II

Lilyana's already shell-shocked face appears even more distraught.

Very resigned, she sinks back in her chair and says

"How did I allow this to happen to myself?"

Her beautiful sorrowful brown eyes were fixed on a specific spot on the floorboards.

"Is there something that you'd like to tell us about the spot you're so consumed in staring at?" I ask to get her attention.

"What? Oh, it's nothing." She asks, her eyes snapping back at me. She doesn't break eye contact with me, as if daring me to tell her to do anything. Anything at all.

"There's more to it than that, isn't there? This wasn't just a pure revenge issue for you, was it?" 

"What's it to you?" she replies. 

"There are a few main motives for murder. Revenge and the fact that they have something that you want so badly that you are willing to kill for it." 

Lilyana looks down at the floor once more.

"So, what is it?" I ask again, not so calmly.

"What's what?" she asks with such cheekiness that I react as if she physically slapped me.

"The thing that Hattie was in possession of that you wanted." I explain, "Wait one moment. The murderer of the Blackburn family was never caught, and the family diamond went missing along with their daughter..."

"Yes, that's exactly where I was going. See, my father had been cheating on Madame LeFoux. They were going to get divorced, and they were deep in debt. They couldn't afford to keep on any staff members, or the diamond. They had been arguing. I was five, if you recall. There was an awful lighting storm and the power went out. The Mr. and Mrs. kept arguing, and they began throwing things. Mr. Bennett threw a knife. He didn't mean to hurt anybody, I'm certain. He accidentally hit a maid by the name of Lilyana Dobrev, the..."

"The missing maid.."

"Yes, Hattie's sister in work, her colleague. Mr Blackburn killed the real Lilyana Dobrev, immediately after she had entered the room. It was dark and he thought that the figure was his soon to be ex-wife. We heard Lilyana's scream from upstairs. The lights came back on, and we were horrified at the scene. The Blackburns kept it very hushed up, it never appeared in any newspaper. Later that night, Hattie McClaren went after the diamond in the family vault. In fact, she took and reuturned it to my mother. Madame LeFoux hid the diamond underneath the floorboards. My father caught her, and she was so startled that she killed him. Baby Daisy was killed when her father dropped her."

"What happened once you fled the Blackburns?" I prod further.

"I told the adoption agency that I was an orphan and my name was Lilyana. I needed a place to stay. For me, everything I told that woman was completely true." 

"Angela, the police are here." Penelope says quietly.

"Lilyana, it's been a pleasure. I plan to suggest you receive a lighter sentence with some professional help for you to handle your emotions." 

Jennie stage whispers to Penelope, "We've got ourselves a regular Sherlock Holmes, haven't we?" 

"Yes. It's quite clear that our Angela Liddel has a great many more adventures ahead of her, and I expect she will become quite famous. The world will know her name." Penelope smiles as Lilyana is cuffed and brought away.