The Vampire Detective

I have decided to reaccount the narrative of the event that

befell the winter of 1889, on the murder of Mr Ernest Du Bois

from my own perspective.

A case so twisted it took the ingenuity of my dear friend Arthur Caine to unravel this mysterious murder.

December 23rd 1889

On December 23rd Mr Ernest Du Bois one of the most distinguished gentlemenmen in all of London was found dead with a golden knife inserted into his chest.

His son Henry was arrested for the murder, but chief inspector Stokes of Scotland yard suspected foul play and decided to consult my dearest friend Arthur Caine to look further into this mysterious affair...

"Do you think I should give up painting, I don't think my work will ever amount to the likes of Edgar Degas or Da Vinci" Said Arthur

"Who's Degas"

"Just a splendid fellow I met in France, he had a peculiar collection of work.

I was intrigued and fascinated by his methods.

I think they are called impressions."

Your paintings are beautiful" I replied "but they could be more splendid if they weren't so dark, and besides Da Vinci was a man of vast knowledge. I believe the term was, Renaissance man, a polymath a proper genius.

"I am too a man of vast knowledge.

I have a section of on the daily herald newspaper in which i give detailed explanation on the variation of insects I am a proponent in the field of entomology"

"Ah yes, I'm familiar with your research,

impressive work my friend, doesn't stop from skipping ahead"

"You sound like one of my students, too lazy to accommodate new ideas.

Data is valuable, data is everything" Arthur said enthusiastically.

And may I remind you, which one of us has an advance degree, and penchant for higher learning."

"You have never stopped reminding me"

"Too often people see the the world too much in the Ordinary, that's why I chose a different lense" Arthur replied.

"The intricate complexities of the criminal mind remains my constant fascination."

As always one of his famous quotes

"And congratulations on your previous case, You certainly did prove that lady Granger wasn't a witch"

"That one was rather absurd" He replied in mirthfully " The mind of the average man is funny and quite bereft of logic, I certainly must say, I was quite satisfied with the final expression on their incorrigible faces"

**The Morning Herald Newspaper headline**

"Popular Business Tycoon Ernest Du Bois Murdered in Colld Blood By His Son"

"What a mysterious affair, Ernest was a good man an accomplished philanthropist, what would drive his son to murder him" I said

"Death is an inevitable constant that we must all suffer, but a murder is an awful web that must be entangled" Arthur replied

"A telegram was delivered to you this morning, it's from inspector Stokes" I interjected

"Stokes again" He replied "Perhaps the better days of Scotland yard are now behind us, what would Stokes do without me,

"I bet he's very lucky to have you" I exclaimed sarcastically

"I suppose it's for the Du Bois murder"

"Definitely" I said

"Would you like to accompany me, I don't suppose you prefer spending the day in this good awful flat.

"I insist, you must come with me" He continued

"I would like your bleakly ordinary perspective on this case" he insisted

"Would be my pleasure, Duke of limbs" I replied.

The Things about Arthur is, he's become accustomed to solving crimes and riddle I fear it has become second nature to him

𝘩𝘦 i𝘴 a man who lives for the thrill of it, but however impertinent, a man of good morals.

We arrived at the Du Bois residence

with inspector stokes leading the way to the scene of the murder.

On getting to the dinner table you could find Mr. Dubois sitted with a golden knife shoved into his chest.

While Arthur stood smoking his pipe staring at the corpse with immense scrutiny.

"When was the body found" he asked

"5 AM" replied stokes

"I conducted a inquiry before your arrival" he continued

"Mrs. Dubois told me that her first son had a bit of a row with Mr Dubois last night before his death which the butler also confirmed, the odd thing is they all passed out exactly the same time.

Nobody saw the ghastly deed"

"I will need an audience with each member of this household I'll start with the maid" Arthur interjected

The maid was a young lady named evelyn, she had a ginger colored hair I would say she had quite a remarkable feature, the expression on her countenance was extremely sullen, but I couldn't help but be beguiled by her striking appearance.

her freckled face was art of Aphroditic resonance.

Evidentlu She must have been crying ever since the incident.

"What can you tell about last night" Arthur asked

"ehhmm.. I noticed that Mr Du Bois had a row with his son in his study around six-ish,

An hour after that I served dinner for the family, to which Mrs. Du Bois encouraged me and the butler to join in at the table, after we were done with dinner I proceeded to clean up but then I blacked out waking this morning to to find Mr Du Bois with a knife in his chest and his son henry covered in blood.

Oh dear, could i be excused"

Evelyn dissolved Into tears

whispering 'my dear Ernest'

Arthur Caine proceeded to question the butler

who was a sturdy fellow, with a towering height of over six feet two inches, I wondered if he was also a bodyguard.

A

rthur glared over the butler with revised scrutiny

"How long did you service in the military? I noticed you strut like a soldier, hard keeping away old habits" Arthur asked the butler to my surprise.

"Served a little over 4 years in the infantry, good days."

"Tell me about last night" said Arthur to the butler?."

"I couldn't tell you much sir" he said "I heard mr. Du Bois arguing with master Henry, after that we all proceeded to eat dinner, I don't remember much.

Woke this morning at the dinner table to see Mr Dubois in his chair with a knife in his chest, and master henry with blood all over him while,

Mrs Du Bois was crying heavily."

"Do you think mr Henry did it?" asked Arthur

"Master Henry might be a troublesome fellow but I don't think he could do such a thing"

"That will be all "said Arthur

Mrs. Dubois came in,

she was a woman who had a certain air of sophistication around her, I watched her as she proceeded to sit her. backside setting onto the chaise lounge, she wore a purple velvet dress that I assume was costly.

"I'm sorry for your loss" Arthur interjected

"You must be devastated"

"You can't imagine the grief I feel, Ernest was the best man I ever knew"

"Is the golden knife a property of Mr Dubois?"

"Yes, he got it from his travels to egypt.

Always like Ernest to acquire shiny objects" she replied lifting a monogrammed handkerchief to her eyes with the letters J.D intertwined over it

"What was the nature of the argument between your husband and Henry"

Asked Arthur.

"Henry has a bad habit of gambling, he lives recklessly and extravagantly, with no responsibility.

He wanted his father to give him more money to which Ernest disagreed.

We wanted Henry to be a man of his own,

we never meant to spoil him"

"Thank you Mrs Du Bois, that will be all" Arthur dismissed her

Arthur Caine had his method of processing details he gathered.

He would sit quietly with his eyes closed while reenacting scenarios in his mind, most days this went on for hours.

He called it Tempus Castrum . A place where he could analyze immense amount of data in the shortest available time.

And with the urgency of this investigation maybe a few minutes.

15 minutes later he stood up and instructed inspector stokes to gather the entire household in the living room.

Arthur Caine proceeded to address everyone.

"Now the question we must ask ourselves ladies and gentlemen is what was the motive behind this murder?

Who gains the most?

Mr Henry wouldn't go so far as to kill his father just to get caught so easily, it lacks order or preparation" Arthur Caine continued

"Now upon the death of Ernest Du Bois I would infer he was killed by a woman.

If you examine the stab wounds more closely you'll find it is not the work of a strong man but rather a lady of meager strength, she proceeded to stab 5 five times in order to be sure he was properly dead, and there was no sign of struggle from the victim which was ensured by the sleeping pills that was administered in the food.

Now all evidence points to the maid who prepared the food.

She sedated everyone killing Mr Du Bois then proceeded to frame henry who would look guilty because of the suspicious squabble he had with his father,

but that my dear audience doesn't quite fit.

Because the maid has no reason to kill Mr Du Bois, who I will confidently tell you was her lover"

Arthur Caine said smiling.

Miss Evelyn in her sit was now too embarrassed to meet anyone's gaze.

Inspector stokes on the other was filled with delight as the watched Arthur Caine unravelling the mystery

"Now I will tell you, our killer was motivated by greed,

greed is an awfully green-eyed monster

that infects the mind, it compels even the most outstanding of people into duplicitous things.

The only one truely responsible for committing this heinous crime here today is...

Mrs. Joan Du Bois

who in spite killed her husband after discovering that he was having an affair with the maid, and framing her son in order to keep the inheritance for herself."

She feared she was losing her place,

ad she was right to think so.

"Inspector stokes you may proceed to arrest Joan Du bois for the murder of her husband Ernest Du Bois."

''Mr Henry Du Bois is therefore innocent of all allegation.

Now if you must excuse me

I'll be on my way to have my rest.

Merry Christmas to everyone,

do enjoy the holidays.

And Mrs Du Bois" he said as we turned to leave "The cell may not be so kind this winter, but you must pay for your atrocity"

"That knife is quite the price,

would have made an excellent decoration for my Christmas tree" I said jovially to Arthur who nodded in response.

"I think I'll have stokes bring it to the house, it's the least he can do for me after solving the case" Arthur replied

"That would be quite jolly of you" I said

"Ah there's nothing more cheerful than unraveling a mystery my friend" he replied as we got in our cab, riding off Into the streets of London.