Circus Of Mystery

Chapter 3: Researching the past

*Ashely's p.o.v*

"Mrs. Quell, how are you today?" I asked as I entered the library. Lucet's newly elected mayor; promised to help remodel or make a new library. However, he must have "forgotten" or got "side tracked" with all his “wonderful” improvements. 

“Ashley, how are you dear,” Mrs. Quell smiled, as she greeted me. She was about fifty or so, a widow, and had three grandchildren. She kept her gray and white hair in a messy bun, she always wore khaki pants, a white Winny the Pooh shirt that had the bear holding a booking saying, “Book smart.” She wore slip-on shoes that had a few other characters from Winny the Pooh. Despite her appearance, she was one of the oldest people to live in Lucet and that remembers its golden age.

“Just working a new case is all and I need to find some information.” 

Mrs. Quell smiled and shook her head. “Got another case dear?” I cracked a smile and nodded. “Well dear what are you looking for this time?” Mrs Quell asked as she and I began to walk towards the back. Normally she didn’t let anyone but other staff members behind to the archives, but I was an exception due to my constant visits.

“Anything you have on Victor Randolph, Samuel Mysterio, their families, and the wonderful circus they run.” I replied without any hesitation. Mrs. Quill laughed and then went to work looking through her log book. I casually glanced around from one hall to the other, seeing nothing but rows and rows of shelves jammed full of old books and binders. 

“Here we are dear,” Mrs. Quill said, as she plopped two binders onto the counter next to her. I thanked her for her help, promised that next time I visited we could have tea, and cookies. After that I grabbed the nearest chair I could find, and began to read through the binders. There wasn’t much on Victor or Samuel themselves, but there was a lot of information on both their families and the circus itself.

As I continued to read through the different newspaper clippings and files, I found out a lot of interesting things. One Samuel’s family; the Mysterio’s were the original owners of the circus. Not to mention the circus was originally named Circum de Mysterio, “To grab people’s attention,” Said Nicholas Mysterio. Not only did he run the circus, he raised both his sons Samuel and Ivan. His wife Eleanor Mysterio (Noel) had passed away shortly after they arrived in Lucet; after their very first opening. Soon after Samuel and Victor’s father Vincent Randolf, successfully ran the circus for several years. Samuel thought it would be good to have someone else help with the business, so he could focus on his sins. 

However on the day before their mother’s death Nicholas died from a tragic event when he was testing out a prop gun, while his youngest son Ivan ran away. Samuel lost his entire family that day but was taken by Vincent since, “he and Nicholas were practically brothers.” As I continued to go through the pages I found that Vincent was accused of killing Nicholas. However thanks to his lawyer Sarah Franklin, he was ruled not guilty thanks to a wonderful testimony from Benjamin Moore. Apparently Vincent was showing him around the tents when the tragedy happened.

“I bet, Greg Freeman has some kind of ties with you.” I mumbled to myself as I stared at the old photo of Vincent. “Dammit,” I growled as I leaned back in my chair and frustratedly scratched my head. “If it isn’t Samuel then who else has a motive?” Any and everyone that may have a motive is dead or was brutally murdered. After a few more minutes of reading and making assumptions… a lot of stupid assumptions I finally closed all the binders and returned them to Mrs. Quill. 

“Hey, Alex whenever you decide to pick up your phone just know I found some stuff and to put anything together. Hopefully you can help me when I get back but if I can’t figure this out I doubt you can.” I joked then hung up. I have to say though what happens next I can’t say I expected it, but then again I wasn’t sure what to expect.

*Alex’s p.o.v* 

“So, you’ve been running this business with Victor for how long?” I asked as I sat down bored. Samuel nodded as he sat down across from me. “Well seeing as we have a bunch of time on our hands why not tell me a little about yourself and the busniess?” 

Samuel chuckled to himself. “You really are a detective then, that or act like one.” Alex blinked annoyed, he always got the same reaction from most people. He knew it was weird for a nineteen year old to be asking the questions he does. Then again how he and Ashley make a living is ever done by people in the movies, well at least for their age.

Alex shrugged. “To be exact we’re both private eye detectives. We solve cases that people think the police can’t or ones that were left unsolved.” Samuel pulled out a canteen and motioned for Alex to continue. “Anyway we were hired to investigate this case since our employer…” Before Alex could finish his scentnce Victor walked in. 

“Samuel Alice said she’s gonna need…” Victor froze as he noticed Alex was still around. “Oh, I thought you had left with your sister?” 

“No, she’s off doing research and I wanted to keep an eye on your partner. Once she gets back we’ll leave and be out of your hair.” Alex explained, getting an annoyed look from Victor. Alex saw this but continued, Victor was a common type of person that he’s run into on other cases. He was the type that didn’t believe in their skill or that they could ever solve a “real case.” 

Victor reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a rose gold pocket watch that had a black V on it. He clicked it open and sighed loudly. “I was supposed to meet up with my finance in an hour. I don’t want her to think that anything is wrong.” 

“Well like I said, we’ll be out of your hair once she gets back; until then you’re stuck with me.” Victor gave a sour face while Samuel laughed to himself. “So Samuel, any useful information you want to share?” 

Samuel took another swig from his flask and shrugged. “Not really, my dad owned the circus before both of us. Victor’s father took me in when mine died, my little brother ran away before…” Before Samuel could finish the lights in the room went out. Victor growled while Samuel sighed, both thought that it was just the generator flattering again. “Damn,” Samuel grunted as he got up. “Alright, I’m going to kick the generator to life. Alex you can either come with me or interrogate Victor.”

“Take him with you,” Victor growled as he pulled his phone out. “I’m going to call my fiance and see if we can meet up at a later time.” Alex didn’t care, Victor was an overbearing, self absorbed, asshat who thought he had it all. Then again Alex knew a few people like that, but it just made it easier to use them as information sources.

“Sorry about him, he’s been like that since we inherited the business from his father.” Samuel smiled as he and Alex were finally outside. Alex knew Samuel was trying to apologize for his partner's rudeness but then again he couldn’t help but smile himself.

“It's alright, I’ve learned to let that kind of stuff blow pass me like the wind.” Alex joked as the wind blew his hair backwards. “I know a few assholes like that but most of their power is built up on false threats and cowardice moves.” Alex explained as he and Samuel arrived at the generator.

“Well,” Samuel began as he literally began to kick the metal machine back on. “Victor is an asshole and definately a coward, but I’m not sure about threatening.” Both shared a laugh at this, it wasn’t long before Samuel’s kicking resurrected the generator. Once the machine had finally woken up, they started on their way back to Victor and Samuel’s office.

Just as they were five feet from the door they noticed the door was kicked open, and could hear loud thuds coming from the room. Alex reached inside his jacket and pulled out a tactical fold baton; and rushed for the room. Samuel was hot on his tail as they both bursted into the room to find Victor bleeding from multiple stab wounds. He was pinned on the table, straining as a figure in black held a knife fighting to kill him. The figure matched the killer from the security tape that he and Ashley had previously seen. He was dressed in tight black clothes that resembled trapeze clothing/costume, he wore black boots that looked like they were from the Renaissance Era, and a black scarf that hid his entire face but a yellow tinted eye. Multiple knives were sheathed on his lower back and hips. Samuel gawked at the sight before him as he stood in the doorway to the office, Alex on the other hand swung at the killer; aiming for the back of his head. The killer who had heard them stomping down the hallway beforehand, saw this and quickly dropped to the side. The moment Alex missed the killer acted swiftly; he buried his knife in Alex’s upper arm. 

“f**k,” Alex growled as he punched the killer in his throat, with his free hand. The killer made a choking sound as he fell backwards. Alex quickly moved back to put a small distance between him and the killer. Samuel blinked as he came out of his shock and grabbed Victor so he could get him away from his assailant. “Who are you?” Alex demanded as the killer began to rise up. 

The way he got up looked like a corpse that was being reanimated from it’s grave. With quick and inhuman like movements the killer dodged Samuel and flew out the door. “Should I go after him?” Samuel asked as he looked from the doorway to the two wounded men. 

“Call a f*****g ambulance you i***t!” Victor yelled. Alex had left the knife in his arm and was doing everything he knew to keep Victor from bleeding out. All the while this was happening Samuel saw Alex’s phone was going off; it showed Ashley calling. This however wasn’t the last they’d see of the killer. This would be another encounter that would leave them all conflicted in one way or another.