The grail of clockwork and death

Chapter VII

With heavy limbs which felt as though they had been weighted down with lead, Dakoda shuffles down the halls.

“My Lady, it would seem something is bothering you,” Audrey queries matching her pace with Dakoda’s slow and grim one.

“It is nothing, I am fine,” Dakoda murmurs with sorrowful voice.

“Well now, I am far from being an expert but that tone says otherwise My Lady,” Audrey utters raising an eyebrow

“your right,” Dakoda mutters as she stops walking. “You are no expert in how one feels, so when I say I am fine… I mean I am fine!” she snaps

“Lady Cipher, do leave the poor child alone, she is only concerned for you,” Ezekiel speaks up from behind them. Strolling out of the kitchen and towards the two he smiles kindly at Dakoda.

“You have been through a lot, and that, must be very tough, but you should not take your anger out on Audrey, the rest of us, we are used to these moods of yours we've been with you for a long time. But ms Audrey hear, she only joined us a year ago, you got to give her some time to learn the ups and downs, Ins and outs,” Ezekiel expresses in a soft-spoken voice. He places a hand gently on her shoulder and smiles widely.

“now I'm not going to pry, but I do agree that something is bothering you. It would be easier for us to assist you if we know what that is, My Lady,” He calmly inquiries. Dakoda glares at her cook for a short while before letting out a sigh.

“My apologies, Audrey, there is something bothering me. I suppose I thought it would be easier to brush these worries aside and ignore them but…” she sighs shifting her gaze to out the window. Towards the forest where Virgil had died.

“It's been a month… Thirty days… since all this started. And now there is a body count of four people who were close to me, all I can think is… How many more? How many must die before this is over” Dakoda murmurs, turning to her servants she frowns grimly,

“when will the good for nothing inspector learn? That this is the doings of someone evil?” She whispers before walking away towards her study.

With a dazed look, her thoughts stagnant and foggy. Finding it difficult to focus of any one thing for any length of time Dakoda opens the door to her study and with a dead stare stalks over to her seat falling down into it stiffly before starting at her desk. Her eyes glazing over slightly as she looks at the mess of papers and the map which still graced her desk space from when she had first read the letter.

Menachem enters the room with a slight bow as she placed the silver tea tray on the desk.

“Have some tea, Lady Cipher,” she offers while pouring a cup.

“I have business to tend to in town. Can I trust you to ready the carriage for me?” Dakoda murmurs accepting the tea and taking a sip.

“of course, Lady Cipher, when shall we be leaving?” The mechanized servant inquiries.

“No… Not we, I shall be going alone, just prepared the carriage for me to leave after I've drunk this tea,” she instructs staring blankly down at the mess on her desk.

“Are you sure, Lady Cipher?”Menachem inquires, with a slight twitch in her hand and a flick of her gaze towards the maid Dakoda takes a deep breath and Another sip of tea.

“yes, I am,” She mutters.

With a bow, the maid walks out of the room and down the hall. One the sound of her shoes clicking on the floors is no longer audible Dakoda shifts the papers to stare at the map.

“I have a killer to catch, and I do not need… or want, anyone to be caught in the crossfire,” She whispers glaring at the cross marked on the map.

she steadily drank her tea and observed the map and notes.

“I just wish for this to be over, even if the results of this… showdown… are less than favorable,” she mutters standing, slipping a light cream envelope into her pocket. An envelope which contained her final goodbyes, in a letter which she had been preparing to write for far to long.

She drinks the last sip of her tea then places the cup gently down on the saucer. Exiting the room she turns to her right and makes her way through the halls to her dressing room. Pulling the hat box from its place hidden at the far back corners or her wardrobe Dakoda adorns her pauper like clothing. That of the baggy trousers and threadbare button down which she usually had reserved for when she wished to tend to and harness her handy skills at the workshop without being bothered and fussed over as the one in charge.

Pulling the tweed cap on to hide her hair under and cover her face, and her slightly to large coat she exits the room and hastily makes her way out to the carriage. Menachem had prepared a smaller open roof carriage for her, with only one stallion to pull she nods in appreciation as she clambers up into the driving seat. Taking hold of the reigns she addresses her maid.

“If I have not returned by morning contact Scotland yard ascend send them to the address marked on my map with a Red Cross. Take care of that other servants while I am away. Let no one in,” Dakoda instructs sternly.

“Affirmative, Lady Cipher,” Menachem bows “do try to be careful, Lady Cipher,” The mechanical maid informs with a tone of worry.

“I shall do my best to try, now I must be off,” she says flicking the reigns to have the horses begin the trek to the nearby address, she keeps on high alert, with the most focus she had put into anything all week she concentrates on finding the address and patrolling around in search of their carriage.

After circling the block of lower class apartments she spots the carriage she had been looking for. The Thompson family steam-powered carriage, still running the steam escaping out the copper pipes disappeared out into the night air with sharp hisses and irregular time intervals. Dakoda stops her horse-drawn carriage beside the slightly larger steam car. Peering in through the window she grunts.

“Am I too late?” she mutters jumping down from her carriage and leading the horse to the side of the road, tying the reins to a nearby gaslamp she pats the animal and feeds it a sugar cube. She glances around to be sure that she is alone before dashing into the alleyway just to her side. Upon entering the sounds of a struggle are heard. Pausing for a second she bites her lip. Making a rash decision she runs further into the alley in hopes of saving the life of whomever might be in danger. As she burst into a slight clearing in the alley she stumbles to a messy stop, clouds of dust dancing around her as her boots disrupt the dirt, the pungent smell of garbage from the large bins and crates of rotting food and scraps overwhelms her causing her to hold her hand over her nose, in the middle of it all, hanging from the large overhead piping his body gently swaying as he falls silent and still.

“Lord Thompson…” She whispers her eyes watering. “I...I could have stopped this, Saved you If only I had…” Dakoda starts murmuring as she paces running her hands through her hair -knocking her tweed hat to the ground in doing so- she takes one last glance at the young Lord.

“I must get call Scotland yard, Tell Inspector Keeland, But... He won't listen, hasn't before why would he start now? Unless to arrest me for being on another crime scene… Clues… I need to find more clues to prove what has happened.” She starts to ramble as her breathing quickens in pace and her mind races. She turns to the body and gulps. Slowly and steadily she creeps towards it. Once she was close enough to reach out and touch Lord Thompson’s corpse she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath to steady her racing heart rate, she reaches out to check his pockets, shuddering at the unnerving body warmth of which the corpse was emitting she bites her lip. Rummaging through his coat pockets she pulls out just what she had been expecting. A small letter in a cheap envelope with her name immaculately printed on it in a cursive handwriting.

She tears it open and pulls the letter out to read, as she does so she scrambles away from the body.

‘Dearest Dakoda,

You have done well to work out all that you have, but I did not lie, My Warning to you was not merely for decoration, I May not be able to hurt you but the only thing preventing me from bringing harm upon the abomination which you would call your maid is its stolen face.

You might be needing to keep your servants under close watch lest you wish for something to happen to one of them, Leave me to finish my duties and I shall allow you the peace which you so very deserve.’

With a small whimper, Dakoda backs up and slides down the wall, glancing up at Lord Thompson’s body every now and then she took measured breaths.

“Menachem… and Audrey, Ezekiel…. Bartholomew…” she whispers under her breath, clutching the letter to her chest she feels her eyes start to water, as tears drip she counts to ten in a feeble attempt to calm herself. She scrambles frantically to stand up shoving the letter into her pocket as she does so, picking her tweed hat up she pulls it back on and pulls her coat tighter around her before scampering out of the alley, she stumbles to her carriage her knees weak and body trembling. In a rush, she begins untying the reins.

“HEY, Boy… What in heaven's name is going on? This steam carriage has been left running for at least thirty minutes now,” A voice calls out causing Dakoda to jump and drop the reins, now in a state of full panic her breathing difficult and erratic, her eyes flicking around observing every little thing which the tears forming in them blurred.

“T…th-There's been… been another…” she whimpers pointing at the alley entrance.

“Another what, spit it out child,” the man -who Dakoda now took notice looked much like the officer who had been at the desk when she had gone to see Keeland about Virgil's disappearance- expresses.

“Lord Thomas Thompson, Is dead…” She mumbles, quietly as tears begin to fall down her soft cheeks.

“Please speak up, or I shall Have to take you into Scotland yard for suspicious behavior,” He says stepping forward and pulling his handcuffs from his belt.

“Another Man Has Committed suicide, Sir,” she sobs, allowing her built up emotions to flow freely for the first time in a while life since her parent's death.

“Where?” the officer questions.

“T.. t-the alley, ‘bout twenty feet in,” she hiccups keeping her head down in hopes that the officer whose name she had long forgotten would have also forgotten her in turn.

“I’ll Have some people come and take a look, Might I ask If you are able to come with me to Scotland yard to Deliver your statement to Detective Inspector Keeland, If you are in need of getting home to your mother and father I shall allow you to but you will need to come in first thing tomorrow,” He says softly.

“I will come with you, But I am in charge of keeping this carriage safe, It's very important to, Lady Cipher That I keep it safe,” Dakoda says bending down to pick up the reigns and grip them tightly.

“Lady Cipher, Lady Dakoda Cipher? I was not aware that she had any more servants?” the officer queries,

“I Only Work for her occasionally, To help my mama and papa pay for our groceries,” she lies remembering all that which she had told Lucca when she had first gone to the workshop to work as James Dean,

“I usually help around the clock shop but sometimes I will assist, Lady Cipher with small tasks such as this when her other workers are all busy,” she explains.

“I suppose that would explain why I have not seen you around her estate,” he mutters

“Come along then, I trust you know how to drive that carriage then? You may drive us to the yard,” he says hopping up into the carriage,

“Yes sir,” She nods hopping up into the seat and flicking the reins to start the horse moving.

_______

As the carriage approaches Scotland yard the officer -who Dakoda had remembered had been called officer Langdon- had finally given up trying to start up small talk.

“You're a well mannered young boy, and very brave,” he mutters as she pulls the reins to bring the carriage to a stop. Jumping down she ties it up to another nearby gas lamp.

“I assume Inspector Keeland will be inside?” Dakoda inquiries

“Yes, just go in and tell whoever is at the desk that I have sent you to talk to him,” mister Langdon instructs. With a soft nod, Dakoda slowly makes her way into the building. With a small gulp, she approached the desk keeping her head down.

“I was sent in by Officer Langdon, to speak with Inspector Keeland.” She quietly mumbles

“Might I ask the topic of this discussion?” Officer Maloney asks,

“I found another suicide,” She whispers as her throat closes up at the words.

“Ok, go right on in, its this door right behind me,” Maloney says pointing behind him. With another small nod, Dakoda slips behind him and through the door.

“Afternoon, How might I help you?” Keeland Asks not looking up from his paperwork.

“I have proof, That it is Murder,” Dakoda murmurs in a small, quiet voice.

“Lady Cipher, When will you give this charade up…” He sighs running a hand through his hair. She steps forward.

“How did you even get in here? You had such a dramatic fuss last time, and that was for much less,” Inspector Keeland huffs still not looking up.

“I am not exactly dressed like this because I enjoy it, I did not wish to draw attention to myself, besides, I am only here because officer Langdon came across me while I was in a… less than ideal state…” she admits softly. Keeland finally puts his fountain pen down and looks up.

“Good lord, that is hardly appropriate attire for a young woman,” Keeland sneers.

“Oh well now really?!” Dakoda snaps Stepping forward and slumping down into the seat opposite Keeland.

She throws the tweed hat down on the desk with a sigh before sitting up and carefully retrieving the crumpled letters from her pocket. Both the first one and the one she had just now found.

He a stating she hands Keeland the most recent pushing the other back into the depths of her pocket.

“I drew myself a map… and marked down where the deaths had already been discovered, where they lived, where they might have been going to, how far they were from my estate, my workshop,” she whispers handing the letter over. “I thought I had found a pattern. So I followed it, made a prediction of who and where I thought the next might be, Lord Thompson, in the alleyway down near the corner of Hawthorne Boulevard and Apollo avenue,” She murmurs hugging her arms around herself. “I shall let you deduce the outcome of my assumptions,” she whimpers glaring up at Keeland.

“Lord Thompson? However, could you have guessed it would be him?” Inspector Keland asks leaning back in his chair shocked. With a small hiccup in her still slightly irregular breathing and a clench of her fists so tight her nails dug into her skin and drew droplets of blood to the surface.

“his weekly schedule, I had been subtitle about it… for a few days, I observed his schedule, his along with Lady Watsons lead me to believe that one of them would be next, they both travel down roads close to where I suspect the killer must be staying,” she explains detailing how she had figured it out.

“I admit that this pattern does follow one of a serial killer, but there is still no…” Keeland starts as he opens the letter to read.

“I fear that if you do not take up this investigation as murder… more than just people who I know as friends will get hurt. I do not know who this is yet, but they have killed my love, killed my friends, threatened me and the closest thing I have to a family. This needs to end, and at this point, I will do anything,” Dakoda declares her voice slightly louder and steadier as her heart rate calms down.

“I shall inform my men that we are now investigating them as murders, we will keep it out of the media, for now, if the public hears this then not only Will the killer know, there will be discord in the streets,” Keeland grunts standing and pacing.

“He was still alive... when I arrived in could hear his struggle as I approached, but I did not make it on time to save his life,” Dakoda murmurs quietly.

“Pardon? Did you say something?” Keeland Questions glancing at her.

“nothing, I shall be making my way home now before Menachem calls to send you to find me, I would like to suggest before I leave, we set a trap for this killer, use me, or someone else as bait and catch this fiend before they can commit any further heinous felonies,” Dakoda utters softly.

“No, I shall not allow any civilian to be endangered,” Keeland dismisses.

“then I will do it! I know the pattern, I can find the next most likely locations of attack, wait for their for them to show then apprehend them. Please inspector… I just want this to end,” Dakoda expresses standing.

“I'm sorry but I can't allow that if you get hurt… or worse, I could never forgive myself if that happens.” Keeland calmly states. With a groan, Dakoda shakes her head.

“I'm leaving, you can do with this information what you want but… My life is my responsibility, good day,” Dakoda mutters picking up the tweed hat and pulling it back down over her hair before walking out of the office.