Chereads / War for the Rose / Chapter 5 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Chapter 5

The car passed by Buckle streets and turned towards 'Shepherds Harp' and just a few turns away was a building that had a truck filled with glass bottled milk coming in and out of it ready to deliver around Durabell and at the side of the building was a sign that read 'Villa Gala'.

The Bentley drove towards it and stopped a foot away from the building.

The two men got out of the car and as they did they drew the attention of the workers at the factory.

Hal and Marcus made it past the onlookers and went inside and as they did the two encountered a woman with a red hair and brown eyes the appearance of the woman was more whiter than the workers in front although the only thing that has some similarities between them was the state of her hand all dinged up from scribbling on piece of paper and organising documents that caused her paper cuts from every inch of her finger and her pale skin didn't seem a state of beauty but rather from her eyes it was a state of deprivation and even in that state she smiled at the two gentlemen.

"Hello my name's Laura and welcome to 'Villa Gala'. Do you have any specific appointment today?" Hal coughed putting his hands behind his back.

"We would like to speak with the owner of the factory." He responded with a little embarrassment due to a strange heat from both the sun and his body.

"Wait a moment please." Laura walks towards a flight of stairs and to an office from the closed sheer curtains which show a silhouette of a man talking on the phone and a woman which was Laura interrupting him.

The silhouette of the man moved towards the other end of the curtain and then the office door opened and a short man walked out with a bloated body with a white shirt with brown leather suspenders with a scent of alcohol in his crusted lips and thick moustache with an arrogant tone he spoke.

"Who called me within such an unprecedented hour." he looked at the two gentlemen in front of him with condescending eyes.

"Matthew Geralt I believe?" 

"Yes and who are you?" Matthew was filled with too much overconfidence that one could call poisonous as he put on an aggressive tone.

"We would like to ask you some questions about the murder of Charles Harper. Please help us in getting documents on each and everyone of your employees and meet us at the station when you are ready we have an officer to escort you.." Matthew who, for a man who was going to a possible prison sentence, still put on a calm face and walked out with them with a smile and even scuffed at Hal's demands.

–At the Wellington police station–

In the interrogation room three men were sitting. Marcus and Hal on the right-side while Matthew was on the left.

" Can you tell me where you were between 5.00 and 6.00 Mr Geralt?" The response was silence.

"Mr Geralt, you are being asked a question the quicker you answer the more you save time for us and yourself.."

"I was at my house celebrating my wife's birthday." Matthew answered.

"Do you have any relations with Mr Harper?"

"No. he was just a customer that asked for milk."

"A previous suspect confessed he saw a tall man with dirty blonde hair and black eyes that has a scar on his eyebrow go inside your factory. Do you seem to know a person within that description?"

"No, because all of them have scars it is quite repulsive. Actually I never liked hanging around those maggots." silence took over again for a few seconds before Matthew requested.

"May I make a call please?"

Marcus looked at Hal which he nodded.

A few minutes later outside the interrogation room Matthew put in the numbers 1, 19, 19, 15, 3, 9, 1, 20, 5, 19 and from the other line picked up an operator.

"Good evening and what can we do for you today?" 

"I want to speak with the Artist. I have my passing code when I became an associate. 18,15,19,5."

"Good we will put you through."

As he waited patiently for the operator 150 miles from the police station was a mansion with beautiful brickwork and a massive oak wood door guarding it and inside of the house everything is shining from the glass table and from the roof of every room in the house and in the dining room was a man sitting on a chair and enjoying the luxurious silence which was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.

"Hello." with an irritated tone he answered.

"Sorry to disturb you young master Hale but it seems someone by the name of Matthew Geralt wishes to speak with you."

"Put him through."

The man was wearing a wrist watch that was covered by his silk shirt which was also concealed by a blue coat. His green eyes were surrounded by grey circles on his face.

Matthew spoke with reverence to Mr Hale.

"Great Artist I caught myself in a little of trouble due to uncommitted scapegoat but the plan was executed thoroughly-"

"If the plan was executed thoroughly, why do you need to call me?" Matthew was silent.

"Even if you were caught in trouble, why should I stop the plan when you have given me a new perfect scapegoat which is yourself?"

Matthew's blood ran cold as he gasped for air.

"Please …just please this once." Matthew held himself together as he feared for the worst although he did not have any family or relatives due to selling them out to the man his life hangs on; he did value one thing and that is himself as his eyes searched for the executioner the devil behind the phone sent. 

"Thank you for your service and I apologise for making your death like this." As Mr Hale said those words Matthew's fear was confirmed and he dropped the phone and ran out which caused Hal and Marcus to run after him.

"Oi! Stop!" 

*BANG!*

As Matthew was reaching the gate of the station Marcus fired his colt pistol which pierced Matthew's back dropping him on the ground battarring his face on the surface .

After the incident Matthew's body was taken and in the station Marcus shot him in the vital organs and he died in the surgical lab and labelled as an accomplice and also with Mr Harper's doctor a lifelong friend of Matthew's was arrested for malpractice by encouraging Harper's excessive Potassium filled food which led to his heart failure. 

Hal is typing on a typewriter the case of 'Villa Gala' and a detailed note of the victim and also the prime suspect. Although every word he wrote isn't what he thinks as he finds all of this too…

'Easy way too easy; the suspects were too easy to acquire and also the victim was easy to die from natural causes like heart failure and if not plausible then John would be framed and if not him then the doctor or Matthew.' The lights of the streets shone and cars passed by the police station which was almost completely empty with just Hal and his thoughts alone.