Emi affirms Kayleigh's account.
"That's the long and the short of it. We were there peacefully to complete our agreement. Barvasi decided he'd rather kill us and claim the bounty than deal with us straight. We defended ourselves."
Nebbin nods as the others explain.
"Why did you want to talk to us?" he asks, eager to move past their role in the deaths just in case they might get interrupted.
I don't think I'd do well in prison.
Kayleigh's eyes shoot daggers at Emileva. I doubt my 'in a diplomatic capacity' comment was going to slip past the field marshal. Why did you have to say we were at Eel's End to 'complete our agreement' with Barvasi? Just because you choose not to don the cloak and badge of a member of the Guard doesn't mean you should show no regard for the reputations of those of us who do! Are you so jaded that you believe all member of the Guard are corrupt and routinely make deals with crime lords like Barvasi? Could you even have said this to get the rest of us kicked out of the Guard?
Even in her current peeved state, Kayleigh can't believe that last bit of Emi. No, she just slipped up. I know firsthand how tough it is to juggle the two roles. Also, it was Emi who'd challenged her about which side she'd choose if she had to hold true to either her holy symbol (and Milani) or her cloak and badge (the Guard). Kayleigh'd made that choice recently and now there was no going back. So secure was the teen's faith in that choice that any enmity she'd felt toward Emi was gone in seconds.
Still, if Orisini's name got dragged into the picture, Emi had no one to blame but herself. Orisini seemed to have a good reputation, so it probably didn't matter....
Kayleigh's thoughts stopped in their tracks. What do you know about Vencarlo Orisini yourself? You've never even met the man....*
Regeris glances to his companions, realizing there'll need to be some discussions about what to say to who and when. Emi's explanation works for him though so he just focuses on Cressida. He tries a smile which just looks weird.
"Privacy would be appreciated. But yes. Devargo tried to kill us and we were left with no option."
Tassira keeps her mouth shut for the moment, but she does breathe a sigh of resignation through her nose.
"We acted in self-defence. That is all."
Emi senses something like a flutter go through her compatriots after she says her piece, as if they think she's said too much. She doesn't understand the reaction though. The only thing she'd mentioned that wasn't a repeat of of what Kayleigh had first said was they were there concerning an agreement.
Do they think a vague reference to 'a diplomatic capacity' is any different? What exactly would be the aim if not an agreement, a formal disagreement? Did they think Kroft would assume they were on a goodwill tour, or proposing a peace treaty? What the hell? Where do they think they live? Do they think the Guard was holding back, just waiting until they had some good evidence to move in on Barvasi?"
As Emi sees it, there's no 'there' there. After all Devaro paid the sin tax at Eel's End. He paid to make the illegal legal. To suppose the Korvosan Guard skirts around Eel's End due to ignorance is crazy. Of course the Guard has a deal with Barvasi. If they don't collect the tax themselves, then their superiors do, and the Guard follows their directives. The Korvosan Guard isn't a church, and the guilty are only guilty because they haven't greased the right palms.
Cressida's face takes on a grim expression when she hears Kayleigh's request, but she assents and asks the two to wait outside the door.
"It's a fair enough request. I'm sorry we have to adopt such measures within the citadel itself, but that is the state of things."
"It's a relief to hear that it was you. It confirms two witnesses who gave accounts of one of you ladies giving a speech from the deck of the Eel last night. Two of the ships put off before Soldado's men discovered the site this morning. The brothel and the gambling hall, I think."
"I frankly don't know what to do with the hulk. It cannot be moved and may be a danger to burn in place. And there's also corpses there, which may have identifying marks. The report I've just read from Soldado speaks of ledgers and records, which could help unravel other crimes - had we the manpower to put on such cases."
"No, it's a good piece of work. Had he simply paid the taxes our laws allow and stuck to those transgressions alone, he would never have run foul of you. As it stands, if he attacked you and brought this on himself then he's double the fool."
"What I do ask, however, is that you coordinate a little better with poor Grau when something like this happens. He thought he had another turf battle on his hands until some witnesses turned up."
She turns to Tassira. "No, what I called you back here for concerns your brother's killer, and the Bank investigator who's following that case. I heard this morning that he's inspecting another murder scene today which may be connected. It occurred last night, at Jeggare Museum. The victim was slain with another of these key-shaped weapons - like the old keylock killer. I thought you would want to know..."
Tassira's eyes flash green, and several sparks leap up and down her arms before she calms down. "Oh, I would." She declares, her eyes hardening.
A low growling sound comes from her backpack.
Regeris' stony facade falters a little. "The victim?" he says hesitantly.
"A mere hop, skip, and a jump from the University," Kayleigh quietly notes aloud. Like Regeris, she wonders about the identity of the latest victim.
Nebbin waits with trepidation to hear the priestess' answer.
"We should go there, right?" he says once they've learned who was killed most recently.
”The victim is Kentarion Jeggare, most eligible son of that founding house, and professor emeritus at the University, in fact.”
Kayleigh's eyes move to engage Regeris's. It's obvious she can't form a connection between that victim and their party...but that she at least recognizes the victim's surname*.
* From the fairly recent hit song that burned up Korvosa's music scene: "Moves Like Jeggare." =D (What? I warned you it was terrible! ;P )
^ OK, I guess I must be officially Old, because I suddenly feel it. That 'fairly recent' song I mentioned above has been out for almost 8 years. :x
Nebbin looks wide-eyed as he recognizes the name, or at least the surname.
"Maybe we shouldn't go there, then?"
Regeris' eyes go wide as he hears about the slaughtered nobleman. He swallows, suddenly unsure of himself. "I..." He takes a moment to find his words. "My exit from the Church of Abadar was because I had uncovered a financial crime committed by House Jeggare which directly implicated Kentarion among others. The Bank and I... disagreed over what should be done. Tallisan will surely know this which may complicate matters."
He looks keenly to Cressida. "Are you privy to what's been discovered about the killings so far?"
Kayleigh nudges Nebbin with an elbow and gestures with her head toward where Tassira stands. Though the lightning has stopped running the length of the mage's arms, Tassira's face still reflects an angry determination.
"Oh, we're going there all right."
Kayleigh listens closely as Regeris speaks further with Cressida, another paranoid thought forming in the back of her mind. Then, even though she's been wrong about most of her paranoid theories thus far, Kayleigh opts to voice this one in front of Cressida.
"Regeris--how competent an investigator is Tallisan Wyndsor?" the priestess asks rather abruptly. "When we started investigating Olaf's murder, we were chasing in his tracks and even counted on his testimony to get us up to speed. Now, because of his clue that led us to examine Olaf's garments only to discover his body stolen...because of that we may be ahead of Wyndsor in the investigation...or are we?"
"We all thought leading us there was too convenient.... Is it possible that Rolth is working with Wyndsor, or perhaps playing him? This murder didn't seem connected to our group like the corpses Rolth used to create his revenge golem. But now it does...sort of. What if the catacombs set-up was supposed to end with us all dead but we proved harder to kill than expected? The King of Spiders learned that lesson the hard way, too. What if this is a subtle change in strategy? What if Rolth has decided to discredit one or more of us if he can't kill us?"
Staring Regeris right in the eyes, Kayleigh concludes by saying, "Why do I get the feeling that when we next meet up with Tallisan Wyndsor he's going to have exactly one prime suspect for the murder of Kentarion Jeggare...someone he believes has a strong motive for wanting the man dead?"
Regeris looks miserable as Kayleigh voices his thoughts. He takes a little while to speak.
"I was openly speculating about that with Emi a couple of days ago. The simplest explanation is that Talli is a legitimate investigator on the case, and that we found Rolth before him. However, the fact that we tracked Olaf's body to Rolth's lair without so much as a peep from Talli is... concerning. He's done a poor job, so is it accidental, or unintentional? I don't know which."
Regeris pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment before speaking. "Talli is competent, clever, and utterly without integrity. His parents are Hellknights which should give you an idea of his character. If he could pin a crime on me simply to 'win' he would - also to impart a lesson about abandoning the faith. Working with someone like Rolth is in his character but Rolth's activities are... not his style. I can't see how Kentarion's murder has anything to do with us. But if there is some greater conspiracy at work, perhaps I would be a convenient fall man for such an act. Although the fact I had Devargo trying to murder me last night makes for a convenient alibi, and the motive is thin."
Kayleigh frowns at Regeris's words. Then she turns to Cressida and tells her the story of the inscribed Keylock dagger the friends found in Gaedren Lamm's hideout way back when. "Regeris wasn't even with us then," Kayleigh tells the field commander. "We didn't report it to the Guard for a number of reasons: we weren't sure it was authentic, we thought Gaedren too old to have been the Keylock Killer, and we thought it quite possible it had been claimed off someone who'd pissed off the old creep and been killed by him--and this last theory seemed to make the most sense, since the killings had ceased 11 or 12 years back when most of us were just children."
Crinkling her nose in distaste, Kayleigh adds, "Also, I couldn't imagine how any woman could willingly lay with Gaedren Lamm...."
"Just recently, though, we learned that one of the older children we rescued from Lamm overheard Rolth and Lamm talking one night and confirmed that Rolth is indeed Lamm's son. It explains why Rolth is now targeting us: revenge for the death of his father which he blames on us, even though the old coot met his poetic end being devoured by his own pet croc he used to terrorize the poor children he enslaved...."
Kayleigh pauses. "I was planning on asking Regeris if we should turn this evidence over to Inspector Wyndsor, but now I don't think that would be wise. Nor do I feel confident handing it over to Grau after the debacle with Trinia--there's almost certainly a leak in the Old Dock's guard ranks. I know you've already got a lot on your plate, Field Marshal, but...could we deliver this dagger to you?"
Kayleigh suddenly starts and adds, "Oh, I almost forgot--we also found a broken piece of what appears to have been another Keylock dagger in the Shoanti tunnels Rolth used as a laboratory with some derro allies."
Nebbin looks back and forth as his companions discuss the situation, wishing this could all be easier. He wasn't really made for mysteries.
"Maybe it's good people saw us at Eel's End, then, since Regeris couldn't be in two places at once ... right?" he says. "I guess that's good too because it definitely means DeVargo wasn't working with Rolth. So it just seems like some of this is a lot of everything going on at once, and maybe not all our fault or connected to us...
"I think we should go to the museum and see what happened there. Maybe that can help us figure out what to do next."
He finishes with an assertive nod of his head, pleased that he's come to a decision that he thinks makes sense.
Kayleigh can't help but flash Nebbin a proud smile when she sees him acting both assertive and sensible. "Yes, I think it's a safe bet that the museum will be our next stop; we just have to figure out beforehand how we're going to react if Inspector Wyndser is there and what--if anything--we're going to tell him. Then we should probably ask around a bit at the University while we're in the neighborhood."
Turning to Regeris, the priestess asks, "What do you know of an Abadaran investigator's training? Is it done in-house at the temple or might it be outsourced...say to an expert at the University? If there's a link between Rolth and Wyndser, perhaps that's where it was forged."
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Emi listens through the conversation. She doesn't really have any further ideas about what might be going on. Eventually she adds one thing, but she not sure it's actually something that matters.
"I'm inclined to agree with the line of thought that Kentarion Jeggare was killed because he connects to Regeris, The number of things connecting back to us was already piling up before, and another connection now, even if it's weak, makes it seem even less coincidental."
"I don't know if they're important, but there are a couple of other commonalities that might mean something. All of the keylock murders after the long break have happened in The Heights right? It may be Rolth knows this part of the city best, and relies on that knowledge when planning is murders. It could also mean he operates from The Heights and prefers not to travel far away when he kills."
"Rolth is learned in the sciences, especially anatomy and alchemy, it seems. The murders are also taking place at prominent places of knowledge and learning. Maybe he has a grudge against such places? Of maybe he has an accomplice or partner who is attached to one of them? Maybe there is some meaning to the locations where the killings have occurred."
A few minutes later another idea comes to Emi.
"I don't what to think about Wyndsor, whether he helps Rolth or not, but there may be a way to find out without alerting him to our suspicion. If he's good at what he does, well trained and thorough, he's not likely to make mistakes or miss things right?" she asks Regeris. "But if he already knows who's responsible would he act in exactly the same way as when he doesn't? He might investigate the scene and the body just the same, to raise no questions. But would be do the hard footwork of canvasing for possible witnesses or people who might know something about it? If he helps the killer, he might skip that part because he knows it gains him nothing."
"When we get there you should ask him whether he's gathered witness information along with your other questions Regeris, and maybe offer to help in that way. Whether he says he's done it already, or will be doing it, we should come back later and do it ourselves to check if it's actually been done."
"It could come to nothing, but it's the only way I can think of to get a better idea of where he stands without alerting him to anything"
Cressida answers Regeris.
"That the body was discovered in an upstairs gallery by the curator himself, as he was opening for the morning. That the victim, his nephew, was naked and slashed to death, presumably with the weapon that was left on the scene. I sent a note this morning, as soon as I heard the nature of the weapon and made the connection to your brother's death."
Cressida winces at the rough treatment the Abadaran receives.
"Surely the protector of the First Vault would not grant blessings to someone who allied themselves with a murderer and reanimator. Evil men like Rolth do not advance the cause of civilization, they tear holes in the social fabric - anathema to Abadar."
For just a second she was riled up, but then she slumps back into her chair.
"But Tallisan is a vain, obnoxious man. So I can see where your concerns lie. Tassira, your father must believe in his abilities and retained his services to follow leads on your brother's death. If your father were not paying, Tallisan would not be involved in the investigation of this other murder - that is unless House Jeggare was paying the bill."
"And yet we've heard stories that the Church of Abadar had made a tentative alignment with the Temple of Asmodeus, supposedly to support the cause of law in these times of chaos in the streets," Kayleigh replies bitterly. "And though we've done nothing to the Asmodeans, one of their priests just happened to decide to proselytize across the street from the Temple of Aroden in Old Korvosa, trying to provoke us into a violent response. Cowards--targeting a couple of old priests of a dead god who are now effectively just running an orphanage out of the place! That's likely Pilts Swastel's work--that creep's targeted them before--but the potential link to an Abadaran investigator with an axe to grind against Regeris can't just be ignored as coincidence."
Now it's Kayleigh who's getting riled up, as is usually the case when the spectre of Pilts Swastel makes an appearance. Taking a deep breath, she turns to Emileva. "Inspector Wyndser seemed quite thorough about interviewing witnesses in regards to Olaf's murder--the students and the gardener both mentioned speaking to him as I recall--but it can't hurt to give your plan a try."
"How about we tell him about the dagger we found in Gaedren's hideout and the partial blade we found in the derro warrens and judge Wyndser by his reaction to that? If he uses that information to further his own rivalry with Regeris, we'll at least know to put him on our growing list of enemies rather than wonder if he's just misguided."
The next thought comes to Kayleigh out of the blue and is so far-fetched that she almost doesn't voice it. After a bit of contemplation, though, she throws it out for consideration.
"When we next meet with the inspector, let's try to examine him as closely as possible for any signs of surgery like we saw with those we rescued from the derro lair. It's a longshot, but maybe Wyndser's being compelled to aid in Rolth's plans."
"Surgery?" Cressida asks.
"In any event, I don't have the manpower to police parts of Bridgefront still, much less to dedicate to an investigation into a noble's murder. Frankly, there's a long list of disappearances and killings that bear investigation at this point. But the emerging links to a serial killer make this a special case. If you can bring this character Rolth in and end these new Keylock Killings, I believe I can promise you a substantial bounty and the gratitude of the throne. When Eodred sat the throne he awarded titles and sometimes land for such heroics."
"I will have the clerk in the outer office issue you a warrant to investigate the murder in the name of the Citadel. If Tallisan gives you any trouble, show him that. You have more right to any evidence he's found than he does."
"Please--have the clerk issue it to Regeris," Kayleigh says through a wide grin. Then she explains the discovery of the surgically-altered captives of the derro.
Emi shrugs and concedes "That's true. If he knows who's responsible for this murder, he would have known about Olaf's as well."
"Maybe we should proceed taking Wyndsor not being involved as the stronger possibility, but continue to be wary of him.
Regeris is obviously relieved as Cressida pours some cold waters on the speculation about a grand conspiracy. "Of course. It is that simple. I needed to hear that. Rolth has been on top of many of our actions and it's easy for paranoia to creep in at the edges."
He nods over to Emi. "Talli will see us as rivals, although we should try to convince him to share evidence now that we have the warrant and near-certainty of the killer unless Rolth has an accomplice. Thank you Field Marshall. We should make haste to the crime scene."
"Rolth does have an accomplice--the elf woman named Jo that Tiora warned us about," Kayleigh reminds the inquisitor. "Maybe she's the reason Kentarion was found naked. Or maybe this Jo has seduced Tallisan, too."
"That would be a lot simpler way of exercising control over the inspector than derro mind surgery," the priestess admits sheepishly.
Regeris actually barks a laugh at that comment. "If control is exerted. There are any number of plausible reasons why we got to Rolth's lair before Talli. All we can do is act on the information we have."
Cressida shakes her head in reply to Kayleigh. "No, licensing the warrant to Tassira actually makes the most sense. Her interest in pursuing vengeance for the murder of her brother is the point that will defend the warrant in a court. And it doesn't provoke the Abadarans so."
"Now you should go if you hope for there to be any physical evidence to examine. If the wain gets there first there may be little left to see."
In ten minutes you stand outside the Citadel with a hole in your belly and your warrant in your hand. The sun-baked marble square outside is filled with the now expected mix of street vendor, protestor, pedestrian and vagrant. Pushing through the plaza and up the avenue towards the Heights, you find that the crowd is incongruously building, and it doesn't take much asking around to find out where people are headed. The Queen is speaking, or is going to speak, and there's a rush on to get a spot in the plaza.
"We should probably keep going to the museum, right? I mean, we'll hear what the queen says. Unless, is she going to execute Trinia now? But even if she is, what could we do to stop it?" he says, putting himself forward to break the press of the crowd against the others.
Kayleigh stops briefly, using Nebbin as a jetty against the surging tide that is citizens flowing westward. Though a part of her wants to hear the Queen's words and judge them for herself, the Milanite realizes that ship has already sailed and that her own course is already chosen. She takes Nebbin's hand, looks up into his face, and nods in agreement with his words before continuing north.
Emi also stops to watch the crowd flowing toward the plaza.
"I doubt we're all really needed at the museum right away, and it wouldn't hurt to know firsthand what the Queen will be announcing. It could be a verdict on Trinia Sabor or about the plague. I'll go and listen then catch up to you afterward."
"Too dangerous!" Kayleigh hisses to Emi. "We know Rolth's into necromancy, but he might have other magical powers as well. Someone seems to be spying on us and knows our every move. If Rolth's spying on us or Tallisan's in league with him somehow, they'd know soon enough that you were alone and have a window of opportunity to strike at you."
Emi arches an eyebrow at Kayleigh. "I'll be in the middle of a public crowd the whole time. What could anyone do? I'll be fine. It won't take long. I'll rejoin you at the museum."
Emi turns north with the main crowd flow. Once she's out of Kayleigh's sight, she does flip the hood on her cloak up over her head though.
She also keeps her ears trained on nearby chatter to see if she can pick up any clues about what the Queen might be speaking about.
"...keep us informed, please."
Tassira nods at Emi then sets off to the University.
Regeris hesitates, badly wanting to hear the Queen speak, but nods once. "Go, I need to be at the murder scene." He looks to the others. "If Rolth had designs on picking us off individually I believe there'd have been an attempt by now. None of us are easy targets."
Poor Regeris suddenly finds himself the recipient of Kayleigh's perturbed pout (TM); she's giving him the kind of glare an infuriated wife might flash her husband when, after she'd told their daughter 'No' on some issue, the daughter instead goes to him and he says, "Sure thing, princess! Have fun!' Kayleigh says nothing, however, already having been outvoted on the matter, even if Nebbin sides with her. In fact, she's a little bit surprised Nebbin didn't offer to go with Emileva on his own.
The die already having been cast, Kayleigh's glare fades and she says a silent prayer to Milani to watch over Emi while continuing toward the museum.
I know that none of my paranoid fears has come true...yet...but I only have to be right once for there to be a tragic incident that could've been avoided.
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Castle Korvosa
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Emi joins the stream of folks making their way to the castle. Long before she gets to the square she can tell that it's chaos there. There's a great deal of booing from the crowd directly in front of her and alot of shushing as other folks try to hear what's being said on the stand so far away.
Over the heads of the crowd, Emi can see Queen Ileosa standing atop a large speaker's stand, built upon the steps of the Grand Mastaba ramp, near its bottom. Even magically amplified her voice is hard to hear from this distance.
"...with heavy heart that we must accept in her absence that the institutions of justice in the city have failed. In their absence, I've taken upon myself the responsibility to judge the woman accused of killing your King, and my husband. The impartial investigator, Togomor of Kaer Maga will present the evidence of the case."
There's a outraged cry that goes up from the crowd around Emileva and it becomes completely impossible to understand anything the Queen is saying. Emi suddenly becomes painfully aware of the coughing and the fevered looks of some of her closest neighbors in the press. It takes her a moment to separate and find clean air to breathe before she's able to refocus on the speech. The Queen has turned to some remarks about the city's pestilence.
"...from trusted advisors I've heard that the pestilence started in the lower quarters of the city. Some are saying it is a Horser disease. I've petitioned the Empire for help in this matter and have received answer that Egorian is sending one of the empire's best medical minds to treat our citizens and find a cure."
To this there's a smattering of cheering.
"I look forward to announcing the arrival of the esteemed doctor and his team of experts. And of course when the trial of the accused has reached its conclusion, I will share with you that verdict as well."
With that, she spins on her heel and walks quickly to join her entourage - a file of female knights in gleaming silver armor, and a bloated mage swathed in red robes.
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Jeggare Museum
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The rest of the group continues to make their way north toward the museum. The white marble edifice is flanked by huge statues of magical flying creatures while a short flight of steps leads up to a set of double dorrs that stand open. Next to the entrance is the Pharasmin's wain, and two priests wearing Pharasma's iconic swirl on their chest are just climbing onto the box to leave. An overweight man with red hair and beard and wearing a monocle in his right eye stands in the doorway of the museum, looking on as the wain prepares to leave.
"Wait!" Nebbin calls, rushing toward the wain. "Um ... I think I need something!"
Regeris holds up a hand, calling out loudly to the wain as Nebbin rushes over. "We're here on behalf of the guard to investigate what has happened, please halt!"
He nudges Tassira as he breaks into a jog alongside Nebbin. "Get the warrant, you're the poshest one of us so it will help if you do the talking."
While Regeris, Tassira, and Nebbin deal with the Pharasmin wain, Kayleigh approaches the stout man with the monacle.
"Are you with the museum staff?" she inquires. "Can you tell me anything about the murder...when it happened, if there were any witnesses, how the killer got inside? Also, has Inspector Wyndser been here and, if so, is he still present?"
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Jeggare Museum
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The priest bows his head as Nebbin and Regeris come over. He takes the warrant to look over and leads you back to the rear of the wain. Two steps lead up to the rear door.
"The victim's body lies within," the priest replies. "This warrant looks real enough. You're welcome to examine him. He's naked, and he's been cut up bad. It's not pretty." he warns.
The man in the doorway looks up as Kayleigh approaches. He wipes his hands on his brown leather coat in a nervous gesture and clears his throat. Half-dried tears streak the sides of his face.
"Yes," the man replies. "I'm Mercival Jeggare. Curator here at the museum. The victim was my nephew, Kentarion. He was both a member of the Explorer's Society here and a professor at the University. A smart, loving boy!"
Mercival blinks back new tears and wipes his running nose on his jacket sleeve.
"I don't know the answers to any of those questions yet. The inspector who was here said my nephew was killed in the early hours of the morning, but could find no signs of a break in. Otherwise he was not forthcoming with information. He asked some questions and then bustled off, I think to the University."
"You are, of course, welcome to examine anything you feel you need to, though I should warn that some parts of the archives require special access. It's probably better to ask if you want into somewhere."
"You're really very lucky. Once the Abadaran inspector had been over the crime scene, I intended to have the hall cleaned, but I have not yet given the order. So other than having moved my nephew's body, the scene of his murder has only been disturbed by inspector Wyndser."
"I'm very sorry for your loss," Kayleigh tells the curator. "I'm afraid I can't offer a lot of information on the case either. I hope you'll take a bit of comfort in knowing that there are two separate investigations looking into your nephew's murder...though we hope to meet with Inspector Wyndser to compare notes as soon as possible."
"I feel safe in saying that the cases we're investigating have...unusual circumstances...attached to them. Such as why your nephew was in the museum, unclothed, at such a late hour. Would he be here due to his association with the Explorer's Society you mentioned, or would it more likely be University business? Speaking of the University...we were told he was a professor emeritus there--quite the honor for a man of his age. Do you know what subjects he taught when he was on the faculty?"
After the Queen departs Emi waits just a little longer to see if there is anything more to come.
Emi turns back and retraces her path, now heading for the museum. She still keeps her ears tuned in to the crowd listening for any further news or comments about what was said by the Queen before she arrived.