Tina not having her voice heard as the others close in on Hamish she wanted to stop the killing, but as soon as Hamish opened his mouth she feels her blood freeze. Her breath gets quicker and her eyes wider as he continues seeing her fears coming true. The terrifying man lunges at Thadius, and suddenly Getika was grabbing her, putting herself between the young shoemaker and the butcher. Thankfully the native woman cuts off her view of the murderer and the Duke's brave sacrifice to protect Thadius.
She sits staring, unable to move for some time, frozen from shock and fear. She slowly comes around with a shuddering sob, and clings to Getika sinking to the floor with her shoulders shaking in silent sobs.
Standing alone Dan is shocked, he thought the old man was just a kindly gentleman but for him to be a hero willing to give his life to save Thadius'. The baker has to look away at the Butchers end, the horror sinks in as his nostrils are assailed with the stench of fresh death.
"I cannot believe it, The Duke dead." Dan says recovering from the shock slowly, he takes a cup of tea and sips it slowly. "Well, we have found one of the Mafia, just a pity it came at such a cost. I really hope the others won't devastate our community as much."
Thadius, his grief now turned to an anger of despair, sets his gaze on Dan. "Dis is your fault! Dis is all your fault. You coul'n control yo' butchah and now we all suffer for it."
"Really? You still think I'm the crime lord? Ask Jin; he undoubtably can see me for what I am? And you think I would not have stopped Hamish if I knew?" Dan adds sadly; "The Duke was my friend as was the Sheriff, I didn't want either of them to die"
"You have been the first to accuse, shed the blood of a trio of innocents.... at least, you mafioso." Dan says accusingly.
"Good! Vote for me! At least some other townsfolk won't have to die, but Hamish tried the same thing. Ya'll just desperate now! 'Sides, I didn't vote for Clarence. He damned himself listening to you and Hamish! We can all see yo' game now, Crime Boss."
"I know you didn't vote for Clarnece, you played the innocent card. Setting him up." Dan says starting to get annoyed. "You accused him and then persuaded everyone to vote for him. Readying a vote, just in case it was needed. T' old Sumerian ploy."
"It was a good way to garner sympathy, as is the drunken noble routine. And all of a sudden you are sober..."
"You a fool, and you gon' die for it. You cost this town its soul. There ain't but a handful o' us left. Keep talkin' too, you just gon' bury yourself deeper."
Dan looks at the man sadly; "Soul? What have you ever done to help the town?"
"I stand wit' it in its darkest hour, when yo' tryin' to kill us all. You don' been fingered, boy."
Sniffling back her tears from where she sat on the floor with Getika, skirt crumpled under her, Tina tried to recover enough so that she could speak once more. She slowly lifts her head away from the native woman, to look towards Thadius and Dan as they accuse each other.
"I'm glad everyone didn't listen to me... I was a fool, I tried so hard to look past how scary he was on the outside I guess I convinced myself he was a man on the inside... but he was just a monster through and through."
Wet eyes turn to look at Thadius "Mr. Thadius you were right about Mr. Hamish, but why do you say Mr. Dan is the crime boss? I think it's strange that you're so specific, not just that he's a member of the mafia, but that he's the boss. I do not think you're a detective, Mr. Jin said that he was the last detective... although he could be lying. If you have some evidence please share it with me I need more than speculation for a claim like that."
The young girl closes her eyes for a moment to keep back tears threatening to work their way out. "You were wrong about Mr. Clarence, and although you may not have voted for him personally you certainly pushed the votes in his direction. Maybe it was a mistake, or a personal grudge, but we can't afford those mistakes, and I'm not going to vote for Mr. Dan if I think you're only throwing accusations because you don't like him."
"It t'uh way he act, just like the way ya'll act. I's suspectin' you might be mafia too, Miss Wolfswift. Only thing I ever did was try and defend myself from the wild accusations, and now you call me into question. I think it pretty clear, you're one of Mr. Haworth's associates." Thadius eyes Tina, his eyes still wet and reddened with anger, "Don't mean you are, but suspicions come from watchin'. Ya'll got tells, and all I need do is watch ya'll."
Thadius turns to Jin "Who else? What your words on this woman here?"
Clara watches the accusations fly with dulled eyes. "Mister Jin, might y'all be able ta tell us aught 'bout Mister Dan or Mister Thadius or Miz Tina?" she says heavily, "Else I cain't vote a'tall."
Getika looks up quickly, aghast that Tina has been questioned upon her truthfulness. She gasps then gulps, "Wrong you must be, Thadius! Tell me please, accusations you give wrong are!" She stands with difficulty, "My life, give I would for Tina."
"Mister Jin were right 'bout the Butcher, an' he been sayin' all along that Mister Thadius be innocent. I'm inclined ta bleeve Mister Jin if he kin tell us who's ta blame fer the killins."
"There is one person who has voted for two innocents who were lynched, Clara.
Jin has claimed to be the detective. There are three criminals remaining.
Does anyone have concrete evidence? Has anyone seen, or not seen anything?"
"The two who claimed to be detectives, Hamish and Jin, naturally cancel one another out. Hamish was the butcher, nobody else has claimed to be a detective, and Jin's word against Hamish was right. He said that Dan is the Crime Boss, and I figured that out without his help. He only confirmed my already deep suspicion. We can count on Jin's word." Thadius suggests.
"I only want what's best for the town-folk. I am not the boss of any family. Now Thadius sets more up for murder, like he did to poor Clarence." Dan looks around the gathering in askance; "He sets up Clarence, now me, and seemingly Tina's next. Who after that Getika, because she's foreign like Gustav, or will it be Coraline?"
"You know me, I have been in t' town these past dozen years since t' Army." shaking his head in a small motion; "I work hard from t' dawn t' dusk. Y' I make a profit, but it's honest work."
"Does't tha' mean Mr Thadius. When he said:"
"Ease up Thadius. I'm with Dan on this, I think Thadius is innocent."
"He ain't fingered me? That's only you." Dan chuckles; "I don't wanna be fingered."
"Jin?" Getika says pleadingly not wanting the crime boss to be Dan and not wanting anything to do with crime to be Tina. She is scared, deep down afraid that those she thought were to be trusted were not and not wanting it to be true.
"I ain't done nothin' ta Clarence. Ya'll kept whisperin' ta him, you n' Hamish bof'. You said nasty words, words in private that you wouldn't speak in public because ya'll afraid. You should be afraid, cuz we know who you is."
Thadius turns, filling the town hall with his voice as he speaks to all but at Dan. "You played Clarence for a fool, but we know he was a good man. You tried to push us against one another, made a good man try to sully my name and you killed so many others, but ya'll failed, Patron de Crime. I hope God have mercy on yo' soul, 'cuz da General, da Duke, Willard, n' Geoffrey gon' have none for ya."
"I also whispered to you. Thadius." Dan says frankly; "Are you a Mafia then?"
Looking around the group; "I whispered to everyone, or tried to. I was trying to work out who's who. I weren't relying on hunches, but private talks. But Jin ne'er said owt, unless he talked to you in secret?"
"You whisper a lot, Dan." Thadius arches his eyebrow at the fake baker, "You playin' games and it costin' lives. You ain't foolin' nobody no more."
"Whereas you trust no-one? Keeping secrets not bothering to try and work out who done it. Just blaming the first person you come across, and they die, then the second - then they die. Then the third -then you are right. Now me...." Dan says shaking his head at the accusing dilettante.
Jin clears his mind. Shock over the Duke's death and shock that he himself was still alive... Is it wrong to feel relieved that the good Duke was gone and I am still alive? Jin mutters to himself, "Get a hold of yourself... there's still evil out there."
To everyone in the hall, Jin turns and almost pleads with them. "I wish I were as good at the detective work as the late Rastley. I was always better with engines, than with people... but Rast said what the Navy taught me and mine own witts were far better than any formal law training..."
"Well Rastley, he ain't got no formal training." Dan says surely. "He relied upon what 'e read and what he observed. A grand man, taken too soon from us."
'Never did get to finish that game of checkers.'
Jin turns to Dan. "Dan, a few hours ago I may have been willing to trust you -- you seemed to be at the center of every vote. You played at being being neutral and thoughtful... so, I tried to do some checking on you. It shocked me, I was hoping to find someone I could trust... instead I found you were mafioso. What sealed it for me was your ally'in with Hamish. I think everyone that were quick to throw in with that animal are suspect." Jin scans the rest of the room pausing on a few souls momentarily -- you know who you are that voted in league with Hamish!
Finally returning to Dan. "I'm no Rast. But I think you're mafia scum."
"So I'm mafia???" Dan is shocked; this turns to acceptance as Coraline votes with Jin. 'Clara will be next, she's followed Thadius' lead the whole time...been in league with him.'
He turns to Thadius; "Seems you are wrong, that or Jin is. He says I'm not leader, unlike yourself."
"I suppose I'm alone like I was when we went o'er t' top. Might get to be the Morpeth Lads soon then." there's a wistful sheen to his eyes.
Tina widens her eyes and blinks at Thadius "Now hold on there Mr. Thadius, you just avoided my question by throwing an accusation at me... If you don't have good reason just say it is a hunch, don't just throw out accusations to avoid the question."
Tina is thankful that Jin came to speak for himself, with all the accusations Thadius had thrown around it was very hard to simply trust him at his word. She looks towards Dan aghast "Mr. Dan... No, you didn't!" She shakes her head "But you were always so nice... you fooled me..."
"Late on your vote last time. Waitin' to the las' second to try n' pluck me out. Why you vote for me last time? Huh? What'd they say to you to make you suspect me despite the fact that Hamish was on me so hard and it turned out he's the butcher. Puts som' mighty big 'spicion on you, hon. At this point, you need to be provin' you ain't Mafia instead of turnin' things 'round." Thadius counters.
Clara pales as the votes against her old friend pile up. "What do I do? I don' think Mister Thadius is mafier, but Dan? I cain't believe it. He coulda pizened us all iff'n he wanted." She sits and mutters quietly to herself. But if Dan nor Thadius is mafier, nor Jin, that means most of the ladies is... and ladies ain't like that, nossiree.
Tina blinks at Thadius "Are you talking to me? I didn't want anyone to die last time... everyone might have survived if I'd have gotten my vote in... including the Duke. Or do you think he deserved to die as well since he sided with Hamish and voted for you?"
"Oh, Thadius you mean like Clara a couple of hours ago? Or Jin? Or maybe Getika? Interesting you aggrivate all, having done nothing of use for the town." Dan says to the aristocrat.
"And Clarence was on you so hard, he was an innocent. Thus by your logic, you are Mafia?" Dan accuses.
"Clara, I have been good to you.... you won't turn on me too? Well, unless you are Mafia - then by Thadius' logic you'd vote for me." Dan shakes his head.
"Not votin' ain't gonna mean much so long as the Patron du Crime is around, and we know who that is..." Thadius lets it sink in.
"Dan is the crime boss, our greatest nemesis."
"I ain't turned on ya, Dan. But is what Mister Thadius said true? Did you turn pore ol' Clarence agin' Mister Thadius an' me? Why wouldja do that, Dan?" Clara regards her friend with tears in her eyes.
Tina regards Clara and Dan's conversation "I certainly can't trust what Thadius says Clara, but Mr. Jin says he's the last detective, and he said Dan is a bad person... I don't want to believe it either, but Mr. Jin seems a lot more trustworthy than Thadius."
Getika looks to Dan, tears in her eyes as she leans against the wall and slides down it. Her hands land on her knees as her head bows and she speaks to herself, "Good Arapaho I am not. Find answers I cannot do, I cannot detective work, I cannot rely on heart. Believe in self's judgement, I cannot."
"One way or another we will know who is right and who is not. This vote either saves the town or dooms it."
"I am not mafia, nor were my parents. If it were not for the killings, I never would have believed it of any of us. Not even Hamish."
"I ain't turned on ya, Dan. But is what Mister Thadius said true? Did you turn pore ol' Clarence agin' Mister Thadius an' me? Why wouldja do that, Dan?" Clara regards her friend with tears in her eyes.
"Do you mean did I commiserate with the chap after Thadius told you to kill Clarence." Dan pauses significantly; "Why yes I did."
"Turns out he played a clever game, got you to do his killing fore him." with a sorrowful shrug.
"Well me recipes are behind t' books on the far pantry shelf." Dan resigns himself to hanging knowing the others are resolute.
"See? Now he's sayin' I tried to tell Clarence to kill you. I whisper' to Clarence, but t'ink about that vote. How it turn out, mon amis? Clarence aftah me then, because Dan and Hamish were whisperin' to him too. Dan, you only incriminate yourself further." Thadius shakes his head.
"Nah, I said you persuaded Clara t' kill Clarence..." Dan accuses; "Before you fell on your own sword, well pretended to, with the same false sense of deprecation."
"Ya lied about him being a Mafia, jus' like you did about Jin accusing me - a few minutes ago." Dan adds.
"Hardly, Dan. Mister Clarence kept slanderin' me, if ye recall, which got my dander up, yes it did. I'm sorry for it, but the ol' coot shouldnt'a oughta said those things 'bout me. I barely kent wut he sed 'bout Mister Thaddius." She gives Thadius a little shrug. "Sorry, but it's true."
"About t' whispering, I were jus' being nice t' people." Dan adds bitterly; "You ain't been nice t' anyone, have you?"
"But I suppose, I need to ready myself for death, it's inevitable amongst your unfounded accusations." he looks towards the large stained glass windows. "Reminds me of the old fields, before t' war. When t' grass was green and the skies were blue."
"Now in the twilight of my life, everything seems so grey. The taste of ashes upon t' air."
Current results:
Dan votes for Thadius
Thadius votes for Dan
Jin votes for Dan
Tina votes for Dan
Coraline votes for Dan
"Hardly, Dan. Mister Clarence kept slanderin' me, if ye recall, which got my dander up, yes it did. I'm sorry for it, but the ol' coot shouldnt'a oughta said those things 'bout me. I barely kent wut he sed 'bout Mister Thaddius." She gives Thadius a little shrug. "Sorry, but it's true."
"Aye, he accused bot' of ye equally. Both Thadius and thee for killing Gustav. Of course, Thadius manipulated it so that thee thought it were only thyself that he was trying to kill. Who did the old coot accuse and vote for first...Thadius. That's why Thad went for himself and you had to defend him, drawing the farmers ire."
Even the homely smells of the farm seem good to the baker. Not as nice as the newly cut bread, the soft saltiness of butter fighting with the sweetness of the conserve.
"Waal, I sed I'd vote the way Mister Jin did, 'cause he picked out the Butcher. Guess I better. Makes me sick, though. Dan, if you's not guilty, I swear I'll not rest 'til the ones who called you out get theirs." Clara sits with head bowed, tears dripping onto upturned hands resting in her lap, bathing the hard-earned callouses.
"Seems Rastley, I'll get to play thee once more. You better get the checker board out." his voice is so faint and filled with regret, that the words are virtually inaudible.
Considering what has gone on he walks over to the table and picks up a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Then moves with care towards the front of the meeting hall and slowly climbs upon the stage. Taking a bite out of the cake, some crumbs fall upon the floor. Lost amongst the detritus, they make the perfect analogy for his life.
'I got lucky upon the killing fields of France, it seems the grains of borrowed time have run out and I will join you brothers.'
"Don't worry Clara, make t' town a better place. That's all I wanted." Dan says standing upon the oaken boards, they creak gently; "Maybe bake a cake upon thee birthday & remember me."