De Tanga made sure to check out the other two rooms that Hallas and Death were going to be using for the time being. While De Tanga's room was done completely in shades of brown the other two rooms where done in shades of blue and green. But like De Tanga's room, both the rooms had a portrait of Mr. Boddy overlooking the bed.
Mr. Boddy was one creepy man... De Tanga involuntarily shuddered as he felt the painting's eyes on him. Basically De Tanga was doing the same thing that he did when he went into his room. He was checking around to make sure that there weren't any nasty surprises hidden in the rooms. But like what he found in his room, the other two rooms seemed to be perfectly fine. There didn't seem to be anything strange about the rooms.
Deciding that all three of the rooms were okay, De Tanga left the rooms making sure that all three where locked. Don't want someone coming in while I'm not here.
De Tanga made his way down to the main entrance of the manor to wait for Death and Hallas to return. The thought had occurred he could question a few more of the suspects in the manor before Death and Hallas got back, but he decided against that. He wasn't sure where anyone of them were or what they were doing and he didn't want to try while Death and Hallas could come back. If they came back while he was somewhere in the manor he wouldn't know that they were back until they found him and that could take a while. And De Tanga wanted to get home and get his stuff as soon as possible.
So while De Tanga was waiting he reviewing over his case notes. He still needed to talk to Sylphiel, Gourry, Zangulus, Lina, Filia, Zelgadis and Xellos. De Tanga had a feeling by the time he finished talking to all ten suspects that he was going to find them all to be more likely to have killed Mr. Boddy. It's just a matter of figuring out everyone's possible motives. Though I can already guess a few of them. De Tanga thought while looking through his case file.
Miss Rose may have killed Mr. Boddy because she could still hold a grudge. Mr. Green could have done it because he wanted to cover up his embezzlement and illegal affairs. Miss Peach may have killed Mr. Boddy to get her hands on his money through her claims to be related to him. Or in some other fashion. Then there's Miss White, who may have also killed for money. Mr. Brunette could have done it to hide his fraud with all the counterfeit paintings and artwork that he had sold Mr. Boddy. The only reason I can think of for Miss Peacock is that she wanted to get her hands on Mr. Boddy's estate. And Professor Plum may have just wanted to get money out of Mr. Boddy, much many others. But as for Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard and Sergeant Gray I'm not so sure. Perhaps Miss Scarlet wanted money too, but I can't think of any possible reasons for Colonel Mustard and Sergeant Gray.
Just then De Tanga was distracted from his thoughts by the sound of the main door opening. The door opened and inside stepped Hallas and Death whom both seemed to be very wet.
"What happened to you two?" De Tanga asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well when we first got on to the road, there were only a few clouds in the sky. But by the time we got back into the city, there was a complete cloud cover and it started to pour down on us. It turned into a real harsh storm." Death said while ringing out some of the water from his clothes.
"Yeah and we both got soaked just from going from the car to our homes."
"Perhaps it would be a good idea for you both to take a bath and get into some dry clothes." Amelia said coming up from one of the hallways.
"How many bathrooms do you have in this place Miss White?"
"Quite a few detective. So shall I start you two both a bath?" Amelia offered.
"I think that would be a good idea. But first I want the two of them to see their rooms and put their stuff away. So how about you start up the baths and they'll meet you once they are finished?" De Tanga suggested Amelia.
"Okay Detective Tealson." Amelia nodded and walked off to get things started.
"Come with me, and I'll show you guys where you are going to be sleeping tonight."
Moments later De Tanga showed both Death and Hallas to their rooms. Death got the room done in blue while Hallas got the other one.
"Here are your keys." De Tanga said while handing both the detectives their room keys. "Now I want you two to make sure that you hold onto these keys and make sure that you lock your rooms when you are not there I don't want anyone to get in your rooms. And especially when you are sleeping. Make sure your rooms are locked at all times. Only have it unlocked when you are in the room and awake. There have already been two murders in this manor and I don't want there to be any more. Do you two both understand?"
Both the officers deftly nodded.
"If you two both excuse me, I think it's about time I get home and get my stuff. I'll see you both later."
De Tanga parted ways with the two younger officers and headed down to the main entrance. When he opened the door he was assaulted by the sudden gust of wind from outside. It was much colder out then it had been when De Tanga had last been outside. The rain literally poured down in buckets. Amazing on how quickly the weather can change...
De Tanga braced himself before making a mad dash to his assigned unmarked police car. Once inside the car he started up the engine and headed off towards home.
Looking at his watch, De Tanga noted what time it was. It had been about 3 pm when De Tanga, Hallas and Death had arrived at the Boddy Manor. Now it was 10:07 pm. De Tanga grimaced at the time. I should came home more then four hours ago... He sighed and was about to use his cell phone when he saw that his cell phone was low in battery power. Great... well I'll have to get the charger when I get home. De Tanga sighed and put his phone back in his jacket.
It was quite a long drive before De Tanga finally pulled up to his driveway. By now the rainstorm had died down a little bit and it wasn't raining as hard. There was still the occasional flash of lighting followed by a crash of thunder.
De Tanga parked the car in his driveway and sprinted up to his front door. He fished out his keys and opened the door.
His home was dark, there didn't seem to be a single light on in the place at all. And everything was silent too. De Tanga tried to be as quiet as he possibly could as he stepped into his hallway.
All of a sudden De Tanga got the feeling of being watched and he turned around to have the blade of a very large sword right at his neck.
"Hello dear." De Tanga said very nervously.
The sword was lowered from De Tanga's neck and the figure in front of him turned on the light in the hallway. De Tanga's wife glared at him with very evil eyes. "And where have you been?!" She demanded glaring daggers at him.
"I can explain -- "
"Then do." She said in a deadly voice.
"Okay well, I was assigned to work on a case at the Boddy Manor. Mr. Boddy was murdered a few days ago and well I was there investigating all day and now I have to stay there for the next couple of days until the case is solved." De Tanga avoided eye contact with his wife. He knew that when she got angry she can be one very dangerous person.
"I know, the Chief of Police called me about the case right after you left for the manor in the afternoon."
De Tanga looked up meeting her cold purple eyes in confusion. "Then why are you -- "
"Angry? Because you didn't have the consideration to call home and tell me that you weren't going to be home, and that I'd be eating alone. So tell me De Tanga, why didn't call me?!" If her eyes weren't narrowed enough they narrowed further at De Tanga.
"My cell phone died...?" De Tanga said with a sheepish smile rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh really? Then why is that you were able to call the chief on your cell phone? And what, was there no phones at the manor?"
"Alright Luna I'm sorry. I forgot to call. I was so busy with the case that I didn't even think of what I should have done. I'm really, really sorry! I was seriously going to call you on the way home, but my cell phone did die on me. Please forgive me." De Tanga lowered his head in shame.
Luna grinned on how worried and ashamed De Tanga was. She loved how she could have that effect on him. She wasn't really angry that he didn't call. She knew that he was going to be busy wasn't going to be home. Luna just liked making him squirm. "Alright you are forgiven. Now tell me, how the case is going? Have you narrowed down your suspect list?"
"I wish, I haven't been able take one suspect off the list. And I've just been finding out more information to cast more suspicion on the suspects. And what's even worse, there's been another murder." De Tanga said while heading over to their bedroom to go start packing his clothes and stuff.
"Really? Who was killed?"
"We don't know. The body was discovered in the kitchen. It was in the storage freezer. And the body was so messed up that he couldn't be identified. In fact there's a possibility that that body could be Mr. Boddy."
"What do you mean, could be Mr. Boddy?"
"Well when I got to the manor, Mr. Boddy's body was missing. Someone had moved his body after he had been murdered."
"And that someone probably was the murderer."
"Yup."
"Geeze, sounds like you've got one interesting case ahead of you. But what happens if that new dead guy isn't Mr. Boddy? Who could it be? And why was he killed too?"
"Those are the same questions that have been going through my head for the past few hours. But then there's also the chance that this new guy and Mr. Boddy were killed by two different murderers." De Tanga pulled up his suitcase and started to pack it.
"Oh man and you have to stay there until the case is solved? Well then maybe you should take this along with you." Luna went over to her dresser and pulled out a large dagger and handed to De Tanga.
"And what's this for?"
"Good luck, and for something to put under your pillow when you go to bed."
De Tanga gave her a funny look. "Um... okay if you say so." De Tanga took the dagger and packed into his suitcase. "Well I think I've got everything packed. So I've got to head out now." De Tanga picked up his suitcase and left the room with Luna following behind.
"Oh you mean you can't stay for a little while?"
"I don't think it would be a good idea to leave the two young ones alone in charge of the manor too long."
"Okay. Well don't forget to call me." Luna glared at De Tanga.
"I wont. This time. Bye Luna." De Tanga leaned in to give her a kiss.
"Bye De Tanga."
Death glared at the cards he had in his hands. Him and Hallas were playing a game of poker in his room. Both of them had already finished their baths and were in clean and dry clothes. Death had had his bath in one of the bathrooms on the third floor, while Hallas had been in the one on the second floor. Both of them had been impressed with the baths but there hadn't been one thing that they hadn't been impressed with in the whole manor.
"So when do you think Detective Tealson is going to be back?"
"I don't know, it is a long drive. So what do you got?"
"Straight flush."
"Damn."
Sylphiel sighed as she stared out one of the manor windows. The storm was picked up again and it was pouring down very hard. She was thinking very hard of everything that had been happening the past few days. Sylphiel hated having to be stuck in the manor having to worry about what was going to happen to her.
"Hi Sylphiel!" A voice spoke from behind her.
"AHHHHH!!!" Sylphiel screamed and jumped. She calmed down once she realized who it was. "Oh I'm sorry Gourry."
"No I should be apologizing. I didn't mean to startle you." Gourry said sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
"I guess I'm just a little jumpy right now."
"Yeah I guess that's not surprising it must have been pretty scary finding a dead guy in the kitchen."
"I had no idea when I came to this manor to talk about birds that I would end up right in the middle of a murder investigation." Sylphiel sighed looking down adjusting her glasses a little bit.
"Oh you came here to talk about birds?"
"Yes, what reason did you think I came here to talk to Mr. Boddy for?"
"I thought... oh I forgot." Gourry smiled a goofy smile.
Sylphiel chuckled. "You forget a lot of things don't you Gourry?"
"Yeah I do... I even forgot the reason why I came here in the first place. Which was a very good reason too."
"Oh really? You mean you remember now?"
"Hey I do! I do remember the reason now! Bye Sylphiel, I've got to go tell the detective right now!" Gourry rushed off leaving Sylphiel alone.
As Gourry sprinted down the halls he realized that he was lost. "Now where am I?" Gourry asked out loud when all of sudden all the lights went out.
De Tanga pulled up back into the front of the manor. When he got out of the car he noticed something very odd. All the lights in the manor were all off. He dashed over to the main doors and was greeted by the others.
"Detective Tealson you're back!"
"What happened here?"
"All the power went out. Must have been from the storm." Carbunkle said handing De Tanga a candlestick with a lit candle in it.
"Is there a back up generator for the manor?"
"Yes there is. Sergeant Gray went out to try to get it working." As Amelia spoke the lights went back on.
"Well looks like he got the power back up."
A few moments later Zelgadis came back totally soaked from the storm. "Well the back up works, though it's an old generator so I don't know how long it will last. Hopefully it wont give up before the main power comes back on."
"Hopefully it wont. Everyone is okay though, right?" De Tanga asked looking around to everyone around him. That's when he noticed something wrong. "Where's Colonel Mustard?"