„A bottomless swamp is like hell: it stoles your soul, but it doesn't allow you breath”

„I’d like to have an audience to Miss Emily Davis, if possible,” Keen told the old servant who half-opened the door and asked him with half a voice what does he want.

Instead of a verbal answer, the old woman approved with her head, and from this gesture of her, Keen had to understand that she goes to ask if Miss Davis is free and that he must stay and wait in front of the door.

Keen disliked this kind of „welcome," but he understood that he had no choice: he must wait if he wanted to talk to Emily Davis and he also answered by bending his head but he was so surprised when the door suddenly closed in front of his nose and forced him to step back.

„And … how should I understand this gesture?” he wondered and, shaking his head in reproach, he moved back trying to figure out what to do till the servant will be back. So, he decided to watch the garden.

Even if it was early fall nature around looked so fresh and beautiful and no trace of yellow or brown was seen on the trees or the bushes and this was something unnatural for this period of time. More than this, the bushes, skilfully cut as if someone had tried to engrave figures in living nature, were making the surroundings have an aristocratic look but at the same time to look so fresh and alive allowing the dreamers to travel in time while looking at this green fairy-like beauty.

Then, there were the trees: in a number of ten, all towering birches, they probably had more than a century but they still looked young and strong probably because of the thick trunks and of the crowns beautifully woven with old and new thin branches and also due to the squirrel’dens seen above that was something amazing to watch and enjoy when they were moving their red and fluffy tail while jumping from one branch to another.

However, this beauty of nature was a kind of joy for the people of these times who hadn’t that many reasons to smile and to enjoy life. But being surrounded by nature, even that seen in their garden was giving the viewers a kind of freedom to breathe, and why not: to show the world all the love they were hiding in their chest.

After a short time of watching the awkward, but full of charming play of two red squirrels on the lowest branch of a tree, Victor took off his pocket the clock and looked at the hour, understanding that it had been more than 15 minutes of waiting and this he considered being unforgivable rudeness.

When he finally decided to knock once again the door and to show his unsatisfaction this way for letting him wait in front of the door without even one person that lives in that house of respectable people to show up and to say something to him, Keen heard the noise of an approaching carriage and he looked in the distance.

Even if the carriage was still far away, Keen was sure that was heading toward Lorenne’s house, so he decided to wait.

Ten minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of the house and, before descending from his place, Albert stared unsatisfied at Keen, a sign that the detective showed up at the wrong moment. But even if he was so eager to say something unpleasantly to the uninvited guest and if necessary to punch him to chase him away, eventually Albert decided that it wasn’t the right moment so, he jumped off and deeply inhaling air in his chest he approached the door and helped Eva to descend from the carriage.

The girl’s face looked even more pale than usual, and this made Keen watch her with interest because he remembered their first meeting and that he helped her to sit down on the bench when she was about to lose consciousness.

Eva instead was so surprised to see Keen waiting in front of the closed door. And, even if she wanted to enter the house and to lie on her bed to recover forces, she decided to show her respect to Keen, even if he doesn’t deserve this, as she considered, so she approached the detective at a slow step, still supporting herself on Albert’s arm.

„Detective Keen, what a surprise to see you here! Especially after the last conversation that we had yesterday in the park. I thought that I made myself clear that I consider your visit unwelcome, as I consider your interest in me like undue, or I may dare to say roughly because I consider it as being an attack to my private life.”

Listening to the girl’s words, Keen smiled. However, for a few seconds, he said nothing while playing with the lid of his clock which he was opening and closing repeatedly - a strategy that he got while working as a detective inside the police department to make the defendant be confused and while the defendant was so concentrated on the detective's movement, Keen took advantage on this and, asking a sudden question, he was forcing the defendant to answer without thinking and this way he managed to solve favorably a lot of difficult cases.

Eva instead didn’t fall into his trap, even after minutes in a row of playing with the watch. She kept watching into the detective’s eyes and except for an unpleasant surprise to see him here her face wasn’t revealing anything else.

Catching her tired glance, Keen mirrored his face in it but he saw no trace of anger or desire to get rid of him. „This child doesn’t know about what happens in this house. Or, maybe I was wrong coming here?” but his heart was telling him to insist because soon he’ll find out the desired answer.

„Let’s go toward that bench,” the girl told him when she understood that Keen won’t leave soon. Not until he found out what he was looking for.

„Toward the bench?” Not in the house?” Keen wondered. „This already seems suspect to me. It means that Emily Davis is trying to avoid me.”

„You probably wonder why I didn’t invite you to enter the house,” Eva told him and her answer made Keen wince, surprised that the girl could read his mind. „I was right,” and Eva smiled.

That smile seemed so beautiful and warm to Keen, and so sincere at the same time, and, for the first time since he knew her, he understood that Eva is even more sensible and sincere than he thought and that he was wrong by making wrong conclusions without knowing her, but he decided that she’s a mean person too only based on that she’s Lorenne and Emily Davis’pupple.

When both got to the wooden bench, Eva deeply inhaled the fresh air and her cheeks suddenly became red a sign that her weakness left her. „Now I’m more than fine,” she said. „Should we take a few steps through the garden instead of sitting down on the bench?” she added and she looked at Keen who continued to analyze each movement as if he was a hungry wolf watching the movements of his prey and waiting for the right moment to attack. „Most of the time I feel that I haven’t enough strength to walk through the garden because nature makes me feel so deeply inside my chest all the burden of her scent,” the girl said with nostalgia in her voice.

„Why so? Being young and especially in your condition you should be full of life, of dreams, of beautiful memories and lived moments.”

Eva instead smiled, listening to his question. „Because not all the beauty has its own shine, detective Keen. Sometimes what is beautiful is kept inside of a cage, only to enjoy it when you feel that there’s nothing else to do, and without wondering what that thing feels like. I mean here not only the captive birds or animals. I mean also objects because even without a soul to make them seem alive they still have feelings - they keep the feelings of those who loved them once, who considered them part of their life and of their home.”

„And … which category do you think you are part of, Miss Walker?”

Eva stopped and stunned looked at Keen. „Did this man really believe that I’m Helen Walker? He doesn't seem stupid at all or that kind of person that believes so easily in fairytales,” but when she noticed a glint of curiosity in his eyes, she understood that he just plays her own game.

„I don’t think that I’m part of any of the categories I mentioned and call me Eva! Or, Miss Stonebridge! That’s my real name.”

The fact that Eva decided to be sincere with him, chased away any doubt from Keen’s heart and mind. „She definitely is protected from all the evil things that happen in this house,” Keen told to himself, but still something was bothering him.

He wanted to ask her about Emily, but he didn’t know how to start to talk about this or what else to talk with Eva after she confessed that her game had been only a game: he felt awkward that he left things to go that far. But Eva had been who broke the ice between them and she also chased away the feeling of awkwardness that was sneaking inside their hearts.

„Detective Keen, you know, after last time we talked I thought a lot, but eventually I decided that it'll be fair to ask you where did you meet my mother.”

Now Keen felt that he fell into the trap because on one hand, he wanted to tell her the truth, but on the other hand, he knew that Emily was right when she mentioned that if nobody told Eva about her parents’past, including Brian Beneath who also decided to keep her away from that tragical events, it means that the truth can break her heart or even kill her. That’s why Keen suddenly decided that he’ll better keep silent too. „Just a simple coincidence. I met her while being with common friends. Nothing important.”

„And yet, you mentioned yesterday that my mother was about to marry a certain Baron Beneath. Or, was it only a trick to make me confess who I really am?”

„If she was born as a man, she had been a damn good detective,” Keen told himself, understanding that Eva had a good olfactory channel and also a good memory and if he tries to avoid an answer can make her think he’s lying or hiding something important and this isn’t something good for Keen. He must find a middle ground: one which won’t hurt the girl, but also that allows him to tell her part of that old story that definitely influenced her destiny.

„It wasn’t any trick, Miss Stonebridge. It’s the truth. Baron Beneath had been interested in marrying your mother, but she disagreed. Eventually, she decided that it isn’t worthy to be his wife and as we know Helen Walker married Alfred Stonebridge in the end and you are their child.”

„However, … according to your words, my mother was guilty of that man’s death or somehow she influenced that death. What exactly caused the death of that man?”

„Miss Stonebridge,” Keen talked to her with a sure voice and this made the girl stop and look at him while waiting for what was coming because she felt that behind that severe voice was a good story, maybe also tragical. „Did you accept the feelings of all those who declared as being in love with you?”

„Let’s say I hadn’t that many admirers who waited in line to declare their love to me,” Eva said ironically.

„But still … you are a pretty young lady. I can even dare say that you are very beautiful and this gives you the right to be admired. Thus, let’s say that two men come in front of you asking you to marry one of them. Will you accept them both?”

„Of course not. I’ll accept only one and this only if I like one of them.”

„Right. Then, let’s imagine that the one you refused died: because life decided so or because he decided so. Will you be guilty of his death?”

„Depends on how you look at this,” Eva answered with a sure voice that surprised Keen.

„Why so?”

„If I simply made him understand that I love another one, that I have strong feelings for that person and because of this I can’t accept him then I’m not guilty. But if I make him understand this by using mean methods like humiliation or insults in front of others then I have part of the guilt of his death.”

„And … what if you decided to run away with the one you love and this way you tried to show that you don’t love the second person?”

Eva took a few steps in front, a time she took to think about every minor detail of Keen’s question who waited for her answer in the same place. „That's already cowardice,” Eva answered calmy and, turning with her face toward Keen, who was still standing in the previous place, she looked into the man’s eyes and he saw in hers a huge sadness and this was due to someone’s betrayal: „if you stopped loving that person or simply you never had feelings for her better tell that person about it. Make him understand the reason why you go on a different path and don’t leave him wondering about why you aren’t with him at that moment because that person will live forever asking himself questions that all the time starts with why. You know, I always had to accept the fact that nobody loves me. I never felt the love of my mother because she died when I was born. Then I was surrounded by my father’s wives that also never loved me and who always considered me as being a burden for them. Eventually, it was my father and his betrayal hurt me the most.”

Keen felt her words like a knife that pierced his heart because he understood then that she knew that world better than she was letting others know about her. A characteristic which Keen had never been able to reveal in himself.

That was the moment when Keen decided to tell her the real story of Helen Walker and then to ask her why she ran away from Brian who all he did all these months was to look for her but when he saw Emily and Lorenne approaching them he decided to change his plans.

„I make a pardon for letting you wait outside, detective Keen, but as I wasn’t expecting any visit, I decided to be lazy today. That’s why I was late to show in front of you: I had to make myself look nice before to show in front of you.”

Keen stared at Emily for a few seconds and he noticed a slight tremble in the corner of her lips, a sign that she was forced to see him once again and also to talk to him. „She’s a damn good actress,” Keen thought, but even so he decided to play her game as he did with Eva.

„Waiting wasn’t a problem, Miss Davis. What I consider as being impolite is the fact that I hadn’t been informed about your delay.”

„However, you spent your time in a very good company,” Emily mentioned about his conversation with Eva.

„Of course, Miss Stonebridge is a very good interlocutor. Especially the fact she knows a lot about feelings and about valuable things kept in a cage.”

Keen’s words made Emily wince. „He knows!” she told herself. „He knows who sent the assassin yesterday night and because of this, he came here. He wants to force me to accept that I hired that person to kill him, but you are so wrong, detective if you think that you can dance on the same dancefloor as I do and the most important: at the same rhythm.”

„In a cage?! From what I know I don’t use to keep animals closed in a cage nor do I have the habit of keeping extremely valuable things in my home,” Emily answered in a jerky tone a sign that the hint of the man was something she disliked.

„I wasn’t talking about you, Miss Davis, but I’m glad that you are the first who talked about this. Should we talk in private better? I’m sure we have a lot to say to each other,” and his demanding voice made Lorenne watch him carefully and wonder what he was planning.

„Yet, the fact that you are here, detective, practically demanding to a woman to talk to you, is something that I dislike. Especially when the guest does this in my own house,” Lorenne said and she took a few steps away from Keen and approached Eva. „First time, you approached an innocent girl, eager to hear things that maybe aren’t for your ears. Or, maybe you did this intentionally? I mean that you came here inventing things only to seem that you are a real detective.”

„Inventing things, Ms. Fabeau? I never loved creation because I’m a practical person and not a creative one. Despite the fact that the work as a detective also involves creation from time to time, I hate being creative.”

This aggressive exchange of remarks and somehow with a hidden purpose seemed so strange to Eva who approached Lorenne, asking her in a whisper: „What’s going on, Ms. Fabeau?”

Lorenne, instead of an answer, touched her hand, making the girl understand that they will talk about this later, so, Eva decided to wait.

„Lorenne, leave us!” Miss Davis demanded and, watching her, Lorenne understood that Emily was about to have a nervous breakdown and it was better for Eva not to be there because when Emily is nervous, she can act or talk about things that she later regrets, and this way the girl could find out about Emily’s plan related to the baby and God forbid if Eva finds out that Emily was involved in her break up with Brian Beneath.

„Let’s go, Eva! It seems that they have things to discuss and this doesn’t involve us at all.”

„Are you sure about this, Ms. Fabeau?” Keen asked and his question made Lorenne shudder and Emily clench her fists. „From what I know everything started with Helen Walker and might end with Eva Stonebridge. I think that Miss Stonebridge will be interested to find out that…”

„Mister Keen…” Emily practically yelled at him and her yell made Eva shudder when she remembered their last argument. „I consider ruthless and bad manners to talk about things that aren’t personal, as I’m absolutely convinced that your visit has to do with a different subject of the one, we are now talking about.”

This was what Keen expected: to find out what Emily was planning, but he understood that it’s dangerous to insist to talk in front of Eva, taking into consideration her pregnancy and that it could affect the baby. Even if he didn’t show this, Keen is a man that cares about the feelings and the well-being of others.

„Of course,” eventually he said. „Better to discuss this later when the weather will be warmed and probably there will be more people here” and with „more people,” Keen was trying to send a message to Emily that he intended to call Brian here as soon as possible because he understood that Eva was lied to and manipulated to believe what everybody told her while the reality was another one, but because she hadn't a personal income that would have allowed her to take care of herself she hadn’t another choice than to believe in Emily and Lorenne’s words and to trust fate.

Without saying anything else, Eva and Lorenne hurried to leave the garden and when the door noisily closed behind them Keen was surprised by a slap over his face that made him shed tears and he stared at Emily with a devil’s glance.

„I thought that I made my point yesterday when I told you not to stretch the rope and to leave the girl alone,” Emily hissed through the teeth. „Even if in that house live only women we are capable enough to protect ourselves. Even of those like you, detective Keen, who see in the fate and in the bad luck of one a chance to fill their bank account.”

„One's misfortune is caused not by my investigation, Miss Davis, but by your lies and your devilish mind, the women who live in that house, and I mean here you and Ms. Fabeu who allied to lie to that poor girl about the fact that nobody loves her while you kidnapped her from the man that loves her.”

Emily started to laugh hysterically and, in that laughter, Keen felt a trace of hatred and frustration. „Did I kidnap her? Don’t make me laugh, detective Keen. If that man you so much defend loved her, he would have been here and he would have taken her away from me a long time ago, asking her to be his wife and not still being someone else’s husband now.”

„If he knew that she’s expecting his child…”

„And … since when only if the woman is pregnant the man must ask her to be his wife? Eva is an innocent girl who believed his beautiful invented stories which had no other meaning than to make her his mistress. At least he never intended to promise her a happy ending.”

„If she was now by Mister Beneath’s side…”

„She probably was dead by now. And … do you know why? Because the one who hired you and you are defending now is a venomous cobra who waits for the right moment to attack and to suck all the blood of the innocent prey,” and, telling this, Emily was shuddering with the entire body what made Keen wonder what kind of play she was acting now. „I’m sure that you have no idea in what you are involved in now, mister Keen as I’m sure that you won’t leave this game … at least not alive.”

„Do you mean now the yesterday attack that you planned and which almost cost me my life?”

„And … what makes you think that I asked someone to kill you?”

„At least you don’t try to deny it.”

„Why should I do this? It’s something that makes you vulnerable and it’s a point in my favor. And, do you know why? Because who fears always makes mistakes and you’re so frightened, Detective Keen. Otherwise, you wouldn't have appeared in my house trying to make me accept my guilt by force and later to kneel in front of you and to ask you to forgive me.

But you are wrong. I never intended to make your work easier. If you are sure that I was who ordered your death then find evidence and bring here the police to arrest me. Otherwise … stay away from us or I swear that I’ll shoot you with my own hand, sending a bullet right in the middle of your forehead.”

Emily turned her back to him and headed in a hurry toward the entrance in the house. She was aware that she had said more than she had to say, but she also knew that it was the only way to make Keen move away from them, at least for a while, because he was a danger if he stays close because it can affect her plans for Eva. He must stay away till Eva gives birth and she sends her out of the country.

She decided to sacrifice her future and she believed that her choice was right, but, while she was approaching the entrance, she felt more and more that she lacks air, understanding that she fell prey to her own game and that her words made Keen even more curious than before and that he won’t abandon this case, not until he’ll be dead or he’ll find out everything about who Emily Davis really is.

The slam-door made Keen wince and, looking back he saw Albert in front of the stable, supporting his body on the handle of a pitchfork and lurking Keen’s movements.

Albert’s behavior seemed even stranger than Emily’s who, at least, threatened Keen openly, being somehow sincere with him, or, at least it was what Keen thought, but the teamster, who was piercing the detective with his glance now, had something hidden inside him, a black aura and, as a revelation when Albert grabbed the pitchfork and moved some hay, his jacket left at sight his neck and a small tattoo could be seen by Keen - the head of an owl. Seeing this, Keen freeze and slowly whispered: „Dark Minds!”

Trying not to reveal the fact that he was aware of Albert’s past and dark present, Keen turned his back to the teamster and hurried to his carriage that was waiting for him at the entrance on the yard.

In his mind instead was a mess of things and ideas: he heard before about a secret society of assassins, whose name was only whispered and never said loudly when he started to investigate about the „Red Ants,” of purely personal interest, but hearing about another secret group that kills people at the order of the first seemed an aberration to him, stories invented by those who wanted something interesting and scary in their life. But now, when he was aware of this, the puzzle started to be formed in his head, and for the first time since he started to investigate this case, he understood that it can be his last case before he dies.