„Memories are like a two-edged knife: they warm your soul on one side while on the other they destroy you”

After Keen’s departure, the old smith stared for long at that old maple tree under which he and Bardain saw Colby that day, waiting for the old teamster and lurking on him. Yet, even if there was a dark night with a thick fog that you could cut with a knife and one couldn’t see anything at half a step in front, the old man preferred to stare at the night and the night at him, as if they were two enemies spying on each other in their desperate attempt to put two and two together and understand what the hell happened that Bardain Jones decided to vanish so unawares and without even sending word where he went or what happened.

Yet, both the night and the old man were stubborn and they didn’t say too much to each other: they only preferred to remember fragments of what happened, to later split up when the old smith closed the door, unbarring it.

„Something happens, Abel?” the wife asked him when he got again back to the living room, for she didn’t go to sleep while her man talked to the stranger, for she felt something weird in her heart, more hearing the old smith saying so many times that he was worried for Bardain who didn’t say a word before disappearing.

„Nothing important,” said the old man sullenly, sitting again at the table. But even if he stretched again his hand to take that jar with strong liquor in which was something more left on the bottom, he didn’t pour more in his glass, but remained so, with his hand stretched and with his thoughts wandering somewhere. Only when his wife put a plate with hot pie in front of him, did the old man winced and looked at his wife, who sat down on the same chair on which Keen has sat before, and, taking the jar from her man’s hand, she poured some liquor into his glass, for she knew her husband for more than 50 years already and, even if she knew that he doesn’t like to drink a lot, there were still days when he was thoughtful, as if out of reality, when he wanted to be alone, with a glass of strong liquor in front and… nothing more.

Yet, even if thoughts also weighed on her, with a lot of questions spinning in her head, the woman kept silent and stared at her husband who took a piece of pie, bit it, and slowly chewed it, staring at his wife’s hands which were slowly caressing that table cloth, as if trying to „goose those crow's feet,” seen on her hands.

„Listen, Eillen, how do you think: is it sometimes better to reveal others’secrets?” the old man asked eventually, touching the edge of the glass and caressing its wet side.

„It all depends on the secret,” the old woman murmured, kindly smiling. „If those secrets can kill, then it’s better to keep our mouth shut. But if by revealing them we can save someone’s life, then it’s better to talk about them.”

„What if we aren’t sure about if it’s good or not revealing them? What should we do then?”

„Then we should listen to our heart, old man, and if our heart tells us to open our mouth, then it’s better to do that. But if it tells us to keep our mouth shut, then even if we feel tickles on our tongue and we want to tell stories about what we know, then we should bite that tongue, till the blood if necessary, but don’t allow it to bring troubles in our life.”

His wife’s wise words made Abel smile, for even if they were both scanty of words and preferred to understand each other from a single word, there were still days when they could talk more, like that day, when melancholy took over them and they could give each other wise guidance.

Eventually, the old Eillen Miller stood up and while heading toward their room, she put a hand on her husband’s shoulder, kindly saying: „don’t stay to think long about what happened, Abel, for even if it’s hard on your soul now, there’s also a day of tomorrow when you must awake at dawn, work for a whole day, and only put your head on the pillow late in the evening.” After that, she slowly crawled her legs on that wooden floor, heading toward the room, for it was already late night and it was the perfect time to go to sleep. But… she was also aware that it can also be that kind of night with a tormented soul and a heavy sleep.

***

The next morning, almost at dawn, when Keen arrived at his office, he saw Abel Miller waiting for him in front of his office’s door. And it was really amazing to see him there when he thought that they talked about everything the evening before.

„Something happens, mister Miller?” Keen asked amazed, after descending from the carriage and approaching the door.

Abel instead seemed really nervous, and this was seen in the way he was touching his hands, all the time looking around as if he had been afraid that someone had followed him there. But at Keen’s request to talk inside, he shook his head, denying it. He only approached Keen more and said in a whisper: „you know, detective, I thought a lot about this - if to tell or not the secret I know. Yet, my wife is right when she says that one must open his mouth if someone’s life is in danger. That’s why…”

„…you’ve decided to tell me that secret you know because… you’re afraid for your life.”

To Keen’s surprise, Abel Miller again shook his head in denial, and this was really impressive, making the detective stare at the old man. Eventually, when Miller murmured: „I’m not afraid that something will happen to me, for… I don’t have big sins on my soul, but I’m afraid for Bardain and for his young master, for Brian Beneath, for…,” and Keen became really alert hearing this, and, because of this, he approached more the old man, just to make sure that nobody else will listen to that secret.

However, Keen suddenly took a step back, staring thunderstruck at the old man, after Miller told him in a whisper that big secret known by him and, later, without saying anything else, he put in Keen’s hand a crumpled sheet of paper, which the detective unfolded right away when he was already alone and read on it: „tell Brian Beneath to be careful with that Shark, for life and death taught him to deeply bite, and if someone turns to be his victim, then he won’t escape for sure from his teeth. And… you should also investigate that Lyre Walker, for… everything started from him and everything will end with him eventually.” And those letters, written somehow to the right, as if painted on that white sheet by a shaking hand, were saying so many truths, telling others about things that happened and which seemed to be somehow clear at that moment, for… a betrayed friendship always brings pain and desire to take revenge, trampling souls under feet only to make justice to someone.

And… Keen didn’t stay to think for long about what he found out. He put that sheet of paper right away into his pocket and hurried toward his carriage, on whose driving box was seen John, for they came by the office just to check if there’s something new, to later continue their secret investigation.

„Let’s go to Image, John,” Keen demanded his man when he was already climbing the stairs of the carriage. „And as soon as better.”

But even if he thought that there wasn’t anyone around to see them in front of the office, right after the carriage went away, Colby, who not only saw Abel Miller talking to the detective but who also heard a big part of their conversation, especially the part when Miller whispered in Keen’s ear, showed up there. And what he heard has been: „Shelby Storm’s death has been something nurturing to many. Especially to John Evans, for namely that shark loved money more than he cared about his friends.”

***

„As far as I remember, we agreed not to see each other for a while,” said Brian when he saw Keen entering his office, being brought there by Stan.

„And this is so. Yet, it seemed fair to me to come to tell you about something important that I found out while investigating,” said Keen, staring at Stan, who was next to the door, waiting for orders.

Understanding the message, Brian asked Stan to leave him alone with Keen, and the boy left the office right away. But before doing this, he mumbled a barely heard: „screw you, detective, you are always poking your nose, where it doesn't belong,” and this was said because while heading toward the office, Keen tried to pump the secret out of the boy about what or if Bardain told him something before disappearing. Stan instead, even if inexperienced and a little bit silly as he thought he was or how others thought he was, kept his mouth shut yet and only snarled a: „give me a break with such questions, detective, for what I had to tell you I told you a few days ago.” After that, he motioned to Keen with his head to follow him to the office where Brian was and where he practically spent the last few days, after Eva’s departure, chewing his sadness and his twisted thoughts in silence.

Yet, the boy’s weird behavior and the fact that he mumbled something unpleasant about him, didn’t bother Keen. Per contra: this made him smile while sitting down after Brian motioned him to do that. Then, after he had sat down, Keen said: „you’re always surrounded by loyal friends, mister Beneath. And, it isn’t surprising actually: Bardain Jones was a man of the right sort of timber and it was obvious that he would hire a new teamster that would also keep his mouth shut.”

Brian disliked yet Keen’s commentary. Thus, after sitting on the armchair that was positioned in front of Keen, stared at the detective while trying to understand what the hell he was trying to find out this time. But he has been even more surprised to notice the strange smile on Keen’s face, who put eventually the sheet of paper he got from Abel Miller in front of him.

„What’s this?” asked Brian, stretching his hand to take the paper. But he couldn’t, for Keen put his palm above it and, staring into Brian’s eyes, he murmured: „your life insurance, Brian Beneath, and it seems that mine too, for… who followed Bardain that night is also blowing down my neck now.”

Brian squinted at him: „what the hell are you talking about, Keen? What chaser?”

„Shelby Storm’s man. The one who is known as Colby. He followed me from my office till here.”

„What? Does he know that we…?”

„No, no, don’t worry because he doesn’t know something like this. Yet… if he found about me was because of Bardain’s fault who told his friend, the smith, to Abel Miller, to never come to my door. Actually, the paper you see now in front of you has been also written by him.”

And, taking his palm off the paper, Keen allowed Brian to glance at those written and this made him frown several times while reading, for what was written there really confused him, for even if he also found out about John Evans from Shelby, he was yet undecided, for all that seemed to him a little bit strange. „Yet: it seems that the gossip about Shelby Storm and what for Bardain suspected him always are true.”

„It seems so. Yet, I don’t understand why Shelby’s now after you if he has Bardain as we think.”

„Do you also think that he has something to do with Bardain’s missing?”

„I’m not sure, but everything points out to that.”

„Let’s pay him a social visit then,” said Brian confidently. „If he has questions, then he’ll have to ask me while I’m present, for… I’m tired of twists and cheers that don’t make more than staining my reputation, something I’ve always fought to keep clean,” said Brian, and, after taking the sheet of paper in his hand, he threw it into a small metallic jar and settled fire to it.

„Hey, what are you doing?” screamed Keen. „It was evidence.”

„And evidence that endangers many lives. That’s why is better to keep it only in our head, for… nobody will take it from there for sure.”

„Yet, Beneath: a material evidence is better than an abstract one.”

„And who told you that that cacography was evidence?” and his remark made Keen squint at him. „You’ll understand what I’m talking about once we got to Shelby’s castle, for I intend to face that old fox once and for all and to find out if he definitely has something to do with Bardain’s missing. If so, I’ll rub him off.”

After such words, Brian left the office, slamming the door behind him, something that amazed Keen a lot, for he always thought that Brian was a balanced person. Yet, the latest events and the fact that Eva abandoned him eventually set their stamp on Brian’s character, who seemed to look for revenge and to want it so bad. That’s why Keen hurried to follow Brian, more hearing him telling Stan to prepare the carriage and to rush, for they had a long way that day and many important things to solve.

***

„Where is Bardain, Storm?” Brian furiously shouted, right after entering the living room and measuring noses with Shelby and Colby, who rushed to the castle to tell Storm that Brian and the detective were planning something.

Shelby instead didn’t wilt, but looked first to his right and told Colby in a half a voice: „Leave us alone! If something, I’ll call you back,” and Colby tried to leave the house immediately.

But at the moment he passed by Keen, the detective grabbed him by the arm, hissing through his teeth: „not that fast, buddy! We still have a word with you!”

„A word with my man?” Shelby intervened in the talk right away. „I don’t understand what you need to find out from him.”

„For example, why did he follow us lately,” mumbled Keen, staring into that black like pitch eyes of Colby, who was squinting at him. „Let’s say that neither I nor mister Beneath loves to feel someone following our steps.”

„If you have nothing to hide, then you don’t have why to bother that someone is after you,” mumbled Colby, yanking his arm and trying to release himself from that trap thus. But Keen wasn’t stupid: right after Colby released his arm, he took a step back and stepped later in front of Colby, making difficult his pass. Thus, if Colby was taking a step to the side, Keen was doing the same, for he was more than convinced that Colby had something to do with Bardain’s missing and, if they came there eventually, they should at least not leave that castle with empty hands.

„Each of us has something to hide,” Keen hissed through his teeth, still staring at Colby. „But not everyone who wants to know something follows others, as you did with Bardain Jones.”

Colby winced and stared at Keen: „where does he know this from?” he wondered. And, as if Keen read his mind, he deeply looked into his soul. „Well, let’s say it’s true,” mumbled Colby eventually. „I did nothing more than try to find out some details. I don’t see where the problem is.”

„The problem isn’t that you followed someone,” said Brian, „but it becomes a problem at the moment the one followed vanishes with no traces eventually.”

„And the one suspected as involved in this is me, right?” snarled Shelby, unpleasantly surprised by Brian’s behavior, who he thought that was eating out of his hand.

„Do you still doubt this?” snarled Brian. „I have no doubt instead, for… I’m really sorry that I didn’t listen to Bardain’s advice, who always told me to stay away from you. And… if he insisted on this, it has to be for he knew very well who you are.”

„Of course, he knew,” said Shelby in a sure and calm tone, „for namely Bardain Jones accompanied Baron to my castle each time he came to see me. That’s why I don’t see where is the problem and why did he try to make you stay away from me.”

„Maybe because he felt what sort of devil you are?” said Keen in an ironic voice. Colby instead disliked the detective’s tone and raised his hand to punch him. But Keen wasn’t new in that job and neither it was the first time when he was threatened to be punched. „Well, seeing your dog’s reaction, I understand that I’ve been right: you did what you did because you wanted to get rid of the poor old teamster to make sure that your mean plans won’t be revealed eventually.”

„But here you’re wrong, my friend,” Shelby said calmly, staring both at Brian and Keen. More: he finally could see the hatred in Brian’s eyes. But what really surprised him was to see his man, Colby, looking like a pitbull that was ready to jump over Keen and break him into pieces. That’s why he decided that it was the time to show down and to make his position clear: „even if I asked Colby to follow Bardain, we won nothing with his missing.”

„Are you sure?” shouted Brian. „I don’t know why, but I doubt it so much, for Bardain knew what exactly you were after and that’s why I think you decided to get rid of him.”

Hearing Brian talking like that, Shelby winced at first, for he finally heard the man talking about something that was of his interest for more than twenty years, but which he could never find. Yet, he decided not to enrage and yell, for he understood that the yell won’t solve anything. That’s why Shelby put the whisky glass on the table, which was half-emptied, and, after he had stared for a while at the flames that were calmly burning inside the stove, he murmured: „it means that Bardain Jones had what I looked for an entire life.”

„You didn’t even try to deny it. Why?” asked Brian in a shaking voice.

„Because denying something obvious, my friend is of no help. And… what you have right now in your hands is what sealed my fate 20 years ago and which brought me here eventually.”

„Yet, what happened then turned you into a real legend, count Shark. Let’s not forget that in these twenty years you became a true personality, someone who everybody is afraid of and who everyone seems to respect,” said Keen in a neutral voice, even if his remark resounded somehow ironical.

Namely, this made Shelby bitterly smile: „a legend whose face nobody knows and who lives like a ghost, detective Vincent Keen. And, I don’t know what you think about this, but I don’t like for sure living like a shadow, as this happened in these 20 years, for… it’s not either easy or healthy, from all points of view. And… how do you think: why did I never like to be that „legend” you are so ardently talking about?”

„Because you lived in the shadow?”

„No. Because I’ve spent my life in a chair, practically immobilized, with no true friends by my side, who I could ask for a piece of advice or to tell them what I have in mind. You, Brian, you had always someone by your side and that’s why I’m envious of you, for… Bardain Jones has been your trustful friend, but who has been for you only an old teamster and nothing more.”

„That’s why you’ve decided to get rid of him? Because you’ve been envious?” said Brian in a half a voice and with his eyes bathed by tears.

This amazed Colby and Keen a lot, who stared thunderstruck at Brian. The only one who kept staring at Brian with a neutral glance, but in whose glance it was also reflected the regret and the hatred that he couldn’t fulfill his plan, the one he made for 20 years, has been Shelby Storm, the one who eventually murmured: „you’re right, son - the envy brought me here, in the end, and it also made me always want to get rid of all those who stood in my way.”

Namely, such words made Brian lose his mind, who kept his feet all those last days only due to the fact that he could scare Laura, and actually it wasn't something common for him to give into despair. Yet, at that moment, in front of Shelby, after hearing him talking like that - so coldly that he has been able to get rid of his rivals, Brian completely lost his mind and started to throw everything he met in his way against the wall - chairs, rattle traps, statues - everything turned to ashes touched by Brian’s hand, who eventually approached Shelby and grabbed him by the collar, staring into his eyes, and hissing through his teeth: „if I kill you here and now, will it help me to get revenge for all those who fell prey to your madness?”

Colby, seeing his master threatened, tried to approach Shelby and take Brian away from him. But he has been stopped by Keen half away, who stepped in front of him threatening him with a fight if he doesn’t stop. But Colby didn’t really care about what could happen to him at that moment when he understood that Shelby could have been hurt in the end. Yet, he stood in place when he saw Shelby’s raised hand, a hint to stay calm that he’ll manage that storm by himself.

Then, Shelby deeply stared into Brian’s eyes, which looked like two lit embers at that moment because of the hatred felt in his soul: „listen to me carefully, Shelby Storm: if I find out that you had something to do with Bardain’s missing and that he suffered because of you, I swear that I’ll kill you with my own hand and that I’ll forget even the fact that you’ve been my father’s best friend, for… Bardain Jones has been more than a father for me while you are nobody for me.”

After that, Brian pushed the old man, who lay on a side in the same armchair where he stood till that moment, and staring at Brian who rushed to leave the castle.

Before also exiting, Keen hissed Colby through his teeth: „we’ll see you after that, buddy. Don’t even think that’s the last time when you look into this devil’s eyes.” Then, he slowly bowed toward Shelby, who was staring at Keen with a glacial glance and Keen eventually slammed the door behind him.

But only when he heard John’s voice spurring the horses and later Stan’s voice spurring his, did Colby dare to approach Shelby and told him in a half voice: „should I follow them?”

„No,” Shelby dryly answered. „It’s not necessary anymore, for… what I’ve tried to hide from him is already something that Brian Beneath knows. And… if Bardain Jones is missing, it means that the puppeteer is back to businesses.”

„Then? What should we do?” insisted Colby, helping the old man to take a normal position sitting on the armchair.

„I don’t know yet, Colby,” said Shelby barely heard. „Only help me to get into my room. I need to be alone and to think about what’s next, for I’m sure that important and dangerous things will happen to us for sure, soon.”

Saying nothing else, Colby bent and took Shelby into his arms, to later head toward the stairs, which he carefully climbed. A few minutes after, the door of Shelby’s room has been heard noisily closed behind them, to be later heard only the silence all around, a silence broken only by the noise of the flames that were calmly burning inside the stove - a hint that difficult times were approaching… for everybody actually.