Two children scuddle over the ruins of a stone wall. No older than six or seven. The bright young girl chases the boy with her pink glosses splashing in the occasional puddle. Her wide smile falters as she looks down at the next puddle tinted red. The girl with horror looks up at the boy and sees a woman. Beautiful was she, her face perfect and smiling, not a speck of blood on her face. It would have been a pleasant sight to see, truly, laying there in her white dress. The off shoulder long puffy sleeves buttoned tight around the cuff, her bodice snug against her chest and her voluminous, fluffy, ankle length skirt, connected by a satin ribbon in a perfect, perfect bow. Her body laid on a bed of pine nettles and the thorny vines and flowers from the white rose bush. Her legs stretching over the river bed, her feet gently swaying in the current. What a pretty lady, such a shame she had a knife in her back. Such a shame. Of course, as one does in these sorts of situations, the children screamed, and screamed, and screamed, until someone called the police.
The police had already arrived before a brooding man in all black strode onto the scene.
“Detective Galdwing! So glad you could make it!” A police officer extends a hand to the blithe yet wolfish man. “Most unusual case here as you can see.” The officer gestured towards the blonde woman strewn about in her dress. “Such a shame, two children found her. Five and six, scarred for life I’d bet. Got any ideas yet Galdwing? Or you have less of an idea as I do” The officer, prone to talking his mouth off the wrong end, was quite simply annoying. Galdwing made no comment but crouched down simply to pick up a leaf. The officer, not particularly the brightest man, commented, “Boy, Galdwing I wish I got paid as much as you just for showing up! What does a withered leaf have to do with a woman stabbed to death!” As I said, not the brightest man, as he failed to notice that the leaf was in fact dripping in blood. “Heavens, Galdwing at least say something, any sort of speculation? This is what we pay you for!”
“Officer, you are not the one that pays me.”
Galdwing simply said and walked briskly off, his dapper shoes crunching against the pine nettles and leaves. Leaving the other officers on the site to deal with that self-indulgent man’s choleric temper. Unfazed by the yelling he left in his wake, Detective Galdwing simply went on his way.
He walked into town and walked into the quaint shop just around the corner on Malvure Street. BIT’s&BOBIT’s read the sign, no spaces of course. Bonnie never wrote with spaces, it simply wasn't her.
“What'cha doin’ you selze bagged mongrel?”
“Drop the act Bonnie, I am not one of your regulars.”
“Thank the heavens you're not.” Bonnie, seemingly a stout man sitting in a shadow and a fedora. Ripped off a trench coat with the hat, revealing that Bonnie was in fact a stout woman. She rushed to lock the door, tear down the blinds and turn towards Galdwing.
“What do you need, Galdwig.” She snarled.
“Galdwing, not Galdwig.”
“I said what I said. “
“Information.” Galdwing slid a picture of the dead girl across the counter like it was some old black and white detective movie. Bonnie reluctantly walked over to the picture and picked it up. Her eyes widened then quickly went back to their normal size.
“You know her don’t you.”
“Yes.” Was all Bonnie said before pausing to sit down and let out a sigh, almost a doleful expression plastered across her face. “I do know her, little Mary Ann. She was a sweet girl. Though that’s not the kind of information you want from me. She was Rose’s girl, and grew up like a flower among the weeds. Mixed up with the wrong people from the start. I’ve never seen her in a dress like that, though she had mentioned last Saturday about getting a new one. Maybe this was it. Lived at Fred’s boarding house, spent most of her day there or dilly dallying in shops around mine, if not mine. She had rejected the baker's son not two weeks ago, so she stopped frequenting the bakery, though I doubt that a 17 year old would murder her. Who knows, I’ve seen worse. Is that all or would you like me to do some digging?”
“Plenty.”
“Then what are you going to pay me?” Already unlocking and walking out the door Galdwing replied.
“Next week, in the mailbox.” Without another word he strode briskly in wide strides. Where to next of course if not Fred’s boarding house. Why would he go to the bakers if the son had left last week to go to his Uncle's shop in Yorksher for his apprenticeship. Bonnie wouldn't have told him that if he hadn't promised to pay her more than usual, because it eliminated a killer and work for him. So why would she tell him? Arriving at the boarding house’s door quickly, as this was a very small town, Galdwing knocked on the door with a THUMP.
“All right, what is it?”
“Mind I meet the esteemed owner of this house, ‘Fred’ if I remember correctly.” With chagrin, as Fred very well knew he was far from esteemed, Fred meekly opened the door.
“What would you like, Mr.”
“Pray tell sir, what hate you have upon Ms.Rose and Ms.Mary Ann?” The man peeking around the door turned pale, luster even.
“I-I-don’t hav’ nothing to do with that death of her’s. Don’t go round’ accusing me!” He stammered.
“Why, Mr.Fred, where did you ever hear such a thing? Such a thing was not made public yet, how could you possibly know such a thing? Maybe you could answer that question for me?” That's when Galdwing smiled for the first time in our story. It wasn't a pleasant smile either. It was a grin so conniving, wolfish, and devilish that the man at the door shook down to his very feet. “Oh, my dear Fred, how could you make such a mistake? You’re surely in for it now.” With every word Galdwings grin grew bigger and more devious and he stepped closer and closer towering over Fred as he stumbled back, tripping over himself, trying to get away from Galdwing. Surely he was a devil in a man’s body. Fred couldn't help but think, while in reality Galdwing was just an ordinary man. Just simply psychotic. Of course that day a murder was locked away. But who, oh, who, would keep Galdwing in check? Simply, no one.