Pg. 1 the murder
On a beaming Sunday morning, outside brimming with vibrant colors, Mrs. Felinchi decided to make her morning tea a bit earlier than usual, she began looking out the window watching the birds fluttering past the window performing almost hypnotic dances in the sky. The kettle made a loud whistle sound, steam coming out of the lid, indicating that the tea was done, the aroma of the tea inciting her to drink some.
She poured the steaming hot tea into the tea cup she had gotten her husband for their 30th anniversary. Carefully taking the glass of tea to her husband, David, being sure not to spill it.
She arrived at David's study knocking on the door, assuming David had fallen asleep she gestured over to Alfred the house butler to come over and unlock the door for her. Alfred came over unlocking the door gesturing for Mrs. Felinchi to hear on in first to wake him up and give him his tea.
When suddenly Alfred has heard a blood curdling scream coming from inside the study, running into the study, seeing Mrs. Felinchi knelt down on the floor in front of David Felinchis deceased body, Mrs. Felinchi rocking back and forth saying David's name over and over in shock of his death. The study a mess, the once neat stack of papers now all over the floor, the chessboard now overturned, the pieces scattered all over the floor.
Alfred quickly ran out of the house, and to the local authorities, sun beaming down on him he was sweating profusely by the time he had arrived. Running into the station, the officers looking at him like he was an idiot, Alfred then began yelling that his lord, David Felinchi was murdered. The authorities hurriedly ran to him asking him to repeat what he just said once again, after confirming, the officer hurriedly got equipped and went to the manor with the rest of the officers currently on duty, leaving Alfred at the station with water in order to cool off so he doesn't end up passing out from exhaustion, and heat before going back to the manor.
The officers in their uniforms arrived at the manor within 20 minutes of Alfred initially informing them, the officers ran into the building, making sure to secure the scene they had pushed out Mrs. Felinchi from the room her dead husband David Felinchi was in, Mrs. Felinchi, crying, begging for them to let her stay with her husband, even just for a moment more, the officers unwavering.
The growing crowd outside the gates buzzed with morbid curiosity, their whispers a hum against the backdrop of official activity. Finally, two uniformed officers, their faces somber, escorted a distraught Mrs. Felinchi out of the house. Her eyes, red and swollen, darted towards the covered gurney being loaded into the back of a police vehicle, a silent question hanging in the air. Alfred, his composure somewhat regained after the initial shock, stood a short distance away, his gaze fixed on the departing car carrying his late lord.
The senior officer in charge, a stout man with a weary expression, addressed the small gathering of remaining officers. "Alright, let's secure the scene. Davies, you handle crowd control. Miller, I want a thorough sweep of the grounds. And someone get Detective Allen on the line. This doesn't feel like a simple robbery gone wrong." He gestured towards the imposing oak doors of the manor. "Pennyworth," he called out, his voice firm but not unkind, turning to the still-shaken butler. "And Mrs. Felinchi, once she's seen by the paramedics, we'll need both of you to give us a more detailed account. Separately." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the silent house. "Allen's, the best I know, suited to handle something like this. Let's hope he can make sense of it."
Pg. 2 arrival at the manor
The rhythmatic clater of the train wheels against the steel tracks was a steady lullaby to Henry Allen's ears. A nice contrast to the usual hustling and bustling that he usually encounters on the train. Henry looked out the window of the train, looking at the beautiful full moon, basking in the moonlight, his soft blue eyes seemingly shining in the moonlight.
Looking at his watch, that was a few minutes behind as always Henry began walking to his Pullman car, the trains rattling, almost knocking him down. Henry arrives at his Pullman car, sitting down in the berth he shared with four other people.
Henry had boarded the Chicago Cardinal early in the morning. Although Henry was there to help solve the murder of the head of the house, David Felinchi, he was weirdly excited, although this wasn't his first time on a murder case this was his first time attempting to solve one so huge.
The train coming to a screeching stop, Henry had known he'd arrived in Kentucky, he lifted the curtain of the window, wanting to know what time of day he had arrived, the beaming light coming through the small opening of the curtain, blinding Henry who's eyes were unadjusted to the light after being in the dark Pullman car all night.
Henry got out of his berth and proceeded to get his luggage out of the overhead compartment of the berth. Walking past the other passengers of the train getting off on the Kentucky Cardinal, in Louisville Kentucky.
Henry Allen, immediately after getting off the steam powered train, immediately got asked if he wanted to buy a 25¢ newspaper, hesitantly Henry agreed to buy the newspaper and began reading it. The title reading "David Felinchi found dead" the date reading February, 4th, 1930 , a day before he was supposed to arrive at the manor. Henry continued reading while drinking coffee at the local brewery. Sitting there scanning through the newspaper for the past hour.
Henry rolls up the newspaper, putting it in his luggage case, then gets up and leaves the money plus tip on the table for the barista.
Henry left the brewery and started heading towards the apartment building across the street, which he had previously reserved a room at. Henry went in and went to the receptionist to get his key before heading up to his room, the receptionist not there at the time Henry ringed the bell on the edge of the counter, signaling for the receptionist that there was someone at the counter.
The receptionist yelled at Henry telling him to wait one minute and that she'll be right there, Henry begins looking around waiting for the receptionist.
The receptionist came up to the counter asking Henry how she could help him, Henry asked for a key to the room he had previously reserved, room 106. Henry noticing the earrings and jewelry the receptionist had that didn't match the poor environment she was in, he began to ask where she had gotten her jewelry, being careful as to not let her know that he's only asking because they look to expensive for her to afford, first looking confused by the question she she started getting nervous then replied saying that the jewelry was a memento from her late grandmother. Then nervously proceeded to give Henry the key to his room. Seeing her uncomfortable Henry decided to stop asking her questions and go to his room.
Henry went up to his room dragging his luggage up the stairs, the luggage banging on almost every step while going up the stairs, Henry at the top of the stairwell looks left and right looking down the hall seeing which side room 106 was on, seeing his room at the left end of the hall he walks over and unlocks the door, having to fiddle with the key in the keyhole due to the hold handle barley holding up, the lock and key barley working.
He gets into the room, leaving his luggage packed, and plops down onto the bed, deciding to wait for the next day to go to the manor having gotten there a day early anyways, and decided to sleep in until tomorrow morning to go to the manor.
Henry woke up at 5:00 AM, quickly getting ready to leave, and took his suitcase that he keeps his detective equipment neatly organized in.
Henry, outside, got a ride on a bicycle to take him to the manor, happy to be enjoying the nice cool morning breeze on his way to the manor, after a few minutes he arrived at the manor getting off the bicycle and hand the driver a few dollars as a toll.
Henry then begins walking up the stairs to the big white doors of the manor, knocking on the door three distinct times, the door being opened by the butler who had served the Lord of the manor, welcoming in Henry.
Henry looks back for a brief moment holding his hat as the breeze blew at his face, then quickly turned around and went into the manor…
Pg. 3 The Study
The heavy oak door, covered in intricate flower designs. The door creaking open at the butlers touch, Henry walking in, his gaze drawn to the scene that lay within. The air in the study possessed a stillness that almost felt unnatural, a distinct contrast to the vibrant morning he had on his bicycle ride. The thick velvet curtains, pulled across the long windows casting long, eerie shadows across the floor.
Henry cataloging the scene in his mind, the chessboard that lay overturned on the floor, it's ivory and ebony pieces, scattered across the floor. Papers, presumed to be once stacked on the large desk, now lay strewn around. And on the mahogany desk, was a somber stain, a testament to the violence that had previously transpired.
"Mr. Pennyworth." Henry began, "Thank you for granting me access to this room, now, tell me, has anything been altered since the discovery?"
The butler, the man who spoke of years of quiet service, stood right inside the doorway, his hands clasped together in front of his lap "No, sir. According to the nearby authorities, I have kept everything exactly as it was, ensuring myself that no one had entered." A slight tremor in Mr. Pennyworth's voice underlying his usual steady tone.
Henry moved further into the room, his gaze focusing on the chessboard laid overturned on the floor. "Lord Felinchi loved a good chess game I presume?"
"Indeed sir, the Lord found that a good game of chess was a good way to pass the time. Always having the pieces set up in such a meticulous, precarious way." His eyes drifted to the scattered pieces on the floor.
Henry knelt down an inch closer to the mahogany desk, drawn in by the stain on the desk "And this? What happened here?" Henry stares, waiting for an answer.
"That.. That was from Mrs. Felinchi, she had come in to bring the Lord his morning tea, something she had done almost everyday for years.." Alfred's voice dropped, his voice carrying a hint of sorrow.
"Are you Mr. Pennyworth, are you able to recount her reaction to seeing her husband, her words upon discovery, actions she took, anything?" Henry remained calm and observant.
"I.. I remember her dropping the tea she brought in for Mr. Felinchi, her running towards him, uttering a small cry. Her being in a state of shock, saying his name over and over for the past two days." Alfred's voice shaking.
Henry's hand hovering over a piece of paper partially underneath the mahogany desk. "And this, this document, do you have any idea of its contents?"
"Mr. Felinchi kept a lot of documents, pertaining to financial endeavors, important agreements, investments…. The specifics of these papers I cannot say with certainty."
Henry picked up a certain document, having had most of the page covered with ink. "This ink stain.. does it look recent to you?"
Alfred came closer, his face stuffing in contemplation " It's difficult to say for certain, Sir. I do not recall seeing it previously, but I cannot attest to it."
At that moment, a knock echoed from the hallway, and a uniformed officer entered the study. "Pennyworth? Mr. Allen? Inspector Mallory has instructed me to be present."
Henry Allen, extending his hand out to the officer. "Officer..?"
"Davies, sir. Pleased to meet you. I understand you are assisting in the investigation." The officer's tone was polite but held a hint of professional reservation.
"I was merely starting to form an initial impression of the scene with Mr. Pennyworth's kind assistance. Perhaps you can share your initial observation with me, Officer Davies."
Pg. 4 the missing king
Officer Davies stepped fully into the study, his gaze sweeping over the disarray. "We concluded it was a struggle," he stated, noting the overturned chessboard. "Although.. a bit staged?"
Henry Allen knelt by the mahogany desk, his attention on the dark stain. "Tea," he murmured, touching the edge. He looked up at Alfred. "Mr. Pennyworth, the stain… was it this large when Mrs. Felinchi found him?"
Alfred frowned. "I don't recall, sir. My focus was elsewhere."
Davies offered a practical explanation. "Could have spread, Mr. Allen."
Henry nodded, then noticed a small indentation near the stain. He then examined the scattered papers. "Lord Felinchi was meticulous?" he asked Alfred.
"Extremely so, sir."
Henry held up a creased sheet. "This crease… recent?"
Alfred hesitated. "Difficult to say, sir."
Davies, by the chessboard, spoke up. "King's pawn advanced. Black was about to move… Knight to F6?" He paused. "Odd. The black king is missing." He scowerd the floor, not finding it anywhere.
Henry's gaze met Davies'. "Missing?"
"Clean gone," Davies confirmed.
A flicker of interest crossed Henry's face. The missing piece. The tea stain. The papers. "Officer Davies," Henry asked, his tone sharper. "Was the black king found anywhere else in the room?"
Davies shook his head. "Negative, sir. We did a quick sweep, but nothing out of the ordinary besides what you see."
Henry stood, his eyes scanning the room again, taking in the details he had initially overlooked. The way the curtains were drawn, blocking out the bright Sunday morning. The specific pieces that were scattered around the chessboard. The precise location of the ink-stained document.
"Mr. Pennyworth," Henry began, his voice thoughtful. "Did Lord Felinchi have any… unusual habits? Any routines that might seem out of place now?"
Alfred considered the question, his brow furrowed. "His Lordship was a creature of habit, sir. His morning tea, his chess game… his correspondence. Everything had its time and place."
"And were there any… deviations from that routine yesterday? Or this morning, before… before Mrs. Felinchi found him?" Henry pressed gently.
Alfred hesitated again, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "Well.. now that you mention it.. his Lordship didn't take his usual evening brandy last night. And he seemed, preoccupied during dinner. Quiet. More so than usual."
Henry's interest piqued. "Preoccupied how?"
"Difficult to say, sir. Just… distant. As if his mind were elsewhere." Alfred wrung his hands slightly. "Mrs. Felinchi commented on it as well."
Henry turned to Officer Davies. "Officer, I'd like to speak with Mrs. Felinchi. And I'd like a more thorough search of this room. Every detail, no matter how small, could be significant." His gaze returned to the overturned chessboard, a silent question forming in his mind about the missing black king. What role did it play in this deadly game?
Pg. 5 Mrs. Felinchi
The officer took Henry outside to his car, opening the car door for Henry. The car being all black with the markings "POLICE" on the side. Davies started driving, the engine roaring while rushing down the street, the scenery quickly passing by, the only thing not a blur was the beautiful dark blue sky, showing off the bright stars in the sky .
Henry and the officer soon arrived at the police headquarters, where they were keeping Mrs. Felinchi for questioning. The three story building, made up of almost entirely of brick and stone using a neoclassical architecture design. The building conveys a sense of authority and permeance.
Henry walked into the building, greeted by a large desk, Henry and Davies walking past to the chief's office, the chief an older male in his late fifties, balding with his hair line being pushed way back.
The police chief extended his hand to Henry "Nice to meet you, Mr. Allan." He said with a stern voice.
Henry shook his hand. "No. The pleasure is all mine. Mr..?"
"George.. George Stacy." the police chief replied with a domineering voice, not matching his name.
"Well then, Mr. Stacy, would you mind allowing us to interrogate Mrs. Felinchi."
"Of course Allan, I'll get my men and get her to the interrogation room right away." gesturing and calling out to his guys to bring Mrs. Felinchi to the interrogation room. "Have a good day, Mr. Allan, I'm sure Davies can take you to the interrogation room."
Henry and Davies arrive outside the interrogation room only moments later, once inside they saw Mrs. Felinchi sobbing in an uncomfortable looking chair. Henry and Davies sat down on the other two chairs meant for the detectives. Henry began looking around the room, the walls bare and soundproofed, a skeleton draped in fabric in the far most left corner of the room, meant for instilling fear and discomfort into the interrogated.
Henry and Davies began attempting to calm down the still distraught Mrs. Felinchi. Getting her cold cups of water and even switching chairs with her uncomfortable one to get her to talk. Mrs. Felinchi, finally calming down. The interrogation is finally beginning.
Mrs. Felinchi began recounting the things that had happened the morning of her husband's death. "I.. I was making him his morning tea, a-And brought it to him as usual. I.. I knocked on his door quite a few times, him not answering, I assumed he fell asleep so I got Alfred to unlock the door letting me in.. that's when I saw him." Mrs. Felinchi bursted into tears.
"Did David Felinchi, your husband, act weird prior to his death at all?" Henry asked in a calm voice, trying not to upset Mrs. Felinchi further.
"Yes. He.. My husband was acting differently than usual the day before at Dinner, he had seemed preoccupied with something, his mind elsewhere."
Mrs. Felinchi said, her voice still shakend.
"Do you know with what? when it began?" Henry asked. Gripping his hands tightly into a fist.
"Hmm, it started happening after he had opened the door. Yes. There was a woman at the door, a tall slender woman dressed in all black."
"Did you recognize her?"
"No, I umm, there are a lot of people coming to the house looking for my husband, but that was the first I saw of her. You don't think she had something to do with this, do you!" Mrs. Felinchi's voice cracked as she yelled, producing a loud screeching sound.
"We don't know yet, we'll inform you when we get more details." Henry said in an asuring tone.
Henry walked out of the police headquarters, his mind occupied by the identity of this slender wo
man dressed in black was. Tipping his hat up, looking at the time he decided it was late and decided to call it a day and went back to the apartments he was staying in.