The Fourth Mistress

Chapter 70  The Decision

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The following day, officer Shaw went to the DeRose's house with the conclusion of the shocking case of the Reed's family. Though Mr. Burton had refused to have seen any ghost at the Reed's estate, he had refused to come along with him and instead made up a reason by saying that he had to look at a new case. When the carriage reached the front of the house, Gilbert saw who it was, and he greeted the officer with a bow. "Is Lady Louise in the house?" inquired Mr. Shaw. "She is inside. Please come in," Gilbert's words were polite, but the expression on his face was enough to leave a wary effect on another person. Because of his deep, dark circles. Making the officer somewhere wonder if he was another ghost of the Reeds. "Let me go and fetch the lady to the living room. Please take a seat." "Yes," replied Mr. Shaw, but the man didn't sit down. Instead, he stood there, looking around the moderately sized living room. When Louise returned with the butler following closely behind her, the officer offered her a bow, and she returned the gesture. Being polite, she stretched her hand and pointed at the chair and said, "Please sit down, Mr. Shaw. What would you like to have? Tea or coffee?"

"Nothing, please. I am just here to relay the news about your family members," informed Mr. Shaw, and Louise took a deep breath. "The necessary procedures and tests have been conducted and we have got the approval. You are free to take the bodies back so that you can… bury them. We have closed the case on our end. Is there anything you would like to know from us?"

Louise, listening to the officer, asked, "When can we collect them?"

"Right now if you want," came the immediate answer from Mr. Shaw. He felt a certain uncomfortableness that there was a ghost of one of the dead bodies back in the mortuary. "Okay," replied Louise, and Aunt Merlin, who was in the kitchen, took a little peek at the living room. Mr. Shaw looked a little hesitant as if he wanted to ask something and Louise, who noticed this, asked, "Is there something else, officer?" "There is something that I would like to ask," said the man, looking at the maid who had entered the back door of the house. He also caught sight of the older woman, who stood near the kitchen. "You can ask me here. The people here are aware of what took place in the Reed's property," replied Louise, and the officer gave a quick nod. He pursed his lips before he asked her, "Did you catch sight of Mr. Reed again?" There was a look of curiosity in his eyes, as well as slight dread on what her answer was going to be. He had worked in the investigation department as an officer for more than fifteen years, and this was the very first time where he had come across such a bizarre case that involved a ghost. The thought of it raised goosebumps on the back of his neck. Louise gave him a small nod that made everyone in the room look at her in surprise. Aunt Merlin frowned, and she asked Louise in a whisper, "Did you see him. Louise?" "Yes. He's here," replied Louise, and she turned to look at one side of the living room where Graham's ghost stood, watching them. Mr. Shaw and the rest of the people who stood under the same roof, their gaze followed Louise's gaze, but they found nothing but space in there. If Mr. Shaw hadn't seen the man's ghost earlier, he would have complained that the lady needed medical help. But he knew that she wasn't making it up. He politely asked Louise, "Would you mind passing on the questions that I have for him?" Louise heard the officer's request, and when she looked at Graham's ghost, the ghost gave her a nod, "What does he want to ask?" asked the ghost of Graham.

"What are your questions?" asked Louise, and Mr. Shaw softly gulped before he cleared his throat. "Can he tell us if the others have turned into ghosts too? The family members?" questioned officer Shaw, and Graham's ghost, who heard it, shook his head. "I don't know where they are. I don't have the company of any other ghost with me," replied Graham's ghost. Louise relayed the same information, and the officer gave a nod. "How did he die?" came the next question from Mr. Shaw, as he didn't have anything more to do with the case of the Reeds' family incident. But he couldn't help but want to verify just for the sake of his sanity. Louise's eyes went back to meet Graham's eyes, knowing she didn't have to repeat it as he heard it clearly. "I was killed in the drawing room of our house. Emily's ghost strangled me to death. The next thing I remember was waking up to see my body lying next to me," Graham's ghost didn't look thrilled, and Louise repeated what the ghost said. Mr. Shaw, who was done confirming that the ghost indeed was with them in this very room, felt a little more than queasy. One of his men had already declared that it was a woman named Emily's fingerprints on Graham's neck who had killed him. He asked, "Would you like me to send the bodies here?" "No," replied Louise. "Would you like to bury them in the local cemetery, Lady Louise?" inquired officer Shaw, but Louise shook her head. "I want to have them all buried in the Reed's property," said Louise in a firm voice. "Are you sure about it?" asked the man because, at the moment, he felt the Reed's property was cursed. Aunt Merlin walked to Louise, placing a hand on her niece's arm to get her attention. The woman said in a gentle voice, "We have some good space behind our house. We can arrange it here, if you want."

Louise had given a deep thought about it before she decided on it. Aunt Merlin continued to speak to her, "The place would only end up filling with bad memories, Loui. You will be living in a new—"

"I plan to continue to live there," came the reply from Louise that brought a deep frown on her aunt's face. Mr. Shaw's eyebrows slightly rose, but he didn't question the lady's decision. She said, "You can bring the bodies to the Reed's property. We'll take care from there. Gilbert," she called the butler. "Yes, milady," Gilbert was quick to come to her aid, showcasing his loyalty to her.

"Please go with Mr. Shaw. On your way, you can inform Alison about it. That we'll be arranging the funeral soon," stated Louise, and the butler bowed his head.

Once the men in the room stepped out of the house, Aunt Merlin watched the spot where Louise had been staring earlier. But before the woman could see, the ghost had disappeared, as if following the officer and the butler out of the house.