Later that morning……
Pastor Connor answered the door. “Inspector Crouse. Nice to
see you again. Come in.”
Liam, walking to the door. “Inspector Crouse. Thanks for
coming. Please enter into chamber of the knights of the round
table.” He directed his hand pointing to the great hall, as the
Inspector tread the tutor styled floor along with Connor into
the room.
Devon Niles and tremens stood by the door eves dropping,
comes forth. “Do we get to be some sort of Musketeers
Father?”
Liam, dimpled smiled within his own pride. “Yes. Just like the
knights of the round table. Devon you are after all Sir Knight
John Drake’s descendant.”
Devon and his cousin Tremen veered at each other in
excitement, then leave the doorway going into the great hall.
The doorbell rings.
Liam turns to see. “Hello little Brother. Remember the days of
our youth of squabbling sibling rivalry?”
Trey Niles, in sly smirk. “Yah, father made us line up in
discipline to recite the code of ethics.”
Liam, in his own sly smirk. “Right!. You’re about to get a
knighthood. Get in line!” He grabs his trench coat in rough
vigor tug, bringing him inside, then let go, they walk together
down the corridor.
Trey, snared at his big brother. “See I did tell father of your
smacking me around. “
Liam, unamused. “ Yah, Yah, Whatever.” Taking his younger
brother to the great hall with him, right through the doors, he
treads with him to stand next to each other in circled
formation around a wooden round table with the other men.
“Pastor Roger, good to see you again.”
Connor stood in his own pride. “I’d rather be a Sir King
Arthur.”
Liam gleamed at him leaning forward. “Then you better get
your excalibur ready Sir.”
Lady Tauna Drake Niles, at the forefront stood before them.
”Right. As Lady of Chivalry Chapel, I solemnly swear you in,
this ceremony among The Knight’s Of Delineation Of The
Higher Order to commence. Gentleman. Take your swords.”
The seven swords piled onto the table, each man for himself,
stepped up to the round table, taking their swords, like the
knights of the round table, they lay their swords down unto
the table, all the blades lined up in front of each one creating
an inner circle in the middle of the table.
Lady Tauna, in proud moment. “I declare you all now ,
Brother’s in arms.”
Liam, with in proud moment, looks at Tauna in
acknowegement.
Tauna, Liam, gazed back at him with in send off admiration.
Two weeks later….
1PM
Detective Liam Niles arrived home early, stepping inside the
foyer. Complete silence filled the atmosphere. The chancel’s
candles, completely, cold wax-burned out. But no trace of
anyone. He casually tread the long corridor then straight into
his bedroom. “Tauna, I’m home love!” Silence. He noticed the
blanket sprawled across the slept in unmade bed showing the
bed sheet crinkled. He ever slowly viewed the room as though
he could sense her essence. Going to the dresser, pulling out
the top dresser drawer, he sees the token button still in loving
care.
Making his way back out, going toward the chapel’s office.
Checking into the office. He immediately opened the door.
”Connor!?” Seeing the pastor’s chair pulled out from the
desk, turned to the side empty, nothing on his desk out of the
usual alignment, but as it were. Leaving back out, as he went
into the kitchen, Empty void, his indented brows in question.
“Bren!?” No answer, he then went into the sanctuary, no
signs of anyone but God’s presence. “Bren!!!?, Connor!?”
Complete silence. Viewing out the kitchen window, no one to
be seen. one last endeavor, he steadfastly tread the corridor
leading back to his son’s room, half way there, -there he sees
the door wide open, taking another few steps, he sees the
door bashed inward with a sizable hole breakage…coming
closer, the side of the door frame broken into. He ever so
carefully walked into his son’s room. “DEVON!!!??
BREYEN!!??” Nothing out of the ordinary moved.
“Bloody Hell!!!” He reached for his cell mobile phone, quickly
tapped upon it. The phone kept ringing on Connors phone.
After ten rings, he taps onto his brother’s. “Trey! Is Tauna
with you, Connor, Bren, Devon, anyone? No!? Trey, Get over
here STAT! Bring Inspector Crouse!! They’re missing, All of
them-my family-MISSING!!!” Tapping off his phone, he began
investigating for any signs of tampering of foul play.
Liam opened the foyer’s door. “Inspector Crouse. Thank you
for joining forces with me again. Little brother, I shall need
your assistance.”
Inspector Crouse, entering inside. “Right. Trey, Now, shall we
begin again?
Liam escorted. “Apart from the door, nothing has been
tampered with. No windows even ajarred, No evidence of
breaking or entering from the outside, no evidence of fowl
play-nothing. Leaving into the room he proceeded onward
into to show evidence.
Inspector Crouse observed, “My, looks like the eager person
didn’t have the patients enough to pray for enough hail
Marys’. Much in a hurry I’d say. Unprofessionally done I’d say.
A true amateur without thinking it through.”
Liam, concurred. “Yes, I can see that clearly the first time. The
bloody sod. Whoever this or these thug is, they were that
desperate to break into my son’s room for lord knows what
reason. Right. John Crouse, Trey Niles. Let’s dig for answers.
What happened. When did it happen? Why did it happen?
And where are they? The timeline of events. From the time I
left, to the time of my arrival. Leave no stone unturned. Like
clockwork, I want answers. The only answer we have. My
family is missing.”
Inspector Crouse. “Right. Liam,Trey, let’s get started. Pulling
on his latex gloves, they began to dust the door top to
bottom.
Trey with Liam, ever so carefully, with their own gloves, set
their insight, inspecting the room. Then onto his and Tauna’s
room. Nothing out of place.
Liam lamented, “This is not like Tauna. She would never just
leave without notifying. Connor is so staunch in ownership, he
wouldn’t just suddenly get up and leave…unless……unless for
good reason. To sacrifice his life for heir’s sake. But only if heir
is safe first. And has been hidden. He would never spare nor
take any chances. Remember Bren at one time kept secret of
Sir Drake’s signet ring. For many decades had it hidden away.
Liam looking straight at Trey, Trey looking straight at Liam. “
The Chancery!” All three men scurried out of the room,
hurried down the long corridor, rushed to the Chancery’s
arched Tudor styled door. The door deadlocked.
Liam, in remembrance. “The key. Where is it? In safe keeping.
In Connor’s desk drawer.” All three rushed in The Pastor’s
office. All but one drawer closed.
Inspector Crouse, taking his fingers, glided his fingers down
deep scratch marks.
Liam traced his finger upon the marks. “Those marks were
not there before.”
Trey, “A brawl, a scuffle perhaps.”
They set their sight on one remaining open drawer. Liam,
reached out to fully pull open, empty. “Right. Trey, John
Crouse, pick the other locks.”
Liam, picking the left lock, pulls the drawer open, but to see
no key. Inspector Crouse, with his expertise, unlocked the
third lock, pulled open the drawer. No key. “Somebody got
the key before the other person did?”
Liam, “Or…Connor was prepared to use it at any moment.”
Trey begins to unlock the lower two locks, skillfully eyes the
first keyhole with patience.
Liam, with watchful guidance. “Steady little brother. Keep
your eye on that lock.”
Trey, with a boastful smirk, pulls the drawer open, no key,
then once again the second lock, quickly unlocked- reaches
inside to pull out a second key. Grins.
Liam, quick assessment. “ Of course he is no fool but brilliant
bloke, that father-in-law of mine. A copy of the key. Well
done! Sir! And I must confess. I was the last one to see him.
Here, at this desk. As I said my good bye until the following
next day. The time I left was seven in the morning.” Liam,
taking a few steps from logic. lamented in discernment. “I
was not here. Trey. The key please.”
Trey, handing the key to him.
Inspector Crouse. “Where is your other family?”
Liam, “Oh blimey. Breyen’s parents. Trey, call them.”
Trey, taking his phone, taps on it.
Liam, “Any recorded phone logs for this?”
Inspector Crouse, “I already checked. None.”
Trey, in urgency. “Liam, he’s not answering his phone.
Devon, comes running inside, “Mother!!! He goes straight to
him. “Where is she, where is mother!?”
Liam, clutching his son’s shoulders with his hands. “Calm
yourself. Where is Breyen and grandson?“
Devon, “They are safe with her parents.”
Liam, reassured. “Let’s commence the search.” He said,
leading the way. “I see father taught you well little brother.”
Trey treading in memory. “Well I had no other choice, did I. It
was either learn to unlock or I didn’t get my toy back.”
Inspector Crouse veered at them. “Really?”
Trey, with verification. “Yah. Then to find out that it was Liam
that placed it inside.”
Liam, with sly smirk. At the chancery’s wooden arched door,
taking the key, he embed the key into the lock. Opening the
door ever so slowly, all three set their sights on a man and
woman. “Connor? Bren! Sir, are you two alright?”
Connor, quickly stood from the 16th century throned chair.
“Son. You found the extra key.”
Liam lift the key to show him. “Right Sir. Where’s Tauna?”
Connor, in fatherly concern. “We don’t know.”
Bren stepped forward. “She was taken?”
Liam, with compassion. “We don’t know that yet Bren. But
we’re going to find out.”
Connor, “Liam, Its time for a meeting.”
Liam gives him a concurring look.