Pg. 6 Henry's Thoughts
The cool night air hit Henry's face as he stepped out of the bustling police headquarters. The image of Mrs. Felinchi's tear-streaked face lingered in his mind, but the mention of the woman in black overshadowed even that grief. A visitor the day before, dressed in black, could this be our answer? He adjusted his hat, the brim casting a shadow over his thoughtful eyes. The streetlights of Louisville cast long, dancing shadows as he walked towards his lodgings. He needed to process this new information, to let it settle alongside the strange details of the study – the overturned chessboard, the missing king, the ink-stained document. He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right, that the scene in the study had been deliberately, arranged.
The name "George Stacy" still echoed oddly in Henry's mind. The chief's stern demeanor felt at odds with such a commonplace name. He shook his head slightly, refocusing on the more pressing matter: the woman in black. As he walked away from the police headquarters, the evening was beginning to settle in. The sky, just moments ago a deep twilight blue, was now yielding to the deeper hues of night, though a sliver of the moon was still visible, a pale arc against the darkening night sky. He decided to take a slightly longer route back to his lodgings, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the people passing by, though he knew it was unlikely he'd spot a tall, slender woman dressed entirely in black on a Sunday evening. The image Mrs. Felinchi had painted was stark and memorable, and he hoped it would stick in the minds of anyone who might have encountered her near the Felinchi manor the previous day. He made a mental note to inquire with local shopkeepers and residents in the vicinity first thing in the morning.
Back in his rented room, the silence was a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil he had witnessed. He loosened his tie and poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher on the bedside table. He pulled out his small notebook and began to jot down the key facts:
Victim: David Felinchi.
Time of death: Unknown, discovered Sunday morning.
Witnesses: Mrs. Felinchi, Alfred Pennyworth.
Key details from the scene: Messy study, overturned chessboard (black king missing), ink-stained document.
New lead: Unidentified woman in black visited the day before.
He circled "woman in black" with his pen. This felt like the first real thread to pull.
Pg. 7 A Visit to Alfred
The next morning, the air was crisp and carried the promise of another clear day. Henry decided his first order of business was to revisit the Felinchi manor and speak with Alfred again. The butler had been present from the beginning and might have more details about the woman in black or other unusual occurrences. He hired another bicycle rider to take him back to the grand estate. The gates seemed less imposing in the daylight, but a sense of sorrow still hung in the air.
Alfred answered the door, his usual composure tinged with a deeper sadness. "Mr. Allen," he said, his voice subdued. "Please, come in." Henry stepped into the hushed foyer. "I was hoping to ask you a few more questions, Alfred, if you don't mind." Alfred nodded slowly. "Of course, sir. Anything I can do to help." "Yesterday, Mrs. Felinchi mentioned a woman in black who visited the day before… do you recall this?" Alfred's brow furrowed in thought. "Ah, yes… yes, I do. She arrived in the late afternoon. Quite striking, she was. Tall, as Mrs. Felinchi said, and her face was… obscured by a wide-brimmed hat."
"Did she give her name?" Henry pressed, his pen poised over his notebook. Alfred shook his head. "No, sir. She simply asked to see Lord Felinchi. I announced her, of course, and he agreed to see her in his study. They were in there for… perhaps half an hour? Maybe a little longer. When she left, Lord Felinchi seemed… troubled. Quieter than usual, even before dinner." "Did you overhear any of their conversation?" Henry asked. Alfred looked apologetic. "No, sir. I remained in the foyer, as is my duty. The study door was closed." "Did you see where she went after leaving the study?" "She simply walked out, sir. I saw her go down the front steps and then… a dark-colored automobile was waiting for her at the gates. It drove off rather quickly."
Henry leaned forward. "Did you notice the make or model of the car? Or the license plate?" Alfred sighed. "I'm afraid not, sir. It all happened rather quickly. I was more focused on Lord Felinchi's demeanor after she left. He seemed quite agitated." "Agitated how?" Henry inquired. "Pacing in the study, mostly. Muttering to himself. I offered him his usual brandy, but he declined, which, as I mentioned yesterday, was unusual."
Pg. 8 Following the Car Lead
Henry thanked Alfred for his detailed recollection. The dark automobile was another thread to follow. Back at the police headquarters, he spoke with Officer Davies. "Davies, I need you to look into any reports of a dark-colored automobile seen leaving the Felinchi manor yesterday afternoon." Davies nodded. "I can check with the officers who were on duty in the area, see if anyone noticed anything."
While Davies looked into the car, Henry decided to review the initial crime scene photos and the notes taken by the first responding officers. He wanted to see if anything he had missed during his brief visit jumped out at him. He studied the photo of the overturned chessboard again. The missing black king was still a glaring anomaly. Why just that one piece? Was it taken deliberately? And the ink stain… he zoomed in on the photograph. There was indeed a slight indentation near it, as he had remembered. Could it be from the base of a chess piece? Specifically, the base of the missing black king?
Henry requested the actual ink-stained document. Carefully, he examined the area around the stain. The ink was thick and appeared to have been applied forcefully. Running his fingers gently over the surface, he noticed something the photographs hadn't captured – a faint impression beneath the ink. It was small and circular. Could it be the outline of the base of the missing black king, pressed into the paper, and then deliberately obscured with ink? A chilling thought ran through him. Was the missing chess piece not just a random detail, but a crucial element, perhaps even used in the commission of the crime or as a deliberate message? He knew his next step was clear: find that missing black king.
Pg 9: The Significance of a King
The weight of his realization settled heavily in Henry's mind. The missing black king wasn't just an odd detail, it had felt like a deliberate absence, a silent scream amidst the chaos of the overturned chessboard. Back in his spartan apartment, the city noises filtering through the thin walls seemed distant, overshadowed by the intricate puzzle unfolding in his thoughts. He carefully reread his notes, the circled words "woman in black" now sharing prominence with "missing black king." Were these two threads connected?
His gaze drifted to the small travel chess set he always carried. He opened it, the familiar weight of the pieces grounding him. He arranged them in the starting position, his fingers tracing the outline of where the black king should be. Its absence created a tangible void, a disruption of the game's inherent balance. Could the killer have taken it as a trophy? A symbol? Or was it used in some way? The faint indentation near the ink stain on Lord Felinchi's document nagged at him. He pictured the base of the king – small, circular. It fit.
The following morning, fueled by a restless night of speculation, Henry's first destination was not the police headquarters, but a place that might offer insight into Lord Felinchi's passions, a local antique shop known for its collection of vintage games and curios. The bell above the door jingled as he entered, the air thick with the scent of aged wood and forgotten treasures. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight filtering through the front window, illuminating shelves crammed with relics of the past.
He approached the elderly proprietor, a man with spectacles perched precariously on his nose and a knowing glint in his eye. "Good morning," Henry began, his tone polite but direct. "I'm investigating a matter involving a chess set, a rather distinctive one, I believe. Were Lord David Felinchi a patron of your establishment?" The proprietor's eyes widened slightly. "Lord Felinchi? A discerning collector, he was. Had a fondness for the older, more ornate sets."
Henry carefully described the missing piece. "The set in question was a standard ivory and ebony set, but one piece is missing: the black king. Would you recall if Lord Felinchi ever purchased a replacement piece, perhaps a unique one that might stand out?" The proprietor stroked his chin, his gaze drifting towards the crowded shelves. "A single piece, for Lord Felinchi... hmm. He did have a particular interest in antique pieces, sometimes acquiring individual ones if they were of significant historical value or unusual design. Let me think... " He shuffled slowly towards a glass cabinet filled with individual chessmen. "There was a rather striking ebony king he admired some months ago… quite old, with a distinctive carved base…"
Henry's pulse quickened. "Could you describe the base?" The proprietor peered through the glass. "Circular, as I recall. And it had a small, almost imperceptible… indentation on the bottom. A tiny flaw in the carving, he pointed it out to me."
The description sent a jolt through Henry. The circular impression on the document. The missing black king. It couldn't be a coincidence. "Do you know if he purchased it?" Henry asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The proprietor nodded slowly. "Yes… yes, he did. Said it was a fascinating piece of history."
Henry knew then. Finding that specific black king wasn't just about a missing game piece. It was about uncovering a vital piece of the puzzle, a tangible link to the killer, or perhaps even the key to understanding the motive. His search had just taken a sharp, crucial turn.