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2024-10-29 19:42:56The person behind Claire was a young man, Asian, handsome as hell. He was clad in a tight black t-shirt and jeans, all as perfect as the day they were purchased. She could detect the scent of an exquisite cologne lingering in the air.
She closed her eyes momentarily and took a small step backwards. The aroma was enough to flood her brain with endorphins, it was heady, perfect. She glanced downward as if to check her charm bracelet and in doing so scanned his hands for a wedding ring, none.With a slow exhale she turned to face forwards again. She considered how to start a conversation: bumping, fainting, dropping something on his feet. Without realizing she had formed a decision she turned, her bracelet now in her hand. Just before release the blonde guy next to him threw his arm around his shoulder. They two men exchanged a doe-eyed look, the slightly repressed grin on one face exactly mirrored on the other. Love. Damn it. She curled her fingers tight around the silver figures...None of them looked remotely or possibly gay but they were very much in love with each other. Anna looked at the man carefully and then peered at him again. She could swear that’s he had seen him somewhere earlier. But where she had no idea!!
When she went with Claire to get a drink Anna pointed at the two men who were talking to a group and said,” Who do you think that is? That man in black?”
“You don’t know?” Claire said in her usual high pitched shrill voice and Anna shot her an annoyed scowl.
“Why do you need to create a scene every single time Claire? I know, but I just can’t remember from where,” said Anna as Claire nodded taking a sip of her cold champagne.
“That is fine. The story was both a scandal and sensational at the same time. But since it has been three years, people won’t remember. The man you were looking at is the Chief of Scotland Yard and that is his husband. He renounced his title….” Started Claire when Anna recalled where she had read the news about them.
“I know who he is,” said Anna with a smile. The man suspected and accused of murdering three women was now living a happy life…and that too with another man!
Life was stranger than fiction indeed…
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Lancelot's Secret Chapter 1
In every big city in America, there was a small part of the city which was better known as Chinatown. London was no different at all, here also there was a city where people came to find marrow of the white tiger’s bones for the sake of increasing their virility or even might be something lamer than that. The restaurants in Chinatown were supposed to be the best and they were the main stream of income in this part of the town except the drug deals which took place when every single refugee had gone back to sleep.And there was another thing that no one, usually the one which no one took care of but respected from afar and remained silent about it. In every Chinatown there were ghosts, and everyone knew because this was common knowledge that if not anything else spirits of dead people were supposed to be treated with reverence. They haunted the quiet Tai Tung village in China as well as the garish and loud Beach street wh
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 2
It all started with the terrified scream of a frightened woman. A scream pierce the winter morning like the air raid sirens did a few years before. It echoed through the terraced houses making the origin hard to pin-point. The first cries were undoubtedly terror, but not the shrill cries of a movie theatre, the cries of one with eyes locked wide and every muscle rigid. The next were of pain, garbling and pitiful. The boys found her, most of them taking off after the attacker without any luck.We can never truly feel another's pain, but that scream of the young girl came close. It was the kind of scream that puts every other thought on hold and roots everyone close in the very same agony. There wasn't a person in a hundred feet that didn't come running, most of them with cell phones already out to dial for ambulance.But she had not made it. The paramedics had tried saving her but it was already too lat
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 3
When Susan got the call she was asleep in her room and she could hear the soft snoring of Grubby from the room opposite to her. As soon as the phone rang with a shrill ringtone, she cursed her fate for not being able to get any sleep at all.“I am going to be there as soon as possible,” said Susan as she hung up the call and then found that James was standing in her doorway.“Everything alright?” asked James as Grubby trotted inside and placed his chin on her bed.“Yeah, I just got called on a possible homicide case in Chinatown. I need to go, since I am the only one closest to that area. Would you be alright alone for a few hours?” asked Susan as she scratched Grubby behind his ears and James nodded silently.“It is quite late James. So no watching TV. And please sleep. You need the rest, you have taken quite a
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 4
Sunlight filled the sky, pure scattered light; its hue ambitiously illuminating each crevice of the land. Sparrows chirped an explicit background melody. With breath paused in his lungs, he wished time would halt. The trees shone as if they were wearing golden crowns and the vast sea was not able to absorb the bright sparks of the sun. The tides on the sea were racing among each other to reach the horizon from where the mighty godlike sun appeared. And though time continued, the emotions that flowed stilled my soul.The curtains add an orange glow to the morning light, every morning a perfect sunrise. It reminds the young man of the times he slept in a beach hut, watching the ocean emerge under the golden shimmer. For a moment his mind conjures the rhythmic waves, soft on the sandy shore and feels his heart beat to the same slow pace. He breaths in deeply. A new day has begun. He reaches his hand out to the fabric, noticing ho
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 5
Nathan Frost’s POVPolice tape was strung across the entrance to the house on the corner, before Jane and I turned into the next quiet street so that to not alert the cops present on duty. We still had no idea who had been assigned the case and who had been the first one to be here on the scene. I was driving slowly pulling in next to the tape. As I alighted from the car, Jane followed my suit. I did not even bother to tell to stay in the car because she was never going to listen to me like always.The body had been hurriedly and hastily covered with a bed-sheet so that to not disturb any of the onlookers in case someone did slip inside. Slipping on my latex gloves, I pulled away the bed-sheet and sucked in a breathe sharply. It was not a pleasant sight at all.The woman on the floor was lifeless. Lifeless. Her auburn hair was scattered in multiple places, stained with dr
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There was no ring or watch on the hand but there were tattoos on it. That was not the strangest part. It was a heavy hand which meant that it would take considerable amount of skill and strength in order to slice the hand in this way.“So it was just lying here in this way?” asked Susan as she looked at the hand still not convinced that this was all the part of one incident which had no head or tail whatsoever.“Yeah, fresh and warm meat like that with the scent of blood that would mean that rats would have been pretty quick to make a nice clean work of it,” replied the cop whose name Susan did not even bother to remember.“No nibbles here, as I can see,” said Susan and she turned towards Bill who had crouched down beside her as well and he said,” This means that it has not been here for that long.”&ldquo
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 7
Nathan pressed the numbers for Commander’s private line at the Yard and he was breathing out a sigh of relief when he realized that Commander himself had received the call. Jane was seated beside him while the call was happening in the car and she had heard every single word uttered by the man and she could tell that the older man was anything but livid.“Bloody hell Frost!!! What are you even saying?” he yelled at the phone and Nathan had to hold the phone at a distance.“Yes Commander! I am telling you the truth. There was no guard on the corpse, it was lying there while he was conducting a huddle. He desperately is in the need of attention towards himself in such manner that he is even ready to compromise the investigation for that,” said Nathan and Jane showed him a thumbs up. Even though she was itching to get back to the morgue and conduct the dissection on the corps
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 8
Lancelot bit his lip just a little as he watched the man in front, perfection in denim. He let his eyes rise to his shoulders, broad and inviting, his type. But this wasn't a day for distractions no matter how gorgeous. Pippa would already be waiting for him at the old Inn. The man was too perfect. His smile was soft with a hint of femininity, his strong bone structure was all male. Lancelot let his eyes linger for just a fraction longer than was customary, his usual "test." Sure enough the man gazed back, unguarded and calm.This was a small town where almost everyone knew every one. And even though Lancelot did not like the fact that he did not have any anonymity at all it did not probably hurt him that there was a considerable amount of prestige related with his name which he bore. Even though it did not bring him any pride at all.“Maria, please bring me my usual. I am in a really sour mood t
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Lancelot's Secret Chapter 74
Nathan’s POVI will always remember the barn. How could I ever forget it? It was a big, corrugated iron one, dull with age and with no windows on the lower level and just one at each end, up in the gable. Tall narrow windows that let light into the loft, while below the barn was dark and silent, cluttered and filled with dust. But I didn't know that when I first saw it. I came upon it slowly as I emerged onto the top of the mountain, after a steep climb from the bay below, which had taken me through the untouched forest of the National Park. And I came at it from the rear, seeing the high window lit with the full afternoon sun, and I saw him there caught in the sun, naked and golden, like some lost angel. Perched up there on the windowsill with his arms spread wide hanging on to the frame. He is the reason I remember the barn so well. I stopped there, breathing hard, recovering from the climb, and
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 73
This is getting to be familiar territory, Susan thought as they entered the corridor and turned to go towards the library. They knocked politely, turned the handle and then gradually descended down the steps. In his smoking jacket Lord Billington sat there crouched over a table occupied by the game of chess in progress. He frowned.“My dear chap. Welcome…. And also to you, Susan. The frown was about me being puzzled by the state of the game. Join me for a few moves, eh, Frost?” asked the earl.He waited for Nathan patiently as he toured the board from all angles. Sitting opposite to Billington, he moved one of his pawns. Billington looked perplexed.While waiting Nathan picked up the imposing Queen. He used a clean handkerchief to wipe off the wwaist a tiny mark. Then he placed her back on the board.“She is a heavy lady,”
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 72
After more valuable conversation with Acheson, Nathan left the table and headed with Susan for the garage. Once inside the car he stared straight ahead and then just sat there without even saying a thing without moving.“Billions and billions, MacArthur said that the moor is worth and Neville Guise offers Lord Billington only one million for this entire property like this. He must have been furious when Acheson sent him that phoney report through that courier--- and returned the huge fee that Guise had sent him, rather paid him…”“Which is why he tried to kill Acheson that day in the moor. That night I mean,” said Susan as her eyes widened with the realization,” He spotted the fake. We will now drive over to Bradburt Manor and I would like to have a conversation with Lord Billington on an immediate basis.”“But he will be asleep
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The dining room was very quiet. Few tables were occupied. Acheson was at a table inside a secluded alcove. He waved. As Nathan and Susan sat on either side of him he took out a package nicely wrapped with a bow and all out of the pocket of his tropical drill jacket, and handed it to Susan.“I have never been able to properly thank you for saving my life up on the moor.. Otherwise I would not be here tonight. Just a small gift,” said Acheson with a smile and gratitude shining in his eyes.Susan took it gingerly. It had been quite long that she had been presented with gifts from men. And now that she had it she was not sure any longer. She opened the gold wrapping paper which was gauzy and then the green soft coloured paper underneath and took out an expensive leather case.Taking a deep breath she unfastened the case and gasped.Inside was a
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“This map,” Marley started speaking,” I have obtained from a mariner friend high up in his service. They know of the island’s existence but do not know that the island belongs to that bastard, Neville Guise. Here goes….”From the cardboard roll he extracted a large map, spreading it to flatten it. Susan immediately recognized it as showing the west coast of Brittany, the Channel Islands with vast stretch of the Atlantic with another island well west to the Channel Islands group. The island was circled in red.Near the bottom of the large sheet was another map, a detailed outline of the map of Roab. A drawing on this map showed steep cliffs and a section of dotted lines shaped like a triangle with the narrowed apex ending at the gulch. Marley pointed the dotted lines projecting into the Atlantic.“That’s a trap,” he explaine
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The pleasant maid had cleared away the breakfast clutter that the three of them had made altogether, but Susan was still puzzled by Nathan’s reply. Another factor entered her mind, she looked across the bed where Nathan’s note pad was still open and Nathan was studying it.“Island of Roab. Could that be somewhere important? I mean, somewhere remote out in the Atlantic?”“All great minds think alike,” he smiled,” I was just wondering about that myself.”“And there is a strange item in the paper. Something about the Asiatic pirates who grabbed an oil tanker about a few months back, fully laden. Do you think that this could be connected with that?” asked Jane who was also trying to contribute in the best way that she could, given that she had missed out on a lot of the investigation in the past few days.
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 68
The stranger strolled casually into the parking lot. It was dark and, despite the fact that it was Saturday and there were several bars around, the parking lot was not busy at 10:45. She would be getting out of the library soon and he wanted to be ready for her. He slipped a small screwdriver from his pocket and knelt by her license plate. He quickly removed the one screw, catching her spare key as it fell to the ground. He replaced the screw and let himself into her car. In the back seat he took a few other things out of his pocket; a small cloth, folded thick, a tiny bottle, a gag and some lengths of rope. He grinned. She was going to be surprised. He settled himself to wait. Another 10 minutes and her work would be done. He must've dozed because the pinging of her remote starter startled him and he almost sat upright. He slouched down further as the locks popped up. "Lazy bitch," he thought. "What's so hard about turning the
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 67
Susan looked at his expression of listening to every word she said had returned. She concluded finally the story with her walking away from the cottage with the crooked chimney and she had already earlier told about Jane’s rescue.“I am sorry,” said Susan,” I should have never take the risk without…”But Nathan was fuming and he could not help any longer. He finally burst out.“Wrong!!” he exploded. “ You were right and I have been a fool from the very beginning not hearing what you had to say. Have I not told you earlier that any of my members of the team that they must use their initiative? Which you have done and I must say that you have done successfully and admirably. And I am glad that you did not wait for the team and brought Jane back yourself. Otherwise we would have been missing a very crucial piece of information
Lancelot's Secret Chapter 66
“I think we ought to have a full breakfast up here,” said Nathan as he picked up the phone and said,” I am ordering it.” His voice was firm.“Won’t the landlord think that it is funny that I am in your suite so early?” she ventured.“Mr. Barnie has been running this place long enough, I am sure. So in his time it is an honest thing that he must have seen or he will be quite used to serving breakfasts to men who have spent night with a lady friend.. Par for the course.”Over the phone he ordered for a huge breakfast for three people, to be served in twenty minutes. Tea, more coffee, a carafe of creamer, since Jane took hers with cream and sweet, toasts, marmalade, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, toasted muffin…“We will both be in a fighting fit after that,” he said refilling Susan&rs
