An Enduring Love Story

Everything was done properly almost as if “a time for everything and for everything a time” as he approached the study. Old world charm and decadence oozed from the study, but before he could enter he was intercepted by a maid. She curtsied and very politely said “excuse me sir, but no one, absolutely no one interrupts mi’lady when she is in her study”. A stare down as Parker eyed the wisp of an Irish girl until the butler appeared and nodded silently that Parker was to be introduced.

Parker was tall for a copper. He was proud of his 6’2” bearing. His dark hair; thick and full that he kept short and his pair of blue eyes that appeared to study only the person that he was talking with. His friends said his eyes studied you as if you were the
only person in the world, while his enemies said they were just a parlor trick to get you to make a confession. He weighed just under 190 pounds and did his own blacksmithing, so he had a chiseled frame and it was said that he could throw a punch with the best of them. Many local drunks could testify to that as Parker preferred fisticuffs to a police record and jail time for his adversaries.

One thing that he knew was that he was out of his league. “His betters” were involved and he knew he should just make this an open and shut case. Figure out which way the wind was blowing and find some poor undesirable to take the fall. But something was still going through the back of his mind and that he had heard the rumors at the pub that the house was haunted. Apparitions were sometimes seen at night and dogs were reported missing that were last seen near the place. This jogged his memory and he remembered that even before he started working, a couple had been reported missing near the house’s swimming pond.

Interrupted from his reverie he was greeted by the beautiful Mistress Lovelace herself. All charm and smiles and he couldn’t help but think “a murder has been committed and she is carrying on as if she had to fire a chimney sweep. She really is a cold sort.” She was certainly professional, he had to give her that as she took everything into account. His small notebook out as he wrote furiously to find a fault in her testimony, but there appeared to be none.

She was done, indicating it was time for him to take his leave, but he wasn’t done just yet.
Finally, he moved out of her circle of control, idly looking at the books shelved neatly in alphabetical order by author. He took his time and the silence was deafening as he thought he would like to read many of the titles as they were not available in the local library, but his eyes came to a book on Indian Love Making entitled simply “the Karma Sutra” and he smiled, blushing slightly as he continued to look. This broke the silence and he spoke.

“So I am to understand that you think the dalliance with Rachel was the cause of his death?” Carefully he made a note to talk to Rachel next, but he still had to make sure she knew he was in control.

“Miss Lovelace, I know discretion is what you want at this time, but what I want it to find a murderer.” He came back, his eyes looking into hers, looking for motive or a cause “I am staying here until the crime is solved.” A pause as he wanted her off guard as he continued “do you have any additional sex toys or bondage materials that I can inventory? Also, is bondage a theme at this house and are you a Madame who procures whatever your guest’s desire?”

His look was one of utter professionalism as he waited for her
reply.