The Detective and The Dame

A police constable rushed out of the police Mini and knocked twice on the door of 554 C, Birch Street. Finding the door open, he entered and climbed up the stairs to find the famous duo waiting for his arrival. "Sir, Sergeant Marshall has asked for you. The Duke of Windsor has been murdered."He declared with a tensed expression.The police had more often than not seek help from the detective and his companion. As cases got more typical and police was rendered helpless, they sought for the detective's expertise

"Finally! There it is." Marren exclaimed rather overjoyed at finally having mystery to dissect after a week of peace in London.Though, the case, a week of peace had bought him, made him a little forgiving of it.His overjoyed expression made the constable rather uncomfortable and a little suspicious of him.It was typical of the constable to do so because as always, Marren's expertise was always needed at the station, but his presence wasn't really enjoyed.

"We will be there in a minute, sir.I would suggest you wait in the car." The woman stated in a cockney British accent. "Well, that's always interesting!"Marren commented as the duo left the room.

Marren and the dame arrived at the scene of murder along with the police constable. It was the duke's residence, St. James Palace, his own bloody house where he met his end. The crime scene was a little different from the ones they had seen earlier.While, the familiar scent of chemical in the air, the gossiping servants and their whispering was all the same.There was a significant rise in the number of police constables and sergeants involved.The kin of the dead hadn't been wailing and weeping like they usually did. In fact, the composure with which the Dutchess stood in her black attire would make one mistake her for the murderer.

Of course, there was a rush surrounding the place as a member of the royal family were to visit the dutchess to pay his respects.But, amidst the hushed whispers and the hurried movements, one could clearly notice the fear buried in the heart of everyone.

"The man was murdered in his own bed, and at that, quite brutally. His body wasn't found till the next morning, he lied in the pool of his own blood the whole night. At the least, the event is very tragic.A brave man slaughtered like this, it is a shame to see that even though the war is ending, the slaughter doesn't end."Sergeant explained to Marren as they climbed up the stairs to reach the duke's bedroom.

The Duke's chamber was situated on the third floor of the palace.It was dull grey room with high ceilings. It had a single window, that was bolted tightly and a ceiling fan with four blades still moving slowly. The bed was placed along one wall, which now had blood splattered over it, and opposite to it was the dressing table.

On reaching the bedroom, Marren quickly rushed towards the body to analyse its position while the dame asked the sergeant for more details about the murder and the man who lay dead.

"How many people were present in the palace at the time of the murder?"The dame questioned the sergeant, still in her Cockney English accent and starts scanning through the place.

"Twenty-three, if we also count the guards and the servants present inside premises of the palace and then, twenty guards all over guarding the gates of the palace and another ten servants in the servants' quarter adjacent to the kitchen tower."He replied following the dame's movement.

"Isn't the palace the ceremonial meeting place of the Accession Council?" The dame quizzed as she rummaged through the Duke's bookshelf and searches his desk placed adjacent to it.

"Well, yes, but I don't see how that matters?"Sergeant said with slight irritation.

"I mean, I didn't expect such shortage of staff, especially at a place of such importance.Well, the royals are quite known for their grandeur." The dame replied, her voice still as calm as before.

"Their lifestyles are quite lavish.Well, I was of course, not including the female staff assigned to the palace."He said as if the act was fairly obvious.

"Well sir, may I ask why?" The dame said while putting certain emphasis on the word 'sir'.Her voice had grown a little stiffer than before.

"I don't think a woman would be able to harm a man of his calibre, and except for that fact, the position of the blood splatter on the walls clearly tells that a man of somewhat tall stature and build has committed the crime."He explained the reason for his assumption.

Her lips turned as if she was slightly amused by the sergeant's assumption.Then, she turned her head towards the grey wall and stared at the blood splatters on the wall.On envisioning, the scene of the Duke's murder and analysing the position of the blood splatters, it was quite clear that the murderer did have a tall stature.

"Did you check the height of the women employed in the house or any woman,for that matter, in the house on the night of murder?" She asked the sergeant.

"As a matter of fact we did, in fact we have records of the heights of everyone and anyone remotely related to the duke and none of them seem to be tall enough to have been responsible for this murder." He explained.

"Where were the kin of the dead at the time of "The dame was interrupted before she could finish her sentence.

"Well, that is not needed, we suspect the criminal to be an outsider, and at that too, a cold hearted criminal"The Sergeant interrupted

"We are currently tallying the traits and the conditions of this murder with all the known criminals registered in our database."Sergeant added with a hint of pride in his voice.

"I take it you had no luck finding a match." Marren commented whilst still examining the dead man's body intently.

"Well, yeah! But our team is very efficient.They would find the man soon enough.How do you even know that? "

"Well, this was the killer's first murder." Marren stated. "And as for the efficiency of your team, our presence very well explains that."

"How can you say that? The Duke of Windsor is no ordinary man who would just be killed by a novice. Even, a skilled killer would have to take extra precautions to murder such a man."Sergeant claimed.

"Well my dear Sergeant Marshall, the murderer clearly didn't have a lot practice.There has been a lot of stabbing, he was trying to kill him but didn't know how to.In fact, the jaggedness in the cuts indicates the nervousness."Marren explained, still analysing the body.

"Well, any man would be nervous to commit such a sin"Marshall argued.

"But not someone skilled in the art of killing, and for what reason, do you think a skilled criminal would kill the duke? Clearly, there hasn't been an instance of a robbery." The dame intervened.

"Well, the Duke had some enemies."Marshall said sophisticatedly.

"Now, the Duke of Sussex and Earl of Arundel are hardly any enemies.The men had a spat over a polo game, they wouldn't go as far as committing bloodshed."The dame tried to reason with the sergeant.

"You are forgetting about his altercation with his brother." Sergeant Marshall debated.

"Well, a game of pool doesn't count either and if you are referring to the conflict the brothers had over their father's property decades ago, I'd consider it resolved from seeing the letters exchanged between them.

"Also, the fact that the murder happened twenty-nine years after the distribution of his estate doesn't help either."She explained while passing the letters to the sergeant.

Marshall scanned through the letters and after, figuring that the woman was infact right, he turned hopelessly to Marren.

"The royal has pressed that this case must be closed as quickly as possible.Incidences like these are bound to break people's spirit especially at such a time.We don't have much time Marren and people would soon know of the murder.We need a culprit, people will need a killer caught."Marshall said in despair, sensing the case to be more twisted than he intended it to be.