Coimbra

"In a monastery, sir?" He placed the cup of coffee gently back down and leaned in his seat. He shrugged his shoulders lightly : "...I shall make a good.. whatever you might wish of me, sir." He replied coolly.

Fandorin nearly sighed in exasperation: didn't the boy understand jokes. 'No, I don't need you to become a monk'. Draining his cup, he continued. 'Well, as soon as you are ready, be about your business. I'll remain here to await news from Hunter'.

"I did not mean to." He smiled without much humour on his face. "...You forget, .. I play your servant, which I certainly am not.." He had dropped his voice before he said so, for though there were no ears listening, he'd rather to be sure and safe, than discovered.

He finished the coffee and stood. " Very well sir. ..." He hesitated glancing back at the man:"...dead.. or unconscious?" He asked as if asking what weather Fandorin would have liked.

'Whatever you think best in the circumstances'. Fandorin decided that if the boy was so insistent on not being an actual servant, he'd better start taking some responsibility and making decisions.

"Very well sir." He stood and bowed. "I shall ask for your breakfast to be brought to your room.." He paused and turned." Expect me latest.."

He did not continue but left, a short and even stride, halting at the door only enough that he passed through and closed it behind him, before he continued on his face. His sleep had been not the most restful, but what duty needed to be done, so would.

Fandorin watched the boy go and for a moment had an urge to follow him, to make sure he was present in case the boy made any mistakes. He restrained himself: the boy after all has been recommneded by men, whose opinion he respected and just because he was used to doing everything himself was no reason to show distrust in Widmayer's abilities.

(Josef goes to here Monastery )

Sonia already had breakfast prepared and handing the tray to Catarina, who had dark circles under her eyes from the evenings festivities, turned to Manuel.
'We need some more firewood. This lodger takes too many baths!'
Manuel grunted and continued sipping his tea.

Ines, a cleaning woman who came by Carlos Branco's house twice a week, made her way into the small lane, not noticing the young man who watched the house. She knocked once, twice, then shrugging let herself in with the key.

The house was quiet and seemed empty. As she made her way into the kitchen, she saw Carlos on the floor, lying in a pool of blood, his throat cut several times. She screamed and ran out of the house blindly.

(Josef has come from here Monastery )

Ines ran own into the street, the image of the dead man burned into her mind. Suddenly her energy left her, and she fell, unconscious, overwhelmed by the site.

Well, one thing was sure. There was a fine reason why his target was not coming out. He watched the unconscious girl and then slowly he moved to her and hefted her up in his arms. He looked more like a helpful man, aiding a woman, than one who was wanting to take her out of sight.

He glanced left and right and then quickly he entered the house again , this time closing the door behind them. He carried the girl into the kitchen, where he had bound her with what once bound the curtains together. "Be quiet." He muttered to the unconscious girl and bound a cloth over her mouth, to keep her silent and one over her eyes so that , if she were to wake, he wouldn't see him.


Once inside he dealt with the girl he ran. First room, second room, and in the third he found him lying on the floor. Dead.

Damn him. He was dead!

He bent over the man and studied his injuries. Somebody had been here and had killed him. He searched the room quickly for papers. Any papers that the contact could have, hoping beyond all hopes that the killer hadn't been after those. And.. he hadn't.

He smiled relieved and turned towards the dead man.

The girl lay unconscious, unaware that she was bound and blindfolded, while Widmayer searched the house and deaf to his words.

He tucked the papers into his breast pocket and studied the cuts that Carlos received. Whoever had killed him wasn't a butcher's son. He carefully pried his coat open and felt along it, looking for any hidden pockets. He did the same to the other. Avoiding the blood, he slowly lifted the man's shoulder.

".... well, whoever did this to you.. .." He marked what he'd found on a piece of paper. "is yet to be found. But.." He glanced at the door. "..You knew him." He slowly stood once he had gathered all the information and paper he needed. "...The window is closed.. " He had checked the house. Whoever came, didn't break in.

Ines emitted a muffled moan, slowly coming to her senses. The shock of not being able to see, made her thrash around, the vigourousness of the action increased once she realised her hands were tied up.

He sighed. He heard the sounds coming from below. Could the girl not wait for him to leave, with her untied and nicely lying on the floor?

Slowly he got up from Carlos and walked down to the kitchen. He moved near silent, as he approached the girl. He lifted her by the hair and pulled hard to expose her neck. He could well mimic the way the man upstairs was murdered. Nobody would have noticed but those that could compare the time that the man died as compared to this girl. And.. he could also just knock her unconscious again. Let her think she fainted at the sight of the dead man.

(OOC: and I thought Hunter was a maniac!!! O_O)

Ines tried to scream as a hand grabbed her hair, but the rag in her mouth prevented her from doing so. She tried to struggle, then went limp in Widmayer's hands, a silient tear managing to escape the blindfold and running down her cheek.

He held his tongue. If she was to have any means of survival he would have to remain quiet. It was true that a man or woman struck to the back of the head would not recollect the moments of her injury, but one did not risk it.

Fandorin did not need to know. Leaving people alive was a risky business if they knew too much. Still she was a girl. An innocent. An exception.

He knew where to strike to kill and how to strike to maim. Two people could not be connected and only a fool would think there was anything related between the monk that fell down the stairs and a girl that fainted seeing a dead man.

As long as her struggles hadn't caused her arms to bruise worse. His eyes narrowed and he struck the girl once, sharply. He waited to see if she would move. It wasn't a death strike. Josef seemed to be rather... generous. What Fandorin may think to be a fool's mercy.

(OOC: seriously, u're scary. x_X)

Ines went absolutely still and limp in her attacker's arms, the blow having been well placed and causing her to pass out again.

(Josef: ... scary? I left her alive. ..tch!)

He allowed himself a smile as he lifted the unconscious girl up gently. Climbing the stairs he entered the room where Carlos was killed and laid her close to the table. To anybody it would seem the girl had entered, seen the dead man and fainted upon which her head had struck the edge of the table. The strike itself couldn't have been too great and hadn't killed her.

Deciding he was happy with his work he untied her carefully and returned the ropes to their proper place. He studied her hands. A small bit of rope burn remained. He pulled her sleeves to cover them neatly.

Standing up again he removed any sign that remained behind that anyone but the girl was here and then carefully slipped out through the door closing it. He didn't lock it, and left the key where the girl had left it.

Straightening a little he left the door step, as if nothing happened. A relaxed smile on his face.

Fandorin had dressed soon after Josef left. He judged it was too early to receive any news from Hunter, so having breakfasted, he left the house and took a rather lengthy walk in the Botanical Gardens. After an hour or so, he started making his way back to the house, hoping he'll not have to spend the day sitting on his hands.

He felt rather laden with papers and wished to hand them to Fandorin as soon as was possible. He stopped at a corner and bought himself a few apples. With a relaxed stride he passed the crowd of people, a few soldiers , two or three lying in a heap on the ground. He shook his head. And then , after a pleasant walk, he was again at the home that their host was so generous to offer.

He climbed the stairs and knocked, then entered without waiting for a response.

"Sir?" He asked softly.

Fandorin paused in his checking for any dust he might have acquired during the walk.
'Widmayer? What are you doing here?'.

"Our friend you asked me to..'visit' seems to have. 'departed." He placed the apples he saved on the table, motioning for Fandorin to take as many as he wished. "..so, I've come early." He glanced around and then added: " Are we alone?"

Fandorin seemed not to have noticed the apples. 'The servants are out on errands'. He paced the room. 'Departed? What of the papers and anything else that could incriminate Hunter?'