Coimbra

"I've found these." He placed them infront of Fandorin. "And... you inquired about the map of the monastery. It should be here." He placed another folded paper on the table.

"You worry about Hunter?" There was a small lift of an eyebrow, the only indication that the man might have been surprised.

'I do not worry about Hunter. I worry what might happen were he to be suspected of espionage'. Fandorin started going through the papers. 'What happened to our man? What have you seen?'

"He certainly did not die of natural causes." He mused taking a seat, but not touching the apples either. He had eaten his own earlier and for the time being, felt well enough not to need more.

He described each injury the man sustained in detail, from the depth of the cut to indeed how fatal it could have been. The amount of blood spilt wasn't emitted from his description, nor the fact that the papers were well in sight but weren't stolen.

"He must've known the man." He doubted it was a woman, doing him in out of passion or disappointment. Though perhaps such a girl could also come into question. Whoever it was, must've been known to the informant.

" or woman.."He allowed, though with a heavy tone of doubt in his voice:"... There were no signs of forced entry.. the windows were closed. The doors were in tact and locked. ..Whoever came, must've locked the door behind him."

Fandorin frowned thinking the information over. 'Tell me, does the house have an attic?'

(OOC: it does. )

"...I .. Yes sir, it does."

(ooc : XD , thank you)

Alfredo de Quental swore as his servant shook him awake.
'There's a man to see you, sir. He says it's important'. Alfredo grunted, swore some more and pulling on his dressing gown went downstairs. He was surprised to find that Brother William was his guest. Since de Quental's appoinment as the head of Guarda Real de Policia of Coimbra five years ago, the two have maintained a friendship, and Quental was aware if the man's prodigious abilities when it came to sniffing out crime.

'Brother William, what on earth are you doing here this early?' enquired Alfredo ungraciously, dropping his rather corpulent form onto a chair. The man kept quiet while a servant brought in coffee and only spoke when the man left.
'There's a been an incident at Santa-Cruz.'
'Incident?', de Quental sat up.
'Yes, one of our monks has had an accident, allegedly he fell down a flight of stairs'.
'Allegedly? Come, Brother, out with it'.

'Brother David, one of our novices, was found a short time ago by the foot of stairs that lead to the old chapel. He was dazed and confused having apparently hit hid head while falling. And yet I think it was no accident. The chapel was locked and the boy did not have a key. The stairs are such that if he did fall, I'd expect far more severe injuries then a bump on his head.'
Alfredo thought the information over.
'Well, perhaps someone came to the Almonry, expecting charity, and finding it shut up, attacked Brother David, knocking him out and taking his money'. Brother William shook his head.
'You forget, everyone knows when our Almonry opens for the day. Why come so early? No, I think it is connected to the young monk who copied the map of our monastery early this morning'.
De Quental nearly choked on his coffee.
'What?!'

Brother William started explaining.
'A young man came into the library today wanting to see the map and then copy it. He acted his part well enough, but I am now convinced he is no monk. He lied about being at Matins and the monastery he was from. And he was dressed in the habit of our order. I think what happened was this. He needed access to the map, but we don't let general public in, so he got in by way of Almonry, knocked out Brother David, took his habit, got to the library, then his task complete, he redressed Brother David and laid him out at the stairs, so we'd all think he'd had a fall'.

De Quental shook his head.
'Even if you right, Brother William, what would he need the map for, surely no one in their right mind would try to rob the monastery. At least they won't need a map for it: the most precious thins in Santa-Cruz are in the church and it's freely accessible to anyone.'
Brother William had thought of this as he walked to Quental's house and now was ready to present his theory.
'I think it has nothing to do with the monastery itself, but rather with someone who resides there. You do know the English General made it his headquartes'.

De Quental had a sneaking suspicion that the man was starting to lose his mind.
'And what you think there are assassins on the General's trail?! It's crazy. The General is always surrounded by soldiers, it would be suicide to try anything'. Brother William sighed.
'I do not think it's the General they are interested in'.
'Who then?'
'That I do not know yet. That is why I came to you. I want you to help me find that boy who pretended to be a monk'.
De Quental smirked.
'Is that all? May I at least be permitted to eat my breakfast first?'.

'I see'. He paced some more. 'Did anyone see you?'

"No. I don't think so. There was a girl who saw the dead man. But she is still lying unconscious beside him. She did not see me." He leaned slight in his chair.

(Mathew! .. .. stop trying to wade in -.-!)

'Good'. Fandorin grabbed his cane. 'Come, Widmayer, we're going out'. With that he walked towards the door.

(OOC: XD XD XD )

".. Out, sir? Yes sir, ..where are we going?" He stood and motioned to the papers at his desk." I assume you shall take those with you, or at the very least remove it from being unnecessarily found?"

Fandorin sighed. 'Widmayer, tell me what am I paying you for exactly?'. Grabbing the papers he refolded them carefully and slipped them into his coat breast then stalked out to the front door.

"..To remind you, sir." He spoke in an amused tone, before turning silent and followed Fandorin to the door. He managed to catch him at the very last door, to open it for him and then stepped aside to let him pass. Once outside he trailed a little behind the man.

Fandorin walked quickly, his cane tapping on the ground. 'You think if you open a door for me, I'll forgive you?' He threw over his shoulder to Widmayer, a tiniest hint of amusement colouring his voice. Carefully sidestepping some dirt, he turned into the street that would eventually lead them to Arco do Almedina.

"No, but it is my duty, .." He hid the smirk behind a perfect image of humility. "Will you not forgive me?"

'Your duty only includes opening doors does it? Forgive you, eh? Perhaps, once you've asked properly'. Fandorin allowed himself a small smile, that Widmayer would not be able to see, but his voice betrayed his amusement. When the boy was not being confrontational, Fandorin thought he might actually like him.

".. and serving you sir. Why else would you have purchased a servant." He smiled, reading the man's feelings through the tone of his voice rather than seeing his face. He shook his head.

Was he really sulking?

'You say it like I've bought you at a slave market'. Avoiding being run over by two playing children, Fandorin continued. 'Serving me? Sometimes I have a feeling I'll be serving you, if I am not careful'.

"Not on this trip, sir." He watched the two young one pass, very much oblivious to them, and then duck around the corner, till but their squeals were heared.

" I am glad it wasn't a slave market that you've bought me. Then I might have expected to gain much less from you." He sounded amused, and teased back as he was teased.

'You forget, that should I have bought you at a slave market, I would have been much less prepared to harm the merchandise that cost me so much money'. Taking another turn, Fandorin finally saw Arco do Almedina in the distance.

"Am I to expect you shall cause harm to me, sir?" He gazed ahead at Arco de Almedina, and then towards his 'master'.

'Well, you really should apologise for earlier, or you know, I might just cane you like a naughty school boy'. Reaching the Arco, he turned into the lane where Branco's house was and stopped.

" I'm no child. Sir. Just your servant. " He glanced at the house and then turned to look at Fandorin. "Why are we here?"

'But I'm old enough to think of you as one'. Fandorin nodded towards a uniformed man in front of Branco's house. 'To observe, Josef'. In a moment of inattention, or rather in a moment of paying too much attention to someone else, Fandorin used the first name. He studied the house, then backed out of the alley and made his way to the parallel one.

"..Still it does not give you the right.." He followed again, glancing both at the house and then at Fandorin. He wondered for a moment if the man thought he had killed their previous 'target' and was thus going together with him to see the same did not happen to the next. But shaking his head he decided that was a rather foolish assumption.

Fandorin walked down the parallel alley until he'd reached a house that he judged was back to back with Branco's. It was a tavern, closed now for it was early, but a window was shut and one could hear a raised voice scolding someone unseen for not locking all the windows. Fandorin smirked.