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still #basedonThaliasdream 

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Antique: Chapter 1

The Kinsley Family was a perfect recipe for trouble, she decided as she climbed out of the car.

She could see the mansion in front of her, one of the biggest house in this town. She really didn’t know to feel happy or not that this family decided to hire her.

The murder of Ellard Kinsley, head of the Kinsley Company, followed by the confusion of which heir should rule next, made the situation within the family intricate. It was no help that the family was known for their civil war within.

But what choice did she had? None. Her business was running slow the past few months, and a client of wealthy family may helped her money flow. Even though the client was rather... Scandalous.

She sighed once again before bracing herself to walk, going for the double door that greeted her with unwelcomingly. Well, with those dragons design that looked ready to fire her, it clearly was not easy.

She was one of those people in which had too much braveness. That was probably why she chose this career path. She had always loved mysteries.

She decided to just ring the bell.

The sound was humming through every hallway of that massive house. She could hear the some footsteps behind the door, and came face to face with a maid of the house.

“Oh, Detective!” Not to be conceited or anything, but she was indeed the most popular detective of the town. “Madam is expecting you.” The maid quickly showed her the way to the living room of this house.

She was welcomed by the smile of a thirty year old woman, Adelaide Kinsley, the most famous—and in it, scandalous as well—member of Kinsley House. “You’re early, Detective.”

She curtsied. “Ah yes, Madam, it is better than late, it is not?”

The woman smiled even wider. “Always the trustworthy one, Detective. Please, have a seat.”

She quickly seated at one of the couch. The maid poured her some tea. “Thank you,” she said.

“So, Detective,” the woman began when the maid left the room, “we have a problem that I’m sure you already know.”

She nodded. “Yes, Madam. The murder of Mr. Ellard, I assume?”

Adelaide smiled solemnly. “That is correct. However, the murderer is yet to be caught. We, of course, would not want something like this happened ever again.”

“I understand.”

“His death left an empty position in which complicate everything,” Adelaide sighed, “and that’s exactly the reason why another members of our family is back in town. They think they are heirs, but who could blame them? Ellard didn’t exactly left any sons.” The woman looked up at her apologetically. “Ah, sorry, I tend to do that. Please, drink the tea.”

She smiled politely. “That’s alright, Madam.”

“So anyway, Detective, we need someone to track the murderer down for us—” Adelaide’s voice went down to a whisper, “—since we think they are still following us. Me personally... I feel watched.”

She kept her eyes at Adelaide’s face, trying to analyse her. She decided that her fear was real. “I understand, Madam.”

“For that matter, though... You need to stay with us for a few days.”

She felt surprised, but she actually shouldn’t. This wasn’t the first time she had to stay away from her house for some time, for her work’s reason. “Alright, of course, Madam.”

She settled down in one of many rooms of the manor. The bedroom was a little bit bigger than hers back at her house. It was quickly becoming her favourite perks in working for Kinsley family.

The maid knocked at the door, alerting her that there was a dinner-meeting in the family office and she was requested to come. She agreed, as it was her risk for accepting the job.

They waited at the front lawn for the rest of the family. Adelaide Kinsley and her twin daughters were already outside when she came.

“I am sorry I am late,” she apologised.

“It is alright. My brother hasn’t even readied yet.” Adelaide dismissed her apology.

The teenage twin daughters, Valerie and Veronica Kinsley, looked at her in admiration. Well, a little she could say that she was indeed famous. She smiled at them.

Adelaide’s brother, Delbert Kinsley, came out of the house a few minutes later. The last member that lived in Kinsley’s main manor is Adelaide’s twin, Alaina, but after waited for her for almost half an hour, everybody began to feel tired.

“Aunt is always late,” Veronica grumbled under her breath. Adelaide, her mother, hushed her quickly.

Delbert sighed. “You know what, let’s just left her.”

Everyone agreed on this, and she was forced to agree as well. But deep down, she felt a little bit unsettled at the decision, and it looked like Adelaide felt the same.

“You all go first. I’m going to find Alaina and then I will follow you there,” Adelaide said before going back into the house.

The journey to the Kinsley’s office was almost too quiet, save for those badmouthing of Alaina. She quickly learned that Adelaide’s twin wasn’t exactly liked in this family. That may explained why they just decided to ditch her.

But when they arrive at the office, the unsettling feeling changed into something worse. It became the nagging feeling she somehow always felt when something wasn’t right. And it had never been wrong.

She apologised before running of the street, going back to the manor.

But it seemed like she was too late.

The big house was swarming with police. She scrunched her eyebrows, went through the police line. As she was recognized, nobody stopped her going inside the house.

She found Adelaide crying in front of the house, and decided to just come into the big manor. Following the crowds of police, she found herself running downstairs, to the unknown basement where the family store their wine.

She was welcomed with an unfriendly sight.

Alaina Kinsley was laid on her back, blood on her full make-up face, inside the small wine storage. Her sea-blue evening gown was also tainted with blood. It was a bit of a struggle to see what happened to her, as she was still lying inside the small basement. She could barely see anything from the short entrance to the wine storage.

A murder had happened, and Detective Thalia had done nothing to stop it.

She felt like a failure. ✧

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