BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 144

"Maybe it wasn't Marco," Rolan chased after Jose, who was walking briskly towards his room on the second floor.

They had just finished hearing the story of Nolan— voiced by Jose so that Nolan could refute or confirm the truth of his interpretation. Jose almost always rightly captures Nolan's intentions. And now they've got a clear picture of what happened to Marco and where the man is.

"There's a lot of weirdness in the story! Why would he throw Nolan out of that dark room when there's a black ghost? Why didn't he come out? I know Marco more than you think Jose, I know Marco is not the type to sacrifice himself."

Jose stopped on the first runway towards the second floor. Next to her hand held the passage that escorted the stairs up towards the east wing. "If Nolan lied, where did he get Uncle Marco's coat and handkerchief? What could Nolan have gotten by lying in such battered condition? Uncle saw for himself in his hand there was a wound and a scar of rope."

"I don't call it a lie" Rolan denied. "But the story is weird here and there. They were in a dark dungeon underground, and then they walked down and out and reached the ground? No need to be an architect to think of it as odd, right?"

Jose looked at Rolan straight. "Uncle sounds like you don't want to find Uncle Marco."

The comment surprised Rolan until for two seconds he could only be stunned. "Don't talk carelessly Jose," he said, glancing around, making sure no ears were hearing around them. Gerald and Hans do not hear as both are asked to keep Nolan in the maid's room. "Every accusation you make weighs more than you can imagine. I could've been beaten up by your workers and forced to admit things I didn't do if you were to miss talking."

"Sorry." Jose shrugged his shoulders, not looking regretful in the slightest. "I wonder why Uncle was after me just to refute Nolan's story."

Rolan. "I just want you to consider cooking every oddity, every angle of the story, as a form of anticipation. Do you remember what I said in front of Edgar? I need your figure. If you're reckless and wretched, can you imagine what kind of mess this is going through?"

"Over-exaggerated unclean."

"No. Many parties are still in place to watch over us, judging which is the right moment to move. They're holding back because they can't read your moves yet, they're counting on you. If you're missing, I'll make sure there's a paid mob throwing stones at this house!"

Rolan threw away his face when he uttered the last sentence. His breathing is irregular.

Jose knew his uncle was imagining what happened a dozen years ago, when his wife died in a mob siege. Marco was seriously injured and rushed to the hospital. Someone provoked the masses, making many people move into the Argent residence. Young pregnant Yvone stays there at Renata's offer, who wants her sister-in-law to be well cared for while Rolan works. Panicked by the crowds surrounding the house, the two ran down from the second floor to take shelter underground. The people had broken through the gates and entered the courtyard, pelting the doors and windows with stones. Yvone slipped in shock to hear a large rock break the window closest to her. He fell down the stairs, but managed to get up quickly and continue his path. But moments later, Yvone complained that her stomach hurt. The baby died first in Yvone's stomach, which followed an hour later in Renata's arms. Rolan, seventeen years old, did not even have time to say goodbye to his wife.

"I won't do anything rash" Jose calmed down. "I agree that Uncle Marco is not that romantic type of person to the point of sacrificing himself for others—especially Nolan. But I believe Nolan is telling the truth. So chances are: Uncle Marco must have had a certain plan. Perhaps he felt he could defeat the black ghost, or find the weakness of the black ghost, or ... Uncle stepped on a mine so he couldn't get out even if he wanted to. Maybe Uncle didn't want to go out to protect Nolan. Uncle just can't catch up with Nolan."

"And why can't you?" rolan replied, who was calmer.

"Not knowing." Jose turned around and continued his steps up the stairs to the east wing. "Obviously, I'm not going to go there right away until I know exactly who we're dealing with right now. Uncle Marco is still alive, he's not lost like everyone else. That's relieving. Right now all we have to do is stay calm so as not to misstep ..."

They were silent as they passed some servants polishing the furniture, then continued back once the surroundings were quiet.

Jose looked over his shoulder. "I understand how much we want to destroy. I must be careful, trust me."

"I don't trust you." Rolan exhaled a long breath, rubbing his face with both hands to drive away the tiredness. His move is now level with Jose. "When you suddenly ran away after hearing Nolan's story, I thought you'd take an army of workers straight to the South."

"Ah, it's just a gimick. I just want to keep Gerald and Hans quiet. They seem to really want to run there and find Uncle Marco." Jose rubbed his hair child that had fallen to the forehead, combing it backwards with a finger. "Although now they obey me, my position is only temporary. The one they serve is Uncle Marco. If I had just heard the story, they might have been disappointed in me. Even though they know I'm just doing the right thing, they'll want to see at least I'm doing or reacting satisfactorily."

Rolan. "So that was just a charade and you came out with no intention of doing anything?"

"I intend to call Maria" Jose said. "I haven't apologized for making her shy at the party last night."

"Ah, speaking of the police station, I remember." Jose stop. They arrived at the door of his room. "Uncle remember I said I wanted to see Inspector Robert to confirm his status, right?"

Rolan still remembers how Jose made a silly proposal to commit a criminal act in order to stay in jail and talk to Robert. "Yes. You've met him. Still think he's not a traitor?"

Jose shakes. He opened the door and sidelined the body so that Rolan could enter. "He may not be our main opponent" he said as soon as the door closed. "I threatened everyone and humiliated Inspector Robert in his office. There were many who were angry, afraid, or embarrassed, but I also saw some who looked calm. These people, when everyone else was watching me being bullied, only these people were more interested in watching Inspector Robert's reaction."

"So they're watching Robert, watching if he's gonna miss talking?" Rolan frowned. "Isn't that just a boomerang for us? Now the opponent knows that you know where Marco is!"

"I didn't ask you about Uncle Marco, yet" Jose approached the telephone in the corner of his room. "I acted as if I was just coming for Nolan and was angry that he was being held back when he was my guest. I've also warned everyone to shut up about this morning." He dialed the phone number outside his head. After speaking for a while, Jose returned the phone handle to its place with a grim face.

"Why? She won't talk to you?" guess Rolan.

"He was sleeping. Who picked up Dale's phone." He exhaled from the mouth, blowing his hairdresser who was in a way falling again to the forehead. "Inspector Robert was injured on the shoulder, I saw as Hans parried his hand. Nolan told me that Inspector Robert did something nasty to Uncle Marco, but I had other conjectures."

"Which is?"

"What I do think is that Inspector Robert locked Nolan in a cell because he wanted to protect her. I've asked people to go scraping stories from Mr. Gordon was back home. Someone should be here soon to bring news."

Rolan nodded slowly, liking the efficiency and sharpness of Jose's reasoning. "Now, what are you gonna do?" he asks.

"Investigate this necklace." Jose touched his chest where Arabella's golden talisman was. "There's something wrong. I feel like I'm forgetting something, but I'm not sure what I'm forgetting. I intend to spend some time experimenting in the library while waiting for my informant to come."

"Archive Central Library?"

"Home library." Jose opened the door and stepped out followed by Rolan.

At the end of the corridor, George saw them and walked closer in definite steps, with the kind of view that gave the impression that he needed to convey something.

"Young Master," he said as he bowed politely

"Why, George?" jose asked as soon as the butler stopped. Only the man was the only person who did not call him Little Master, and Jose liked that. The Young Master had a more authoritative echoes of the word in his ears. "I hope there's no problem."

"I'm not sure about the problem, sir. But downstairs, Mr. Xavier Hastings came to see you."

"That's the informant you're waiting for?" Rolan looked astonished.

"Where is possible!" Jose laughed, not hiding his sense of herd. "Xavier Hastings! Real nice. George, ask Gerald to call Finnian and Harold. No one shows up first, but I don't want Xavier to get out of here without my permission!"

At Jose rushing away followed by Rolan, George agreed politely.

***