Feeling a smile crawl onto his lips, it quickly disappeared as he heard the door swing open, replacing it was his annoyed smile.
“Hello second witness, I am Malum Doctor of Baron Smith who is currently seriously ill.”
He recognised the second witness as the one who chased him upstairs into that small room. A fair amount of danger lingered around him, now Malum focused on diffusing that danger.
“Sorry for the inconvenience but I’m sure you have heard of the good cause. Now can you read out the phrases on the table.”
“Fine.” He picked up the paper and read an interesting set of sentences.
“We are the repair workers you asked for”
“Can we just get our jobs done. Its already very late.”
“You bastards, I was just taking a whizz and you disappear”
“David! Good to see you, come here and help us, It should not be long now”
“As good as new. It was good meeting you Knight”
Luckily Malum had only said one of them, being the third one and it wasn’t even the right guard to recognise his voice as all of them was for that singular guard who was observing them during their `repairs`.
He read them quickly but was surprised by the accuracy of each sentence. As far as he remembered it was spot on and even the name was remembered, although it was just a large red herring he was sure the Knights were loving tracking down.
The Knight only nodded then asked Malum to pose out some actions. One of them was when he was frozen in the corridor, and others where simple things like how he walked or ran.
Malum had thought of these prior and so changed most of the things he did. The easiest way was simply adding a limb to his right leg and with the prior set up done to his face and the removal after the heist his face whilst looking similar wasn’t a match.
Eventually the Knight breathed out a resigned sigh and said, “Alright, I am happy that it isn’t you. I will being the next one in, just give me a second.”
Malum nodded a smiled as the guard walked out. A second layer of danger had been peeled of his senses and now just two more remained.
The next one came in not a moment later. This Knight was the one he had seen at the entrance and it was the one he had spoken about the fire to.
“Hello Docter, names James Blacksmith.” He shook Malum hand before he asked the suspect to read of the lines. They weren’t for him but he used the opportunity to check the mans habits.
Things like how he spoke, how he sat. He needed to know when he was uncomfortable and this brief moment was a good time to do so.
Once he had established some basic details he got the Docter to flip over the paper to reveal more lines. This time it were the ones he had personally heard.
He checked to see if the Docter was nervous in any way, no fidgeting leg, no sweat forming, if anything he just looked annoyed and his voice conveyed it.
“Help, there’s a fire!” he said, with mock urgency. To which the Knight asked, “In which direction is the fire?”
Perhaps it would have worked. Malum almost caught himself pointing in the same direction but just as fast did he say the words, “How am I supposed to know? I’m in windowless room, I not a robber, and didn’t even know there was a fire. Now what’s next.”
The Knight shifted and the danger peeled away from the surroundings, even though he hadn’t left he had already passed this Knights examination. After some movements with the disguise on the Knight seemed to shake his head and say,
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Sorry for the inconvenience, the Knight Captains been on so much pressure to catch the thief so I hope you can keep that in mind.”
Malum nodded to the man to get him out the room quicker. After he left he was given a moment of breath where he gathered his thoughts.
Next was going to be the only Knight who had heard him say a sentence. He needed to keep his habits as they were and not give out any information...
Stopping his preparation was the sound of the door coming open. Again, the silver glint of a Knight came through the door. This was the one Jameson had shook the hands of and knocked out via his potent poison.
It was also the one that had seen him the most.
Malum decided to get up and shake the mans hand. Not only to show his limp early but also to show that his hand was different from the one he shook before.
“The final one.” Malum said to which the Knight nodded.
“Yes once you have been cleared by me you are free to go.”
With a smile on his face Malum started the interrogation on a high note. He wanted a relaxed atmosphere that would ease up the coming trails.
The first came as they both sat down on their chairs. Malum was gestured to pick up the paper and soon he was reading out each of the lines.
He said them as he always had done. With the politeness of a docter, with the annoyance slowly peeling off every time he recited them.
The one line he had said in front of the Knight during the robbery, he spoke just as he had done before. Trying to bring as little attention to it as he could.
He spoke every word, then moved onto to the next sentence. He hid his fear and didn’t look for a reaction. He confidently moved on and soon the recital came to an end.
“Would you want me to do any poses next?” Malum asked.
“Actually no, for mine I’m just going to ask you some questions. Answer them honestly as with as little time as possible.”
Malum eyes him up. That didn’t sound good but the situation forced him to agree.
“As long as it doesn’t take long.”
“Of course. What is your name?”
“Malum.” He said immediately.
“Good, you understand. How old are you?”
“17, as of a few weeks actually.” He wasn’t his birthday was in a few weeks but it made as a good distraction.
“Well happy birthday. A docter at 17, if only my kid could do the same. Anyway, what would you use to treat a headache?”
That was just general knowledge, “There are several methods, the most common would-be Calming Leaves.”
The Knight nodded and continued, “How did you learn to become a docter?”
“Is this to do with your kids?” He deflected, but only because he reckoned he could get away with it. He also benefited from more time to think through his real answer.
The Knight smiled but didn’t let himself laugh, “Sadly no, your answer?”
“Yes, I learned about herbs since I was a child. Loved healing, met the good Baron and joined him in warfare where I kept him in good health. We are on our leave and will soon return to face the wave if his health allows it.”
“You’re a solider as well?” The Knight asked.
“Yes, whilst healing is what I prefer it doesn’t pay nearly as well as what my father taught me.”
If he could steer the conversation to his family, Malum could go on forever without drawing much suspicion to himself. He hoped the Knight got carried away.
“What were you doing on the night of the robbery?”
Damn, “I was tending to his Lordship.”
“Finally, can you describe why you were with the Baron just days before the robbery scoping out the bank.”
Blood hell, Malum nearly straight up fainted. The only thing dragging him away from the terrible atmosphere was the Intuition that it wasn’t nearly as dangerous as it seemed.
“I am his good friend, and he was sorting out his old bank account. Now are we done with this charade?”
He kept calm. As calm as his terrified mind could show. He prayed to the God’s almighty.
“Alright I think you should be fine.” He kept his eyes on Malum the entire time. “You are certainly a suspect but nothing incriminating has been found pointing to you. Once your dressed you are free to leave.”
Malum breathed once again but didn’t show his relief and instead showed annoyance. “Suspect? I didn’t know the Temple was so full of fools!”
The Knight slipped out the room as he was shouting back. Once he left he turned the corner towards his bosses office where he met the other Knights.
“What do you think?” The Knight Captain asked.
“I agree that he matches the physical profile. Looks similar but he did not say anything out of the ordinary. If it’s him, he is good and at that age it would be even more impressive.”
“It is the same thing every one of you have said. He looks right, but has no motive and his alibi is good as well. The Baron was seen leaving the party not moments before the fire broke out. If sickness did take him then having his docter around would be the immediate call.
Keep him on the suspect list but leave him for now.” He gestured to the several letters he had received on his desk, “I will need to sort these out before we try anything again. Your dismissed Knight Bradford, for Glory and Honour.”
“For Glory and Honour” He saluted back and moved out the room. He wished his Captain luck and continued to look for suspects. He saw the Doctor moving out and waved him goodbye.
He waved back, the action eerily similar to one he had seen just as he was falling unconscious.