Chapter 346: A trip to the station.
The Central station in the city was a cavern of cold steel and echoing voices. Enforcers in their uniforms and armor lined the walls, going about with the duties. Detectives and junior officers also roamed the halls, matching suspects in and out, questioning those they needed answers from. Sienna, and everyone in her office who had been present when Lord Fenton died were in the station to give answers.
Sienna sat at the long interrogation table, Mija and Mika beside her, while Lucy, Linera and others shifted nervously under the harsh lights.
The lead detective, a middle aged brown fox beast woman with sharp eyes and a name tag printed with Detective Kay, leaned forward. "Lady Sienna, recount what happened before Lord Fenton died."
Sienna folded her hands, her voice steady despite the weight pressing on her chest. "Everything was proceeding as usual. Lord Fenton argued bitterly with his young wife, Lady Lamby. His sons and grandchildren were present and loud. He was in the middle of his final words before the divorce papers could be signed when her collapsed. I pushed the alert button and Mija called for aid immediately. There was no time to save him."
Mija nodded, confirming her words.
Sienna’s gaze hardened. "But I must ask--all this questioning and the hush-hush behavior of the enforcers when we were brought in, what was it for? Did Lord Fenton die of anything other than natural causes? Is it truly a murder?"
Detective Kay’s ears twitched. "I am not supposed to say but you are the matriarch of the tribe so you will just go over my head and demand answers from my superior anyway. So, I might as well tell you what we know so far. An unknown toxin was found in Lord Fenton’s blood. It has been identified as a poison, but not what kind. At this moment, the death is being considered homicide."
The room chilled.
"Shit!" Mija blurted out. "I knew it. There was such a negative energy about that family. I bet Lamby did it."
Linera leaned forward. "We would like to clarify that we had no hand in his death. The Fenton’s did not drink or eat anything while they were in the office."
Mika nodded. "I offered water and tea and it was rejected. Darius Fenton said they didn’t eat or drink the cheap stuff we were offering."
Detective Kay’s eyes narrowed. "Who do you believe could be responsible?" Her eyes were focused on Sienna, making it clear whose opinion she wanted to hear.
Sienna did not hesitate. "If Lord Fenton did not accidentally eat something that poisoned him or killed himself, then my first suspect would be Darius, the oldest son. He clearly resented his father’s wastefulness of the family assets on his step-mother. He also resented his father for remarrying a gold-tail. He made it clear that the family assets were not going to be divided, no matter what his father promised Lamby.
The youngest son too, could be a suspect. He is reckless and desperate for wealth.
The oldest granddaughter Elana, she was very loyal to her grandmother. Her grandfather’s marriage seemed to be something of a betrayal of her grandmother’s memories. And, her grandfather allowed Lamby to take her grandmother’s jewels, dresses, shoes--things that should have been left to Elana and her cousins."
"Not to mention the grandfather being into escorts and giving his wife’s company to his new wife." Mija pitched in.
Sienna nodded. "Elana has many reasons to hate her grandfather. And lastly, Lady Lamby herself, the wife of the deceased. She is not to be overlooked. Her marriage was built on ambition, not love. She was apparently having affairs. Men like Fenton are not in the business of allowing women that humiliate them to walk around, enjoying the money they stole from them. It would not shock me if Lamby poisoned him."
Mija leaned forward. "And, it’s easier to inherit when your husband is dead, instead of alive, filled with hatred and unwilling to let go of his wealth."
They spoke each name with measured calm, their reasons laid bare.
Sienna leaned back, exhaling softly. "But the rest of the extended family can’t be left out. If Fenton gave half of the Fenton estate and legacy to Lamby, they would be making a big financial loss. I would also damage their reputation. In my opinion, the whole Fenton family from relatives to servants had reasons to want the man dead."
"Lamby’s lovers too, maybe one of them could not wait anymore to liberate her." Mika squealed nervously.
Detective Kay scribbled notes, her ears flicking at every accusation. She rose, and opened the door. Suddenly, a shriek split the air. Lady Lamby raced through the corridor, her white tail lashing. Elana followed close behind, her eyes blazing, roaring fiercely.
"You poisoned him!" Elana screamed, lunging at Lamby.
Lamby snarled back, claws flashing. "He was safer with me than one of you. If anyone wanted him dead, it was all of you."
The two collided, tails whipping, claws raking. Enforcers rushed in, trying to separate them, but the fight only grew wilder. Chairs toppled, papers scattered, and Mika shrunk in his chair in alarm.
Sienna and others peeked through the door, witnessing the chaos unfold.
Linera called out from where she was standing by the window, "Sienna, there are reporters outside, at least thirty of them. A lot of cameras are flashing. Enforcers are also waving in many vehicles whose plates start with ’FF’ and the Fenton family logo. My hearing is very sharp, some of them are already discussing inheritance rights and demanding answers. This is going to be messier than we imagined."
Linera was right, because as more Fenton’s showed up, each voice added to the chaos. The central station became a battlefield of grief, greed and fury.
After her questioning, Sienna was finally released. She stepped into the corridor, her feet dragging, her shoulders hunched with exhaustion. Camera flashes assaulted her as soon as she stepped outside, and the guards quickly flanked her. They ignored the loud questions the reporters were yelling, as enforcers held them back.
Sienna made it on to her flying ship, only to stop when she saw who was waiting for her in the welcoming lounge. "Lord Grace," she rolled her eyes. "What are you doing on my ship?"