Chapter 5 A Man Of The Cloth

"LOCKHEART!" The robed man shouts his eye's flickering with murderous intent.

"Ahh if it isn't Father Fredrick, I am surprised you are not on the streets misguiding those who follow your teachings into believing some gold in a collection tin will save them." Lockheart sneers at the Father.

Fredrick face is twisted in an expression of pure rage he looks back to Young who averts his gaze to the wall

pretending he didn't just hear this verbal exchange.

"You dare mock a servant of the almighty!" "Lockheart you can not hide behind your adoptive father this time!" Ohlmes staring in disbelief it seems the Father is on a warpath and Lockheart is right in his way.

Lockheart strides forward to meet Fredrick they are now eye to eye and a verbal battle between them ensues.

"Your studies have been tolerated by the church and your outspoken nature but I will not stand for it!" Fredrick is shouting at this point.

"Tolerated my every step has been scrutinized, it is zealots like you who pushed me towards this path the sin alone is not mine to bare." Ohlmes dumbfounded at this point looking at Lockheart he wishes to speak but it is as if a frog has climbed down his throat and no words can escape.

Fredrick pauses then turns his gaze over to Ohlmes his face softens a bit.

"Constable I am sure you can handle this case we have no need for this agnostic heathen to bring ruin upon us." Fredrick using a soft tone but Ohlmes can feel the malice behind his words. Ohlmes tries to muster up the courage to speak again but fails and all he can manage is to nod no. The church's power is vast speaking against it is almost unheard of but Lockheart stands firm on the matter. As the argument between the two escalates it seems it is only a matter of time till they come to blows. Ohlmes steps in between them.

"We have case here Father you should not be here."

Fredrick turns his head to Ohlmes all semblance of softness has left his face.

"You would do well to mind your tongue or are you telling a servant of the church he can not worry about his flock."

"Of course not sir I merely suggested your presence may impede are investigation." Ohlmes now visibly shaken. Fredrick now turning his anger towards Ohlmes, he begins to berate him on his feminine looks and demeanor.

"I will not have some boy who has yet to grow a hair on his chin speak to me in that manner!" Fredrick now screaming at Ohlmes.

Lockheart seeing this seeing how the church treats those who question them tips him over the breaking point, he steps in between Ohlmes and Fredrick garbing hold of the fathers collar. Lockheart's now has his hands firmly grasped on Fredricks collar, his knuckles turn white from his tight grip.

"I have had enough of your antics leave now!" Lockheart now shouting while yanking on Fredricks collar his eye's were like daggers piercing into him.

Fredrick standing firm in the face of Lockheart not yielding or moving, it seems at any moment they will come to blows, Ohlmes reaches his hand out to try and stop this from escalating any further but before he could a roar coming from the study's door stopped them all in their tracks.

"Lockheart you have gone too far!" It was Inspector Young his face beet red, anger in his eye's as he stomped over to the quarreling pair like an enraged boar. Ohlmes hopping out of the way of Young only to see him grab ahold of Lockheart's arm and flinging him like as if he were a small child.

"Father Fredrick please excuse his behavior I will remove him from the scene." Young trying to sound empathetic.

"It is quite alright I may have said more than I should have." The father adjusting his robes his sleeve now rolled past his elbow.

Ohlmes still trying to get a grasp on what transpired notices bandages on the fathers forearms he begins to speak but is cut off by Young. On the other side of the room

Lockheart is adjusting his coat glaring at Young and Fredrick as he was about to open his mouth he notices a lock of tangled white hair on the window sill. Dried blood stained the otherwise white lock of twisted mane, Lockheart now intrigued makes his way to the window. Peering out the window he could see a dingy cluttered alleyway, scanning the walls he could see a terrace just in reach of the window with what appeared to be dried blood in plain view. Now curious he makes his way out of the study all the while Ohlmes, Young, and Fredrick were occupied talking amongst themselves. As Lockheart was leaving the manor a crowd of nosy pedestrian's has gathered the constables having their hands full keeping them back.

"It was spirits wasn't it!" A man in the crowd yells whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

"Who will keep us safe, where is the father we need him to tell us." An older women in the crowd shrieks. The constables having a hard time controlling the masses.

Using this confusion Lockheart walks to the side of the manor following the wall to the window of the study an alleyway adjacent to the window he begins to walk down it. The stone paved alley was mucky, wet with waste people threw from their windows the stench was awful. As Lockheart walked down the alley the sun could barely be seen on account of the buildings blocking the light making it quite dark. Reaching into his coat he produces a small flint lighter, he flicks the lighter sparks then flame the light is not much but he will need it if he hopes to find any clues that have not been buried in the waste of morning traffic.