**3rd Person POV**
“Hey,” said Harlin. He had thought that he would ignore the knocks on the door but Charlotte had been pretty persistent.
“Where have you been, Harlin?” asked Charlotte, knowing instinctively that something was up with her cousin and friend.
“My room. Have you been able to see Reginald? Is he okay?” questioned Harlin with a worried tone.
“About time you showed some concern,” was Charlotte's response.
“I'm really sorry. I've just been… well, thanks for stopping by, I will…”
Charlotte ignored Harlin's words and suddenly pushed him aside to enter his room.
Harlin followed her inside looking sorry because there was Francesca sitting on his bed. Charlotte looked disappointed and he could not blame her. He had promised he would stay away from her as she spelt trouble but he could not allow an innocent woman to suffer.
“Charlie, I can explain.”
“You have nothing to explain to me but this is good. This is very good,” Charlotte walked towards the bed and when she was close enough to touch Francesca, she grabbed her by the collar of her dress and demanded, “Who sent you?”
Francesca blinked furiously and stared into Charlotte's eyes with surprise. What was she talking about?
“Who sent you, you bitch?” questioned Charlotte in a hostile tone. Harlin came to Francesca's rescue but Charlotte pushed him aside.
“Charlie, we are friends but this is over the line,” said Harlin in a firm tone, there was no explanation for Charlotte's behaviour.
“Why is she not in her room?” quipped Charlotte.
“You can't ask her that, I told her to…”
“You are aware that she is Drieden's wife, are you not?” quipped Charlotte, dropping Francesca who was now sobbing on the bed and facing Harlin.
“It doesn't matter who…”
“Only that it does. When the guards ransake your room tomorrow, they are going to see Francesca here. It will not be long before it is discovered that she is Drieden's first wife. If she is found in your room, it will be implied that she is your lover and that is enough motive to kill Drieden and Nydia. Do you need me to spell it out for you?” questioned Charlotte. Harlin realised his error in horror.
“My intentions for remaining here are pure, I will leave if…”
“They are not. You stupid bitch! Why did you come here?” quipped Charlotte. She knew that the evidence had been strategically placed in their rooms. All three of them had a motive for killing Drieden. The three of them were also close friends and relations and so often they wanted to orchestrate the perfect murder they could pull it off. Moreso, evidence had been planted on all three. It was not rocket science, someone was trying to frame them and have them turn on each other.
“Harlin, you have to believe me, I know nothing…”
“You stupid liar. Who told you to come here?” demanded Charlotte without mercy but Francesca remained mum.
There was also another reason she had come to Harlin. When Lowell had turned against her, implying that she was responsible for Drieden's death because she had told him before that she would kill the vampire, she had been on her way to her room when someone had bumped into her rather rudely. She had been too upset to even react but once the person had got past her she realised that a note was in her hand. However, when she turned back the person was no more.
She had opened the note and it had read, remain with Harlin till the end, only he can protect you.
The letter had made perfect sense at the time so she had turned to Harlin for help. She had known somehow she had read the letter who it had come from. But now, how could she ever acknowledge that she had received instructions from Drieden’s murderer?
“It is okay if you do not believe me, I will leave,” replied Francesca and hurriedly left the room.
“You did not have to do that. You could've simply told her to leave,” said Harlin in a weak voice.
Charlotte threw a scrunched-up note at Harlin. He opened it and on it read; remain with Harlin till the very end, only he can protect you.
Harlin blinked severally in surprise. He had truly believed Francesca when she had said no one had sent her to him.
“Where did you find this?” he asked.
“She put the note between her breasts. I took it when I grabbed her, what does it say?” Harlin would have smiled if the situation had not been so serious. Charlotte was one hell of a character. He passed the note to Charlotte.
“Nydia is playing us all. I am certain she murdered Drieden, planted evidence on all three of us as misguided revenge and then used the confusion to escape,” said Charlotte.
“How the hell are we going to prove it? And what evidence did she place on you?” asked Harlin.
Charlotte told him and his eyes widened in shock.
“Where's the evidence now?” asked Harlin.
“It is with Prince Kristoff,” came Charlotte's response.
“Can he be trusted?” asked Prince Harlin.
“Only time will tell.”
****
“The blood on the dress does not belong to a werewolf. It belongs to a horse; the dead slaughtered horse has been found in the stables and our experts have confirmed that the blood belongs to the horse,” this was Titus summit during a close-up meeting with the king and queen, the Council of Elders from the werewolf clan and the young prince and his friend, Azrael.
Queen Agatha’s face went sour. She hated that she had been wrong on this.
“It does not exonerate the prince. For all we know, he is an accomplice and he planted the fake evidence to mislead us. Perhaps, he is in cohort with Drieden’s lady friend,” said Queen Agatha who hated being wrong about anything especially when it came to the werewolves.
“The evidence suggests otherwise. Besides, our guards have corroborated his testimony that he was with his horse, Diamond when the murder happened.”