Marlene awoke with a jolt in her room; her brother was sitting in a chair giving her a look.

“I can’t believe you sis,” He started, “what am I going to do with you.” He muttered.

Mary was at the door,

“Marcus dear, the governor is here to see you.” She said.

Marcus got up, “Gidgit, Watch her.” He said as he left.

Gidgit turned his head at her and cooed. Marlene remembered Ring Master’s words. She looked at the necklace she wore; she grabbed the diary from her nightstand.

Is it that easy? She thought. She pressed the necklace onto the book, it fit! She turned it and it opened the diary. She was about to open it when she heard footsteps and the door knob turn.

Marlene stiffened when the governor walked in, but before he walked in she hid the necklace under the covers and locked the diary again.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

“I’m fine thank you.” She replied nicely. He noticed the book on her lap, where did you get that.” He asked in a low voice.

Marlene reached for it but he snatched it up.

“That’s mine” she hissed. Her brother walked in and the governor quickly dropped it on the bed. The governor gave Marlene a threatening look as if to tell her not to say anything and put on a polite smile for Marcus.

“Ah, Marcus, I was just asking how your sister was faring.” Marcus eyed his sister, looking to her for confirmation. She nodded curtly not wanting Marcus to know about the diary as well.

“Well then lets head downstairs and talk.” The governor walked towards the door, leaded Marcus away from his sister.”

“Will you be joining us for breakfast Marlene?” Marcus asked before he was ushered away from the room.

“Yes, I will be down soon.” Marlene politely smiled at her brother, making sure not to give away her disgust of the governor.

Marlene’s reflection stared back at her, her dark slanted eyes and high cheek bones made her beautiful and resemble her mother, or so she was reminded by her father. (her mother had died when she was young so she did not remember.) When she got downstairs and made her way to the garden, her brother and father were laughing about something. She smiled before she heard another voice, a voice she recognized at the governor’s. She had just entered the garden when she heard her father speak,

“Oh Marlene, good morning dear, look the governor is joining us for breakfast.” She smiled politely as she always did around the governor and her family, but she was really thinking, Oh great… She slid into the chair next to Marcus. During the conversation she zoned out until she heard her name. She looked around to see everyone staring back at her.

“What was that?” she asked.

“Would you like to have dinner with the governor?” Her father repeated the question. Marlene was about to decline but her brother gave her a look to urge her to accept. She groaned inwardly,

“I would love to.” She replied.

“Great!” exclaimed the governor, “I will have my car pick you up tonight at seven.” He added.

Night came too suddenly for Marlene’s comfort, but she was wearing an evening dress. She reached for her jewelry box on her vanity and looked in the mirror out of habit and suddenly jumped in surprise and dropped the box. Ring Master was behind her, leaning against the bed post.

“How on earth did you get in here? She asked keeping her voice low, not wanting Mary, her maid to hear.

“You really should lock your windows; I mean there are crazy people out there.” He replied slyly.

“What do you want” she asked, as she put her earrings in, hoping she seemed nonchalant, inside she was screaming.

“I heard you’re having dinner with the governor this evening.” He said.

“It’s not like I want to” she added, Ring Master stared straight at her,

“If you want the key, I need you to do something for me tonight.”

“That is?” asked Marlene impatiently.

“I need you to kill the governor.”

Marlene just stared shocked at his dark eyes behind the mask.

“No!” she finally answered.

“Then you won’t get the key then.”

“But I need that key!” she protested. Ring Master grabbed her arm tight; Marlene tried to wriggle out, “And Then how are you going to get the key? If you won’t do as I ask….There are other ways of paying.”Ring master said in a low voice threateningly. “But I am a gentleman and wouldn’t dare ask a lady to do that.”

“Marlene dear? The car is here.” Said Mary, appearing in the doorway, “is everything okay?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m fine.” Marlene answered afraid Mrs. Mary saw Ring Master, but as she looked around she found that Ring Master had disappeared, like he was never there.

When Marlene arrived to the governor’s house, she found it was very beautiful. The Governor was waiting at the door for her.

“Mrs Ashmore, welcome to my home.” He said happily, Marlene saw straight through his fake smile.

They sat down at the long dinner table, adorned with delicious looking food. They started eating and Marlene felt a little more at ease because the governor kept the conversation light which she was grateful for, that was until he spoke about her husband.

She asked if the governor knew anything about the disappearance of her husband.

“Oh, your brother didn’t tell you?”

On the ride back she recalled what the governor said. Her husband was wanted for murdering his father.

“He was taken down by your brother’s hands.”

Marlene was on a mission when she got home. She made a beeline to her husband’s study. Thankfully Mary kept the newspapers that were important, she sighed in relief when she found the one she was searching for.

Friday 11:57pm, 18th of 1847.

Hank Ashmore found dead in his home. Andrew Ashmore wanted for his father’s death.

She looked at the next newspaper.

Police chief Marcus Watson takes down Andrew Ashmore, his brother-in-law, ordered by the governor for the murder of his father, Hank Ashmore.

Marlene whistled and Gidgit flew in and landed next to her. She ripped the headline of the newspapers and handed it to Gidgit, taking it in his beak.

“Take this to my brother.” She said, Gidgit obediently chattered, flapping his wings and flew out the window.

Marcus was working late at his office, when Gidgit landed on his desk.

“Hey there buddy,” he said, “what do you have there.” Marcus took the paper from his beak and his smile fell as he read the papers. Marcus immediately got up and packed up his things, heading to Marlene’s house, Gidgit following behind him. Before Marcus got in the car, he wrote down something on a torn piece of paper.

“Gidgit,” he called, Gidgit landed on his hand, “you know where to take this.” He said in a low voice. Gidgit snatched it up in his beak and took off.

When Marcus arrived, Marlene was waiting for him by the front door.

“Why didn’t you tell me!” she confronted her brother.

“Sis, it’s a long story.” He started.

“Well, I have time.” She replied.

“I, well…” a man ran in, “sir! The governor has ordered to see you right away. Ring Master has tried to kill him.”

“Great…” Marcus ran a hand through his messy hair. “I’m so sorry sis…” he said quietly and left, hearing Marlene crying behind him, breaking his heart.