#grabs his manservant by the scruff of his neck and makes a run for it

[unhingedmess]

merlin & arthur, in camelot: we made it!

knight, left behind for the umpteenth time: do i mean nothing to you?

part 2

part 3

[beesartandstuffs]

Who Killed Markiplier: Shot in the Dark-- Chapter 1, Part 7

(So close guys!! Don’t forget to LIKE and REBLOG!!)

SHOT IN THE DARK MASTERLIST (find the previous parts here!)

I find the butler in the hallway outside. He appears to be waiting for me, and I wonder if he has something to say.

"Excuse me, Miss Bailey," he says, right on cue.

"I beg your pardon," I say suddenly. "But I'd rather not call you 'Butler' my whole time here. What is your name?"

"Ah… Benjamin, Miss." He smiles, seeming to be surprised that I even cared.

"Benjamin, then. May I help you?"

"Actually, I was wondering if I might help you." He clears his throat. "There's not a single detail of this house that I'm not privy to, and not a single guest that I haven't personally vetted."

This piques my interest. "Is that so?"

"Yes, Miss. And there is an area of interest that I would be glad to show you… I believe it is important."

I keep my notepad at the ready. "Please, lead the way, then."

Benjamin leads me to the other end of the house… although it seems to be a shorter walk than usual.

We stop at the gate to the wine cellar. "Is this it?" I ask, a bit doubtfully.

He nods, completely serious. "I warn you. What you are about to see is not for the faint of heart. A domain of evil this is… but in we must go." He opens the gate, looks into the darkness, and steps to the side. "...You first."

How chivalrous, I think with an internal eye-roll.

The stairwell is dark, and I feel the coolness from the controlled temperature of the cellar even before I enter the cellar itself. Instead of relieving me from the humidity of the storm, however, it's oppressive. Like a wet cloth being draped over my chest, weighing me down, making it hard to breathe.

I pause on the last step and take a laborious breath.

In we must go. 

I enter.

The cellar is dimly lit and sparsely decorated, yet immaculate. That is, I think it's immaculate until I look down…

"AVERT YOUR EYES!" Benjamin dashes past me and falls to his knees, sliding into position next to a single smashed wine bottle on the floor. "I'm so sorry you had to see this!"

I blink. "It's...it's just a wine bottle."

"Yes, but it's the master's favorite," he cries pitifully, burying his face in his hands. "And now it's all over the floor. He would be so displeased!"

I jump forward and grab his arm as he prepares to clean the mess up with a broom. "Wait! Don't, not yet. That's evidence. Let me get the Detective."

Benjamin looks up at me with wide eyes. "But… the mess… "

"Just a moment. Just one moment, understand? I'll be right back. Don't touch anything!"

I run back up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and bellow, "ABE! WE FOUND SOMETHING!"

With a muted smack, I run right into him in the hall, recoiling immediately. He pants, his pistol in one hand and the poker from the fireplace in the other. "What? What is it? Spit it out!" he yells in my face.

"Benjamin found something in the wine cellar," I gasp, out of breath.

"Benjamin?"

"The butler."

"I KNEW THAT GUY KNEW SOMETHING!" He throws the poker to the side and charges past me toward where I came from. I follow best I can, but by the time I get to the top of the stairs, he's halfway down at a breakneck speed.

I shout a warning, but he trips, disappearing around the corner, and I wince as I hear rubbery flesh hit the floor.

"You okay, Abe?" I shout, starting down.

There is no answer. Instead, I hear him yell, "WHAT DID YOU DO? WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT?"

I round the corner to see him holding a very distraught Benjamin by the scruff of his neck and pointing the revolver in his face.

"Whoa!" I approach him carefully. "Abe, put the gun away. What happened?"

He shakes Benjamin roughly. “This little manservant got rid of the evidence before I could see it!"

The butler covers his face with his hands, sobbing pitifully. "I couldn't stand it! The master would have been so angry with me!"

I sigh. "Benjamin, that was evidence."

He's not listening. He cries into his hands. "If only he were still alive!"

Abe and I exchange glances. The detective releases the butler, who drops to his knees in anguish.

I look at Abe. "Maybe we should, uh...." I gesture vaguely.

He gives me a single nod. We ascend the staircase, leaving Benjamin in the cellar. "Well there goes that chance," he grumbles.

"I'll keep an eye on him."

"I'm sure you will." He gives me a weird look. "Have you talked to Chef yet?"

I check my list. "No, he was going to be next."

"You do that. I'll meet up with you later."

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