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Chapter One: The Discovery

There was a crack that shattered the silence enough to wake half the household, and Emma Swan was first to wake. Forgetting to put on her robe, Emma scurried out of her room into the kitchen sticking out from behind the island were two slipper incased feet. She held her breath as she crept around the island to see who it was. Ella Boyd's body lay motionless, her eyes bulging in terror, and blood slowly seeping out from her chest. Covering her mouth, her eyes bulging, she screamed just as Mary Margaret appeared, black curls bobbing at the nape of her neck. As soon as she saw the body her expression mimicked her best friends. It was not long before the other residents of the household began to emerge from different directions to see what the screaming was about and were shocked to discover the dead body.

~Page Break~

Emma paced the living room frantically, now in her maid's uniform after almost being caught in her night dress by her boyfriend, Neal, once, and didn't want that to happen again, while Mary Margaret sat on the couch her face buried in her hands as tried to stifle her uncontrollable sobs. Madame Cora French had snapped at her a few times for those sobs. Cora currently resided by the window smoking a cigarette and a glass of wine in her other hand. Her husband, Moe French, was busy explaining things to Officer Leroy Arenberg. Regina, her older daughter, tapped her foot on the carpet, as her eyes gazed longingly at the stables. She usually went riding at this hour, but her mother had insisted she stay for the investigation. Her step-daughter, Moe's daughter and younger than Regina, would be returning from school today and would be arriving in a few hours, though Cora had no idea why Moe let the little brat leave for school in New York. She sipped from her glass staring at her husband and the officer as they exchanged words.

"Mr. French told me what happened," Neal said, as he came rushing in from the backyard. "Is everyone okay Madame?"

"Everything is not okay," Cora snapped, "We have a dead body on our premises that we have to take care of! Shouldn't you be getting back to work?"

He rolled his eyes when her back was turned. "Yes, Madame, I just wanted to check on everyone." He glanced at Emma wanting to stay and comfort her and Mary Margaret, but he would get fired if he didn't do as 'The Queen' commanded.

"Sweetheart, this Officer Leroy Arenberg, he works for Detective Gold," Moe explained as he walked into the living room with the officer.

She approached the two gentlemen, scrunching up her nose at the smell of cigar smoke and whiskey, and placed her fingers within Officer Arenberg's offered hand."

"Don't worry ma'am we will solve this case," he promised, as he showed his yellowish teeth from the constant cigar smoking.

"Where is the detective?" she asked briskly.

"Detective Gold will be here soon, he's just a little late, and asked me to come investigate until he can arrive," Leroy assured Cora, not appreciating her briskness with him.

"Cora darling, please be patient with Officer Arenberg, he's doing his best until the detective arrives," Moe lectured his wife.

"Yes, of course, but we don't need someone who lacks experience in these kinds of cases, handling such an important matter," she replied.

"Don't worry ma'am the experienced detective will be here soon. I'm just here to check things and inform of what is going on when he arrives," Leroy replied, politely, but his tone indicated irritation at the woman's skepticism at his lack of skill.

Slipping his hands in his pockets, Moe swayed back and forth on the balls of his feet caught between wanting to defend his wife and secretly sympathizing with the Officer for trying to please his demanding wife. He understood the urgency of taking care of the body of an innocent, sweet woman in their kitchen and she deserved justice for her murder, but treating the police as if they were a nuisance was uncalled for her.

"Sweetheart, I understand your frustration, but I think the officer knows what he is doing or Detective Gold wouldn't have requested Officer Arenberg to come here in his stead," Moe reminded his wife, but Cora just rolled her eyes and sipped from her glass of wine.

"Forgive my wife, Officer Arenberg, she's tired and frustrated, as we all are," Moe said, apologetically.

"Its fine sir and I promise my boss will be here soon," Leroy replied.

Moe removed his gold pocket watch with his initials engraved on the casing, a gift from Belle—his biological daughter, and pride and joy—as a birthday gift and his eyes bulged as soon as he discovered what time it was.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry Officer Arenberg, but I have to pick up my other daughter at the train station. She just finished a spring semester at one of the women's college's," Moe explained to Leroy, beaming proudly.

"Mother, I would like to go riding if you don't mind," Regina said, briskly as she stood up to leave.

"Alright, but be back by 1:30," Cora told her daughter.

"Yes, mother," Regina said, and hurried out of the room before her mother could change her mind and summon her back.

"Enjoy your ride," Moe called after his adopted daughter, "Miss Swan I know you're distressed, but would you please show the officer where the…body was found?" Moe couldn't bring himself to address the dead woman by her Christian name anymore; it was easier to refer to her as "the body".

"Yes, of course," Emma said, as she wrapped a handkerchief around her red nose and blew into it. She liked Ella Boyd; she was sweet, just a bit of a gossip, and seeing her body was horrifying. The sight of seeing Ella's body made her sick, but she would do as her boss requested. She led Officer Arenberg into the kitchen grimacing as she heard the shrill instance from Cora that Mary Margaret should get back to work.