Mister Marlin

He cleared his throat to get Jackson's attention, before he opened the door for them. When he looked in his direction Alex lightly tapped on his ear signaling Jackson to listen closer to Julie's heart beat. Jackson opened the door inviting them inside the office. She bowed and politely greeted him

"Good afternoon Your Royal Highness Jackson", She turned to Alex bowing her head with a gentle smile greeting him "Good afternoon Your Majesty, commander Richard said you would like to speak with me."

Jackson listen carefully to her heart beet and the tone of her voice, he didn't detect any malice , animosity or bitterness coming from her. Her heart beat was steady, her voice was cheerful and polite, with a joyful tone to it. Alex jesters with his hand to the chair in front of the desk telling her " Julie please take a seat, I have a few questions to ask you."

She set down, patiently waiting for Alex to speak. Jackson set silently on the sofa, listening intently as Alex calmly began speaking to her.

"Julie I called you here today, because the prisoner I was holding in the dungeon was poisoned last night."

Her eyes widened, and her heart accelerated,she fanned her face with her hand gushing out " oh! Lord, your Majesty."

Jackson set quietly listening to every little flutter of her heart as well as the tone of her voice, and every breath she took,she seemed to have a legitimate reaction to Alex's comment.

He Purposely gave her this ghastly news right off the get go, to see what type of response he would get from her. As her heart beat slowly calmed down, and her breathing became normal again Alex continued.

" yes, Julie it's horrible news .And I was wondering if you have heard anyone talking about the prisoner, I had in the dungeon.?"

She didn't stutter or stammer she spoke normal and replied immediately to his question.

"Your Majesty, I do know a lot of the staff had seen Commander Richard, bring him through the service entrance. Some of the staff was curious to know why Commander Richard was putting that man in the dungeon and not taking him to the jail down town."

He already knew this, it's beginning to look like he might need to question most of his employees. Julie wasn't showing any signs of deception. Wanting to know if she knows anything else . He continued his questioning

"Did anyone you talked to know the Prisoner?"

She looked him in the eyes never faltering speaking clearly . Jackson even moved to the end of the sofa, so that he would be closer to her, just to hear her heart beat with a smooth rhythm, he closed his eyes to listen closer blocking the sounds of his own heart and Alex's.

"Your Majesty, I never heard anyone say they knew him , but one of the maids ask Mister Marlin if prisoners in the dungeon could have visitors like in the jail down town. I just assumed she was just joking."

He knows he can rule out Marlin.

Marlin is his personal butler. He's almost as old as the castle. He severed his grandfather, his father and now him. But he knows exactly how to serve a vampire king. There is nothing ever out of place. everything is laid out precisely for his convenience and Marlin is the most faithful employee in the castle. He could murder someone in front of Marlin and he would hide the body for him. Everyone knows Marlin has been in the castle longer then anyone , he knows the protocol for everything. Maybe the maid wasn't joking.

" Who was the maid that ask Mister Marlin that?"

As he ask his questions he noticed Julie didn't fidget around or seem uncomfortable at all, she sit calmly with her hands resting in her lap. Answering everything he ask her.

" It was Beth the maid I'm training to be the assistant head maid. We were on the way to check all the linens up stairs. And Mister Marlin was coming out of your bedroom. He told us we didn't need to check the linens in your room, because your bedroom was going to be redecorate."

He pauses a minute going over the notes he had written down this morning, Noticing Beth is the maid that was seen talking with the young boy Kenny . Beth was suppose to be the next person to be questioned. Wondering how much information Julie shared with Beth , he continued his questions.

"Julie does Beth know where you are all the time."

" most of the time your Majesty . I usually tell her if I need to do something."

" Did Beth know when you escorted Princess Alexis to the pool Friday?"

"Yes, your Majesty, I had told her earlier before I went upstairs to help Princess Alex pack, that I would teach her how to do the schedule for the week. And when Princess Alex decided to go for a swim, I sent her a text and told her I would be late."

"Julie has Beth ever showed any disapproval or malice towards you or Princess Alex?"

"Your Majesty. It's obvious to me and all the other maids. Why you chose me to be Princess Alexis personal maid. And when Princess Alexis first arrived here at the castle. A lot of the maids had a few words to say. But part of my job your Majesty is to settle disputes between the maids. And after I talked to all of them everything seems to be back to normal."

This is new information, he had no idea the maids had a dispute. But she's right he has established a chain of command. All the supervisors are suppose to try settling disputes in their department before coming to him. Hopefully the comments the vampire maids made aren't hate related. He certainly didn't give Julie the head maid position because she is a human, hopefully his other maids know this. Julie is very efficient at her job. And has worked hard to get the head maid position. The first two years she worked at the castle she attended classes at night for hotel and hospitality management . He promptly probes deeper for more information on this matter

"Julie do you remember anything they said?"

Knowing what he was getting at she went straight to the point it's a well known fact king Alexander doesn't tolerate discrimination in his Castle.

" your Majesty, the stuff they said wasn't that bad. No one expressed any hate towards me or Princess Alexis. Mostly they were all winning because you didn't choose them to take care of Princess Alexis. They all wanted to meet her. You know Your Majesty ,Princess Alexis is very popular, she's like a movie star."

Hearing that the comments were not hate related, is a relief, he hates firing people, that's the reason he does all the background checks . He's very particular about the people who work in the castle. Now he is feeling better about the choice he made for Lexi's personal maid.Julie never showed any signs of deception or lies. Unless she is a master of deception she's not the person he's looking for. He has decided to dismiss her for now .

"Julie I'm going to send you back with Commander Richard but I may need to talk with you later "