Chapter 27: The Client’s Story

Elias Thorne leaned back in his chair, the morning sunlight filtering through the thin curtains of his office. Across the desk, Marian set down a steaming cup of tea, her usual brisk efficiency tempered by a hint of unease.

"The papers are buzzing about the Cyndralis-Dravenholm trade agreement," she said, smoothing her apron absentmindedly. "Tariff disputes are finally being addressed. They're saying it could mean cheaper imports for Arkwright."

Elias nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. "Cheaper goods mean a boost for businesses like yours," he said absently, recalling the laundromat Marian ran before joining him as his secretary.

Marian smiled faintly. "That'd be nice, but I wonder what's really behind it all. There's always more going on than they tell us."

Her comment gave Elias pause. The sanitized headlines were a stark contrast to the hidden world he operated in. Trade agreements and economic concerns might seem mundane, but he knew the Veil's influence often lurked beneath the surface of political dealings.

He shook off the thought as Marian continued, her voice tinged with curiosity. "You know, I still can't shake how strange today's appointment is. It's not the kind of case you usually take."

Elias leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "You mean asking an investigator to handle what sounds like a mental health issue?"

Marian nodded. "Exactly. It just doesn't sit right with me. Why come to you instead of a doctor or a counselor?"

"Desperation, perhaps," Elias suggested. "Or maybe there's something they're not telling us."

The door creaked open, and Marian straightened as a woman in her early fifties stepped inside. She was dressed modestly, her hands gripping a worn leather handbag as though it were a lifeline.

"Mrs. Hargrave, I presume?" Elias stood, offering a reassuring smile.

"Yes," she said, her voice soft but edged with anxiety. "Thank you for seeing me."

Elias gestured to the chair across from his desk. "Please, have a seat. Marian, could you bring some tea for Mrs. Hargrave?"

As the woman settled into the chair, Elias studied her closely. Her eyes were shadowed with worry, and her hands trembled slightly as she placed the handbag on her lap.

Marian returned with the tea and quietly excused herself, leaving Elias and Mrs. Hargrave in a tense silence.

"Mrs. Hargrave," Elias began gently, "Marian mentioned that your son believes his late girlfriend is still alive. I understand this must be a difficult time for your family."

"It is," she admitted, her voice cracking. "Jonas has always been… sensitive. But since Clara's death, he's changed. He keeps insisting she's alive, that she's trying to reach him."

Elias leaned forward. "When did this start?"

"A few weeks after she died," Mrs. Hargrave said. "At first, I thought it was just grief. But then he started saying he could see her, hear her. He stopped eating properly, barely slept. He won't listen to reason."

Elias's tone remained measured. "Can you tell me more about Clara? And about the circumstances of her death?"

Mrs. Hargrave hesitated, her grip tightening on the handbag. "She was a sweet girl. Quiet, but kind. Jonas was smitten with her from the moment they met. They'd been together for about a year when it happened."

She took a shaky breath. "Clara died five months ago. The police said it was an accident, but…"

"But?" Elias prompted gently.

"She was found in an abandoned house," Mrs. Hargrave said, her voice barely above a whisper. "No one knew why she was there, and there were no signs of foul play. They said her heart just… stopped."

Elias frowned. "Did the police investigate further?"

"They said there was nothing to investigate," Mrs. Hargrave replied bitterly. "No evidence, no witnesses. Just a tragic accident."

"And Jonas?" Elias asked.

"He grew distant," Mrs. Hargrave said. "At first, I thought he was just mourning. But then he started saying Clara was trying to contact him. That she needed his help."

Elias studied her carefully. "Has Jonas mentioned anything unusual about the way Clara appears to him? Anything out of the ordinary?"

Mrs. Hargrave shook her head. "He won't tell me much. He says I wouldn't understand."

Elias leaned back, his mind racing. The circumstances of Clara's death were odd, but not necessarily supernatural. Still, Jonas's claims hinted at something more.

"I'll need to start by investigating Clara's death," Elias said. "The abandoned house where she was found might hold some clues."

Mrs. Hargrave nodded, her expression pleading. "Please, Mr. Thorne. I just want my son to let go of this… delusion. I want him to heal."

---

After Mrs. Hargrave left, Marian returned to the office, her brow furrowed.

"She seemed so shaken," Marian said softly. "What do you think?"

Elias stood by the window, watching the bustling street below. "It's an unusual case, no doubt. Clara's death, Jonas's claims—it doesn't add up."

"Do you think Jonas might be… imagining things?" Marian asked hesitantly.

"Possibly," Elias admitted. "But there's enough here to warrant a closer look. The house where Clara died might reveal something. And if there's even a chance Jonas is telling the truth…"

He didn't finish the thought, but Marian understood. She nodded, her expression thoughtful.

"Do you think there could be something more to it?" she asked carefully, not fully understanding the depths of Elias's work.

Elias's gaze remained fixed on the street. "I hope not," he said quietly.

Elias sat at his desk, jotting down notes and organizing his thoughts. The case was riddled with questions:

Why was Clara in the abandoned house?

Was there more to her death than the police realized?

And most importantly, was Jonas truly seeing her, or was his mind playing tricks on him?

Marian approached the desk, placing a file in front of him. "I found some articles about Clara's death," she said. "Nothing you probably don't already know, but it might help."

Elias gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Marian. I'll need all the help I can get."

As he flipped through the file, his curiosity deepened. Whatever the truth behind Jonas's claims, Elias was determined to uncover it.

The office grew quiet as the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky. Marian busied herself with paperwork while Elias prepared for the next phase of his investigation.

"This case feels… different," Marian said suddenly. "I don't know why, but it gives me a bad feeling."

Elias glanced at her, his expression calm but serious. "Bad feelings can be useful," he said. "They remind us to stay cautious."

Marian nodded, though the worry in her eyes didn't fade.

As Elias gathered his notes and prepared to leave, he couldn't shake the feeling that this case was somehow tied into the mysteries of the Veil. But for now, he needed the advice and guidance of the experts.