To Love a Twin

Chapter 15: Vanished

Early the next morning, George and Kira awoke in his and Fred's old room at the Burrow. They had a busy day ahead of them. They had an appointment to meet Detective Townsend at the Butcher shop. So long as she did not disturb anything in the freezer, where the murder took place, the police were going to let her retrieve some of her mother's things so she would not have to wear the drab gray jail-issued dress to her arraignment in front of the local magistrate on Monday morning.

She knew her father kept a stash of money hidden in the walk-in refrigerator unit. He used to joke about preferring to deal in cold cash. She was going to grab it and engage an attorney for her mother. She was also going to take whatever stock was thawed out in the store and give it to the local church that offered free meals to the elderly and poor. Then, she had to make arrangements with a funeral home to collect her father's body from the local morgue.

"I hope my father has enough money hidden in the refrigerator to hire an attorney," she said, sitting at the breakfast table with George, Molly, and Arthur. "I have no idea what one costs."

"You don't have to worry about money," Kira," said George. "I can convert wizard gold to Muggle money easily enough."

"It is kind of you to offer, George, but I can't let you pay for this."

George stopped eating, his fork halfway to his mouth. "I can't imagine why not," he said.

"Well, it's not your problem, really. I don't have the right to expect it."

"That's ridiculous," said George. "You're my wife. Your problems are my problems. Are you saying that if my mum or dad got in a spot of trouble that it wouldn't be your problem?"

"No," said Kira. "That's entirely different. Your parents have acted like parents, toward both of us. My father was nothing but crude to you and your family. Neither he nor my mum was willing to have anything to do with us."

"However your father acted has nothing to do with this, Kira. He's dead. As for your mother, maybe she was happy to see you go because she knew you'd be better off away from him. That night I went for your things, she acted alive. Every time I ever saw her in town or in the shop, she was dull, like she was sleepwalking. But that night, she was different. She ran around, gathering your things, emptying your closet and drawers. She gave me her parents' rings, saying for me to never let you come back. I didn't get the sense she wanted to be shed of you, but that she wanted you to be safe. Whatever money you need to help her, I will provide it."

"Thank you, George," she said. "I'm grateful for your generosity. I'll pay you--" She flinched as she was cut off by George dropping his fork onto his plate with a clank.

"You just don't get it," he said, his voice uncharacteristically angry. "What the hell do you think marriage is?"

"George," said his mother, "calm down."

George ignored his mother. "I was raised to believe that a husband and wife is a single unit, that they belong to each other and work together to solve problems. There's no such thing as his problem or her problem, his money or her money. It's not a business arrangement, you know. Hell, even Ron and I just share the profits from the store. There's nothing in writing. We're family."

"Stop yelling at her, George," said Molly. "She's pregnant and already upset enough."

"It's just that I know you didn't really want to marry me," said Kira. "You had to." She turned to his mother. "You might as well know the truth. George took me into the Leaky Cauldron and did magic and these two Aurors were there. They were going to arrest him. They offered us the chance to marry immediately so we did. George never had any intention of marrying me. He had no idea that he'd end up stuck with me. Tell them, George."

George stood by the table, silent, waiting. His parents, Kira thought, were certainly reacting oddly. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Then, even George joined in. She sat, looking from one to another, her obvious confusion causing renewed fits of laughter.

"What's...what's so funny?" she asked.

They attempted to get themselves under control. The effort seemed nearly insurmountable.

"I was wondering how he'd managed it so quickly. Kira, dear, do you really believe, for one moment," Molly said, wiping her eyes with her apron, "that George did not know he'd get in trouble for taking you into the Leaky Cauldron? George, you really need to come clean with Kira. You can't let her go on thinking she's some sort of unwanted wife. Come on, Arthur. We need to leave these two alone."

Arthur and Molly walked upstairs together, their chuckles fading the further they got.

"What are they talking about, George?" Kira asked.

"I deliberately took you there and did magic in front of you," said George. "I knew bloody well what the result would be. I wanted to marry you, and it was the fastest way I could think of going about it. I knew you wouldn't let me sit in prison."

"You wanted to marry me? You...you set me up?"

"Yep, bloody brilliant plan, don't you think? Seriously, Kira, I never thought you'd get the idea you were something forced on me. Did your father mess your mind up so much that you think it's impossible that someone might actually love you? You never really believed Fred loved you, and you don't believe I love you either."

Kira sat, torn between laughing at her own gullibility and wanting to make him pay for this--for at least a few minutes. But then, he knelt on the floor next to her chair and put his head on her stomach, pressing the side with his remaining ear to her.

"All Right," he said, "I'll tell her." Then he looked at Kira. "The kids say you need to get over yourself. That if you freak out over this little stunt, you'll never survive what they'll be putting you through in a few years."

"Oh, is that so?" she asked, laughing. "Well, you tell them that you're going to have to work real hard to make this up to me."

"Not another shopping trip is it?" he asked, grimacing.

"No, I had something a little more...physical in mind," she said, slipping onto his lap. Whatever he was going to say next was muffled by her mouth covering his.

* * * * *

Detective Townsend stood and watched as Kira's husband and father-in-law emptied the stock from the refrigerator and display case into boxes and carried them out to the car.

He had made note of how all three of them blanched at the sight of the dried blood on the floor, the yellow police tape on the freezer. His instincts told him that neither the daughter nor her in-laws had anything to do with the murder, regardless of how oddly the Weasley family was regarded in the town. He had received a fax from the crime lab that morning. The case was troublesome.

According to the splatters of blood inside and on the floor outside the freezer, the killer would have had evidence on his clothes. The wife's nightgown was clean; there wasn't a drop on it. She wouldn't have had time to bathe and dispose of her nightgown. Also, her fingerprints had been on the knife, but not on the freezer door.

Old Benning was, if nothing else, almost compulsive about cleanliness in his shop. Jack had often shopped here and had noted that he used to wash everything, using gloves to handle the meat, changing them after each customer and washing his hands after handling money. The man had never had a poor health inspection from the county. There was something he was missing.

Accompanied by a uniformed officer, Kira went upstairs to get something for her mother to wear at her arraignment on Monday. She chose a sedate black two-piece outfit, a skirt and a tunic top that had long sleeves and a thin leather belt. She figured that her mother would make a better impression wearing the traditional color of mourning.

She grabbed a pair of plain black, low-heeled pumps. Her mother never wore heels. She couldn't because of the time she'd broken her ankle when her father had shoved her down the stairs. The ankle had not healed right. She went through her mother's drawer looking for undergarments but could not find a decent pair of hosiery. She made a mental note to run up the street to the ladies clothing store across from the library to get a couple pair.

She smiled weakly at the officer. "I think I have everything she'll need," she said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," said the officer. "The crime scene crew should be done later today. You'll be able to have total access to the place as soon as they give us the word. I can give you the number of a company that comes in to clean up after stuff like this. Or, George can take care of it himself with a good Scorgify spell. What are you planning on doing with the shop?"

"I hadn't given it any thought, truth be told," said Kira. "I live in Lon--" Kira just realized what the officer had said. "Excuse me? What did you say?"

"I'm a wizard," he whispered. "The Ministry plants some of us in the Muggle government to keep an eye on things, in case one of our own causes any problems. If it's any comfort to you, I don't think your mum did it. I'm a fair Legilimens and I only saw confusion in her mind. I told Detective Townsend this morning that I didn't think she did it, and he said he was starting to doubt it too. This was right after he got the forensics report from Exeter. There's this Muggle lawyer who's real good. Her office is on High Street, across from the school. Name's Miranda Hawkins. They have to turn over their case to the lawyer, you know. It'll be a way to find out what the report said."

George came into Kira's parents' bedroom, carrying a box. "We have all the non-frozen stock cleaned out, Kira," he said. "Oh, hi Luke. How 'ya doing? How's the family?"

"I'm good. My eldest just started at Hogwarts this year. She got in Ravenclaw, just like my wife. I was just telling your wife that I don't think her mum is guilty. I was one of the ones who took her into custody yesterday, and she was stunned and confused, not guilty. The only way she did it is if she was under an Imperius curse or had her memory modified and the Ministry hasn't had any notice of any magic happening here. I already checked."

"Kira thinks she's innocent too," he said. "But I know your ability at Legilimency, so that means a lot, coming from you."

George handed Kira the box his father had found in the refrigerator. "Dad found where your dad stashed his money," he said. The box was labeled Filet Mignon. When Kira opened it, she saw several wads of notes. She sat on the bed and began to count it. There was nearly two thousand pounds in the box. It should be enough to at least retain the lady lawyer. She handed the box back to George.

The three of them went back downstairs. Kira looked around the shop, knowing, deep inside, she never wanted to step inside it again. For a moment, she looked out the window and saw, once more, Fred and George outside, Fred taking care of the snow and ice on the walk for her, George looking in the window, staring at her, an odd look on his face. She looked over at George, who was listening as the detective was telling him about when they would allow access to the shop. He was nodding at what the detective was saying, but his eyes, once more, were on her.

Outside on the walk, Detective Jack Townsend and Officer Luke Watkins secured the butcher shop and drove away in their cars. Arthur got into the rental car and started it up.

They got in the car and headed toward a nearby funeral parlor. Kira was not interested in holding a formal funeral, so the mortician would collect the body and arrange for a cremation. Then, they found the lawyer's office on High Street. They parked and went inside, George carrying the box of money.

Miranda Hawkins was in her forties and definitely a no-nonsense type of person. She stood about five feet tall in heels and got right down to business. "My initial retainer fee is five hundred pounds. I'll go see your mother this afternoon. I hope she hasn't been flapping her tongue with the police. Did she say anything to you last night?"

Kira recapped the conversation.

"Good, because you know they were recording every word," said Miranda. "When I see her this afternoon, I'll get a copy of what evidence they have against her. Then I'll have a better idea of what we're up against."

"I got an outfit for her to wear before the magistrate," said Kira.

"Let me see it," said the lawyer.

George got up and left the office, walking to the car to retrieve the bag of clothes.

When he returned, he handed it to the lady lawyer. Miranda took the outfit out of the bag and held it up. "Black, a good choice for a widow. Skirt and neckline modest. It'll do. No jewelry, just her wedding ring."

"My mother hasn't worn her wedding ring in years," said Kira. "I've no idea where it even is."

"Well, that fact does not have to leave this office," said Miranda. "Got it? I keep a couple cheap bands here in the office for situations like this. If she did it, we have to go with the spousal abuse excuse. She'll probably get a couple years in the nuthouse and be released. If we can convince them of a self-defense argument, she'll walk away from court a free woman and probably an official apology."

"Oh, but my mother is innocent," said Kira.

"Innocent people go to jail all the time, Mrs. Weasley. You are paying me to keep her out of jail. Her guilt or innocence, in the end, is irrelevant. It all hinges on the evidence and whether I can shoot enough holes in it. You can leave the clothes with me. I'll take them to her Monday morning."

"I'll need to get her some hosiery," said Kira. "I'll bring them to the jail on Monday morning."

"Sounds good," said Miranda. "Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have to get up to the jail to meet with my client."

Back in the car, Kira said, "Drop me off at the ladies clothing shop across from the library. I also need to stop in the Threads n' Needles store on the next block too. I need some more embroidery thread. Maybe the two of you can go drop some of this meat off at Holy Cross church on Wingley Street. They serve a free dinner for poor families every Sunday. They can give away whatever they can't use. Then come back and pick me up in a half hour."

Arthur Weasley pulled over in front of Krasner's Ladies Fashions.

As George helped Kira from the car, he glanced in the window, shivering at the sight of the mannequins in their winter clothes. Muggle mannequins had always creeped him out. He and Kira shared a quick kiss before he got back in the car. As his father pulled away, he glanced across the street at the library. He noticed a man with crutches standing in the doorway, looking out.

Nathan was filled with glee. He watched Kira go into the women's clothing shop. He looked at the clock. It was a couple minute until four. The library closed at four on Fridays. He stood, impatient, as the last patrons left and locked the door. Nathan watched the door of Krasner's closely as his staff completed the closing procedures and left the building.

Inside the store, Kira quickly picked up some hosiery for her mother. Then, she stopped by the maternity section and found a few things she could use. It looked like she'd be in Ottery St. Catchpole some number of days, and she really hadn't packed enough. She bought a few pairs of maternity pants with a stretchy elastic panel in the front that was truly ugly but necessary, some lingerie, and a couple soft knit tunic-length sweaters. Mrs. Krasner recognized her and kept her at the register for several minutes, digging for any gossip Kira could provide on the murder.

Hating to be impolite, Kira told her that she needed to get to the sewing store before it closed and rushed out of the clothing store, nearly knocking Nate Lockslip, the librarian, over.

"I am so sorry, Nate," she said. The librarian had told her to call him Nate when she was just fifteen and he'd helped her find the materials she needed to complete a school science project.

"Kira," he said. "It's nice to see you again. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances. Your poor father. It's just too terrible to think of. I don't believe for a moment that your mother did it."

"Thank you, Nate," she said. "My husband and I came back just as soon as we heard. I'm sure that the attorney we hired will be able to help. We hired Miranda Hawkins, from over on High Street."

"Well, this must be a very stressful time for you and your mother. Maybe it would help if you had something to read. The new Margaret Atwood book came in today. I know how much you enjoy reading Atwood."

"That sounds wonderful," said Kira. "But it'll have to wait until tomorrow. The library has already closed for the day."

"Oh, I can let us in to get it. I'm not quite done processing the books yet, but I'll let you take it. I bought three copies. They're on my desk in my office in the basement. It'll be no trouble at all."

Kira glanced at her watch. George and his dad would be coming to pick her up in about ten minutes. It would be nice to get her mind off everything by spending the weekend with a good book. She could buy more embroidery thread tomorrow. She smiled at Nate. "Sure," she said, "I'd love to get a copy."

Ten minutes later, George and Arthur pulled up in front of Krasner's. After waiting a few minutes, George said. "I'll go in and hurry her along. She loses all sense of time whenever she gets inside a store." He hopped out of the car and sprinted to the door. The bell tinkled as he entered.

"Can I help you?" asked the woman at the counter. "I'm afraid we're closing in a few minutes."

"Yes, I dropped my wife off in front about a half hour ago. Kira Weasley? Is she still here?"

"Oh, you mean the little Benning girl? I wasn't aware she'd married. Yes, she was here, but she said she needed to get something at Threads n' Needles up on the next block."

"Thanks," said George as he headed out.

He ran up the street to Threads n' Needles. The proprietor was just locking up as he arrived. "Hi," he said, "My wife was coming here. Her name is Kira Weasley; she used to be Kira Benning, the butcher's daughter. Do you know her?"

"Of course I know Kira," said the elderly woman. "She has been coming into my shop since she was eight. But I didn't see her today. I'm sorry. Please, when you see her, tell her how sorry I am over what's happened."

George didn't even bother to answer her. He turned and looked up and down the street. It was nearly deserted. The lights of the various shops were going out, one by one, as dusk settled over the town. Where could she have gone? The first fingers of fear began to clutch his stomach. He looked back toward where his father sat in the car. Arthur got out of the car and began walking toward him.

"What's going on, George?" he asked. "Where's Kira?"

"I don't know, Dad. She's gone."

"Well, she can't be gone. Maybe she went back to the butcher shop and is waiting for us there?"

"Maybe," said George. "Let's check."

The two men got back in the car and executed a u-turn, beginning a search that would prove fruitless.