Posted on 2012-10-31

Detective Richard Fitzwilliam looked up from his desk at the sound of his door. Entering his room was a strikingly beautiful dame with full lips and fine eyes. She took a long drag on her cigarette, blowing the smoke out slowly. He recognized her as the woman his cousin had taken a fancy to.

"Are you the famous Detective Studmuffin?" she asked.

"I believe you already know the answer to that question," he replied.

"The man I knew was Richard Fitzwilliam. I did not know you are one and the same."

She sauntered over to his desk, sitting delicately on the edge. After expelling another slow stream of smoke, she leaned toward Detective Studmuffin.

"Are you a man that can offer your assistance?"

"Just tell me your problems, and I will make them disappear, sweetheart," he replied, pushing up on the brim of his fedora.

"I need to find my sister," she said, biting her bottom lip. "She disappeared with Wickham three days ago. They are somewhere in London."

After accepting the case, Richard decided to pay a visit to his cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy. The woman he professed to love was in need of help. If Darcy found out about it afterward, he would never forgive Richard for not involving him.

"Lizzy Bennet paid me a visit this evening," Richard told his cousin, helping himself to a glass of port.

"Was it a social call, or was she asking for your help?" Darcy asked, watching Richard through narrowed eyes.

"She needs my help. It seems her sister disappeared with Wickham recently. She wants help to find them."

"And she came to you?"

"She did not realize that I am the famous Detective Studmuffin, but once she was there she did not hesitate ask for my help." There was a slight pause before Richard continued. "Was I correct in assuming you would want to help with the case?"

"Of course I want to help. Really, I wish she would have come to me in the first place."

"Do you have any idea where Wickham might have disappeared to with her sister?"

"I have had Wickham tracked for the last two years. I just need to talk to my men and I will have an address for you right away."

"I can wait while you give them call," Richard offered.

"No, they know not to reveal anything unless I am there in person. I will talk to them then call you at your office."

"Very well," Richard agreed, shaking his cousin's hand and leaving the house.

Leaving his house, Darcy hailed a cab to carry them to the other side of town, completely unaware of the car that pulled out to follow him as the rain began to fall. It was not long before the cab pulled up outside a seedy motel.

Darcy exited the cab and made his way up the stairs to Wickham's room. His knock was answered by a young woman wearing very little besides a lacy black negligée and holding a cigarette in a long stem.

"Wickham, it looks like Darcy has finally decided to make good on his promise," the girl said, backing away from the door to allow the man to enter.

"Have you finally come to pay up on our deal?" Wickham asked.

"There has been a slight complication," Darcy replied. "Lizzy went to my cousin for help instead of me. I need to drag this out a little bit longer so that she knows I was involved in her sister's rescue."

"What are you talking about, Darcy?" Richard asked, appearing in the doorway behind him.

Before Darcy could answer, Jane Bennet spoke up.

"Mr. Darcy promised Wickham a rather large sum of money if he would take one of us sisters and disappear into London. He only paid half up front, so George and I have been waiting here for Darcy to pay the other half."

"Why would you do such a thing?" Richard asked his cousin.

"I didn't expect Lizzy to come to you," was Darcy's reply. "I was certain she would believe the letter I gave her. I had convinced her that Wickham was not to be trusted."

"Why would you do such a thing? I know you have never liked Wickham, shunning him as much as possible after your father's death, but why would you slander his name in such a way?" Richard was clearly confused.

"Lizzy is the only woman that I will ever love and she refused me. I must possess her," Darcy replied, a manic light in his eyes. Jane's eyes had widened at his words. "I was to be her sister's savior. I was to find Wickham and return Jane, then she would be grateful. She would fall in love with me. I would be able to make her mine."

A dead silence fell over the room, broken a moment later by the sound of stilettos tapping on the floor as they were joined by another. As all heads turned in the direction of the newcomer, Lizzy slowly lifted the hem of her dress and pulled a small pistol from a holster on her thigh.

"I am afraid you will never get that chance, Fitzwilliam Darcy," Lizzy said slowly, pointing the gun at his chest.

"Can you not see that we are meant to be together?" Darcy asked, taking a step in her direction. "I had to find a way to get your attention again. I need you to love me."

"I do not think you know what love is," Lizzy replied. "Wanting to possess someone is not love. You are just angry that you have been denied something that you want."

"I must have you," Darcy whispered out, taking the final steps to bring him directly in front of Lizzy. As he reached out to grab her waist he was stunned when a shot rang out.

As he fell to the floor, Lizzy leaned forward to whisper, "You will never have me, or anyone else, ever again."

After standing, Lizzy took a slow look at the other occupants of the room before turning on her heel and walking away, her stilettos echoing in the silence.