Chapter Text
The only thought in Dahlia's mind, as she got up from the table, was "I have to hide the evidence." It was only a matter of time before Dougie's poison was detected in Armando's cup, and if she still had that bottle on her at the time, she would never be able to charm her way out of a conviction. And so it was that the wolf in sheep's clothing made her way down to the court library.
(Surely there's someone down here who would be dumb enough…) She thought, slowly going through the rows upon rows of folders. At first, she only saw one person: a man, tallish, and looking very much like an anthropomorphic hedgehog. His blue t-shirt amongst this scenery screamed immaturity and, too Dahlia at least, idiocy. She wanted to hand her necklace to him immediately, but…
Well… what if he was too stupid? She’d want to get her necklace back, after all, and it would be difficult to get it back if he lost it somehow before she eliminated him. She’d have to get the necklace back before committing his murder; if he lost it, she’d have to stick by his side for god knows how long until he found it, and that alone posed a number of problems.
His unprofessionalism in a very professional building spoke volumes on his character; he wasn’t someone she could trust to be reliable unless he was the only option open to her. She kept him in mind as she started moving through the archives yet again.
Row after row of case files on shelves, and not a single person down here other than her and the spiky young man. She was worried she’d have to hedge her bets with the spiky one’s reliability.
That is, at least, until she got to the very back of the library.
The porcupine quickly left her preference as she saw another, much more eligible young man. His sky-blue waistcoat and dress pants gave him an air of elegance, true, but his piercing, short, blonde hair, cared for such that there wasn’t a single strand out of place, made it clear to her one thing: appearance was more important than anything. Including, hopefully, his common sense.
With a wicked smile that she twisted into innocence, she glided across the carpeted floor and tapped him as gently as she could on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly, and she did her best to smile and pretend to lose herself in his newly revealed blue eye.
“…Can I help you, miss?” He asked, closing the file he was flipping through. That was when she took his free hand, and gently placed the necklace into his palm.
“Please take this gift.” She asked delicately, allowing the fluorescent lights of the library to catch her eyes just right, so they sparkled like diamonds.
…Instead of the intended reaction however, the blonde man raised an eyebrow in skepticism. “What is this? Who are you?” He inquired. It made Dahlia’s heart stop a bit, in mild panic, as she realized this man may have been the wrong choice…
“Just a far-off admirer. I couldn’t hold off any longer.” She insisted. “I see you in the distance all the time, I just…” She felt her crocodile tears come to her eyes. “Oh, I’m so foolish… I’m sorry for wasting your time, I-I’ll take it back…”
“…No, I’ll accept your present. Though I don’t wear jewelry very often.” The blonde man answered. Instead of wearing it, he put it in his pocket. Perfect “I’m sure you must know this, as an… ‘admirer’, but I am Kristoph Gavin. And you are…?”
“Dahlia Hawthorne.” She said, drying her false tears and sticking a handout, which he shook gently. “It’s… an honour.” She smiled, very nearly genuinely. “I’m sorry… I know I’ve put so much on you at once, but… I have business I must attend to. Where might we meet again, my dear Kris?”
“…I’m studying at the Ivy U legal department. If you have nothing else to do, you may come see me there.” He answered. Dahlia could hardly contain her excitement.
“I’m in the literature department~!” She coo’d. “I could perhaps drop by to see you at… say, noon? On Thursday? For a lunch date?” A pause, as she planned it. “…T-To get to know each other, I mean?” She added.
“…If I am not too busy, I will make time.” Kristoph promised. She gave him a final little look of false love, and turned gracefully away, letting her hair sway just so as she did, and walked to the stairway back up to where the dying lawyer was waiting for her.
The rest went exactly as one would expect: As soon as the poison was found in Armando’s mug, she was searched completely and thoroughly, though no vessel for poison was found on her. Nor was there a vessel found anywhere in the building. Her ‘beloved’ hadn’t been searched, only asked to vacate the premises, with her necklace safely tucked away in his pocket. She was very pleased by the results when she was finally released from questioning. Her alibi, and lack of ability, left her able to go home to her dormitory, to a peaceful sleep.
(Just one last loose end to tie up.) She thought as she drifted off.