Sims 2 Tales

Back at the Manor, Adelaide was growing increasingly concerned as the hours passed and William still hadn’t come home. Mrs Jones had put Nicholas to bed for the night, and Adelaide was about to write to her friend Madeline, who had recently married, when there was a loud knock at the door. Mrs Jones walked into the room, followed by a man Adelaide had never seen before.

"I’m sorry to disturb you Mrs Le Grande," Mrs Jones announced nervously, "but this is Inspector Cook from Kent Town Constabulary. He’d like to speak to you about Mr Le Grande."

Adelaide dropped her writing equipment as soon as she heard that the stranger was a policeman.

"Thank you Mrs Jones, that will be all for now," she replied, her voice shaking as the Inspector sat down.

"I’m afraid I have some bad news for you Mrs Le Grande," the Inspector began, a look of genuine pity on his face. "At 7.30 this evening two of my officers were making their regular rounds in Kent Town when they were alerted to your husband’s offices by an elderly lady in rather a distressed state. She was just leaving her own premises, a florists’, when she overheard an argument between your husband and another man. It would appear that Mr Le Grande’s office had found some irregularities concerning the other man’s employers, resulting in the closure of that business and subsequent job losses."

The Inspector paused for a few moments before continuing. "Mr Le Grande attempted to reason with the man, but unfortunately he was unsuccessful and a fight broke out between them."

Adelaide listened to the Inspector in silence, shocked by what he had told her and fearful of what was yet to come. All other sounds faded into the distance as the Inspector continued, her mind becoming hazy the more she heard about the events that had taken place outside William’s office that evening.

A slow chill snaked up Adelaide’s spine as she heard how William had struggled against the man in the dark. Almost without realising, she heard the words that she had been dreading but had somehow expected.

"I’m very sorry, but your husband was killed as a result of the events outside his office," the Inspector announced. “From the doctor’s preliminary examination it would appear that he died almost instantly when he fell. The female witness was able to provide a detailed account of what happened and the other man’s appearance, and I’m pleased to say that he was arrested at a nearby tavern about an hour ago. We have enough evidence to convict him of manslaughter, as he did not set out to kill your husband, and as a result formal charges and the ensuing court proceedings are likely to be implemented within the next couple of months."

As the Inspector left, Adelaide finally broke down.

At Kent Town Jail the man, identified by the police as Jack Mills, a former cement works employee, was regretting his actions. He’d always been something of a hot-head, but had never let his volatile temper get the better of him to such an extent. Now his future - and more to the point his life - was in the hands of the judge.