Warning: Computers like to restart without proper permission, but besides that, do not age these characters! It will completely wreck the story, and if you don't understand what I just said, consider yourself lucky, because doing what I just said wrecks perfectly good stories.

Note: The porridge in here is actually just heavily sugared oatmeal, but I don't think they called it oatmeal back then so it's porridge. Also, the House in here is what they call the police station...you know, where they burn the bodies, keep...it's the jailer's house.

One more note: I must thank my wonderful editor Nabiki GMYW for editing this for me. Without her I would have no story, so muchas thankies to Nabiki. That means if there's anything wrong with this, you can blame her. ;) j/k

And now for...

Everyone knows the story of the headless horsemen, and for those who don't, well! They should and if they shouldn't then they should go read it. It is a story that will effect these characters in more ways than one and since I have that explained, I will bother the reader no longer with it.

But yes, after Ichabod Crane and his new wife Katrina, along with Young Masbath had all solved the mystery of the horsemen and had victoriously returned to New York it was January 10, of the new year and century, 1800 when Katrina announced to her newly wedded husband that she was with child.

The small family rejoiced at such news for a baby in a New Year meant luck. At least, that's was Masbath remembered being told. The year went by so quickly, but some more good news came. Ichabod would open up the first autopsy lab for the constable's of New York City. This meant more money, as far as things went. September 10 came so quickly and that is where our story begins...

    "Please! Mistress Crane! You have to push!"
    "I am trying! Oh blast this child! The devil's child!" cried Katrina.
The mid-wife's apprentice, whose name was Rose, gasped. "Oh do not say such things Mistress Crane! For surely if you do the child will be a devil's child. Worshiping Satan and practicing witchcraft." Rose whispered to the mid-wife and Katrina.

Katrina did her best to roll her eyes. Witchcraft wasn't complete evil, but she continued to push and after a few more moments she heard the wailing of her new child.

    "It's a girl!" the midwife exclaimed, pleased. Katrina smiled as Rose wiped the sweat and tears from Katrina's forehead. The midwife cleaned the small child and handed her over.
    "She's beautiful." Katrina whispered as the baby yawned and snuggled into her mother's warm arms.
    "Should I go fetch your husband?" Rose asked. Katrina nodded and the apprentice left.

Sitting at a corner booth in a nearby tavern Ichabod Crane drank a small mug of ale while Young Masbath sipped at the milk the tavern owner's wife had brought. The door burst open and the apprentice smiled. Everyone looked at her.
    "What's the fuss Rose?" asked a nearby man.
    "A baby's been born!" Rose exclaimed, pleased as her red hair settled about her shoulders.
    "Whose?" asked another man.
    "Mistress Crane's. Ichabod Crane has a baby girl." Rose announced to the whole tavern. Everyone whooped and hollered as Ichabod blinked at the news. He permitted himself a small grin and stood.
    "Come Young Masbath," he told his own apprentice, "We must go see."

Weak, but alive, Katrina laid in bed with the sleeping baby girl in her arms. Ichabod smiled contently as he looked upon his first born. Masbath grinned as well, thinking the baby as a sister of some sort.
    "What should we name her?" Katrina asked softly.
    "How about Rebecca?" Masbath suggested.
    "I was thinking of Mary." Katrina put in.
    "Aris." Ichabod seemed to announce as if that was the final answer.
    "Aris?" Katrina asked.
    "Aris Tottle Crane." Ichabod explained, "After the philosopher."
Katrina smiled."It's a lovely name. Aris it is." Katrina agreed.
Masbath looked annoyed. I still like Rebecca. he thought.

Over the years, Masbath tried desperately not to get jealous over young Aris, but Aris had become the apple of her parents' eye. Masbath understood the fact that she should be the cream in their tea, but he used to be looked upon as their only child. Ichabod used to boss him around, but now all he cared about was three-year old Aris's education.

Masbath sighed and relaxed into the chair as he watched Aris play by the fire. He was also used as part time baby sitter now. Ichabod and Katrina had decided to go to a play tonight so three-year old Aris Crane got to stay at home with "big brother" Masbath. Masbath sighed once again and placed his book onto the table next to him. He leaned over and picked up Aris. She squirmed, but didn't complain and after a moment settled into his arms.
    "Aris, do you want to hear a story?"
    "Yes please." Aris said as she smiled and looked to Masbath.
    "Once, there was a young boy, who had a father. His mother had died a long time ago, so all he had was his father. But one night, his father went out into the woods and was killed by a ghost. In the morning, the boy was all alone and didn't know it. When he did, he was taken in by a man who was uncaring, unkind, and at times, cruel. After a few weeks, the man made the ghost go away and let the boy live with him. So they went back to the man's hometown, along with his new wife. Eventually the woman had a child and then the man forgot all about the boy he found. The boy ran away and was later found dead. The end." Masbath told Aris.
Aris, confused, looked to Masbath. "That's not reasonable." Aris said. Masbath blinked.
    "And what do you know of reason young Crane."
    "Daddy told me lots about it."
Masbath sighed. "Let me guess. Bedtime stories about reason?"
    "Yes and mommy tells me about the Goddess." Masbath chuckled inside. Reason and religion all bound up. Aris's brain will surely be scrambled. Masbath would never know...until...

1816

    "But Father! I want to go to the lab!"
    "Aris, We've talked about this before. The lab is no place for you."
    "Oh of course! I understand now! It is completely all right to take me to the lab when I'm seven, but the moment I turn sixteen the lab's no longer safe. That's... that's... it's unreasonable!"
    "I don't need your help anymore."
    "I want to watch!"
    "Watch what?"
    "You cutting into the bodies, the blood squirting all over your face. The inside's of people."
    "The lab is no place for girl's. Stay her and—" Ichabod sighed. "Stay here and bore yourself to death. All right, come along. I apologize for trying to make you stay."

Aris smiled triumphantly as she grabbed her coat and put it on. Ichabod grabbed his belongings, which included a coat, a black book and his black bag. Katrina kissed his cheek and Ichabod took it welcoming, all though his face didn't show it.

In his ever stern manner he turned to the stairs and called up, "Masbath! We're leaving."
Young Masbath stood at the top of the stairs. "I'm coming." He called down.

Father and daughter looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Masbath was always "just coming" and had been for years. Both returned their glance to the stairs as Masbath descended them. Ichabod opened the door; Masbath and Aris marched out.

Katrina and Ichabod kissed one more time as she whispered to him, "Be careful."
Ichabod grinned. "We always are." He whispered back in the same loving tone.

Katrina closed her eyes and kissed his forehead, as if placing some sort of sacred blessing on his head and watched him go out the door.

The Crane's did not live far from the lab, only a mile, and three blocks away from the lab was the constable station. The three never complained about the walk to the lab, although Aris loved to debate about it with her father, and today was no exception.
"Walking is good for the soul." Aris commented.
Ichabod looked a tad irked about this statement. "For the body Aris." Ichabod tried on his daughter.
"But Mother says that all physical exercise helps your soul to grow." She replied.
Masbath shook his head. He always tried to stay out of these debates.
"Help our soul to do what?" inquired the elder Crane.
Aris's interest seemed to paused as she pondered the answer to this question while Young Masbath answered, "To keep ourselves young."
Ichabod refrained from comment while Aris added, "Masbath is right. The more exercise one does, the younger he or she seems to stay in the beauty section of life. Isn't that right, father?"
"There is no scientific proof of it yet, but I am sure one day science will be sure to take that into consideration." Ichabod admitted.

Aris grinned as she felt she had won her father's approval for the day. And he wanted me to stay at home today. Aris thought, a triumphant emotion over coming herself. A grin the only thing that might have given this emotion away.

Silence covered most, if not the rest of the way to the lab, with father and daughter occasionally giving one another a smile, something Masbath took as a way for them to secretly tell the other that they loved them.

It was something in the smiles that always made Masbath remember his own father and how he would pat him on the shoulder, telling him he was a good boy. But those days were long gone, never to be seen again. Once, he had received the same type of respect from Ichabod himself, but since Aris had been born, things, by way of emotions, had changed drastically. No longer was Masbath Ichabod's first pupil. The one that Ichabod looked to when he needed help. Mr. Crane had a family now. A beautiful wife who helped when she was needed and kept the house. He also had Aris, what seemed to be the love of his life. She was pretty, smart, and adored helping her father in the lab. She had replaced Masbath, but Masbath was not jealous or angry at such a switch.

The "switch" as what he called it, happened so fast that he hardly noticed it happen, and when he had noticed he figured what good it would do to try and stop it. He still had a family that appreciated him. He was fed, clothed, and loved. In fact, as much as he was annoyed by Aris's presence sometimes, he felt as if she were a sister. One that he had never had.

The lab was just one room at the bottom of a building, and the three entered that building as Ichabod and Aris shared one last smile. They turned to the left and Ichabod pulled out the keys to the lab. Many locks were on the lab, and rightly so.

There had been plenty of thefts over the years from suspects that knew they were too close to being found out from evidence. So, in order to stop the thefts they just grabbed a locksmith and installed a few locks. A few locks required four different keys. Ichabod only carried two of them while keeping an extra set of all four keys hidden at home, but for most of the time he only kept two of the keys on his person and so, he unlocked the first two locks from the top. He stood back and Masbath opened the next one. After he unlocked his, Aris finished by unlocking the last one. They all shared their own smile, this being the one thing where they all felt a part of each other. To some it might have been dumb, or plain silly, but to the three of them, it was like being a part of one, a unity that no one could understand.

Once inside the lab, everything fell apart like clock work, having done each of their duties time and time again. Masbath examined the shelves and took inventory of all the new chemicals they would need to get from the apothecary. Ichabod looked through the new log and wrote down the time, date, and any other important events that needed to be recorded for the day. Aris went around and dusted various parts of the lab while cleaning the operating table.

After a few moments Masbath handed Ichabod the piece of paper of all the things they needed from the apothecary. Ichabod copied the list to his data log and looked up.

    "Which one of you would like to fetch these items?" he asked as he held out the list.
    "I'll go, Father." Aris said with a pleasant smile on her face.
    "I'll go with her, just in case she needs someone to protect her." Masbath piped up. Aris seemed a tad annoyed by this statement but Ichabod nodded.
    "Hurry back." And the two left for the apothecary.

    "I hope I can get to go to the book store later." Aris said as she stared into the window of the affore mentioned place as they were on their way back to the lab. Masbath stood back and seemed indifferent to Aris's wants.
    "You're father will probably go with you tonight." Masbath responded as Aris sighed and turned. The two began their walk again.
    "But by tonight it will be too late and the store will be closed." Aris pouted as the thought of not getting to the bookstore ruined her trailing happy thoughts.
    "Go on Saturday."
    "Patrol day?" Aris questioned, a brow raised. Both of them knew that was when the duties of Constable were laid upon Ichabod.
    "In the morning, before he has to go onto Patrol." Masbath explained his short trail of thought.
    "The bookstore doesn't open until eleven o'clock and father goes on Patrol at ten." Aris sighed.
Masbath gave a silent oh and shrugged. "Girl's shouldn't read anyway." He some what mumbled.
The comment loud enough for Aris to hear. "Excuse me?" Aris asked appalled at the statement as she looked towards Masbath.
Masbath looked to his 'sister'. "Girl's shouldn't read. It's unladylike. They should take care of the home."
    "My mother knows how to read. Your thought is older than Europe. Many women of the day know how to read."
    "Not too many of them." Masbath responded.
Aris shook her head, not fully believing she was having this argument with him. "I refuse to speak with you any longer. Your brain seems to have melted away into some sort of fantasy world and I will partake of none of it." Aris said, head held high as she walked faster.
Masbath sighed. "It was purely my father's thoughts." Masbath ran to catch up. "Aris, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of it."
Aris stopped in her tracks. "Do you promise you meant none of it?" she asked her 'brother'.
    "I promise."
    "Then I suppose I may resume talking to you, as long as you don't go into that unreasonable state of mind." Aris said as the two resumed walking.
Masbath chuckled. "Just like your father, all you think about is reason."
    "Not quite. You see, I believe that one should use a reasonable answer whenever possible, and if no reasonable answer can be given, they should use an alternate, a 'spiritual' answer until a reasonable answer may be given." Aris explained matter of factly.
Masbath shook his head. "Like I said, just like your father."
At the repeat of this, Aris once again became confused. "I don't see how. Isn't my father all reason?"
    "No. Before he—never mind." Masbath said as he went quiet.
    "What? Tell me?"
    "Here, we're at the lab." Masbath said as he turned and entered the building. Aris stood outside for a moment wondering what all of that could have meant.

The day had been a lovely one, with only a few bodies coming into the lab and for the most part all of them had been in a good mood, all of them except Aris. Her mood slowly went downhill after they had returned from the apothecary. Masbath thought the mood change was only because she wouldn't get to go to the bookstore.

Ichabod tried not to notice the change, but it was rather hard not noticing the listless body of poor Aris. Ichabod made a mental note to talk to Aris when they got home, and home was approaching fast as they neared the small complex.

The house was like the homes of England. Two stories in height with small front and back gardens where Katrina kept her flower and herb gardens. Inside the home it was decorated with the decor of the day. A small coat stand stood next to the door and straight in front lay the ominous rather steep stairs that Aris was usually afraid to climb without several candles. To the right of the stair lay a small hearth and dining area. To the right a part office part parlor area to entertain guests.

Once inside the warm and cozy home, Aris went straight to her room. Masbath, all most uncaring of the girl's mood, went to the parlor and resumed the latest book he was reading. Katrina, obviously hearing the sounds of the three entering, came and warmly greeted her husband. He returned the greeting, but not as warmly, his thoughts apparently on something else.
    "Ichabod?" Katrina asked, wondering what was currently going inside her husband's mind.
    "Yes?" he asked, coming out of his trance like state and looking at his wife.
    "Something wrong?"
    "Aris. Her mood was rather happy this morning, and this afternoon it went from happy to depressed. I'm just wondering what the matter could be."
    "Go talk to her. You know she'll tell you anything." Ichabod shook his head.
    "No. I'll wait and we'll call her for dinner. If she doesn't come, then I'll go talk to her."
Katrina examined her own thoughts. "Do you think she'll change by then?"
    "We should know in a few hours, won't we?"
    "I guess so."

Upstairs in the baby blue room, on a small bed in the corner, Aris Tottle Crane sat Indian style on her bed, her left hand tracing the palm of her right foot. She seemed confused, scared, and bewildered at the scars that were on her feet. Little pin pricked scars that would've been too small to see if it was just one, but there were more than 20 pen pricked scars on each foot. All were in perfect alignment, all most looking like a rectangle or square.

Usually she ignored these scars. She had to, she had no idea where she had gotten them, and yet, they scared her, nearly frightened her to the point of crying. Why did she have them? Did they mean something? Most scars didn't bug other people, so why did these bug her?

She took her right hand and traced the scars on her left foot. They were exactly the same as the others. Little circles forever imprinted on her feet. No one ever saw them, no one but herself, but the wonderment of how she got them was always with her and usually caused this severe mood change that she had entered.
    "Aris! Dinner!" someone called from below. Aris sighed, she wasn't hungry.
    "I'm not hungry!" she called back, hoping that they would accept this as an answer.

She resumed tracing her feet, a cold shiver running through her body as her ears hallucinated crying, which made Aris all the more scared. There was a knock at the door and Aris, alarmed, looked up. "Come in?" she asked, fear obvious in her voice.
The door opened, it was her father. "Aris, you should come down to dinner."
Aris shook her head. "I'm not really hungry." She answered as she looked back to her feet.
Her father came and sat on the bed. "Care to expound your thoughts?" Ichabod asked.
Aris looked up, tears in her eyes. "What are these?" she asked in a whispered voice as her right hand still traced the scars of her left foot.
Ichabod sighed and took his daughter's left hand. He held it, palm upward and gently traced her hand. "Do you see how smooth your hand is?"
    "Yes."
Ichabod slowly nodded at this reply and turned his palm upward while at the same time turning Aris's downward. "Do you see the scars on my hand?"
Aris blinked. The scars were nearly exact replicas as on her feet. "How did you get yours?"
    "From a chair. It was a spiked chair. You got yours from the same."
    "I don't understand."

Ichabod took a deep breath and began to weave this new part of history that Aris had never heard.

    "When you were three, I used to take you to the Constable Quarters, do you remember that? Before I took you to the lab I always took you to the Constable Quarters. The men down there loved you, you seemed like hope to them. The Constable Quarters is also the Jailer's, where they keep all the people who have committed crimes. They torture many of the men down there. They used to torture them by many ways.
     "It was a hot day, during the summer, when I took you to the Jailer's. I needed to talk to one of the other Constable's about a recent crime that had been committed. While I talked to them I told you to stay in a certain spot. I didn't want you to overhear the atrocities that the person had committed. Unfortunately no one ever obeys their parents rules and you went off, to this day I don't know why."
     "When I had found you, you were seated on the floor, crying and—" but Ichabod was quickly interrupted.
     "I was looking for a toy. I was bored of standing in just one place. So I went to look for a toy. I had come upon an almost empty room. There were two chairs and a table. Next to the table was a shelf with a wooden stick. I climbed onto the table by way of the smooth chair. I tried reaching for the stick, but the table couldn't hold my weight. As the table collapsed, I jumped onto the other chair and felt an... it hurt so I jumped off and I cried and I wanted you, so you came and picked me up. Then you yelled at the men, it was the only time I have ever heard you become angry at some one. After you yelled you smoothed my hair out and took me home. I fell asleep and when I awoke I was all better." Aris looked up and Ichabod blinked.
    "That chair has both scarred us."
    "That's how I received these on my feet?" Ichabod nodded. Aris looked down and traced one of the holes. She bit the inside of her lip and cringed as she remembered the pain she had once felt.
Ichabod leaned over and smoothed out Aris's hair. "Come to dinner when you're ready." He said softly as he stood and retreated.
Aris stood as well. "I'm coming." And the two went downstairs to dinner.

Summer does not always last forever, and as it ended, fall soon came about.

    "Father, I don't need a babysitter." Aris once again began to challenge her father.
    "And I am not saying that you need one, this is a party where only your mother and I have been invited. You can not come." Ichabod said matter of factly as he put his coat on and helped Katrina into hers.
Aris pouted. "It will be so boring here with Masbath. What shall I do?"
    "Go to bed perhaps? If you ask nicely, perhaps Masbath will tell you a story." Katrina said as she pulled and fluffed out her hair from her coat.
    "And he'll bite his tongue half way through. Everything's kept as a secret around here." Aris continued to complain.
    "Masbath, tell Aris about the town you came from." Ichabod tried.
Masbath looked up. "But why? I wanted to read my Hawthorn tonight." Masbath began to whine.
    "Tell her an old wives tale or something. Keep her company."
    "We expect you to both be on your best behavior. Good night!" Katrina said as the two walked out the door.

The door responded with a slam and Aris and Masbath were left alone. Aris turned to the parlor and walked in. Masbath sat on the baby blue sitting sofa holding a book of Hawthorn's.
    "Fine, I'll tell you...I'll tell you about the Headless Horsemen." Masbath said, an evil glint in his eyes.
    "The what?" Aris asked, not fully believing this idea.
    "The Headless Horsemen, here—" and Masbath proceeded to tell Aris the story of the evil German Hessian and how his own head had been chopped off, and then the story of Lady Archer and her revenge against the Van Garret's. As Masbath neared the end of his tale, he seemed happy, jolly almost as Aris listened on, intrigued by how it would end.

    "And after the Hessian took his new bride into the tree and the trunk enclosed around her wrist, your father turned to the two of us and asked, 'Is that it?' and we nodded in reply, too astonished to do anything else and before anything else could be done, he fainted dead away right then and there." Masbath finished up.

Aris blinked a few times and seemed to smile.
    "What do you think of that?" Masbath asked, smiling back.
    "So there's a real headless horsemen? It's not made up, and if I asked father he would really say that there is one?" Aris asked, excitedly.
    "Probably." Masbath answered as the clock struck the hour.
Aris sighed and looked at the clock.
    "I suppose we should get to bed though." Masbath said as he placed his book on the end table and stood up. As he headed to bed, he turned around and noticed that Aris wasn't following. "Aris, are you coming?"
Aris looked up, her face wondering where Masbath had come from. "Huh? Yes, I'll be up in a moment, go ahead."
Masbath shrugged and went on as Aris sat on the sofa, her mind pondering reason after reason.

     "Katrina, darling, where ever did you find such a lovely dress? I have been looking all over the city for that exact color and have not been able to find it! You must simply tell us." Mrs. Orali said as she came over to Mrs. Crane with a glass of punch in her hands.
    "Thank you Elizabeth, but this dress? I've had it for years. It came with me all the way from Sleepy Hollow." Katrina replied looking down at her pink dress. Elizabeth Orali picked up the ruffle on the sleeve of the dress and rubbed it between her fingers.
    "And it's of the best fabric!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she dropped the material.
    "I swear Katrina Crane, you have the best of clothes out of all of us, isn't that right girls?" Elizabeth asked the women who had begun to join the two.
A woman in a blue dress, identified as Maria Reese, nodded. "Better than this old thing." Maria said as she smoothed out some of the crinkles her in own dress.
    "Katrina, do you sew?" Elizabeth asked.
    "A bit, but only samplers and small things like that."
Elizabeth shook her head. "Would you mind if I borrowed that dress someday and took it down to Sarah over on C Street? I'm just sure she could make me a replica of it."

Katrina began to grow nervous. She was glad the women loved her dress, but it was after all her dress and she didn't want it to become in mass production all of a sudden. To escape from the horrid beasts she scanned the small gathering and smiled.

    "Oh! I see my husband's looking for me, if you'll excuse me dears." Katrina said, partially mocking their speech patterns as she headed for Ichabod.
Ichabod smiled as Katrina approached him. "How are you?" he asked as Mr. Reese rambled on about the latest mayor election.
Katrina smiled and nodded to a few of the men. "I'm all right, but Mrs. Orali was questioning me about my dress and I wasn't liking it." Katrina whispered to Ichabod.
In return, Ichabod smiled and said, "Well, you probably won't like it here. It's all about politics." Katrina grinned; politics wasn't a favorite subject for either Crane.
    "Mrs. Crane, perhaps you'd care for our circle. We were talking about some cooking recipes. We never get too loud, and we always avoid Mrs. Orali's group." Mary Wornsworth said once she approached the small group.
Katrina smiled and squeezed Ichabod's hand. "I'd love to Mary." Katrina replied, and the two girls walked off together.

Ichabod watched his wife go and secretly, his heart went with her, out of both love and the fact he wished he could join; anything except politics.

The night waned on and as everyone eventually left, Mr. and Mrs. Orali said good-bye to everyone at the door.

    "Oh Ichabod, Katrina, you must join us for our Christmas party. We're having a secret gift exchange. It's sure to be marvelous." Elizabeth said as the Crane's were leaving.
    "Yeah, perhaps you could throw some reason at us Ichabod." Robert Orali said and then proceeded to chuckle, thinking he had made some kind of joke.
Ichabod smiled politely as Katrina responded with, "We will have to see. We're usually busy around the holiday. Aris just loves Christmas."
Elizabeth smiled. "You'll have to bring Aris sometime. I'm sure she's old enough to join the grown-ups and we'd be delighted if she met little Marcus," Elizabeth proceeded to say, then she leaned in and said, "I think those two would make a lovely couple. We could be in-laws before you know it!" Elizabeth said pleasantly.

Robert, who had obviously heard, beamed them a smile and both Crane's tried to act polite. Secretly, they both knew it would be awful if their children got together. Simply put, the Crane's hated the Orali's and if it weren't for politeness, there would've been a family brawl. But this was the city and such things never happened unless it was between business and luckily, neither of the men had a business competing against the other.

    "Now, now Elizabeth, let the Crane's be on their way. It's been a long night." Elizabeth gave a small curtsy and let them on their way.

Days turned into weeks, and the weeks went past an uneventful Thanksgiving. Soon, the first of December was upon them, and on the first of December, Aris came bouncing down the stairs in her nightgown, hair wild, and her eyes bright as she went into the room where the hearth was. Her mother bringing cookies from the oven.
    "Mother, may I have one, please!" Aris begged.
Katrina sat the pan on the table and blinked. "Every December you smell my cookies and rush down here and what do I tell you every December?"
    "To go get dress and to have a good breakfast before I may have a cookie." Aris said sadly as she looked at the floor.
    "And the faster you get that done, the faster you may have a cookie."

Aris brightened up and ran back upstairs to get dressed, and nearly ran her father over in the process. Ichabod watched his daughter run up the stairs and blinked a few times, just a tad startled.
    "Ah, I see gingerbread cookies are in the making." He said as he walked into the room.
Katrina smiled. "Your daughter is like clockwork. Every December first she's in here begging for a cookie and every year I have to tell her the same thing."
    "My daughter. I thought we shared her." Ichabod said with a smile as he picked a cookie for himself.
Katrina shrugged. "When she gets excited like that I've decided you can have her."
Ichabod grinned. "You would hate to see her in the lab. She's the most excited when a new body comes into the lab. She always wants to make the first cut."
    "And?"
    "And I usually let her."
    "You spoil her." Katrina said, grinning as she placed more cookies onto the sheet.
    "And you don't spoil her enough. She's inquisitive. It's good for the mind."
    "So what does your day include?"
    "Today consists of an early present for...my daughter and a bit of work at the lab. Tonight consists of patrol."
Katrina sighed. "I suppose you'll be late again tonight. Don't set a place for dinner and go to bed without you?" Katrina asked as she placed the cookies in the oven.
Ichabod nodded. "I'm afraid so." Ichabod replied as Aris came bouncing into the room.
    "Cookie?" she asked excitedly, wearing her yellow dress.
    "No. Porridge. But only until you go change into your green dress."
A gape, Aris asked, "Why?"
    "Because it's the first of Christmas and yellow is in the spring. You should know better. Have I taught you nothing?" Pouting, Aris went back.
 Ichabod shook his head. "Send Aris to the lab once you're done with her." He said as he headed out.
    "I'm keeping her today. She needs to work on her sampler. That poor thing's hardly finished."
    "Either way I need her today. I'm going through the logs." Ichabod said, retreating back to his position inside the kitchen.
    "You can't. Her sampler needs work and I'm having her make dinner tonight. She needs to learn the duties of a housewife."
    "Today is also clean up day at the lab. Masbath and I can not do it by ourselves."
    "Choose another day. She's learning to cook and sew today."
Ichabod sighed. He refused to have an argument. "Have her work on her sampler, and then send her to the lab."
    "What about dinner?" Katrina asked.
    "Dinner isn't for another 11 hours. You may worry about it then." And with that, Ichabod left Katrina sighing and to her cookies.

    "We're going where?!"
    "To the bookstore. Is today not the first of December?"
    "Honestly? You never take me to the bookstore!"
    "Would you rather I not take you today then?" Aris shrieked and Ichabod cringed.
    "I'm going to the bookstore! Hurrah!" Aris cried happily.
Ichabod shook his head as they turned the corner and into the bookstore. "You may have two books." He said in the doorway.

A bigger smile he had never seen on Aris as she ran through an isle and began to look at all the books. Ichabod walked up to the counter and grinned at the bookkeeper, a man by the name of Henry Allan.

    "Pleasure seeing you today Mr. Crane. What can I do ya for?" Henry asked as he wiped the counter down.
    "Nothing. I'm just letting Aris have her choice."
    "Early Christmas present?" Ichabod nodded in response. Henry smiled and shook his head. "Never seen a happier girl in here. Masbath was in here a while back. Did you ask for an Anatomy book on the human body?"
Ichabod thought for a moment. "I don't believe so."
    "Well, either way, Masbath bought one. Said it was for the lab."
Ichabod shrugged a bit. "It couldn't be too bad can it?"
    "No. Came directly from Italy. How it came into my racks I'll never know. I hope he takes good care of it."
    "He takes good care of the Hawthorn he has."
This time it was Henry's turn to nod as Aris came up with a red book and a light green book.
    "May I get these, father?" Ichabod tried looking at the covers, but decided to let it go. It was a present for Aris and anything she wanted she could have.

Ichabod paid Henry and the two left the store. "Now run on home. You have to finish your sampler and then you get to come to the lab."
Aris nodded and left.

The day went by uneventful. Aris finished her sampler, the lab got cleaned, and Aris cooked dinner.

Ichabod was now on patrol and so far, that too had been uneventful.  It was dark, and the only thing that lit his way were the light posts that didn't give much light. He turned a corner and walked along the Hudson. The waters were black, and the reflection of the moon made him wonder if tonight would be like several other nights where nothing had happened.

He wished he could have brought a book along. He could sit down and read in the moonlight, and when he was needed, surely someone would ring their bell. Speak of the devil. As soon as he thought the word bell, a bell began to ring, loud and clear through the night. Ichabod ran to follow the sound. It was a few feet ahead of him.
    "Constable, are you need?" Ichabod called out, the usual constable cry when one rang their bell.
    "I've found a body." The other constable, Adam DeCroix, called back.
Ichabod walked up. Great, another one for the lab tomorrow. Ran through his thoughts. "Alive or dead?" Ichabod asked as he slowly approached Adam.
    "See for yourself."

And as Ichabod looked, he tried to keep his stomach down. Yes, it was a body. A headless body. Ichabod closed his eyes and swayed a bit. He hadn't seen a headless body in...well, sixteen years.
    "Constable Crane, are you all right?" Adam asked worriedly.
    "Fine, I'm just fine."
    "What should we do with the body?" Ichabod sighed and looked at it again.

It was wearing a green dress, the same kind as Aris's green dress that she worn earlier in the day and the body wasn't too tall. Ichabod knelt and took a closer look at the body and blinked. A cameo brooch was attached on the silk ruffle that went around the chest.
    "Constable DeCroix, do you know the Orali's?" Adam nodded.
    "Who doesn't? Mr. Orali runs the sewing shop on C Street." Ichabod sighed.
    "I believe that this is his wife, Elizabeth."
Adam blinked, surprised at such a thought. "How can you tell?"
    "First off, she wears this same dress."
    "So do millions of other women. It's a popular style."
    "The brooch. She never dresses without it."
    "Popular broach as well."

Ichabod nodded and gently unpinned the brooch from the dress. He sighed as he saw the back. Engraved was the name: Elizabeth Nicolette Orali. Ichabod let Adam look at the broach and the two shook their heads.

    "You stay here. I'll go back to the House." Adam said as he stood and left.
Ichabod looked at the body. Who could have done this and why?

Ichabod and Adam walked up the steps to Mr. Orali's house and Ichabod knocked on the door.
    "Yes? Oh, Ichabod! Adam! Come in won't you? Why are you calling at such a late hour?" Robert asked as he adjusted himself so the two could come in.
    "There's no need for that Robert. We've come to inform you of some bad news. Your wife Elizabeth, she's dead." Adam said, trying to be gentle and failing.
    "What?" Robert asked, dumbfounded.
    "We found Elizabeth's body near the Hudson. Her... head had been detached from her body."
    "You have the head though, correct?"
    "No. That wasn't to be found." Adam replied.

Ichabod felt his stomach leap up and he tried to settle it back down. Was it happening all over again? He shook his mind and listened on.
    "How could you tell it was her?" Robert asked, trying to keep the tears from his eyes.
Adam reached into a pocket and brought out the broach. Adam offered the broach and Robert took it. He gave a tearful sigh and held it close to his heart.  "Who would have done such a thing? Why? Elizabeth never harmed a soul." Mr. Orali said sadly.
    "We will keep in touch and let you know anything we find out." Adam said.
Robert nodded.
Adam began turn, and with him, so did Ichabod, until Mr. Orali asked, "Wait, what will happen with her body?"
Adam looked to Ichabod and both turned back around. Adam replied with, "Usually we just burn the bodies, but if you'd like it, I'm sure you can fill out the necessary forms to obtain the body." Robert nodded.
    "When can I come down?"
    "In the morning." Ichabod said.
The three men nodded to each other politely and the Constable's left.

At the breakfast table the next morning, Ichabod looked wiped out as Katrina served him the porridge. Aris sat reading her book and Masbath happily was eating his own porridge.
    "Ichabod, something wrong?" Katrina asked as she sat down.
Ichabod looked up and gave a feeble grin, then sighed and shook his head. "We found a body last night." At this, everything stopped and everyone looked up and at him.
    "What kind of body?" Masbath, the first to break the silence, asked.
Ichabod sighed. "A headless body." Katrina blinked and looked to Masbath who looked at Katrina in turn.
Aris herself blinked, but kept looking at her father. "So, no identification?" Aris asked.
    "The body was that of Elizabeth Orali."
Katrina gave a silent gasp and placed her hand over her mouth. "How awful." She said once she removed her hand.
    "Mrs. Orali, found dead, without her head?" Aris blinked and smiled.
Ichabod looked at Aris and was confused by her smile. "Do you know anything about this?" Ichabod asked.
Aris blinked and looked surprised. "Me? Why would I know anything about her death. I was home in bed last night."
    "She was Ichabod. And besides, Aris would never kill anyone."
Aris shook her head at her mother's statement.
    "Either way, I have to go to the House today and help Mr. Orali fill out the necessary papers to obtain his wife's body." Ichabod said as he picked his spoon up and looked at it.
Aris blinked, shrugged, and went back to her book. Katrina shook her head and went back to the porridge, and the morning went on.

The morning was a sad one as news of Elizabeth Orali's death got around town. While Ichabod ran errands for Katrina, Masbath and Aris played outside for most, if not the entire day.

They played with Marcus Orali, the only child of the Orali's. Marcus was Aris's age and short. His hair was dark brown, like his father's and he seemed more like eleven than the pubitic age of 16. The three were currently playing with a large round hoop, rolling it between each other when Marcus fell to the street and began to cry.
Masbath held the wooden hoop as Aris ran and knelt beside Marcus.
    "Marcus, are you all right?" Aris asked, alarmed.
    "My momma's dead and gone Aris. What do I do? Papa has to watch over the factory, he won't have time to teach me things. I want my mother Aris." And Marcus continued to cry.
Aris patted his shoulder and slowly helped Marcus to his feet. "Let's get you home Marcus." Aris said softly, and the three children went home.

Except for the incident in the street, everything had been fine for the day. Then night fell, it was dark, and once again Constable Crane was on patrol. With a book this time no less.

He had borrowed the book from Masbath; it had been his treasured Hawthorn and now Ichabod was happily reading the book. He prayed tonight would be an uneventful night and for an hour it had been uneventful until he heard the bell ringing loud and clear through the night. It was closer this time.

Just around the corner, and it was still Adam. "What is it Adam?" Ichabod asked as he once again approached Adam.
    "Let's see if you can identify this one tonight." Adam said with a bit of a grin. Ichabod peered down and saw another headless body. Another body, this one dressed in a crimson dress, no jewelry save for a gold ring on her left hand. By the looks of it, the woman had been young, probably recently married. Her head wasn't to be found. Ichabod's knees gave out beneath him and he half flopped to the ground.
Adam, alarmed, knelt near Ichabod. "Are you all right?"
    "Yes, I'll be fine." Ichabod said, waving Adam away.
Adam nodded slowly and went back to the body. "I think she'll be light enough I can carry her back to the house. Would you like to help, or would you prefer to stay here?"
    "I'll stay here for a moment." Ichabod said, trying to catch his breath, trying so desperately not to faint.

Adam gently picked up the girl, who he found to be very light, and took her away. Once Ichabod was sure Adam was gone, he promptly fainted.

There was no dream about his mother, there was no dream at all. Just blackness, a range of black, purples and reds. Occasionally headless bodies would float through this abyss, but it was mostly black and when he awoke from this...abyss, it had been snowing, for there was snow all over the ground, and a few flakes on his uniform.

He sat up and looked at the sky. The horizon was getting lighter, but there was no sun. He knew he must have been out for a rather long time and he stood. He brushed the snow off of him and headed to the House. Hopefully he hadn't missed anything.
 

In the morning, Ichabod decided to check on his lab. He needed to view one of the logbooks, but as he was looking for the full set of keys, he noticed that they were missing. How very odd. He thought as he closed the secret drawer in the clothes press. He began to think where he could've placed them.

As Ichabod searched the house, Katrina had to notice and gently went up to him.
    "Something wrong?" she asked.
    "The lab keys. The full set. I've seemed to have missed placed them."
    "Aris said something about going to get them clean. She said you had asked her to. I thought only you and I had known about those keys. I didn't know you wanted Aris to know as well, but I told her where they are."  Ichabod blinked.
    "I didn't want them cleaned and I didn't want her to know where they are kept either."
    "Does it really matter? Go ask her where they are then. She's in her room." Katrina said as she headed back to the kitchen.

    "Aris." Ichabod asked as he knocked and gently entered his daughter's room. Aris looked up from her book and smiled.
    "Hello father."
    "Hello Aris. Aris, do you know where my keys are?" Visibly, Aris grew nervous, but pulled them from her nightstand drawer.
    "These keys? I had gone to get them cleaned. As a surprise!" Aris said with a nervous smile. In fact, the keys were clean.
    "Something wrong? You seem nervous?" he asked his daughter as he took the keys from her. Aris shook her head and seemed fine.
    "No, it's just this book. It's rather scary. I'm just not used to it." Ichabod nodded and let the excuse fly by. It was perfectly reasonable.

As he reached for the logbook on the shelf, he bumped his knee against the small door below him. Cringing and holding his knee, he looked at the door, ready to close it, when he saw something odd inside. There was a bottle of a red liquid and plenty of old newspapers. Alongside the newspapers was a bottle of a white liquid and a pair of scissors. Ichabod didn't remember keeping those items in there, but perhaps they were Aris's. Obviously some sort of craft project. He let them be as he closed back the door. Nothing to be worried about.

The day went by fast, and Ichabod dreaded the night for he had a feeling another headless body was about to be found.

This time he walked along C Street, not near the Hudson, or near 53rd, but he walked on C Street and as soon as he did this he nearly regretted. At night, C Street was covered with prostitutes.

Ichabod thought about retreating, but part of him had the thought that no headless body could be found here, or if so, the murderer would be caught here. Perhaps if he just ignored the fact that over 25 hookers populated C Street, that they wouldn't notice him.

Unfortunately his tactic of ignoring people didn't work and suddenly he heard a few woman call out to him, "Hey sugar! Wanna see my ankles?"

Ichabod sighed at these calls but continued on his patrol. He'd come near 4th Street in no time. To get away from the calls, he ducked into an alleyway and quickly scolded himself for such an idiotic idea. Five of the so-called "women of the night" were huddled around a fire, and as soon as he entered their lair, a flaxen haired woman noticed him.

    "Hey girls," the woman began in a thick German accent, "We got a gentlemen caller." Ichabod sighed and tried to retreat, but it was of no use. The five abruptly had him surrounded. They began to pick at his uniform and a dark haired one smiled.
    "Looky here, we've got ourselves a Constable. A good lookin' Constable too. What would you like sir? Perhaps you would care to try Helga? Or if foreigners aren't your bat, you could try Constance, course she'll keep ya up all night. Me, I'm Brandy and I pack a good punch.  We have Sherry if you want punch, but of the lesser sort and finally Rebecca," at the mention of Rebecca, Ichabod looked at the girl Brandy pointed to.

Rebecca was tall with long curly dark brown hair and she wore a long crimson dress with a white ruffle at the end. The neckline was low enough to tempt the eyes of any man.

    "Becky's a good girl. If you like plain and tall." Brandy finished. Rebecca was anything but plain and tall. Her skin was a sickly pale and her lips were a deep blood red. Her cheek's a light pink color. She was gorgeous to look at.
    "Please, ladies, I did not come here to—"
    "Purchase our wares?" Sherry asked in a high pitched voice.
Ichabod nodded. Brandy let go of holding Ichabod's shoulders and gave him a slight shove toward the entrance of the alley.
    "Good! Cause we don't need ya!" Constance called to him.
Rebecca walked past the girls and up to Ichabod. "May I keep you company?" she asked, her voice low and seductive.
    "I don't need any, thank you."
    "No, on your patrol I mean. I am not by nature a sexual creature. I would just like a bit of adventure. May I join you?" Ichabod sighed.
    "Up until I reach 4th Street." He said softly, agreeing to the request. Rebecca smiled and held out her hand.
Ichabod took it and the four other harlots cheered. Rebecca and Ichabod left for the main street.

    "Let us sit over there, I would like to talk to you." Rebecca said as they were half way up the street. She was pointing to a closed outside cafe and the two sat at one of the tables. "My name is Rebecca Steinway. Yours?"
    "Constable Ichabod Crane." He said directly. For some reason, his mind was put at ease and he didn't mind talking to Ms. Steinway.
    "What are you doing all the way over here on C Street?" she asked as she removed her crimson hat with the white plume sticking from it.
    "I was on patrol. I found that my normal streets are preoccupied with—" he stopped, trying to look for the right word.
    "Too much action?"
    "Headless bodies." He put bluntly.
Rebecca quickly placed a hand on her bosom and seemed startled by such an idea. "Headless bodies? How awful!" Rebecca said softly, still in amazement.
    "I am hoping I won't find any over here."
    "Well, I certainly think you won't. In all my years of working on this street I have never seen a headless body."
Ichabod smiled. She was so gentle, so delicate with her words, the way she acted. "Are there many Constables this way?"
    "A few here and there. They talk with the girls, but never partake of the flesh. All like priests, willing to change us, but not help us in money matters. I suppose they shouldn't. Whores and proper people do not mix." Rebecca said, a grin on her face.
    "Winter is coming soon, how will you live then?"
    "Most of the girls will freeze to death, others, like me, will try to find a man who is willing to take us in for the winter."
Ichabod blinked. "Men do that?"
    "The kind ones do. The ones who do not see us as women of the night, but rather as real human beings. That's what all of us are, all though many have lost their true nature."

Ichabod nodded, and for a fleeting moment, he thought about taking Rebecca in, but he could do no such thing. What would Katrina say? What would happen to his reputation. It was all too risky, and as he looked at the horizon it was also growing to morning.

Ichabod stood. "I must be on my way."
    "You said I may walk with you to 4th Street. I intend to do just that." Rebecca said as she stood herself. The two resumed their walk down the street. They didn't talk, they didn't look at each other. They didn't even hold hands like they had. All around them it was silent. The moon stood high in the sky, lighting their way.  Ichabod was thankful for the peace he had been given.
As they neared 4th Street it all seemed to be perfect. He turned and said to Ms. Steinway, "Thank you for accompanying me. Your presence did fill a lonely time."
Rebecca nodded and gave a gentle grin. "It's what I do. It's who I—" a bell interrupted her. It was far off, but it still rang clear through the night.
Ichabod sighed. He supposed he should go look. "Would you mind accompanying me some more?" Rebecca turned and headed towards the bell. Ichabod followed at a jog.

It was the alley where he had met Rebecca and already there was a group of people, regular men, prostitutes, and Constables, staring at the ground. Everyone was whispering and chattering about it and Brandy, along with her other friends, were crying.
    "What has happened?" Rebecca asked. A sea of people parted to let Rebecca and Ichabod passed and Ichabod sighed as once again he saw the same thing. Rebecca gasped and grabbed hold of Ichabod's arm. She placed her left wrist on her forehead, a white handkerchief in her hand. She was obviously feigning to faint. On the ground laid a headless body.
The clothes were that of a prostitute and Brandy told the two newcomers, "It was Helga. We heard the sound of something, like something sharp as if—"
    "As if a sword was being drawn?" Ichabod asked, interrupting.
All the girls nodded and Brandy resumed, "And we turned. All we saw was Helga's body. These are the clothes she was wearing tonight. Her gold bracelet was in the pocket."
    "And her head?" Ichabod asked quickly.
Brandy shook her head while Constance answered, "We couldn't find it. We looked all over. We couldn't find her head. What kind of a person kills a prostitute?" Constance asked, tears beginning to fall down her all ready stained cheeks.
There were two other Constables there and they came up to Ichabod. "Should we take...it to the House?" one asked.
Ichabod nodded. "I'll help." He offered. Together, the three men picked up the body and headed to the House.

The next mid-morning there was a knock at the door and as Katrina opened it she didn't know what to say.
    "Is Constable Crane in?" asked Rebecca, still dressed the same way as the night before.
Katrina, suspicious of who this person was answered, "Yes, but perhaps I can help you?"
Rebecca thought for a moment and nodded. "I am Miss Rebecca Steinway. I met your husband last night. I was wondering if I could ask him a few questions about what we saw last night."
    "What did you see last night?" Katrina asked, still refusing to let this...woman enter her house.
    "A headless body. That of my dear friend Helga." Katrina oohed gently and backed away from the door, letting Rebecca enter.
    "Please, have a seat in the parlor." Katrina offered as she pointed the way. Rebecca nodded and went in, only to find Aris sitting on the floor looking at her new book.
    "Hello." Rebecca said, smiling to see such a young face.
Aris looked up and promptly became confused. "Allo. Who are you?" Aris asked, holding her book close to her.
    "I am Rebecca, a friend of your father's. And you?"
    "Aris Tottle Crane, daughter of Katrina and Ichabod Crane and apprentice of the Coroner." Aris said respectfully, but still doubtful of this woman's presence.
Rebecca nodded gently and sat on the small sofa. "It is a pleasure to meet you." Rebecca said as she placed her hands in her lap.
    "I've never seen you before." Aris said, still clasping her book.
    "Well, I just met your father last night. What book are you reading?" Rebecca asked, trying to change the subject.
Aris blinked and became surprised. She looked down at her book and scanned the page she was on. She looked backed up and seemed insulted. "You don't need to know that."
    "She doesn't need to know what?" Ichabod asked as he entered. He grinned at Aris and Aris grinned back, but stared coldly at Rebecca. Ichabod turned and was shocked to see Miss Steinway in his own home.
    "Why Miss Steinway—"
    "Rebecca." She corrected.
    "Rebecca, what are you doing here?"
    "My friend was murdered last night. I've come to see if the Constables are doing anything about it." Rebecca said simply, a touch of ice in her voice.
Aris bit her lip and looked between the two grown-ups. She seemed conscientious about something. Ichabod picked up on this and looked at Aris.
    "Something wrong?" he asked his daughter. Aris blinked and gave a nervous grin.
    "Wrong? Me? No, I'm perfect, in fact, I was just leaving." Aris said as she stood and scurried out of the room.
Ichabod blinked and knew something was up, but first he had to take care of Rebecca. "Miss Steinway—"
    "Rebecca, please."
    "Rebecca, I'm sure all of the Constables are on the look out for the murderer, but there are many other crimes to be solved and with no real clues I'm afraid we have nothing to go on."
Rebecca looked at her hands and then back to Ichabod. "You have to find the murderer of my Helga. It will only be proper. The girl's and I don't have enough money to give her a proper burial, but we do want revenge and we intend to find her murderer and give him the highest punishment."
    "And I am on the lookout, this I promise you, but you can not visit me like this. Go to the House and go through the proper system."
Rebecca nodded and stood. "Thank you Constable Crane. Trust me, I will be in touch." And with that, Rebecca left. Ichabod frowned and headed to the lab.

All the bodies had been burned except for Mrs. Orali's. But her burial had already happened and there was no way he could ask to exhume the body. Unfortunately, Catholic tradition refused to exhume bodies for any reason and Mr. and Mrs. Orali had been the strictest in their religion.

He looked at the blank sheet of paper in his book. He wrote down Mrs. Orali and next to her name proper woman. Then he wrote down unknown. Beneath that he wrote Helga and prostitute next to her name. He stared at the writing for some time before he noticed that Helga and Mrs. Orali were opposites, and between them was an unknown body.

He stood and began to pace the small room. If there was a pattern to this there would be someone he knew, an unknown body, someone he knew and then an unknown body. That pattern just might continue, but he wouldn't know until the next murder.

The next murder happened that night. Once again Ichabod patrolled, but instead of being alone, he walked with Adam. The two walked along the Hudson, but didn't talk. They kept their eyes opened for anything that might've looked suspicious.

It was Adam who spotted a shadow and the two headed for it. When they reached where the shadow had ducked into, they found it. A headless body. Ichabod, used to the sight now seemed to stand firm as he looked at the body.
    "Let's take it back to my lab." Adam didn't seem to mind, and the two picked up the body.

As they neared the lab, they saw that a light was on. Ichabod and Adam laid the body on the ground and went in.
    "Who's there?" Ichabod called out as he opened the door.

Who could've got in? Only he had a set of all four keys. There was a crash and the two Constables quickly finished the steps to get in.

On the table there was a lantern, one of the black logbooks, and a series of tools Ichabod had never seen before. On the floor was...was it blood? Ichabod knelt next to the liquid and looked at it. It wasn't dark enough to be liquid. He gently dabbed his finger in it and rubbed the liquid between his index and middle finger. It wasn't thick like blood. Inside of himself, Ichabod built up bravery and gently tasted the liquid. Adam crinkled his nose and looked aside, but Ichabod was surprised.
    "Cherry syrup."
Adam blinked. "What?"
    "This liquid. It's cherry syrup." Ichabod looked around the lab and saw something move from beneath his desk. He walked over to it and looked under.

    "Masbath?!" Ichabod asked, surprised and bewildered. Masbath came out from beneath the desk and nodded.
    "Yes sir."
    "What is this all about?" Adam asked.
    "I can't tell. It'll have my head. I'll be next."
    "Masbath, you have to tell. For the sake of other's lives, you must tell!" Ichabod said, trying to pry the information from his assistant.
Masbath looked up, tears in his eyes. "Tell so I can be the next victim? No sir, I can't tell. If you must know, ask the girl who you claim is your daughter. Ask Aris."
Ichabod blinked. "What does Aris have to do with this?"
Masbath shook his head, tears streaming down his eyes now. "No, I can't tell. I mustn't tell. It'll have my head. It'll come to me if I tell. It's watching us now."
    "Where? Where is it? Is it another ghost? Masbath, has the horsemen come back?" Ichabod asked, trying to keep his cool, and yet bordering on the side of loosing it.

Masbath looked straight into Ichabod's eyes and said, "You're daughter is the Headless Horsemen, he's come back as Aris. Kill Aris Ichabod, kill her before she kills you." And with that, Masbath fainted.

Ichabod turned to Adam who only shrugged at the look. Ichabod knelt and picked up Masbath. "I'll take him home, you take the body to the House."

There was a knock on the door. "Come in?" The door opened and Ichabod walked in.

There she was, looking so innocent. She was lying in bed, half-awake and half-asleep. She smiled though as she saw her father walk in. "Father? This late at night? Shouldn't you be on patrol?"
    "I was on patrol, but when I went to my lab, Masbath was there."
    "Oh?"
    "Aris, do you know the story of the Headless Horsemen?"
    "Headless Horsemen? That's preposterous! There's no such thing."
    "No, there is. Let me tell you a story." And with that, Ichabod told Aris the story of the Headless Horsemen, and how Lady Archer controlled him. Aris listened on, simply amazed at such a story...a story she had heard before.
When Ichabod was finished, Aris asked, "So there is such things as ghosts?"
    "There is such thing as a headless horsemen, but I don't know if all ghosts are real." Ichabod said, tired from such a long night.
    "Well, I don't believe in ghosts. They're unreasonable." Aris said sleepily.
She settled into bed and closed her eyes. Ichabod kissed her forehead and as he left he whispered, "I hope so."
 

The next morning, "Good morning." Masbath said cheerily as he entered the dining room. Ichabod and Katrina both looked at Masbath oddly.
    "Good morning." They said in reply.
    "How was patrol last night sir? Everything go well?" Masbath asked Ichabod as Masbath took his seat.
    "You...don't remember?" Ichabod asked. Masbath grew puzzled.
    "Remember what?"
    "You grew hysterical last night and fainted. I had to bring you home." Ichabod knew he wasn't imagining things, Katrina had seen him bring in Masbath.
    "I remember being in the lab and spilling something, but after that, my mind is blank." Masbath said as he placed his spoon in the porridge. Ichabod sighed. It was all getting too strange for him.

Days passed and no bodies were to be found. Ichabod was sure the killings had stop, until he received a note. It had been sitting on the lab table. The ink was red and it had said,

     How many were killed last time? Five? Six? Four have been killed this time and I promise you a sixth one is coming. Just wait... and watch. After you find number six, come to your lab and you'll find seven.

No signature had been on the note. Just those words and nothing else.

He had been on his way home when he had seen Adam. "Adam, I have a question. Would you like to help me catch the murderer?"
    "You mean the one who's been loppin' heads off? Sure! Just tell me what to do."
    "Get Robert Orali, Dr. Jonathan Maxwell and two other Constables. Meet me tonight along the Hudson." Adam nodded and headed on his way.
 

It was midnight and all six men stood along the Hudson, waiting, watching. It had been over an hour, and still no sign, no word of a body.
    "I don't think he's comin'" Mr. Orali said.
    "Catch your tongue Robert, cause look over there." Adam pointed and the men raced towards the shadow.
Dr. Maxwell grabbed the wrist and the body gave a cry. A cry of a woman. Ichabod held the lamp up and saw...
    "Katrina!"
    "Ichabod, it's not what you think." Ichabod stood, waiting for an answer.
    "Go to the lab, you'll find your 'murderer' there, and if you wait long enough you'll get an explanation to this as well."
    "Let her go." Ichabod told the doctor.
Jonathan let up and Katrina ran. Robert began to go after her but, "No, let her go. If she's guilty, she'll tell me." Ichabod said.

They were at the lab and they opened the door. There, behind the table, hands covered in blood, was Aris. Various tools and a black logbook lay on the table. All around there was blood, but it was light in color.
    "Aris!" Ichabod asked.
Aris looked like she was about to cry. "Father, let me ex—"
    "You killed my wife!" Robert Orali screamed out.  Two gunshots were fired and three bodies fell to the floor. That of Robert Orali's, Aris Crane's and Ichabod.
 

I love you daddy...daddy...daddy...daddy...daddy…

It repeated in his mind for what seemed like an eternity. There he was standing next to Katrina, holding Aris in his arms. There he was in the garden, Aris's feet bound in bandages, the day after she had stepped on the chair, and then it was all black and those horrible scars seemed to spiral down into oblivion, all the while 'daddy' was being called.

He jolted up in bed, sweat beaded down his forehead and immediately he was wrapped up in a hug. "Wha—"
    "It's all right, everything's okay."
    "Aris."
    "She's in bed, the doctor says she'll live."
    "Wha—"
    "She was shot in the shoulder, luckily Adam had a gun of his own and shot Robert."
    "Rob—"
    "He's dead. Died last night at home." Ichabod just breathed heavily as he continued to hug Katrina. He looked at his hands, they weren't bleeding. "The bodies?"
    "They were all fake. Aris had gotten a craft book. It seems the French have thought up something called paper mâché.  It's made out of paper, and other things, I'm not sure what. The cherry syrup, she was using that as blood. It took her weeks to create the bodies. They even had insides, just in case you operated on one."
    "But Elizabeth—"
    "She ran off with another man and had left Aris her broach."
    "Helga?"
    "She had been 'bought' that night, but Aris arranged something for it to look like Helga was actually killed." Ichabod sighed and let go from the hug.
    "And you?"
    "Aris told me the afternoon after you brought Masbath home. What Masbath had told you the previous night was a lie. She had Masbath tell you that so you would suspect her, but not actually catch her."
    "What do the others say? Will she be arrested?"
    "They have thought up something, and they are charging her with mischief. We will have to pay twenty dollars and Aris will have to stop going to the lab for a while. She'll also have to come in tomorrow for a hearing."
Ichabod nodded. "It's over?"
    "It's over. No more bodies."