Part 1 The Joker Chapter 42 The Butler Carved Lee
There is a task that I would like to entrust …… I’m afraid you’re looking in the wrong place …… The brand of this security company is really just that, a brand ……
Hearing the words of the visitor, Klein instantly held back a full of spit, only hating that there were no forums or pop-ups etc. here to communicate with.
However, he quickly thought of a time when he had asked something similar and the captain’s response was that if there was availability, why not take it? The money earned could be used as a kitty for the team and a perk for the participants.
Roxanne’s eyes rolled as she thought for a moment and said:
”All of our security personnel are out on a mission, and the fastest will not be back for at least an hour from now, so if your matter is not urgent, you may consider it.”
Of the six official members of the Night Watch, Captain Dunn Smith had been invited to the church by the Bishop to discuss something, and Leonard Mitchell was guarding the “Charnis Gate” for him.
”Fry, the Body Collector, and Loyal, the Sleepless One, have left for Golden Sycamore to cooperate with the police department in investigating a theft with sectarian elements, while another Sleepless One, Coenley White, is on rotation. Another “Sleepless One”, Cornelius White, is on leave, and another “Midnight Poet”, Segar Teang, has gone to the “Raphael Cemetery” on the outskirts of the North District to conduct his daily rounds.
The remaining two extraordinary people, the old Neil age, physical frailty, has not been out of the mission for a long time, Klein is still a beginner, in all aspects of the true meaning of half-assed.
”Neither of them is ……” The tall, thin man with gray sideburns and an umbrella in his hand darkened his face, removed his hat, and bowed, “I’m sorry to bother you, excuse me.”
He turned his body toward the door, and, amidst the sound of the crashing rain and the whistling wind, left 36 Zotland Street by way of the stairs.
”What an unfortunate coincidence.” Roxanne sighed regretfully as she watched the gentleman from earlier leave.
Although the commission gained wouldn’t be hers, there was certainly no shortage of a large meal to share.
”It can’t be helped, the Charnis Gate must be guarded at all times.” Crane set down his knife, fork, and spoon contentedly, even if the thick soup of turnips and vegetables he didn’t like so much was cleaned up, “Do you want Brett to go on a mission? Or, yourself?”
Roxanne’s eyes twinkled and she smiled playfully:
”Brett can’t, but you can, our Mr. ‘Diviner’ ……”
Before she finished her sentence, she suddenly came to her senses and hastily stopped her mouth, for the doors were not yet closed, and it would be a leak if anyone passing by or visiting from outside overheard what was going on with the Extraordinary One.
”It’s a good thing the captain isn’t here ……,” Roxanne looked down at the door and secretly spat out her tongue, “or I’d have to go repent again!”
Brett and Klein laughed at the same time and looked at each other before starting to clean up the dishes.
When the rainstorm continued, Klein, who hadn’t brought an umbrella, chose to stay at Blackthorn Security.
He took a newspaper, sat down on the soft and flexible sofa, and leisurely took a “lunch break”.
”Blimp route from Birkeland to Dixie Bay opens ……”
”The Great Detective Munson is organized and will be published soon ……”
”Advertisement for Laugharas Arms?1 standard revolver with 6 rounds for 3 pounds 10 sous and a double barrelled shotgun for 2 pounds ……”
……
Klein looked through the Tingen City Honestman and suddenly found a news item:
”…… The criminals who killed Mr. Welch and Ms. Naya have all been caught, and it is believed that the atmosphere of fear spreading through the North, Golden Sycamore, and East Sectors will be greatly relieved. …… Welch’s father, Mr. McGovern, a banker. escorted the body of his youngest son, returned to the city of Constanton, and is about to hold a grand funeral ……”
Reading it over and over a few times, Klein suddenly sighed:
It seems that Welch’s father has believed the police’s words and did not additionally hire a private detective to investigate ……
His mood of losing his youngest son is definitely not as sad as my father and my mom losing their only son ……
Emotions sank for a moment, and Klein sat there for a long time without moving.
As for the fact that neither Welch nor Naya had invited himself to their funerals, he didn’t feel surprised or depressed at all.
Wait until everything calms down, then find a chance to go to both of their graves to lay a bouquet of flowers …… Klein was about to go to the rest room to take a nap for a few moments, when the door to the reception hall was suddenly knocked on again.
”Come in.” A little bit of Roshan’s head snapped awake.
The hidden door was pushed open, and once again the tall, thin man from before, dressed in formal attire with graying sideburns, walked in.
”Can I wait here for a while? Your mercenaries, no, security personnel should be back soon, right?” He asked sincerely, trying to hide his anxious expression.
”Yes, you can sit there for a while first.” Roxanne pointed to the sofa next to her.
Klein, on the other hand, asked rather curiously:
”Where did you hear about our security company? Who introduced you here?”
So much so that you made two trips back and forth in the middle of the day in the middle of a downpour and were willing to wait?
Well, it must be that the members of the Night Watchman Squad solved the difficult tasks in the eyes of others very easily, and had accumulated enough reputation in this line of work ……
The tall, thin man leaned his umbrella against the door and answered with a bitter smile as he walked towards the couch:
”I’ve visited all the mercenaries, er, security companies and private investigators in the neighborhood for a few blocks, and you’re the only place where there’s still hope, and they’re completely out of manpower to take on any other assignments …… Frankly, if I hadn’t met one of the waiters delivering the food, I wouldn’t have guessed that there was even a security company around here. ”
…… Not at all what I thought …… Klein froze.
Roxanne then interjected and asked:
”They’re busy? So many assignments?”
The tall, thin man with gray sideburns sat down and sighed:
”You’re a mercenary squad, no, a security company, you’ve heard about the home invasion murders in Howells Neighborhood, right?”
Howells neighborhood …… home invasion robbery murder case …… Well, unfortunately, I am one of the parties involved …… Klein nodded with a slightly heavy feeling:
”Yes.”
”Because of the viciousness and cruelty of the criminals, the rich people in the nearby neighborhoods, and even in the entire city of Tingen, were frightened, and they hired very many additional security personnel and private detectives, in addition to increasing their own escorts, leaving a noticeable manpower gap in the business.” The tall, thin man replied articulately.
The standard chain reaction …… Klein and Roxanne looked at each other, and both saw the self-deprecation on the other’s face.
The security industry had entered the “golden age”, but Blackthorn’s side didn’t even feel a little bit of it, so it could be seen how much of a failure this company had been.
Of course, in a sense, it also proved the success of the Night Watchman Team’s concealment.
After waiting for more than twenty minutes, seeing the rainstorm will stop, Klein is ready to pack up and leave, go to the “shooting club” to practice revolver.
Just then, Leonard Mitchell with black hair and green pupils came out from the partition and looked towards the sofa in confusion:
”And this is?”
”The commissioner, the captain is back?” Roxanne asked triumphantly.
”Back?” The tall, thin man froze at the sound.
He himself was sitting right here, staring at the door, how did he not realize that someone had returned?
Luo Shan’s expression froze, and he was busy laughing:
”As a security company, we won’t just have the front door.”
”Understood.” The tall and thin man nodded indistinctly.
As for the title of captain, he didn’t find it strange at all, security companies were former mercenary squads or small mercenary guilds, and the presence of a “captain” was quite normal.
Leonard’s white shirt was not tied up, and his black vest was casually draped, he looked at the tall and thin man and suddenly snapped his fingers and said:
”I’m a security officer from Blackthorn, what’s your name? What do you want to entrust?”
Perhaps he had already heard of the unrestrained nature of “mercenaries”, the tall and thin man did not feel angry at being insulted, but instead sighed in relief.
He looked at Leonard and sat down, organizing his words:
”My name is Carvery, I’m the butler of Mr. Vickroll, a tobacco merchant, and his only son, Elliot Jr. was kidnapped this morning, we’ve already called the police and received enough attention, but Mr. Vickroll is not yet comfortable, and would like to use the channels of your mercenaries, err, security personnel, as well as your knowledge of Tingen, to investigate in a different direction, and ensure that Elliot Jr. was safely rescued.”
”Mr. Vickroll is willing to pay 100 pounds if you can find where the kidnappers are hiding, and he is willing to double the payment to a one-time grant of 200 pounds if you have the means and success to rescue young Master Elliot.”
Leonard Mitchell smiled leisurely:
”Mr. Vickroll seems to only want us to find where the kidnappers are hiding? Otherwise he wouldn’t think his only son was worth a hundred pounds, and a tobacconist with close ties to a southern plantation wouldn’t be able to come up with just two hundred pounds.”
”No, Mr. Vickroll is only an ordinary merchant, not one of the rich and powerful, and, as far as the rescue is concerned, he trusts the police department to be more expert.” The old butler, Carvery, answered frankly.
”Okay, no problem.” Leonard snapped his fingers again.
His turquoise eyes looked at Roxanne:
”Beautiful lady, please go draw up a contract.”
”Don’t always think you’re a poet, in fact, you only recite other people’s works.” Roxanne was used to taunting each other with Leonard, forgetting for a moment that there were guests present.
Of course, Blackthorn Security didn’t care about any commissioners, it was nice to have them, and it didn’t matter if they didn’t.
Roxanne left the reception desk and entered the clerk’s office, and the sound of clacking rang out immediately.
Klein watched as the corners of his mouth twitched, only to realize how unprofessional they were.
I can’t believe they don’t have a made-to-order, off-the-shelf contract!
”It’s a sad thing ……”
”And what’s even sadder is that I’m in such an unprofessional company ……”
While his thoughts were in a flurry, Lorna drew up the contract, which was so brief that it had only a few clauses, and had the butler, Carvedley, and Leonard Mitchell each sign it.
When Carvery had stamped it, she took the contract, went into the accounting room, and asked Mrs. Oleanna to get the seal of “Blackthorn Security” – a seal that served little purpose, and which Dunn usually gave to Oleanna for safekeeping, and to Roxanne and the others on Sundays.
”Waiting for your good news.” Receiving one of the contracts, the butler, Carvery, stood up and took off his hat and bowed.
Leonard did not respond, and was silent for ten seconds or so as if he was thinking about something.
He suddenly turned his head and looked at Klein, revealing a smile and said:
”I need your assistance.”
”Huh?” Klein froze for a moment.
”What I mean is that this mission will be accomplished by me and you together.” Leonard explained with a slight curl of his mouth, “I’m good at fighting, shooting, climbing, sensing and chanting, as well as doing some assisting, but that doesn’t include finding people, and you wouldn’t want old Neil to go out in this weather, would you?”
His voice slurred for a moment when he said “sensing”, making it impossible to hear him.
”Fine.” Klein had the urge to try out a new “skill” and a bit of caution about Leonard Mitchell.
Whew, I hope it goes well …… I wonder how useful my “Diviner” ability can be …… he thought with a little anticipation.