Part 2 THE FACELESS CHAPTER 112 THE PROBLEM OF THE HORSE TRAINER
Returning to the parlor, Klein picked up his letter cutter, casually unsealed it, and took out the letter from Eisinger Stanton.
That well-known great detective wrote on the letter:
”Your idea has been a great help to us, and allow me to make my thanks in advance.”
”Immediately after receiving the letter sent by you, we organized our manpower to check out some key areas, and we really found the corresponding clues, and a lot of stray animals that often frequented the neighborhood and were remembered by the residents, one after another, all disappeared.”
”In this process, we also noticed an interesting thing, in that serial murder case four years ago, yes, the one where the target was a prostitute who was single and had a child, quite a few people who lived around the crime scene had mentioned that the teenager most suspected of the crime, though withdrawn and sinister, was quite compassionate towards animals, especially a large-sized black dog. ”
”After the teenager died in a gangland fire, the people around the area never saw the dog again.”
”I’m curious as to who its current owner is, was it the perpetrator of some unsolved serial murder case much longer ago?”
”All of the above was somewhat proven at the scene of the 12th murderer’s case and played a key role in giving the police a preliminary lock on the suspect, and if all goes well, we’ll be able to get the lion’s share of the bounty once the perpetrator is arrested.”
”My friend, I remember your contribution well and will not forget your share.”
……
Eisinger Stanton seems to be a little suspicious that I know the truth about the Demon, so I’m deliberately hinting at something? Klein put down the letter paper and muttered silently.
However, this letter also made him really put down his heart:
The official extraordinary people did not look for the wrong person!
It was only a matter of time before that demonic giant dog was captured and killed if it didn’t get another helping hand.
As for Eisinger Stanton’s speculation that the other party had another master, Klein lacked enough evidence to confirm it, so he could only say that there was a certain probability.
”Anyway, this is the end of my mission, the next thing is about the Night Watchers, the Substitute Punishers, and the Mechanical Heart Squad.” Klein drew out his brand new paper, picked up his round-bellied fountain pen, and returned a letter full of humility to Eisinger Stanton, and ignored his subtle hints, like a true, ordinary private investigator.
After cutting out another paper man and going out to mail the letter, Crane paced to the waiting point for the public carriage, all in a state of relaxation, and thought:
”Next thing I know, I can wait to collect my money ……”
”Repard says he’s going to see the Roselle Memorial Exhibition three days in a row, I’ll have to wait until Saturday to go back to him and make the final payment, hopefully the patent for the bicycle will have been filed by then, hey, the Birkeland Patent Office never seems to be very productive.”
Klein had already figured out his schedule for the day a while ago, and with the Extraordinary People’s party unable to be held and the corresponding items unable to be purchased, he was suddenly free, and briefly, after all, didn’t need to be busy anymore.
”Going to the Krag Club in the morning, practicing my gun, practicing my Extraordinary Ability, and having lunch there, then finding a better circus and observing a magician’s show to see if I can get some inspiration.” He pulled out his gold-cased pocket watch and glanced at it, and boarded the public carriage in a good mood.
……
Hillsdon District, Krag Club.
Since Klein came over at least twice a week, the waiters all remembered him and didn’t need him to show his proof of membership and his White Frost Constellation badge.
It was Wednesday morning, and most of the members of the Kraig Club belonged to the more established middle class, working in regular and quite decent jobs, and it was difficult to come over on Sundays, not on annual leave, not at tea time.
The bright and spacious hall seemed unusually empty, with only a handful of people sitting in the coffee table sofa area in the corner.
Sweeping there with a glance, Klein saw a familiar face and went up to say hello:
”Talim, the weather is that great today, you should be at the race track.”
That acquaintance was Talim Dumont, the noble horsemanship teacher who had introduced him to the club at Mrs. Mary’s request, and who had once brought Klein a business deal to protect Mike Joseph, a reporter from the Daily Observer, to do an investigation at the “Golden Rose”.
Talim lifted his head, stroked his short curly brown hair, and said with a smile:
”Oh, esteemed detective, what have you been up to lately? I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
That’s because you haven’t been in the club for a few days …… Klein smiled and sat down on the couch next to Talim:
”Helping the cops with that serial murder case, it doesn’t always pay off but the bounty is tempting enough, and besides, building a good relationship with the police department is very important to us private detectives.”
All of the above is bragging, I’m just an inconspicuous character who was summoned …… He flirted with himself in his mind.
Several members seated in that couch area behind them were discussing the latest Western Railroad stock and East Byron Plantation stock, guided by a man suspected of being a stockbroker.
Without any doubt about Crane’s answer, Talim chuckled:
”That’s certainly what keeps the great detective busy.”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, he drifted into a state of thoughtfulness.
Just as Klein was planning to take his leave and go to the underground shooting range, Talim suddenly looked at him and said:
”Mr. Moriarty, can I ask a question?”
”Well, you can charge a consultation fee.”
”It’s free on this order, and just call me Sherlock.” Klein chuckled.
Talim nodded lightly and hesitantly:
”I have a friend who’s in love with someone he shouldn’t be, how should I handle this situation?”
Although I’ve always thought that “I have a friend” is the same as “myself” when asking similar questions, Talim’s emotional color indicated that it wasn’t him, and that he was in a difficult situation, but he didn’t see the slightest bit of pain… …Klein, who had turned on his psychic vision, leaned back slightly and crossed his arms:
”I’m sorry, I’m not a psychiatrist or one of those experts in newspapers and magazines who specialize in emotional problems.”
”My only advice is to not break the law.”
”Oh, that’s a joke, first of all, let’s figure out what the ‘shouldn’t’ stems from? A hateful relationship between the families on both sides?”
Talim gave him a helpless look:
”No, this is not a Romeo and Juliet story!”
Upon hearing the other’s reply, a disembodied whisper seemed to ring in Klein’s ears:
By Russell Gustav …… By Russell Gustav …… By Russell Gustav …… By Russell Gustav …… By Russell Gustav ……
He shook his head, apologized to Master Sha, and smiled:
”This work of Roselle the Great is so classic that it comes to mind when I think of love that shouldn’t be.”
”So, why exactly shouldn’t they be together?”
Talim said after a few seconds of silence:
”I have to keep that a secret, sorry, just pretend I didn’t ask.”
Confidentiality? That’s a very powerful man …… Falling in love with someone of the same sex? Falling in love with someone related by blood? Klein stifled his intense curiosity and spread his hands:
”Then I can only give one more piece of advice, read more emotionally charged best-selling novels like Stormy Mountain and Love and Jealousy.”
Talim opened and closed his lips a few times and sighed:
”Hey, this can only be a last resort, the feelings in those best-selling novels simply don’t seem to me to take place between normal human beings.”
”I feel the same way!” Klein agreed with deep sympathy.
After exchanging smiles with Talim, he got up and headed to the underground range to practice his extraordinary abilities with his gun, and it was almost noon before he returned to the first floor and headed straight for the cafeteria.
He had noticed earlier that the limited offering for the day was, pan-fried foie gras in red wine with sliced apples and bread soaked in butter.
Fetching the food, Klein carried his plate towards the table where Talim was, and where, at the moment, in addition to Talim, there was another acquaintance of his, surgeon Alan Krebs, who had also introduced him to the club as a guarantee.
He had just placed his dinner tray, and had not yet had time to sit down, when Klein suddenly realized that the well-known surgeon had a cane leaning against the side of his chair.
”Alan, what’s wrong?” He asked with concern.
Alan, a tall, thin, cold-looking man with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, tapped his right leg and said:
”No, don’t mention it, it was really bad luck! I fell down the stairs and developed a more serious bone fracture, so I had to wear a cast for immobilization.”
”That’s just not enough luck.” Klein sighed in agreement and sliced a piece of foie gras, dipping it in the juice and stuffing it into his mouth, the sensation of it melting on first contact causing the aroma of the fat to expand outward, tingling every taste bud.
”I’ve been unlucky for a long time.” Alan raised a hand and pushed down on the frame, rubbing the corner of his forehead in the process.
He then looked over at Klein and then at Talim and asked hesitantly:
”Mr. Moriarty, have you, have you ……”
”What?” Klein asked, looking up.
Allen lowered his voice:
”You’re a well-known detective, you should know quite a few people, right?”
”Okay.” Klein perfunctorily said without understanding what the other party meant.
Allen glanced at Talim again and took a breath:
”Do you know anyone like a country witch doctor? No, I mean, some competent soothsayer or occultist, I guess, I think, my recent unlucky streak is too unusual ……”
”I know those are most likely fake and fraudulent, but have been unable to find any other way to get rid of bad luck, I’ve tried praying in church, donating, attending mass, but nothing works.”
Some competent soothsayer or occultist …… It’s as if you’re talking about me …… Klein mused:
”Alan, tell us in detail what has happened to you.”
Next to him, Talim nodded along:
”Don’t worry, although I’m a follower of the Lord, I don’t reject occult things.”
Alan sighed bitterly:
”Many, many things, for example, making a mistake in surgery, traveling and encountering a steam train accident, returning home and finding a burglar in the house, going to the hospital and ending up falling down the stairs …… Do you think that there could be someone cursing me?”
Well, I’ve heard Alan mention something similar before …… Klein frowned slightly.
As a former night watchman, he could easily associate a sealing object from such a description:
Doom Muppet!
A similar item? He opened his spiritual vision and asked seriously:
”Alan, think back carefully, before those unlucky things came in succession, did you or your family, well, did your family suffer from unlucky things as well?”