Chapter 857: Count Sagia on the Pillar of Shame (please vote for more)
Chapter 854: Count Sagia on the Pillar of Shame (please vote for more)
The three people who had a secret meeting with Count Sakia were the bald Mr. Thornburg, a big local tobacco businessman; the gorgeous Miss Martha, who was dressed in a red dress and smoked ladies' slim cigarettes; the gloomy face and greasy hair.
Mr. Francis teaches basic physics at Huntington Public Theological Seminary.
The three of them met in secret with the Earl in the room in the order of Mr. Thornburg, Mr. Francis and Miss Martha. Each of them met for about half an hour. After the meeting, they did not leave the club. Mr. Thornburg was in the room.
The meeting with business partners continued on the second floor, while Mr. Francis met an acquaintance on the second floor. Miss Martha had left the club but did not go far, so she was found again.
They all had a letter from the count inviting them to meet today, and after a search, no source of poison was found on their bodies. However, after the three met with the count, they all had time to dispose of their belongings, so they still have the greatest suspicion of committing the crime.
.
What is very strange is that before Colonel Wood brought Shade and Mr. Bernhardt into the room, the three of them refused to tell the reason for their meeting with the count. After Colonel Wood officially announced that Count Sachia had been confirmed dead,
And after dying in front of Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, the three of them all took a breath and looked shocked.
"Three of you, none of you can leave until you figure out the truth about this matter."
As a soldier, Mr. Wood acted very decisively. He mentioned the name of the princess to let them know how big this matter was today. Sure enough, after learning that this matter involved members of the royal family, the three of them were willing to let go and explain themselves.
The reason for coming here, but it is required to be told separately. This matter cannot be known to too many people.
As a result, the three of them were separated again. Shade, Mr. Bernhardt and Colonel Wood first interrogated Mr. Thornburg, the tobacco merchant who was the first to meet the count. The latter sat dejectedly on a chair and left at the end.
After the royal guards closed the door from the outside, the bald middle-aged man immediately covered his face and burst into tears:
"I knew that sooner or later I would be found out if I did such a thing. This is God punishing me."
"What on earth did you do?"
Colonel Wood asked in a stern tone, and Mr. Thornburg, who covered his face and sobbed, replied:
"Count Sakia and I are partnering to do tobacco business in the southern region of Delrayon without paying taxes."
That is smuggling.
"When we met today, the count wanted to readjust the distribution of profits. We had a big fight. No one wanted this to happen, but I swear that I would never want to murder a count."
"smuggling?"
Colonel Wood looked at Viscount Bernhard, who nodded slightly:
"Indeed. There are such rumors, but I can't be sure."
In other words, this is a well-known thing among the local nobles, but Mr. Bernhardt will never testify for this to offend an earl family. Whether this title can be passed on will depend on the subsequent investigation.
How big is the smuggling business? But looking at the bald businessman crying sadly at this time, I am afraid that the scale of the business is much larger than the three of them imagined.
Later, the three of them met Mr. Francis, who looked gloomy and looked like he hadn't washed his hair for several days. Although he taught basic physics at the university, he was only a lecturer, not a professor.
"I know it's hard to explain, but in fact the count wants to have a relationship with Delarion's MI6 through me."
As soon as he opened his mouth, he announced another bombshell news. Mr. Bernhardt and Colonel Wood were so shocked that they could not speak. Although Shade was also shocked, he still asked first:
"You mean, you are from MI6?"
"No, no, Mr. Delrayon, please don't accuse me wrongly. I am a very loyal Carsonian. You also know that although teaching at the university is a very decent job, the weekly salary is actually not very generous.
, those few crowns are really used to raise three children.”
He took off his glasses, lowered his head and wiped the lenses with his clothes:
"When I was young, I met some friends in Delrayon, so in Huntington, I sometimes worked part-time to keep and sell some intelligence for people. I didn't know anyone from MI6, and they didn't trust me, but I
Be able to contact them.”
In other words, this is actually an intelligence dealer in the local underground black market.
"Count Sagia is asking you to contact MI6 for what purpose?"
Colonel Wood came back to his senses and asked. Mr. Francis hesitated and pursed his lips:
"Actually, this is not the first time that the count has come to me. He wants to use the Huntington Railway Department's information in exchange for Delrayon's release of a batch of goods shipped from the New World that he docked at Coldwater Port. Yes, a batch of goods that were not shipped from the New World.
How to comply with the herbal medicine regulations established and recognized by the United Kingdom and enforced to ensure implementation."
At some point, Mr. Bernhard had raised his hand and held his chin. He was very interested but did not dare to continue listening. Colonel Wood's brows were furrowed like the bulging Rommel Mountains, and he exhaled a few breaths through his nose.
, then asked with difficulty:
"What kind of illegal herbs? Are they yin-inducing? Are they stimulating? Or are they listed by the Five Gods Church?"
Mr. Francis pouted and scratched his face. This strange look was to cover up his inner uneasiness:
"Both. However, the count is not a traitor. He is very loyal to the kingdom and loves the people. He has been trying his best to prevent the Huntingdon Eastern Reservoir reconstruction plan."
"Oh, my God."
Colonel Wood no longer listened to the other party's words. He covered his forehead and groaned, then looked at the two gentlemen beside him.
"I heard nothing!"
Mr. Bernhardt said immediately.
"What?"
Shade patted his ears and looked confused, and then Colonel Wood felt relieved.
After confirming that the dead Earl Sakia was involved in smuggling and treason, the three of them met the gorgeously dressed Miss Martha. She had a very unpleasant smell of perfume. This low-quality perfume was not related to the people around Shade.
The ones the girls use are simply incomparable.
"I am the count's lover."
Miss Martha sat on the sofa with her legs crossed and had put out her cigarette at Colonel Wood's warning.
Hearing this answer, the three gentlemen standing were not surprised at all. Compared with the secrets told by the two just now, the answer "lover" seemed too ordinary.
"You only met for half an hour."
Colonel Wood pointed out very keenly, with sharp eyes:
"Even if the earl is not in good health, there is no reason to only meet for half an hour. This is unreasonable."
After speaking, he explained to the two people around him:
"I don't have a lover, this is common sense."
"The count wants to abandon me."
The woman said these words without any expression on her face. Instead, she looked at Shade's face with interest:
"The reason for abandoning me was just that he was tired of it. He gave me a money order for 200 crowns, which was like blocking my mouth. You should have found the money order. Please return it to me after this matter is over."
She was sizing up Shade, and Shade was also sizing up her. It wasn't that the stranger was interested in the woman in front of him, but the emerald ring on her finger caught his attention.
[Yes, it is an alchemical item, but the element traces are very weak.]
The other party is just an ordinary person. Even if he has an alchemical item on his body, it cannot be said that the other party is the murderer who poisoned Count Sakia, who will probably be nailed to the pillar of shame in Kasenlik.
Colonel Wood continued to ask about Count Sakia's daily habits and the details of Miss Martha's acquaintance with the Count. Mr. Bernhardt behind him pulled Shade's sleeve and pointed his finger in the direction of Miss Martha.
Shade was startled, opened his mouth, and made a mouth gesture:
"is her?"
Mr. Bernhardt nodded slightly, then dropped his hands by his sides, palms downward, and swung them up and down quickly. Then he raised his right hand and touched his nose.
"The hands imitate wings, which refers to bats; pointing to the nose refers to a keen sense of smell. He means that he relied on the keen sense of smell gifted by vampires to smell something abnormal on the other person's body."
Shade nodded to express his understanding, rolled his eyes, then raised his right hand, palm upward, and handed it forward, meaning "What is the evidence?"
Mr. Bernhard also understood what he meant, but still shook his head, meaning that he had no evidence for the time being.
At this time, Mr. Wood had finished asking the questions and turned around to motion to the two gentlemen beside him to ask a few questions. Mr. Bernhardt motioned to Shade to speak first, so Shade thought for a moment and said:
"Why don't we just regard this lady as the murderer?"
"Um?"
The other three people looked at him in surprise, and Shade analyzed:
"You see, these three are the most suspect. The tobacco merchant is smuggling, so he will definitely not be allowed to leave; Mr. Francis is suspected of being a collaborator, and he cannot leave. Only this lady, we have no reason to stay without going through the police.
She. How about we announce to the outside world that it was Miss Martha who poisoned the Earl, and then detain Mr. Thornburgh and Mr. Francis on the grounds that they involve state secrets."
Colonel Wood, who was a little surprised just now, now understood, and Mr. Bernhardt also inhaled and touched his chin.
"In this way, the incident that should be handled by the police can be handled by us alone. As long as Gray Gloves are dispatched from Willendale, and after His Highness leaves in the airship, Gray Gloves will take over the matter.
In this way, the criminal case becomes a state secret case that does not need to be disclosed to the outside world, and the three people are also under control. No matter what truth is discovered in the subsequent investigation, there is no possibility of it being exposed to the public. The princess's
Your reputation will never be damaged by this."
In this way, Gray Gloves' investigation will focus on these three people, and Shade will jump out of this matter.
After Shade finished speaking his thoughts, "her" laughter came to his ears:
【Foreigners, sometimes I really have to admire your wisdom.】
The middle-aged vampire gave Shade a thumbs up at this time, looking at him as if he had reacquainted himself with this young knight from a foreign country. Mr. Bernhardt now fully understood that Shade Hamilton had become the only one in this era.
Being knighted is definitely not just because of good luck.
Colonel Wood, who was originally a little wary of this Delarian, also said from the bottom of his heart:
"It's amazing, Mr. Holmes, it's amazing."
This is a heartfelt compliment:
"In fact, you should not go to the New World to run vineyards, but should apply for civil servants. It's awesome, it's really awesome."
Shade smiled and shook his head modestly. He is a Royal Army Major in Delarian. According to the regulations of the Kingdom, he cannot apply for the Kingdom's civil service before he retires:
"I'm just better at grasping the main contradiction."
When the real culprit is determined but there is no evidence to prove that the other person is the murderer, don't look for evidence. Instead, turn the problem into how to arrest the other person without evidence.
"Well."
Colonel Wood clapped his hands and concluded the matter:
"Then, we will temporarily regard Miss Martha as the poisoner."
After finishing speaking, he coughed, turned around to face the sofa, and announced in a very formal tone:
"Miss Martha, now that you are arrested, please do not take any additional actions, otherwise we will have reasons to take restrictive measures against you. It needs to be pointed out in particular that since you were arrested by the Anjou Royal Guards, you need to be escorted to Gray
Handled with gloves, so you don’t have any rights to meet relatives and express your opinions freely.”
The woman sitting on the sofa stared at the three people dumbfounded, never expecting that they would be so shameless.
PS1: In fact, it is very interesting to write about this kind of daily life. Of course, this is not daily life, but the main plot of the regional main line in the fourth large map "Kasenrik-Hendel City" area.
PS2: Please vote for extra tickets. The double monthly ticket is about to end. Those who have tickets should not keep them.