"Before I say it, I have the right to refuse to answer, right?"
"Of course."
I'll answer quickly.
Ah~~It’s really...
I have spent too much time convincing this old man.
"I promise, I will only ask questions related to the case."
You want me to find the murderer quickly, but you don’t want to cooperate properly...
If you are not popular, you are not trusted~~
"Oh? Then let me confirm first. You have only taken over this murder case, right? No other tracking work?"
"...No."
"Hey, uncle, trust the detective more."
Even Ferrinold spoke up for me.
"Oh, why should I believe him? Just because the lord asked him to handle the case? Don't be kidding. Based on what he has done in the past, who knows whether he will use this opportunity to make a big fortune?" p>
"How is that possible? Hey!"
"What private detective... you are clearly an information dealer. If it weren't for handling the case, I wouldn't let you go to the guest room."
"You——!"
Felinold seemed to be unable to bear it any longer. He put up his hands and tried to stand up, but I held him back.
"Okay, okay~~ What are you arguing about? Mr. Wyatt is right. In fact, I have long thought that this shabby profession is no different from an intelligence dealer."
"Detective sir, why don't you..."
"Mr. Wyatt, you can refuse to answer any of my questions."
I signaled Ferrinold to stop with my eyes so that Mr. Wyatt could calm down.
"Hmph, did you hear that? You stinky gangster?"
Mr. Wyatt's tone was full of provocation.
"Of course you have the right to answer or not, but don't forget, the right to decide the murderer belongs to me."
It is not my purpose to just give in, it is to make the other party’s position clear.
"So what?"
"Actually... the officers in the police station are very busy, and they will have to wait a month at the earliest before they can start assisting me."
"Oh? I remember that the time limit given to you by the lord is two months, right?"
"Well, so I have to rely on myself almost half the time."
"...Even if you tell me this, don't expect me to sympathize with you, I will just think that you are bringing it upon yourself."
"No, no, no~~ What I mean is - I am currently responsible for the case alone. In other words, who the murderer is depends on my judgment."
"...Do you think I would believe such outrageous things?"
Of course I believe it.
Although Mr. Wyatt's tone is still strong, his momentum is obviously much weaker.
According to my experience, the older people are, the easier it is for them to follow others’ opinions about things they don’t understand.
What's more, I only added a little bit of lies to the many truths.
As we all know, the biggest victims of fraud are the elderly.
"Police officers can't have all the information, you see——"
I took out Manda's notebook and waved it in front of his eyes.
"This is the information about the attic that the trainee police officer who met you before gave me. As you can see, it is in my hand and not in the police station."
"..."
Mr. Wyatt was silent.
Having a monopoly on the information, he naturally has the greatest say in the identity of the murderer.
"Whoever I identify as the murderer must prove his innocence - this is my right... and coincidentally, I am good at producing 'evidence', and some people who are unwilling to cooperate with me in handling cases will
Maybe the suspicion will be raised.”
"How dare you do this?"
"I have the ability to do this without being discovered."
"You...don't you have any principles for handling cases?"
I felt Mr. Wyatt's anger, and his eyes were like a poisonous snake lurking in the corner of the fireplace.
"Oh, what are the principles for handling cases... Do intelligence dealers also need professional ethics?"
I glanced at him lightly.
After about ten seconds, the other party's eyes dropped slightly - the poisonous snake was dead.
It seems that he has figured it out.
"That's what I said~~ But I don't want to offend others for no reason. In fact, I just want to collect some information and leave the rest to the police officers - after all, my goal is not to find the real murderer but to get the reward.
Gold~~"
After confirming Mr. Wyatt's compromise, I turned to appease him.
"And I also believe in you. You will definitely tell the story of the incident on the day of the incident, right?"
"...I know it without you stressing it..."
"That's really great."
You're done.
I couldn't help but look proudly at Ferrinold, who was observing us the whole time, and at the same time I was glad that I had stopped the quarrel between him and Mr. Wyatt early.
If he had allowed his attack to continue, the situation would have only gotten worse.
Because this is exactly what Mr. Wyatt wants - to anger us with words and take the opportunity to find an excuse to kick us out.
From the disdain that appeared in his eyes from time to time, I guessed that this would happen.
Fortunately, I am not a young man who gets angry whenever I am ridiculed. This is not the first time I have encountered this kind of situation where I can distinguish the stakes as long as I calmly think about it.
I saw through it, Mr. Wyatt.
"Uncle, I have lived much longer than you, an old miser~~"
——I really want to say this proudly.
But I have the heart but not the courage~~
Beautiful.
Fortunately, I borrowed Manda's notebook in advance... It was really helpful. I'll have to thank her properly next time.
Finally, the plot can be officially advanced... No, it's time to enter the interrogation phase!
But... why do you feel a little tired before this even starts?
Let’s ask some simple questions first.
"Miss Schimmel...the deceased, when did she move into the attic?"
"It was probably more than a year ago, and I have moved in since then. I helped buy the furniture."
"Did she have any abnormalities before the incident?"
"Abnormal...no, not at all. Besides, she and I are just acquaintances and rarely communicate with each other. Even if there is anything abnormal about her, I wouldn't know."
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"Then does she have a servant or something?"
"No, she spends most of her time alone...Ah, occasionally she walks with Miss Xue."
"Oh? You know Xue."
"Well, Miss Xue always greets me every time she comes. She is a very polite person."
"Hey~~That's it..."
Does that person actually say hello to others... It's unimaginable.
"Oh, oh, Mr. Detective, could it be that the 'Miss Snow' you are talking about is the young lady from last time——"
"Shut up."
The words that shouldn't be heard were interrupted by me in time.
"By the way, Miss Xue also came to see Miss Schimmel that night."
"Did you see the two of them going upstairs together?"
"Well... no, Miss Schimmel came back first, and Miss Xue didn't come until around nine o'clock."
"When did the snow leave?"
"I don't know about that."
"Okay...can you tell me what you were doing on the night of the incident?"
Confirming the alibi—a trick even I would use.
"My words...it was in this main hall. There were many people here at that time, and everyone can testify for me, including the thin man next to you."
I looked at Ferrinold, and he nodded to me twice.
There are many benches and sofas in the main hall on the ground floor of the attic where we are, as well as a small service desk. Behind the service desk are shelves.
"I have some side businesses. In the winter, I will turn this place into a small tavern, but I will only sell some low-alcohol wine - I don't want drunks to affect my tenants."
Mr Wyatt added.
I am very satisfied with his cooperative attitude.
And what he said is consistent with what Ferrinold said.
"Wow~~ No wonder the wine I drank that day looked like it had been mixed with water!"
"...When does the pub open?"
"Six o'clock in the afternoon."
In other words, those people who were not written in Manda's notebook but appeared in the attic probably entered the attic between 6 pm and 9 pm.
This makes sense logically.
"Have you been in the main hall?"
"Not at all. In order to ensure the rest of the guests, the tavern usually closes around ten o'clock. That night... it should be about ten thirty. After I sent the lord away through the back door, I locked the door and returned.
Rest in your own room."
"The lord left around half past ten..."
Schimuel's death time ranged from eleven o'clock to one o'clock in the morning. Was it really just a coincidence that the lord came to this attic that night...
"Is the back door always unlocked?"
"Yes."
...Your awareness of theft prevention needs to be improved, Mr. Wyatt.
In this case, it is difficult to estimate the specific departure time of each person.
"So, you haven't seen anyone since half past ten?"
"This...well, that's right."
Mr. Wyatt has no alibi for being present after half past ten.
But this happened to be the time period when the murder occurred.
But it is normal for him to stay in his room without witnesses.
It’s difficult...
"..."
"What's wrong?"
"Ah~~No, it's nothing..."
My wandering seemed to make Mr. Wyatt feel uneasy.
"Then, next..."
I picked up the coat that was placed on the sofa and took out the things I had prepared in advance...
......
After asking all the questions that came to mind in detail, Ferrinold and I took our leave.
When we came to the street, Ferrinold handed me the notebook.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"Why are you so polite, Mr. Detective? Why don't you treat me to a few drinks~~"
At my request, Ferrinold wrote down all the conversations I had just had with Mr. Wyatt.
When I took the notebook, I looked at it briefly - what I didn't expect was that he remembered it in quite detail.
"You are surprisingly reliable."
"That 'unexpected' is superfluous. Besides, I've always been reliable, okay? But the detective never took this case seriously."
"...Huh? How could I not take it seriously?"
After a moment of hesitation, my voice changed slightly when I asked.
"However, the detective's performance tonight can be given extra points~~"
"Who cares..."
What points should be added? Your heartbeat index score? If it is true, I hope it will be cleared directly.
"Eh~~"
"..."
"Hey, Mr. Detective, what do you think of that old man Wyatt?"
"Even if I say it behind my back, please be polite...Why are you asking this? Do you think he is the murderer?"
"No, no, no, I just... doubt it."
"Why?"
"Think about it, he has been missing since half past ten. Even if he said that he was just resting in the room, who can testify? If I remember correctly, Mr. Detective, you should have said - that woman
The businessman's death time is after half past ten, right?"
"Well..."
"For the above reasons, I doubt him."
"It makes sense."
"Hmph~~ If the murderer is really that old man Wyatt, detective sir, please don't forget my contribution and give me at least 90% of the reward~~"
"... Regardless of your unrealistic fantasies, I think Mr. Wyatt's chances of committing a crime are still relatively small."
"Oh?"
"What good will killing Schimmel do to Mr. Wyatt?"
"Benefits...well, no..."
"If there is no motive for murder, it means that it is meaningless for Mr. Wyatt to do such a thing, right?"
"Well..."
After changing his complacent look just now, Felinold's momentum instantly dropped and he made a muffled voice.
We gradually moved away from the attic, and as passers-by gradually appeared around us, the lights on the street became brighter.
Ferrinold and I felt relaxed.
"Ah~~ I didn't expect that the detective would actually have a way to get that old man to answer your question. He's really got a trick..."
Ferrinold put his hands behind his head and sighed.
"...If you and Mr. Wyatt hadn't quarreled, I would have used a more tactful approach."
"Hahaha, yes~~"
"..."
"...Let me tell you, Mr. Detective..."
"Huh?"
"A year ago, I persuaded you to become a private detective...do you regret it?"
"Nonsense, I regret it so much."
"Haha..."
"But regret is regret, I have long accepted the reality."
"Oh?"
"So I thought about doing something... to let others know - I am a private detective, but a private detective is not exactly me."
"Wow~~If it's so cool, wouldn't it be too wasteful for the detective to tell me, a grown man?"