After bidding farewell to engineer Hill, Carmen went to visit the dentist Hill mentioned. Dentist Sheld confirmed what Hill said.
"A child over 2 years old like little George will normally have 20 deciduous teeth. Of course, some children will have a few fewer deciduous teeth. He has two extra deciduous teeth, and these two teeth grow very fast.
, and even squeeze the adjacent teeth, which will definitely cause discomfort, so he always loves to cry." The dentist said.
"Dr. Shield, is this common?" Carmen asked. As a young man, he really didn't know the details related to raising children.
"No, based on my forty years of medical experience, it is possible for one or two extra deciduous teeth to grow, but I have only seen them grow so fast once. They are located further forward than wisdom teeth, and are stronger and stronger than permanent teeth.
Sharp." The old dentist shook his head, "Mr. Reporter, is this important?"
"Just asking, why? The security police didn't ask?" Carmen asked in return.
"The police just asked me when Hill's wife took her children to see her dentist, when she left, if any unknown person appeared nearby, etc." The dentist said.
"Oh." Carmen nodded and did not comment on the police's behavior. Presumably those police officers were just doing routine work. Too many children are lost in the Holy City every year.
Lack of birth control means that some poor families have more children. For these families, it is common to give away or even sell children that they cannot raise. Relatives and neighbors often pretend not to know.
As the saying goes, if the people don't promote it, the officials won't investigate it.
"In fact, I have told the unfortunate story of the Hill family many times, including to the police. I deeply sympathize with the Hill family's experience. Mr. Hill's grandfather and father often came to my place when they were alive.
When it comes to dental treatment, I am almost their private dentist." The dentist complained, "After little George disappeared, the couple seemed to go crazy. They asked questions about everyone near my clinic, making others think that I had kidnapped them.
Their beloved son. God is my witness, how could I, a serious person, do such a thing?"
"Thank you, Dr. Shields." Carmen thanked him.
"Mr. Reporter, has there been any result about the missing child? I hear several such regrettable things almost every year. I would say this is the negligence of the police department. This must be an evil criminal group. They
Catching children for experiments. A few years ago, there was a rumor in the Holy City about a wizard named Sean..." The dentist is obviously a talker.
"Wizard Shaun? Well, I've heard of it. But it was just a misunderstanding about human blood transfusion." Carmen said.
"Yes, although I am a dentist, a dentist is also a doctor. I am also a member of the National Dental Prevention Group. But I also have considerable insights into human blood transfusion."
"You are such a knowledgeable doctor. Sorry, I have to go. Thank you again!"
Carmen quickly got rid of this chatterer.
"Ah, Mr. Reporter, why don't you sit down for a while? There are very few young, decent people like you who are good at chatting."
After leaving the dental clinic, Carmen visited a small businessman named Sanchez.
This small businessman runs a grocery store in the dock area. Judging from the flow of people coming in and out, his business is good.
Carmen bought a pack of cigarettes and stood at the door of the store, smoking and waiting patiently.
While dealing with the endless flow of customers, the small businessman looked at Carmen who was standing there. He thought that Carmen was a new tax collector who was conducting a secret investigation, so he was extremely cautious in his conversations with customers.
Keep complaining to customers that business is getting harder and harder.
When there were obviously fewer customers, Carmen revealed his identity. The small businessman's face fell, revealing his sadness:
"My son Tom disappeared at noon on July 15 last year, just after his eighth birthday. My wife has been in poor health and cannot take care of him alone. She usually stays in the backyard to recuperate. I just
I asked Tom to follow me in the store, and he has always been very well-behaved. Even more so after my wife was called by the Lord.”
"That day, there were so many customers that I was so busy that I didn't even have time to drink water. When I remembered, Tom was gone."
"Some people say that the child is playful and may have secretly boarded a certain merchant ship to play. This has happened before at our dock. I would say that it might be possible for other people's children, but not my son Tom. He is introverted.
I don’t like talking to strangers, and I won’t go to other people’s boats.”
This grieving father rarely meets someone who is willing to listen to his story, so he is very talkative.
"Mr. Sanchez, did you call the police?" Carmen asked.
"Of course, I went to the security station here, the police station on the pier, and even the city police headquarters and the water patrol team. Those people said that this kind of thing happened on the pier and should be handled by the police on the pier.
, they cannot target together
Case investigation in local jurisdictions." The small businessman said angrily, "I even found the gangs on the dock. I found all the leaders who had some respect on the dock, but these people just wanted me to pay. In addition to bragging, they didn't do anything.
It’s of no use.”
"So, during the days when Tom was missing, did you notice anything unusual, such as strangers appearing nearby?" Carmen asked.
"Stranger?" The little businessman looked at Carmen with strange eyes, "This is the dock area, and aren't there all strangers coming from the south to the north?"
"Sorry, I didn't think carefully. As a reporter from a newspaper that pays attention to social news, I am very interested in the missing cases of children in the Holy City in recent years. The disappearance of these children has brought great sadness to many families. Therefore, I also have a responsibility.
Investigate carefully in order to arouse public sympathy and the power of public opinion, so that the government and the police will pay more attention to such cases." Kammer explained.
"Thank you, Mr. Reporter. You are a good person!" The small businessman issued a good person card.
"Well, Mr. Sanchez, let's get down to business. I noticed that you just said that little Tom is introverted?" Carmen asked.
"Yes, when he was young, well, before he was seven years old, he was very lively and active. When he was eight years old, his personality suddenly changed and he became less talkative." The little businessman said, "Sometimes he puts himself
I locked him in a room and asked him to eat. He said his tooth hurt. I doubted him.
He resented me because his mother died of illness just before that time, and he probably thought it was because I, as a husband, had not fulfilled my responsibilities. God testifies that I love my wife deeply, and I swore a poisonous oath before her death,
We will definitely take good care of our son. But..."
When the small businessman said this, he shed two lines of tears.
When Carmen heard this, her heart moved: "Has Tom seen a dentist?"
"Dentist?" The small businessman shook his head, "We ordinary people will not give money to the doctor unless we have a high fever that persists for several days."
This father may love his children very much, but it is impossible to say how meticulously he takes care of them.
"Mr. Sanchez, although Tom is introverted, does he have a particularly good playmate? Or an adult with whom he is relatively close?" Carmen asked.
"This is true," said the small businessman. "There is a man from another province who is alone with a child on the dock to earn a living. The man is a devout True God believer. He is a kind man and often comes to my store to buy things. He is also well-dressed.
, like a serious person. We got to know each other as soon as we went back and forth. His child is about the same age as Tom, and Tom is actually very close to this child."
"Is it possible that this provincial man kidnapped Tom?" Carmen asked.
"No, this is absolutely impossible." The small businessman denied, "Believe me, people come and go in my store every day. Over time, I have very good eyesight. I can tell who is a good person and who is a bad person at a glance.
It can be seen. Besides, the man later left the Holy City with his child, and Tom disappeared three months after that."
When Carmen asked this, she felt that it was enough, so she left:
"Mr. Sanchez, thank you for your cooperation. I will definitely write a detailed report. I can't say that I will definitely help you find Tom, but it may be of some use."
"I hope so!" said the small businessman.
After thinking about it, Carmen returned to dentist Sheld's clinic.
"Sorry, Dr. Shield, to bother you again!" Carmen said.
"Haha, welcome, young man. But you have to wait a moment. I have a few more patients here, and they seem to have made an appointment to come together." Dr. Shield said.
"It doesn't matter. I have plenty of time. How about we make another appointment?" Carmen said.
"It doesn't matter, I'll be quick." Shields didn't even raise his head.
It was said that it was fast, but it actually took Dr. Sheard two hours to remove a decayed tooth on a child and put a gold tooth on another old man.
After Dr. Shields finished his work, Carmen asked: "Dr. Shields, I noticed that you don't have a nurse here?"
"That's true." Sheard replied, "First of all, my income here is limited, so I can't provide nurses with too high a salary. In addition, not everyone can be a nurse. I'm not willing to come to my place to work."
, otherwise it will be a disservice.
I used to have a nurse who almost knocked someone to death, and another one who had a patient's good teeth pulled out, which cost me a lot of money. More importantly, this
Seriously hurt my reputation. It’s not easy to win a good reputation, but it’s enough to ruin your reputation once..."
Once the old dentist opens his mouth, he won't stop talking.
Carmen had to interrupt him skillfully, and he laughed cooperatively: "This is the funniest thing I've heard in a month. Haven't you ever met an excellent nurse?"
"Of course." Sheard said, "Two years ago, I hired a man from another province. He claimed to have received special training. I saw that it was not easy for him to take care of a child, so I agreed to give him a trial period of one month. This male nurse surprised me.
His hands are very skillful, his movements are quick, and he is also very patient. It's a pity..."
"What's a pity?" Carmen asked.
"It's a pity that a year ago, he left without saying goodbye and didn't even receive last month's salary. I guess something happened at home."