Chapter 209: Lorne: I Commission You to Investigate Me
Xiu Dilcha was standing in front of the dressing mirror, tidying up her belongings, preparing to go out.
In the two days since she returned from the Beyonder gathering hosted by Mr. A, she had been in a state of trepidation.
Although everything had been calm, and the so-called "Evil God" seemed to have been driven away by that mysterious Purifier, the words that person had spoken before leaving still made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. To be honest, she really didn't want to go out at all these past few days. However, the masked man who had approached her proactively at the gathering gave her a new mission.
He asked her to help investigate some unusual movements that had recently appeared in the East Borough, and also to pay attention to the recent activities of the Truth Union.
Considering that the other party held the subsequent Beyonder Pathway potion formula for the Arbiter, and this was her first official mission.
It would be truly impolite to refuse directly. So, no matter how unwilling she was, Xiu had no choice but to force herself to go out.
"Xiu, are you going out?"
Seeing her friend preparing to leave, Fors, who was sitting on the sofa in a daze, asked with some concern.
"It's fine," Xiu turned around and reassured her, "I'm just going to the East Borough to take a quick look, don't worry about me."
She looked at Fors's somewhat haggard face and couldn't help but joke, "It's you, stop making that face all the time. You've been thinking about your pen pal, whom you've never met, every day recently, and your complexion hasn't improved."
"Xiu! What are you saying!" Fors's cheeks instantly flushed crimson.
"Alright, I'm leaving now."
After Xiu left, only Fors was left in the room. She looked at the gloomy sky outside the window and sighed softly. Besides worrying about her pen pal, another matter had been troubling her recently.
"Hoo… It's almost a full moon again…"
She picked up a lady's cigarette and lit it.
"My stutter is getting worse and worse."
1
Minsk Street.
Lorne's face, whose spirituality was normal and was not a Beyonder, still held that gentle smile, while he subtly observed the overly enthusiastic lady in front of him.
"Madam, are you a noble?" Lorne asked with a smile.
"Oh~ no, I'm not." Mrs. Sommer shook her head, but an undisguised surprise appeared on her face, "Do you… do you think I look like a true noble?"
"You're not?" Lorne showed a touch of surprise at just the right moment, "Your temperament is exactly like that of the noble ladies I've seen at some salons."
"Really? You have such good taste!" Mrs. Sommer was delighted by his words, and her smile became even brighter.
She seemed to enjoy Lorne's flattery very much and initiated a conversation with him.
During this time, Lorne also took the opportunity to praise her elegant dressing style and unique taste.
Thus, Mrs. Sommer was very happy to share some news about the detective Sherlock Moriarty with him.
"Mr. Moriarty is a very capable detective. Previously, a friend of mine asked him to investigate her husband, and he found out the results in just two days—."
Investigating a husband. Isn't that catching an affair!
Although you didn't mention your friend's name, you've already said quite a bit.
Enthusiastic, not very cunning, and a bit fond of showing off—she shouldn't be a dangerous person. Lorne made a preliminary assessment of this lady in his mind.
"By the way, Madam," Lorne asked again, "Does Detective Moriarty live alone? Does he… does he have a family?"
"No, Detective Moriarty is still single." Mrs. Sommer thought for a few seconds and then added, "However—I seem to have seen other ladies go to his house."
Ladies. Lorne silently noted this information. Afterwards, Mrs. Sommer asked her maid to take the things home first. She herself enthusiastically offered to personally accompany Lorne to find Detective Moriarty.
Lorne then thanked her again.
Unconsciously, the two chatted and laughed their way to the front door of 15 Minsk Street.
Mrs. Sommer stepped forward and rang the doorbell.
My Calamity premonition has no reaction. There should be no danger.
After waiting for about ten seconds, the door was opened from inside. A man wearing glasses and with some stubble, who looked to be about thirty years old, opened the door.
"Mrs. Sommer, why have you come?" Klein looked at the unexpectedly visiting landlady and the somewhat unfamiliar young man beside her with a hint of surprise, "And this is—."
"Mr. Moriarty, I'm here to introduce you to some business." Mrs. Sommer's words got halfway before she suddenly faltered. She then remembered that she had been so engrossed in listening to Lorne's flattery that she had forgotten to ask his name.
"James Scott." Lorne bowed slightly to the other party, performing a very standard greeting, while also taking the opportunity to size him up.
This… Haven't I seen him somewhere before?
He inexplicably felt that this detective in front of him seemed somewhat familiar.
"This Mr. Scott has a commission he wants to give you." Mrs. Sommer said.
Upon hearing that there was business, Klein did not delay and immediately invited the two into the house.
"Coffee, or tea?"
Upon entering the living room, Lorne heard the question as soon as he sat down.
"A cup of coffee, please."
"I'll have a cup of tea." Mrs. Sommer also found a comfortable seat and sat down.
Klein got up and went to the kitchen to make two cups of coffee and one cup of tea. At the same time, he was subtly observing this unfamiliar client.
Well-dressed, good demeanor. Looks like a wealthy young man from a well-off family.
"Mr. Scott," Klein handed the brewed coffee to Lorne and asked, "Are you a friend of Mrs. Sommer's?"
"No, I'm not."
Not? My recent commissions have all been taken from the Union. If it's not an introduction from an acquaintance, why would he come directly to my house?
"I happened to see an advertisement and came looking for you." Lorne took out a folded old newspaper from his pocket and handed it over, "I was originally lost nearby. As it happened, the kind Mrs. Sommer helped me."
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Sommer immediately nodded in agreement, confirming that it was indeed so.
So it was—the advertisement I posted when I first arrived in Backlund—. Klein looked at the advertisement in the old newspaper and accepted the other party's explanation.
"So, Mr. Scott, what would you like to commission?" Klein asked, then turned his gaze to Mrs. Sommer, who was eagerly preparing to listen to the story.
"Do I need to step out?" Mrs. Sommer finally realized that she might be a bit superfluous here and quickly asked.
"No need." Lorne shook his head slightly, "I believe that a kind person like Mrs. Sommer would never spread a guest's private matters."
"Mm." Mrs. Sommer smiled and nodded.
"It's like this," Lorne said, following his pre-arranged statement, looking at Klein: "A friend of mine is suspected of being missing.
So, I would like to ask you to help me find his whereabouts."
"Why not go to the police?" Klein was a bit confused: "Shouldn't this kind of thing be reported to the police?"
Lorne shook his head and explained, "His family went bankrupt some time ago, so the family situation is a bit complicated—he hid for a while to avoid trouble, so his situation isn't suitable for calling the police."
Bankrupt, is he afraid of creditors coming to find him—Klein mused inwardly.
"If you can find him, I can offer 30 pounds as a reward."
30 pounds?! That's not a low price! It seems there's more extra income to be earned.
Klein picked up the coffee in front of him and took a small sip. Just as he thought this was just an ordinary missing person case, he heard the young man opposite say:
"My friend, his name is Lorne Disenk."
"Pfft—cough cough cough!"
If it weren't for his Clown ability forcefully controlling his facial muscles, Klein would have almost spat out the coffee in his mouth!
How—another one looking for Lorne Disenk?!
His thoughts instantly froze.
Lorne carefully observed the momentary change in the other party's expression, then asked, "Mr. Moriarty, is something wrong?"
"No, nothing." Klein quickly recovered and asked, "Are you sure your friend is currently in Backlund? If he isn't, then I… it would be very difficult for me to find his whereabouts."
After all, he might still be drifting on the vast sea right now—Klein silently added in his mind.
"I'm sure." Lorne said, "He and I have always corresponded. In a previous letter, he clearly stated that he had returned to Backlund."
"We had already arranged to meet. However, I didn't wait for him. And after that, I couldn't contact him anymore." Saying this, Lorne handed over some forged letters he had prepared.
Exposing that he might have returned to Backlund certainly carried some risks, but time was pressing—some risks could be borne—. He told himself this.
Klein took the letters and quickly scanned them.
To make his persona seem richer, Lorne continued, "He and I also have some issues regarding shares that need to be discussed in person. I had previously bought some shares in a munitions factory he held, and I had already given him a large deposit in advance. But now, he has suddenly disappeared—"
Upon hearing this, Lorne deliberately showed a look of disappointment on his face.
"He and I have been friends for many years. We were classmates in school, and he used to be a very generous person.
Although his family's business ran into problems, we never lost touch. I don't believe he would intentionally deceive me for this amount of money. So, I think he must have encountered some trouble. But it also doesn't rule out—."
"I didn't expect it to be like this—" Mrs. Sommer, who had heard everything, immediately comforted Lorne, "Mr. Scott, you don't need to be too sad. Maybe your friend really has some unavoidable difficulties."
Lorne returned a grateful smile, then turned his gaze back to Klein and said:
"In any case, I'd like to ask you to help me find him."
The shares in the munitions factory were indeed a real thing. Klein recalled some documents he had seen when he previously snuck into that house. Mr. Scott's explanation sounded plausible. But suddenly, another person appeared looking for Lorne Disenk, which was still a bit suspicious.
Lorne Disenk, how many people are thinking about you!
First, a lady commissioned me to find you, and now a seemingly sentimental gentleman has commissioned me to find you.
Are our destinies so intertwined!
To be honest, Klein was reluctant to take on this mission. He had only recently investigated the other party's home, only to be discovered, and in the end, he had to flee in disgrace with Irin's help.
He genuinely didn't want to deal with anything related to Lorne Disenk for a while.
Moreover, although Mr. Scott's explanation was sound and he didn't seem like a bad person, the fact that he coincidentally found him was still somewhat suspicious!
But then again, 30 pounds as a reward was indeed very tempting!
And with the letters confirming that Lorne Disenk had returned to Backlund, he also wanted to clarify the truth about the Tingen matter—
However, the risks involved—Lorne Disenk was definitely not an ordinary person, and he had already suffered losses before—
Just as Klein was hesitating, Mrs. Sommer suddenly said, "Mr. Moriarty, you are a very capable detective. I believe you can definitely help Mr. Scott, right?"
Upon hearing this, Lorne immediately showed a pleading gaze.
The reason he specifically kept Mrs. Sommer was to deal with the current situation. With the landlady present, even if Sherlock Moriarty truly didn't want to take this commission, he couldn't directly refuse it in front of his landlady.
Lorne's commission sounded perfectly reasonable. If he refused directly, it would be tantamount to disrespecting his landlady.
"I can add another 10 pounds to the commission fee." Lorne added fuel to the fire at the opportune moment.
Logically, Klein should now excuse himself to the washroom to confirm the situation with divination.
But seeing Mrs. Sommer's eager gaze and hearing Lorne's commission of up to 40 pounds, he gritted his teeth, and in a moment of impulse, said:
"Alright. I'll take this commission."