fog city detective

Chapter 475 The Intruder

Liang Xi quite likes small English-style manors in the suburbs, which have a large area of ​​private land.Because the price is cheap, the real estate tax to be paid every year is not high.You can plan freely in the land, such as building a basketball court, such as building an archery range and so on.The disadvantage is that because of the large area, there are many people who need to take care of it, otherwise it will become a wasteland full of various green plants within a year or two.

It is very remote, and the area is also very large. After entering the private territory, it took three minutes to drive to the main building.The classmate housekeeper received a few people to sit at the semi-outdoor dining table next to the main building gate.Although the summer is scorching, but under the shade of the eaves and the breeze blowing, you can feel some coolness.In human terms: the wind blowing makes the body feel cold and very comfortable.Being able to choose this location to build an open-air restaurant shows that the Earl or Countess is a person who enjoys life.

A dining table was originally prepared for the bodyguards, but the chief bodyguard said that they were free.Casual means to put food on the table, put some tea and drinks, and they handle it by themselves.

Daisy had already explained to Liang Xi that the classmate butler could explain the situation, and the suspicious places were all concentrated near the Countess' bedroom on the third floor.Liang Xi was not in a hurry, and asked his classmate butler about the earl and his wife.A question was raised: "After the eldest son of the earl inherited the title, did he have no contact with the countess?"

The classmate butler nodded.

Liang Xi asked: "Ten years ago, the earl moved here from London shortly after marrying the countess. The earl's children have a big house in London. The earl's eldest son lives in the big house with his two brothers and sisters."

The classmate butler nodded.

Liang Xi asked, "Why?"

"what why?"

Liang Xi said: "Literally speaking, the Countess seems to be wrong. Staying in London is beneficial for the Earl's social development, but he has lived in the countryside for a long time. After the eldest son inherits the Earl's position, why does he not associate with the Countess? Is it just because the countess is the stepmother? As far as I know, the nobleman cares about moral stains very much. Even if he hates the countess, he will show his kindness appropriately. For example, giving gifts during festivals, visiting occasionally, and worshiping the count together Wait a minute. There are special events for nobles, so they should attend together with the Countess."

The classmate butler didn't want to mention this matter at first, but he could only explain the situation when Liang Xi asked about it.At the beginning, everyone accepted this young, beautiful, and elegant countess, but they did not expect that the countess was a believer in the Holy Church. After graduating from university, she went to the Middle East to do journalism work. Saint believers.

The British Parliament enacted a law called the Royal Succession Law in the early 18th century, which not only targeted the believers of the Holy Church, but also the believers of the Catholic Church.Members of the royal family are not allowed to marry believers of these two factions, otherwise they will be disqualified as heirs.Although this law does not target nobles, this law is a red line in the underlying rules of the nobles.A few years ago, the eldest grandson of the British royal family voluntarily gave up his inheritance rights in order to marry a Catholic believer in Canada.

There are many British nobles, but there are less than two hundred earls.Once people in the circle know about this, not only will the earl family be criticized, but its eldest son may be deprived of his position in the House of Lords.The earl's family was just crazy at first, but they never thought that the countess was pregnant with a little boy, which led to conflicts in the family.Even though the child died later due to an accident, it did not ease the atmosphere at home, but instead caused the earl to be dissatisfied with his family.

The reason for dissatisfaction is that the noble family has a strong concept. They believe that the earl's behavior has tarnished the honor of the noble, and the eldest son also stated that he would not recognize a pagan younger brother.In the end the count and his wife went to live in the country together, leaving all affairs in the hands of the eldest son.After the count's death, the eldest son and siblings ceased to communicate with the countess.

Liang Xi couldn't comment on this. The centuries-old tradition directly affects people's three views. Liang Xi thinks he is not qualified to say that their three views are wrong.For example, the culture of supporting the elderly among the Chinese is also difficult for outsiders to understand.Some people can't understand why some people treat pets like children.Similar to Japanese, German and domestic are always in debate, but there will never be a winner.

Conversely, the Holy Church also opposes extramarital marriages.The love of year-end love that breaks through the shackles of the two religions can be praised on the surface, but Liang Xi doesn't take it seriously.Let's put it this way, the countess spent five years acquiring wealth and status that she might not have been able to earn in her entire life.The earl spent the wealth that he did not bring with him in his life or in his death, and obtained the companionship of a young and beautiful woman for five years.In a way, it's a win-win situation.

……

After listening to the background story, Liang Xi started work. Although he is not a detective who specializes in on-site investigation, on-site investigation is the basic skill of a detective. Unfortunately, the housekeeper cleaned up too cleanly, and all traces were clear.However, Liang Xi found a lot of things in the bedroom.From these things, it can be concluded that the countess has not been lonely in the past few years. From the analysis of things, she is in the position of a predator.Such as perfume, eye shadow, etc. are all products that enhance one's own allure.This is the same principle as adding spices to fishing nests. Only when you assume the attitude of accepting the temptation, the fish will relax their vigilance and let go of their concerns.

Although the earl is dead, the title of countess will not die.Her original social starting point is very high, and she also has to study the mentality of men.Eat carp today, eat crucian carp tomorrow, get tired of eating freshwater fish, don't you want to change your taste and eat sea fish last time?The title of countess helped her a lot of glory.

Liang Xi looked at the portrait of the Countess and thought that almost no one could escape her clutches.Unless the other party, like himself, has a girlfriend who kills her in every way.Is tuna bad?Must eat tilapia.

Bobby, as the boss of the detective agency, whether in name or in reality, also joins in the fun and checks everywhere.Or lie down on the ground to look at footprints, or look sideways for stains on the wall.Compared with Liang Xi who was pacing around in the bedroom, he looked very professional.

Liang Xi walked out the door and asked the steward who was waiting outside: "Steward, why is there no blanket?" Saint believers kneel on the blanket and pray many times a day.

The butler replied: "Shortly after the marriage, Madam has canceled her daily prayers in order not to put too much pressure on the Earl."

Liang Xi asked: "The staff of this manor don't know that she is a believer in the holy religion?"

The butler nodded: "Yes."

Liang Xi said, "Did she discover that she is a believer by accident?"

The butler replied: "I don't know the details. I remember that one month after the marriage, the youngest son of the earl called a family meeting and questioned his wife's beliefs at the meeting. The lady originally answered that she was a non-believer. The youngest son looked at her and asked, yours?" Does God allow you to deny his existence? So my wife admitted that she met a local official when she was working in the Middle East. During the exchanges between the two parties, she was influenced by the holy religion culture, and became a believer of the holy religion after the conversion process."

The countess explained that she was going to marry him, so she formally joined the Holy Church.Unexpectedly, he died unexpectedly before getting married.She loves the earl and doesn't want the earl to know about it.The eldest son said that now that the matter was over, he could arrange for the countess to be baptized and converted to Protestantism.But the countess refused.Causing family meetings to break up unhappy.Soon after, the earl and countess left London to live in the country.As a trainee housekeeper, Daisy's classmate went to the country from London to become a full-time housekeeper.

Bobby lay on the ground, carefully looking for hair strands, Liang Xi squatted down and whispered: "The countess has a problem."

"what is the problem?"

"She was two kinds of people before and after the count's death." Liang Xi said: "The first possibility is that she was extremely patient and finally gained wealth and status. The second possibility is that she killed the count slowly and finally gained Wealth and status. The third possibility is that after the death of the earl, she will have nothing to love in her life, and indulge herself with singing and singing every night."

Poppy stood up and asked, "What else is possible?"

"Someone is investigating her identity, indicating that she may be a member of the Holy Banner, or has a second identity." Liang Xi said: "Assuming this may be true, the investigators are not sure whether she has a second identity. At least the current investigation The investigators did not get a clear answer. One of the investigators may be a blade, one-eyed and capable. The second may be House, because...the third may..."

"Wait, what's the second possible cause?" Poppy asked.

Because House has mastered Marr, it is not ruled out that Marr knows the existence of this person. Liang Xi said: "The Shadow Detective Agency can take up any job. The third possibility is that the Earl's family discovered that the Countess had close contacts with some men in London and hired Private detectives are investigating her. Maybe they want to deprive her of the title of countess and drive her out of the family completely, so as not to implicate the family in future bad things. There are other possibilities, such as someone trying to steal in the manor."

Bobby said, "But the platinum necklace is still in the drawer."

Liang Xi said: "Platinum is worthless, and platinum necklaces can't be sold for a lot of money. The work here is easy and the income is good, and the ghost will not do anything for a worthless platinum necklace. If it is not the ghost, it means that the intruder is not good enough. Low,"

"Is there really an intruder?"

Liang Xi replied: "I assessed the housekeeper's mental state just now, and I think her mental state is stable, so I choose to trust her intuition."

Poppy asked, "How to solve the case?"

Liang Xi said: "No matter what the possibility is, the intruder is looking for something. Either it is valuable, or it can prove the countess's second identity, or it is something special. The countess is very careful, although the bedroom There are many seductive cosmetics and perfumes, but you can’t find any information that she has direct contact with other men and women. The intruder sneaked in many times, one shows that he didn’t succeed, and the other shows that he is very persistent and believes that there is what he wants in the bedroom Things. So our first goal is to open the safe and see what's inside. The second goal is to find possible hidden compartments in the bedroom."

Bobby said: "The butler invited you to help the master to share his worries, and you are going to kill the master instead."

Liang Xi asked, "Then shall we go?"

Bobby said: "Don't, what if she is the Holy Banner?"

"Probably not." Liang Xi walked out the door and asked the housekeeper, "Do you know who Madam has been in contact with recently? Or is there anyone visiting?"

The butler replied: "When the earl was alive, he often had guests. After the earl passed away, no one in the noble circle visited him, except for a general. He and the earl are comrades-in-arms. A present. Madam also asked someone to prepare some agricultural products to give back to the general.”

Liang Xi asked, "Which general? What's his name?"

The butler replied: "General Winter, Joe, General Winter."

Liang Xi was greatly surprised: "The General Winter who was attacked more than a month ago? The General Winter who was attacked by bows and arrows?"

The housekeeper nodded: "Yes, Madam heard about this and went to visit the general on purpose. However, General Winter is under special care, Madam did not see the general himself."

One and a half months ago, four dignitaries were attacked, and General Winter was among them.General Winter did not die on the spot, and his life was out of danger with timely rescue.However, half a month later, because General Winter was older, his autoimmunity was weakened due to injury treatment, and his organs failed suddenly in the middle of the night, and he died after rescue.

Liang Xi asked, "Is there anyone else?"

"No?" The butler thought for a long time: "No."

Winter knew a lot of people, so was it a coincidence that he happened to know the Countess?Liang Xi didn't know. After Winter was attacked, the National Defense Police took over the case. Liang Xi didn't know about the follow-up investigation of the case. He also learned about the death of General Winter from the news.

Liang Xi, who did not believe in coincidences, thought it necessary to search the bedroom thoroughly.At this moment the butler's phone rang, and after hanging up the phone, the butler said anxiously: "Madam is back. Madam heard that Mr. Poppy is visiting, so she rushed back from London." Seeing Bobby's style, he is also a luxury car and a bodyguard, so the nosy person contacted the countess.

It takes about an hour to get here from London. If the Countess is in the western suburbs of London, it only takes more than half an hour to get there.The butler didn't ask the Countess when she was due to panic, but only answered the Countess' questions on the phone.Therefore, although there was still time, Liang Xi gave up this investigation.

The first reason is that the intruder has searched for many times and failed to find what he wanted, so he may not be able to find it in this little time.The second reason is that Liang Xi cannot determine the nature of the case, especially with the addition of General Winter, which makes it more difficult for Liang Xi to judge.

The butler asked concerned: "Is there really an intruder?"

Liang Xi nodded: "I think so, but I don't have any evidence. I don't know the purpose of the intruder either. I need to know what the intruder is looking for before I can know the identity of the intruder."

The steward asked: "Will it be the staff of the manor?"

Liang Xi replied: "This possibility is not ruled out for the time being."

The three of them came down from the third floor, and outsiders didn't know that they were going to the countess' bedroom on the third floor.After returning to the table for a cup of tea, the Countess arrives.

The countess gave Liang Xi the impression that she was dignified and coquettish, and this person was well dressed, and he couldn't find any major faults.After carefully observing the conversation between Bobby and the countess, Liang Xi felt that it should be the movements and smiles.Take eating cake as an example, normally put it in the mouth, bite down, chew, swallow, and drink tea.The Countess' actions are: put in the mouth, bite down, chew slowly, add lips, and keep looking at the other person's eyes.That's right, the frivolous eyes are the seductiveness in the dignity.

Liang Xi thought it was not a seduction, but a habitual action.She didn't realize that her actions were causing nerve shock to others, or she knew, but she didn't care that it was nerve shock to others.I take off my socks, what you think is up to you, the beholder sees the benevolence, and the perverse sees the pervert.

(End of this chapter)