The restaurant bustled with activity as the waitress poured a thick, brown liquid into Theo's chubby glass. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the nagging thought of how much of his monthly salary this glass represented.
Across from him, Urchin sat fidgeting with anticipation. Theo couldn't blame his friend for celebrating his triumph; after all, Urchin had won their bet. And Theo had lost.
His investigation had come to an end. Upon returning to Middle Lake, he had hurriedly checked the post office, hoping to find some trace of John. But alas, he had found nothing. That damn parcel had been sent to Gregory Storm by none other than himself. What an embarrassing fiasco!
Urchin raised his glass. "To our victories! May the Light triumph over all shadows!"
Theo raised his glass in silence and took a sip. The whiskey tasted of old oak bark and the scorching summer sun. Who would have thought that the taste of failure could be so tart?
Urchin delicately set his partially consumed glass aside and picked up his fork. Before him, his medium-rare steak emitted steam. "Could you please try not to appear so gloomy? That adorable waitress might think there's something wrong with her service or the food."
Theo lightly touched his steak with the tip of his knife. It appeared perfectly cooked and likely delicious, but his appetite had vanished in the face of yet another dead end. Now, he doubted he would ever lay eyes on Ann again. He had only agreed to this dinner as part of his forfeit. Theo had lost the bet, and he had to come to terms with that loss. "I'm sorry. I just despise feeling trapped."
Urchin chewed his food and offered an encouraging smile. "As my father always says, 'Every problem has a solution if you approach it from the right angle.'"
"What angle?" Theo dropped his fork, causing it to clatter loudly against the marble floor. Disapproving glances from nearby diners didn't faze him. "If only you could advise me on how to return to Mountville without getting fired."
"Well, let's start from where your conflict with John escalated," Urchin suggested. "So, John called the chief and claimed that his previous complaint hadn't been addressed. He also suspected that I was the one who had answered his initial call."
"That's what he told me already," Theo replied.
Urchin raised his index finger. "Hold on. Little did our friend John know that I had spoken to the chief before his second call."
"Why? I recall you promising to hold his complaint for twenty-four hours."
"I know... But I had a hunch. I sensed that John wouldn't just let it go. He seemed too preoccupied when I spoke to him."
"Alright... So, what exactly did you say to the chief?"
"I explained that it was a minor misunderstanding. I assured him that you had gone there based on my suggestion."
Theo's eyes widened. "But we never officially opened this case. Besides, I don't even work in Middle Lake, so you can't give me orders. Why did you put yourself in such a difficult position?"
"I didn't," Urchin countered. "On the contrary, I expressed my concern about the letter from Ann Storm. I said you volunteered to check on Ann to ensure her safety. My intention was to show that your volunteering wouldn't waste our resources and would strengthen the reputation of our Guardian House. Eventually, the chief appreciated my initiative. Furthermore, I proposed expanding this practice by creating a volunteer group to ensure safety in smaller towns."
Theo smiled, impressed by his friend's ability to turn any problem to his advantage. He wished he could be as resourceful as Urchin. "Well done! But what about the recording that John tried to blackmail me with when he caught me with Ann?"
Urchin savored another bite of steak before responding. "Did you listen to that recording?"
Theo shook his head.
"During your conversation with Ann, did you discuss anything that could potentially tarnish your reputation?"
Theo shrugged. "Well, I was cautious this time. I made it clear that the investigation was over. Additionally, Ann admitted to breaking up with John. It was only after that revelation that we shared a kiss."
"But even that gives him the opportunity to blackmail you," Urchin pointed out. "He could provide the recording of just the second half of your conversation."
"We only kissed, nothing more."
"And yet, it may be enough for him to accuse you of incompetence," Urchin countered. "Or perhaps he's bluffing, and you're worrying unnecessarily."
"I'd rather not take that chance. When I looked into that man's eyes, it was unsettling. He was far too confident in his righteousness. I doubt he lied about having the recording." Theo dropped his head into his hands. "Damn, I wish I had the Gift of Invisibility. Then I could at least catch him spying on us!"
"I have that Gift."
"I know." Theo furrowed his brow. "So what?"
"So..." Urchin lowered his voice. "I can accompany you and steal that damn crystal from him. It could be quite thrilling."
"If we were to get caught, it wouldn't be thrilling at all."
"Do you have any other ideas then?"
Theo took another sip from his glass, deep in thought. "You know what's worst about this situation? John is a cunning individual. The way he boldly blackmailed me... I don't believe he's as innocent as he pretends to be."
"We both checked his documents and found no evidence of his guilt. The guy doesn't even have a motive."
"So, the perfect crime does exist," Theo said with sadness in his voice.
"Perhaps. Unless..." Urchin gave him a sly look.
"Unless what?" Theo almost yelled. Urchin always enjoyed teasing him with these pauses, and it was unbearable. But deep down, Theo held onto a glimmer of hope that his friend could find a solution. Urchin had a knack for accomplishing the impossible with his brilliant intuition and sharp mind.
"Unless we've been looking for the wrong motives. We've always assumed it was all about money, right?"
"Yes," Theo confirmed.
"But what if it wasn't about money?"
Damn. Theo gasped as the memories of his time as a cadet flooded back. In the Academy, they had studied the primary motivations that drove criminals to cross the line and break the law. While greed was the most common motive, given the level of poverty and income inequality in their Lake Kingdom, it wasn't the only reason people resorted to murder. Crimes of passion could be driven by jealousy, anger, or...
"Obsession," Urchin finished his thought.
Theo looked up at him, realization dawning. It made perfect sense. John wasn't just in love with Ann; he was obsessed with her. He had stalked her and went to great lengths to eliminate Theo when he saw him as a rival for Ann's affections. Could John have gone as far as getting rid of Gregory to draw emotionally vulnerable Ann closer to him? Theo couldn't find any reason why not.
"Let's suppose that John is indeed obsessed with Ann," Theo began, exploring this new theory. "But it wasn't John who sent that parcel with the poisonous snake. When I arrived in Middle Lake today, I checked the post office. It turns out that the person who sent that suspicious parcel with the exotic flowers to Mountville was none other than Gregory Storm himself. According to the post office worker, Gregory was in Middle Lake for a business trip and stayed at a nearby hotel. He asked the hotel receptionist to send the parcel. I even checked the post office accounting book, and the order from the hotel lobby was attached with Gregory's signature."
Urchin frowned, still not convinced. "But why would he send the mail to himself? As far as we know, he was already home before the parcel arrived."
Theo pondered, trying to come up with a logical explanation. "Perhaps he wasn't certain if he would return on time and didn't want to risk damaging the seeds."
"But it was his niece's birthday and his sister-in-law's death anniversary. He must have been home by those dates."
"Perhaps he wanted it to be delivered before his return, and there was simply a delay in the delivery. It happens often," Theo suggested.
"But what reason would he have for needing the parcel early? He was the only one working with the new exotic seeds. There was no need to have it delivered before his arrival."
Theo slumped back in his chair, feeling defeated. "Honestly, I don't know why he did that. And I suppose we may never figure it out."
The waitress cleared the empty plates, and Urchin signaled for her to leave the bill on the table. "Look, considering we took this lunch break, we still have half an hour before our bet expires. Do you want to try something?"
"Like what?"
"I have an interesting idea." Urchin reached into his purse and pulled out two gleaming gold coins, placing them on top of the bill. They shimmered in the soft evening light.
"Urch, please. I should be the one paying for this lunch," Theo protested.
"No way. I'm too preoccupied with solving this mystery!" Urchin gave him a sly look. "Let me pay this time. And if we find out it was John, we can return to our initially negotiated payoff."
Theo had nothing to lose, so he stood up and extended his hand. "Deal."
~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~
To be continued...
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P.S. What do you think the guys are going to do next? 😮