Chapter 2556: Dear Detective Mr. 08

A'eruike held a red tea cup and asked again, "Then, there was a hidden compartment under his original desk, and inside the box was a gold brooch."

"Vincent previously told me he would give it to his beloved; have you received this brooch?"

Ailinuo looked doubtfully at A'eruike.

Upon hearing this, Jin Chen first glanced at Qiaoshuya, noticing his face had turned pale.

Jin Chen, lost in thought, then heard Ailinuo say, "Vincent has given me many gifts, but never that gold brooch, Inspector."

A'eruike merely smiled.

"Sorry, Miss Ailinuo."

Jin Chen leaned close to A'eruike's ear and whispered softly, "A'eruike, are you very familiar with Young Master Vincent?"

The gifts hidden in the Study are well known, surpassing ordinary friendship.

A'eruike briefly replied, "Perhaps."

A strange answer.

Jin Chen did not press further, turning his attention back to the case.

He took out that small notebook from his pocket.

In just a day and a half, that small notebook had already been filled with writing and drawings to nearly half.

A'eruike unconsciously curled his lip; if he hadn't noticed Xilier constantly doodling on it, he might really have to believe he had gathered many clues.

Jin Chen politely and humbly said in a gentle voice, "So, during the period when Young Master Vincent died, what was everyone doing?"

"Sorry, I know different detectives have asked many times, but this is important."

Repeatedly and persistently questioning this, if someone were fabricating, they would unlikely remember what they said before or a few times prior.

Thus Jin Chen could catch unusual points from these details.

Qiaoshuya still gave that answer: feeling unwell, he went to Vincent's Study to get painkillers, left after ten thirty and returned to his bedroom to rest, only learning of Vincent's death when the commotion woke him.

Qiaoshuya softly said, "Xilasi is my personal valet; he can vouch for me."

Xilasi nodded.

Jin Chen glanced, saying nothing.

Miss Ailinuo said, "That night I was choosing a dress in my room."

"If things hadn't come to this, Vincent wouldn't have——" Ailinuo choked up slightly, fanning herself with her fan, "We were supposed to go out and play; that's why I came here."

"Choosing a dress?" Jin Chen suddenly retorted, his gentle tone lessening, emphasizing this point.

"Is that so, Miss Ailinuo?"

Ailinuo nodded hesitantly, "What's wrong?"

Thus everyone watched Jin Chen solemnly flip forward a few pages of the small notebook, carefully searching for something.

He flipped through it several times.

A'eruike: "……"

Bruce is an impatient hothead; he immediately snapped at A'eruike, "Are your detective agency really this poor? The notebook issued to detectives is so shabby!"

Jin Chen: "……?"

He barely found the earlier records among a pile of strange drawings, then hearing this, hurriedly said, "Sorry, Chief Bruce, I thought this would be convenient."

"Alright, hurry up and say." Bruce urged.

Jin Chen cleared his throat: "This morning I questioned the gatekeeper's low-ranking servant; he said that around ten o'clock that night he saw Miss Ailinuo returning from the garden and then taking a small path back to the stairs of the guest bedroom. But you said you were only choosing clothes in your room—could he be lying?"

Jin Chen's words left everyone stunned.

A'eruike and Bruce both looked at this lady, eyes probing.

Ailinuo lowered her head; Jin Chen did not miss her flustered expression, even seeing her bite her lip, a look of difficulty speaking.

Suddenly, Ailinuo covered her face and wept; her corseted lady's dress made her breath weak as she cried.

Jin Chen feared she might faint, so he refrained from pressing further, waiting for Ailinuo to catch her breath before speaking.

"Sorry…… Inspector, I…… I lied." Ailinuo sobbed, biting her lip, "Before ten that night, I and Vincent…… had a rendezvous in the garden, after which he returned to the Study."

Upon hearing this, Bruce realized the situation greatly hindered the investigation.

"Miss Ailinuo! Why didn't you say so earlier!"

He was furious, his moustache bristling.

Ailinuo quickly lowered her head, clasping her hands over her head, groaning in pain.

"I'm sorry, I dare not say it; I hope to have another marriage. My family is on the brink of bankruptcy, needing a husband who is a count…… Oh, sorry, even though I love Vincent that much."

Even as an unmarried couple, a midnight tryst in the garden is indeed rather improper.

Bruce, angry, bristled his moustache again.

Jin Chen, hearing this, glanced again at Qiaoshuya, the protagonist's love interest.

Good grief, each face looked ugly in its own way.

Qiaoshuya was almost wringing his cuffs to shreds.

Ling Gun Gun popped up to complain, 【After my husband died, I discovered he was truly cheating…?】

Jin Chen lightly coughed, nearly laughing.

【When did you learn hellish jokes with your bean eyes.】

【……】

Jin Chen sipped his red tea and consoled, "Molly didn't say Vincent was still playing the violin in the Study at eleven; he must have been in good spirits. If there were no killer, you and he would both be happy, and he would wish you happiness."

Having said that, Jin Chen asked Qiaoshuya meaningfully, "Young Master Kelain, what do you think?"

Qiaoshuya: "……"

He almost thought this detective knew something, difficulty nodding, squeezing out a smile, smiling so pitiably.

「Yes, Vincent often mentions Miss Eleanor to me. 」

Eleanor's expression improved considerably; she stopped crying and wiped her Tears with a handkerchief.

Alric noticed that Jin Chen had looked at Joshua far too many times, furrowed his brow, and said, "Cyril."

"Huh?" Jin Chen turned to look at him, "What's wrong, Alric?"

"Don't talk about topics unrelated to the case."

"Yes." Jin Chen chuckled.

At this moment, Jin Chen again noticed that the maid Moli, who had been standing beside him, wanted to speak but hesitated, frequently glancing over yet not daring to speak.

Bruce also noticed, "Do you want to speak? Is that it? What is it? You don't need to hide anything!"

Moli was startled by his rough demeanor, quickly shook her head, "No…… Sheriff, I have nothing to say."

She is merely a low-ranking maid, truly afraid of facing the inspector.

Jin Chen smoothed things over, proposing, "May you take me to the changing room? I want to tidy up."

Moli immediately nodded, gratitude flashing in her eyes.

"Yes, please follow me."

Jin Chen followed her away.

Alric set down his teacup and glanced over there a few times.

Bruce suddenly chuckled, "Your new detective is far more flirtatious than you."

Alric: "……"

"How is that possible?"

He thought, a young gentleman of such superior appearance as Cyril would be attracted to……

Alric suddenly realized he couldn't even remember what the maid Moli looked like.