"This is what happened." Miss Norm paused, organized her words and began to speak, "Indeed, my name is Jerry Norm... I rent a house in Babrus and live alone, but you didn't guess it right, my original home is also there... I did have a falling out with them because they wanted me to marry a man whose name I just heard, and for someone like me... As you said, I don't know much, and there is no decent job I can do in this society, so I can only use my, um, looks, to try some service industries."
"I was successfully employed by the Rexin Railway Operation Company. They were the second best option I could find. The first best option didn't hire me because I refused to disclose my family relationships and contact information. I know they did it for my own good, to prevent me from getting into trouble and not being able to contact my family and friends. But I came out to get rid of their control, and I certainly didn't want them to know where I was and what I was doing."
"My working hours are not fixed. Sometimes I work normal hours, sometimes I work in shifts... It all depends on where the train we take, the Resin Line 3, goes. This time I came from the southwestern terminus of this line."
"The southwestern terminus...is Green Town?" Hitzfeld interrupted.
When she was in Wayne, she had heard about this town. It was said to be very beautiful, with the largest and most magnificent red maple forest in the whole of Sara. It was a tourist destination like a fairy tale wonderland.
Of course, this only applies to rich people who have the means. Most people will never and are unwilling to leave their current place of residence throughout their lives. Traveling is too much of a luxury for them.
"Yes, Green Town."
"You may proceed, Miss Norm."
"I..." The young woman took a deep breath, "I was supposed to come back with Resin 3, but I met a friend on that train, a friend who meant a lot to me... I guessed he might have run into trouble in Green Town, so..."
"Wait." Hitzfeld interrupted her again, "Can I know how you guessed it?"
"We exchanged letters during the days when the train stopped."
"Can trains receive mail?"
"It's like this in some backward places, Miss Hitzfeld. You just need to find the messenger, give him the letter, and give him a reward that matches the task. It doesn't matter where you want him to deliver it."
"So that's it." Hitzfeld understood. It turned out that he was not a professional postman, but an errand boy.
"We were writing to each other ... and he was always describing in his letters some of the strange things that were happening to him."
"What a strange thing."
"He said he suspected there was something wrong with the town."
When talking about this, Miss Norm seemed very nervous and frightened, and her hands were twisted together. "He said that he counted the number of tourists coming to this town and the number of people leaving, and found that the two did not match. He suspected that there was a cult hidden in the town that robbed outsiders."
“This is a serious accusation.”
Hitzfeld frowned.
In fact, she wanted to say that this was nonsense.
It is difficult for an individual to observe the visitor flow of a tourist destination - even a small town - without the help of an intelligence network.
Not to mention that if I remember correctly, there is a big lake in Green Town, and the people that the other party missed could have walked on the water. So suspecting that there was something wrong with the town because of this... is a bit unscientific.
This is different from when she sometimes relies on guessing and reasoning.
Even if her reasoning against Jerry Nome was wrong, it wouldn't matter, but making this accusation would cause big trouble.
Since Green Town is a famous tourist attraction, it means that many people are paying attention to it. Even the Mechanical Sun Cult has set up protective measures there. Even if those maggots in the gutter are very stubborn, they would not choose such a place.
Too eye-catching.
Suicidal behavior.
"Yes! I thought so at first!" the young woman said excitedly, "I thought he said that because he didn't want to get along with his fiancée, or because he had conflicts with her family... But I soon realized that he was not joking, because he didn't send me any more letters on the last day, and the contact between us was cut off!"
"You suspect he's missing?"
"Yes!"
"Are you sure he is missing and not intending to unilaterally end contact with you?"
"Impossible! Miss Hitzfeld! Because you have no idea how close he and I are... When we first met, he dared to tease his fiancée in front of me!"
Hitzfeld curled his lips and said nothing.
"And I did go and check it out."
But Miss Nome's next words made her pale slightly.
"The address he had been sending me letters to... I found that address, 14 Red Maple Street, and discovered that it didn't exist."
“There’s no such place in Greentown.”
"No one has seen him."
“Everything about him evaporated.”
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Chapter 5: Across Time and Space
"Hmm..." Hitzfeld hesitated for a moment.
"Are you sure every letter he sends you is addressed to '14 Red Maple Street,' Miss Norm?"
"Sure!" Jerry-Nome nodded immediately. "Don't be so polite, Miss Hitzfeld... I'm honored to have your help... So just call me Jerry."
"Okay, Jerry... did you keep all the letters?"
"I kept them all!" She immediately reached for her coat pocket, "There are four in total, and they are all here!"
She took out four yellow envelopes that she kept close to her body and had a faint body temperature. Hitzfeld took them and compared them with each other, finding that they were all of the same specifications.
It was larger than the regular post office envelopes, and the paper was thicker, similar to kraft paper. The opening was not on the wide side but on the narrow side, and most of the addresses sent were indeed marked as "No. 14 Red Maple Street".
She looked again at the signature of the messenger.
Eugenie Kopperfield.
A somewhat difficult and strange name.
"Two possibilities." Hitzfeld looked up at the client. "Either this address doesn't exist. The reason why he specifically marked the address on each letter is to remind you of some information. It may have a greater connection with 'No. 14 Red Maple Street'."
"Ah!" Jie Li had never thought of this possibility. "But I asked many people in the town, and they all said that this place doesn't exist?"
"It just doesn't exist in Green Town." Hitzfeld smiled and didn't say much.
Under Jelly's nervous gaze, she opened the envelopes, pulled out four neatly stacked pieces of letter paper, and placed them one by one on the envelopes.
She began to read the contents of the letter one by one.
The content of Mr. Cowperfield's first letter was very simple. He just talked about how he had arrived at his fiancée's house and met her, but some of her shortcomings made him dissatisfied.
In general, the words between the lines indicate that he might turn down the engagement.
This is of course a rather rude behavior, but it is not a serious matter in Sara, because most people live together just to make a living, and some people even have problems surviving, so naturally they don't care that much about dignity.
The second letter described some of his experiences in the town. He said that he went to the red maple forest, which was indeed very beautiful... He also went hiking and boating. He basically visited all the most worthwhile places in Green Town and was not stingy with his praise for the place.
Hitzfeld looked at the dates and noticed that both letters were written on the same day.
The third letter was not simple. Eugenie Copperfield said for the first time that "he felt there might be something wrong with this town." He specifically used descriptions such as "weird," "abnormal," and "disturbing," hoping that Jerry could pay more attention to this information.
"He gave you this letter the next day." Hitzfeld shook the letter and looked across. "How did you respond to him?"
"I told him that he was worrying too much," Jerry replied, "Because I've been to Green Town many times... I've never heard of any evil spirits in the area. There are always people from the cult guarding the area, and they won't let pagans develop there."
"The date on this last letter is different, which means you stayed there for three days?"
"Yes, this is the necessary rest time for the train. There are many local specialties in Green Town that can be brought back for trading, and it is also a holiday for our employees."
"But you don't seem to get off the train and walk around. Do you always stay on the train?"
"I..." Jie Li was stunned for a moment, then said confidently: "I have been working on Resin 3 for half a month! Miss Hitzfeld! This is my second time coming to that place! I have played all the places there!"
"And..." She lowered her head shyly, "and I had to keep an eye out for when he would send the letter...so I didn't go out with them."
"You said before that there is no such place as 14 Red Maple Street in the local area...Do you mean that 'No. 14' does not exist or that 'Red Maple Street' does not exist?"
"Red Maple Street, there is no such street there."
"Then this address is completely invalid, at least locally. Are you sure he can receive your reply?"
"Sure!" Jelly nodded again.
"why?"
"Because the letters he wrote to me were all related to the letters I wrote to him in reply." Jie Li said, "For example, when I asked him if he had a good time, he mentioned it in his reply... He also answered these questions in his letters."
"That's a strange thing." Hitzfeld frowned and muttered, "At least the time doesn't match..."
"What time?"
"Nothing." Hitzfeld mumbled and finally opened the last piece of letter.
[I may have been in some danger.]
This is the beginning when I first saw it.
[There is something wrong with this town. The number of tourists coming in and out is actually not proportional. I suspect something is devouring life here.]
[To confirm my guess, I went to the maple forest on the back mountain again. This time I came back very late. I found terrible footprints there, and heard some weird and scary roars of wild animals at night.]
[I don’t want to stay here any longer... but I can’t do it! I might be trapped here!]
[Jeli, if possible, I want you to go to 12 Flo Street in Blackwood City and find someone named Aisuen Hitzfeld. She is a detective. She has solved a lot of troublesome problems recently. If it is her, she may be able to help me.]
[Also, don't tell anyone else about this until you actually meet this person - not even about your meeting with me! This is for your life's safety!]
[Your friend, Eugenie Kopperfield]
The handwriting was very illegible, as if he had encountered some emergency while writing.
This is completely different from the previous letters.
really weird.
Hitzfeld complained.
Seeing this, she finally understood why Jerry-Nome came directly here...but she didn't think that her fame had spread from Wayne Port to the whole of Sara.
Although she did solve several big cases recently, many of them were confidential, so Sarah would not publicize her achievements.
If we were to say the biggest scandal she had ever caused among the people, it would probably be the Crystal Sea case.
Is she treated differently just because she solved the mystery of the Crystal Sea?
It seems a little untenable.
"Did Mr. Copperfield say where he heard of me?"
"No."
"Ah... then he is really knowledgeable."
Hitzfeld smiled sarcastically.
Jie Li looked at her somewhat at a loss, not knowing how to respond to her words.
"Stay here for the night, Miss Norm."
Hitzfeld thought for a moment before offering a suggestion.
"Then this matter..." Jie Li said anxiously.
"Tomorrow." The girl interrupted her.
"I'll give you an answer tomorrow."
Chapter 6 Psychological Suggestion
It can be seen that the young client is exhausted from the long journey.
Hitzfeld got some leftover bread, mixed it with fresh cheese, and put it in the oven to warm it up. Jerry gobbled it all up, snoring almost in front of her as soon as she got into bed.
"She's exhausted," a voice came from behind the girl.
As soon as the lights in the room were turned off, Xia Yibing walked out from the shadows, gently put her hands on the girl's shoulders, and said while embroidering the light fragrance from her hair: "You can take this case."
She had been hiding upstairs and eavesdropping while the two of them were discussing the details of the case in the living room, so she certainly knew what Hitzfeld was thinking.
"Why?" Hitzfeld frowned slightly.
The other person's actions made her ears and neck feel itchy.
However, since the woman did not take any further action, she did not try to evade.
They say just let it be.
