The carriage fell silent. "So tell us, why fabricate a false truth?" Nyara asked.
"It's solely to preserve the master's dignity. Imagine the scandal if it became known that his daughter had staged this entire episode just to embarrass him. Councillor Carter would lose face. We can only go along with the story that a real thief stole the necklace, which saves the household's reputation. And let's be practical—Councillor Carter has just this one cherished daughter. If the affair were exposed, it wouldn't be her suffering the consequences; it would be the surrounding servants. At most, the daughter might be confined to the house for a few days, but the personal maid or the two guards might find themselves without employment."
"Is that all?"
"What more could there be?"
"I thought our brother had finally become savvy, perhaps even looking to climb the social ladder, ready to leave behind his two delightful sisters."
"I didn't see any gentleness there, don't flatter yourself. And why do I detect a note of sour grapes?"
"Hmph, not at all."
"Such a strong sibling bond you have, haha."
An hour passed, and the carriage arrived on Valen Street. After bidding farewell to Mr. Russell, the trio returned home.
After exchanging goodnights, Elyon retreated to his room and reflected on the day's events.
There was a third possibility he hadn't voiced, considering this world possessed beings with extraordinary powers. Perhaps a transcendent had simply passed by and leaped over the wall without the aid of tools.
Then, employing some ability, they unlocked the door, hid the necklace in a prankish manner, and shattered the rear door glass before escaping the yard.
The holes in the ceiling were possibly made by termites or other creatures, and the moist soil of the indoor plant might be due to overwatering that day.
Regarding the picture frame, Miss Annie simply hadn't used it, and he hadn't verified if it really had double-glazing. Nor had he weighed the scattered glass shards to prove they weren't only from the door.
Such coincidences were impossibly far-fetched, existing only in theory—unless a deity of mischief had descended.
The new week's work was tedious as ever, processing files and sharing tea time with Garrick, who seemed in remarkably good spirits today, having brought sugar cubes from home to sweeten the bitter tea.
"Mr. Garrick, you seem in a good mood today."
"Not bad. The thought of retiring in two weeks, leaving this wet and dreary place, does cheer me up."
"Where do you plan to go?"
"First, I'll take my wife on a trip, to enjoy some ample sunshine in the south."
"In that case, Mr. Garrick, how would one safely and reasonably fabricate a case? How should we handle it in our files?"
"Fabricate?"
"Look at this." Elyon pulled out the day's newspaper, pointing to the small section on page four about Councillor Carter's search for the missing necklace.
"Let me see." Garrick took the newspaper, read it intently, and then set it down to take a sip of tea before speaking.
"This thief is no amateur, or the stakes are high, to steal from a councillor's house. Our colleagues in the King's District will be busy. Do you have any leads?"
More than leads—the necklace was in his jacket pocket, Elyon thought.
"In fact, I have the necklace right here." Elyon produced the ruby necklace and placed it on his desk.
"That's a sizable ruby. How did it end up with you?" Garrick inquired after examining it briefly and setting it down.
"It's a bit complicated, rest assured, the councillor knows the necklace is with me. Right now, I'm trying to contrive a thief, happen upon them, and in the ensuing chase, recover this necklace."
"Tsk, this isn't just a simple theft. You've thought of how to square this away, haven't you? But for cases involving high-profile figures, you'd best document meticulously. Ensure there's a second piece of evidence to substantiate your fabricated criminal. Young man, if you strike it rich, remember to include me, haha."
"Certainly." Building goodwill with a colleague involved having shared interests and secrets, implicating Garrick too, so he would share the blame if needed.
"As for the files, the best way to cover up the truth is to bury it within the case files. This room has piled up thousands of cases and patrol reports over the years. No one cares about those details; they just want an outcome."
"Wealth, what do you mean?" Elyon queried, perplexed.
"This," Garrick gestured to the last segment of text in the newspaper, where it mentioned a reward of 100 pounds for the finder of the necklace and 30 pounds for an assistant. His eyes gleamed with the thought of riches.
"Can a public officer like a police accept such financial rewards?" Elyon inquired.
"Not openly, but you can gift it to your family.
Who says it has to be given to us personally? Besides, we're claiming a reward, not accepting a bribe."
"Do we have any black markets or locations for fencing goods in our area?"
"There's an abandoned warehouse by the port. After hours, it's where people gather to sell all kinds of gray-market goods. How about we pay a visit this Sunday? Put your theory into practice?"
"Is it dangerous? What are 'gray-market goods'?"
"Mostly it's untaxed foreign liquors, textiles, herbs, and household items."
"Aren't you worried about controlled items?"
"Firearms? Hahaha, only a few can afford guns, and bullets are even harder to come by. You might find such things in the black markets of the industrial district up north. Of course, you'd need to get past the gatekeeper there. And up north, in the industrial district, there are some odd characters spreading strange ideas."
Cults or enlightenment movements, Elyon wondered.
"How about this Sunday, Mr. Garrick? We're scheduled for patrol then."
"No problem, but remember to wear plain clothes. If we go in uniform, everyone will scatter, and formal attire might attract pickpockets. Wear something casual after work. Bring some money, who knows, you might find something interesting in the market."
"Interesting things?" Elyon was puzzled. To Garrick, interesting likely meant cigarettes or tea leaves. Elyon didn't smoke, but tea leaves could be a good purchase to bring home.
"What kind of interesting things are at the black market, Mr. Garrick?"
Garrick scratched his head and whispered, "Antiques and handicrafts, but there are also many fakes. If you have an eye for it, you can find treasures there."
Elyon decided against it, acknowledging he wasn't knowledgeable in those areas. In his past life on Earth, he had only bought imitation shoes and decorative oil paintings from fellow countrymen to adorn his home.
As the end of the workday approached and he and Garrick tidied up the files, Garrick reminded him, "Remember to wear an old set of regular clothes tomorrow. Police uniform's too conspicuous there."
"Understood," Elyon nodded.