As Larkins turned to sprint away, a chilling voice followed him.
"You could try to run, but I wonder if you're faster than my bullet. A headless corpse turning up in the harbor's sewers tomorrow would surely be a headache for the police. Don't worry, within ten steps, I won't miss your head."
Captain Kappa aimed his gun at the drunken figure.
Larkins, hearing this, halted and turned with a wry smile, trying to ingratiate himself to the two men.
"Seems I've knocked on the wrong door. Gentlemen, could you let me go as if I were just a passing fart?"
"That's not what you were saying when you were pounding on that door. Word is you're a minor player for the Blood Eagle gang."
"Can't you overlook this for the sake of the Blood Eagles?"
"The Blood Eagles? They're nothing here. Even their boss wouldn't dare tell me to let you go. How are you going to make amends for this interruption?"
"I truly don't have any money, look." Larkins turned out his tattered pockets to prove his point.
"How about I swear never to bother these young masters and miss again?"
"Just here? No, perhaps we should take one of your legs instead." Captain Kappa cocked the hammer of his gun.
"No, no, no, I swear I'll stop extorting children altogether, please have mercy, sirs."
Larkins fell to his knees, pressing his forehead to the floor.
"Let you off this easy? If I catch wind of you continuing these acts, I'll ensure the coroner has a puzzle on their hands, leaving not a single piece of you intact. Now get out."
With a swift kick to Larkins' backside, Kappa sent him sprawling. The thug scrambled up and fled the apartment without looking back.
"Captain, why not reveal we're police?" Elyon queried.
"Police have to play by the rules, and these scoundrels would only heed our words for a few days before reverting to their ways. Only by posing as one of them do we instill a deeper fear."
"Shall we now visit the so-called widow?"
"Let's go. To the primary school where she works."
"What do we know about this David's fiancée?"
"Tidy up your attire, and let's make ourselves presentable as minor clerks."
Boarding a streetcar, Captain Kappa handed Elyon a slip of paper.
"What's this?"
"A brief on David's fiancée, compiled from the bank's records."
Elyon read the hurried scrawl that betrayed Garrick's mood when working overtime or in foul spirits.
Name: Lorenda Dale
Age: 20? Uncertain, David never specified.
Occupation: Junior school mathematics teacher at the Church of the Craftsman and Tech, located at 9 North Suburb Road.
Faith: Church of the Craftsman and Tech
Birthplace: Undisclosed, likely a descendant of Dunland due to her faith.
Other: Not mentioned.
Stuffing the note into his pocket, Elyon sighed.
"What use is this? It gives us nothing but an address."
"There's something. It suggests she's a meticulous person, likely from the upper crust of society—this miss won't be easy to handle."
The school was housed within the grand cathedral of the Craftsman God in Kelong, its dome crowned with an exaggerated spire.
The roof's tiles were a distinctive blue, different from those of the surrounding buildings. And there hung the holy insignia of the Craftsman God, a simply drawn hammer.
"Let's ask the priest directly."
Entering the church, they encountered a priest finishing his prayers. Kappa intercepted him.
"Good morning, Father, might there be a Miss Lorenda Dale here, a lady responsible for teaching mathematics?"
"And you are?" The priest eyed them warily.
"We're employees from the national bank, colleagues of Miss Dale's fiancé, David. We're here to notify her of a matter concerning him."
"Oh, classes are in session at the moment. Why don't you wait in the school office with me?"
"Thank you, Father."
They stood outside the office, listening to the cacophony of lessons underway. At ten, the priest assured, the teachers would take a break.
"Thank you, Father."
As they waited, a woman in a gray gown with golden hair and blue eyes approached, carrying a primary mathematics textbook.
"Gentlemen? If you seek prayer or counsel, the main hall is at your disposal." Elyon stood up, startled.
"Oh, we're not here for the priest. In fact, we came to see a Miss Lorenda."
"That would be me. Do I know you?"
"We're from the national bank. We need to discuss something with you regarding Mr. David, away from prying ears."
"What's happened to David? Come in, please."
They followed Lorenda into a spacious office, then refused her offer of tea.
"This letter is for you, and we have some questions," Kappa said, presenting her with an envelope from the branch manager.
"Prepare yourself. It may not be good news."
Lorenda hesitantly tore open the envelope and read the carefully scripted message within. Her complexion paled as she began to sob softly.
"Here." Kappa offered her a handkerchief to dab her tears.
"What would you ask? Has David's body been taken care of? Oh, I don't know how to break the news to his parents."
"The police should have handled it. We're here on behalf of the bank, to offer condolences and inquire about David's recent state."
"Condolences? Can you bring David back to me? We were together just last weekend; how can you tell me he's gone just a day later? How do you intend to compensate?"
"Please, calm yourself. The bank didn't just lose money; we lost an excellent employee. None of us wished for this outcome," Kappa soothed.
"I lost control, I apologize," Lorenda returned the handkerchief and continued.
"I'm not aware of anything peculiar in David's recent behavior. We were only engaged and met on weekends. You may want to contact his parents; they're likely in the capital."
"And his financial situation?"
"It seemed to be in good standing. We often dined out and visited theaters; I never heard of him taking loans."
"Do you have an address for David's parents? We need to inform them."
"Wait here." Lorenda tore off a piece of paper, scribbled an address, and handed it to Kappa.