Chapter 47
Rina looked away and turned her head to look elsewhere.
She wanted to go in and check the body, but the stubborn crew member stood guard at the door of the stern cabin, preventing her from getting close.
Moreover, he noticed her intention to climb through the window, so he went inside and locked the window from the inside.
He doesn't seem like the kind of person who is dedicated to his duties; after all, drinking during the day while on duty is a completely irresponsible act.
Rina looked him up and down, and the crew member glared at her defiantly. "Miss, this case may involve murder. After the ship docks, we will ask the police to handle the case. Please don't go around showing off your unique curiosity."
Rina: "I just wanted to take a quick look."
Peter raised his chin, glared at her with his nostrils, and then stubbornly said, "You can go in, but only if you show me your police ID."
Rina: "Do you want us passengers to spend the next few days with the murderer?"
“The cause of death has not yet been determined. He most likely died from a sudden illness,” Peter said, adjusting his belt. “The other guests who stayed with him didn’t hear anything during the night, and the door to the room was locked. No one could have sneaked in silently. He must have had a relapse or committed suicide. In any case, this has nothing to do with you. Don’t interfere with my work.”
Rina was speechless.
Kurosawa Shiran stepped forward and said softly, "Mr. Peter, this young lady is a doctor; perhaps she can help."
Lydia followed behind him, keeping an eye on Rina's actions out of the corner of her eye, and handed him the certificate in her hand. "For the safety of the passengers, we still need to check, just in case it's an infectious disease."
“You women are such a nuisance.” Peter glanced at the identification, handed her the items, turned around, and used the key to open the hatch. “Don’t touch the dead.”
Lydia clutched her chest with one hand, her eyes reddening, and said in a trembling voice, "I'm a little scared. Can this gentleman come with me?"
It's perfectly normal for a little girl to be afraid of corpses, and that's completely understandable. Peter glanced at Kurosawa Shiran and waved his hand: "Go ahead, but don't cause any trouble."
Lydia lowered her head and waited for Kurosawa Shiran to enter the room before approaching the corpse.
However, she didn't make any move, but her face showed a look of fear and helplessness as she lifted Kurosawa Shiran, a look that was enough to make people feel sorry for her.
Lydia waited for Kurozawa to lift the white cloth, but after two minutes, he didn't move at all, so she had no choice but to do it herself.
"The face, lips, and earlobes are bluish-purple, which could indicate heart failure."
She's just a student with less than ideal grades, but the initial examination might be okay.
Thinking of this, she became even more confident, "The deceased had no external injuries and must have died last night."
Rina could only watch from afar before turning and leaving.
Kurosawa stared blankly for a while, and was about to reach out when Peter noticed this and immediately pushed open the door. "That's enough, everyone come out. There's nothing to see in a corpse. Don't get any bad luck on it."
Lydia didn't want to stay here either, and said softly, "Let's leave."
Kurosawa Shiran narrowed his eyes slightly.
A moment later, the two left the room. Lydia looked around, her gaze lingering on the wicker chair. "Where's the person who was sitting there?"
Kurosawa Shiran: "Who is it?"
“There was a woman sitting here just now,” Lydia said, biting her lip and frowning deeply. “She was strange. From the moment we boarded the ship until now, she’s been like a ghost, frightening. And, shouldn’t a normal woman not be interested in dead people?”
Kurosawa Shiranui smiled slightly. "You're right."
More than anyone else, he hoped that Natsume Rina was an abnormal person, so that he could legitimately drag her into hell and haunt her until death.
Lydia: "I hope she won't hurt me."
Many people come to the restaurant for lunch.
Rina sat in a corner, leaning against the window and gazing at the boundless sea, trying to clear her mind and avoid thinking.
She felt that the fever reducers had no effect at all. Rina was burning up and had a terrible headache. Of course, it could also be because she had sweated a lot and stood outside in the sea breeze.
A woman in a dark indigo dress walked up to Rina and politely asked, "Is this place taken?"
Rina tried to make her voice sound natural: "No."
The woman sighed, sat down opposite her, and asked with concern, "You look unwell."
Rina turned her head and looked at the gray-haired woman opposite her, replying softly, "It's alright."
The fabric she wore was embroidered with dark gold star patterns, which shimmered in the sunlight.
The woman poured her a cup of black tea from the table and handed it to her, revealing a bronze bracelet wrapped around her wrist with small silver rune pendants hanging from it, which looked very mysterious, especially the dark lip gloss on her lips.
She saw the confusion on Rina's face and said gently, "Daisy is my name. I'm a fortune teller. The most famous fortune teller in London."
Rina accepted the black tea and thanked her, saying, "Natsume."
Daisy smiled and was about to chat with her for a bit when the two of them looked at each other, as if waking from a nightmare, their faces immediately showing unease and fear.
She asked in a low voice, "Would it be convenient for you to put your hand out?"
Rina didn't know why her expression suddenly changed. After hesitating for a moment, she did as she was told.
Daisy cradled that slender, white hand in both, closed her eyes, as if touching an unknown force. She opened and closed her eyes repeatedly, confirming it several times. "My divination is very accurate..."
Lina asked curiously, "What did you see?"
Daisy gently lowered her hand, a look of pain on her face. "This ocean... will take you away."
She spoke in a very tactful and romantic way, but unfortunately, her words foreshadowed her death.
A sea breeze blew in, lifting the white curtains, and a ray of sunlight shone on Rina's eyelids.
Daisy shook her head weakly, her voice filled with sorrow, "I'm so sorry."
"It's nothing." Rina forced a smile and began to absentmindedly ponder the case.
She didn't believe in gods or Buddhas and took her fate in stride, so naturally she wasn't interested in these words.
Kurosawa Shiran emerged from the cabin at the back of the ship, carrying a tray in one hand. She placed the tray on the table and pushed it in front of Rina, saying, "Miss, here is your lunch."
Pan-fried salmon and seafood risotto, along with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice—she didn't recall these two dishes being on the ship's menu.
Rina lifted her eyelids, glanced at him, her breathing gradually calming down, and she smiled serenely.
Kurosawa Shiran calmly shifted his gaze to the woman opposite him and asked, "Madam, what do you think of my fate?"
“You’re consumed by resentment, like a bottomless chasm between you and your lover.” Daisy’s voice was hoarse. She shook her head and got up from her seat.
Kurosawa Shiran smiled slightly.
Lina sensed that something was off about his mood, but couldn't figure out what was wrong. She gently patted the back of his hand.
The moment he was touched, the blood in his veins began to surge. Kurosawa Toki's throat moved slightly, perhaps indicating that he was affected, but his face remained expressionless as he turned and left.
Rina realized he was angry.
Just then, footsteps and voices came from the corridor. A man and a woman were talking about the case that had just happened.
"The crew said that the man had a heart attack, so you don't need to worry."
"It turned out to be a sudden illness. I thought it was murder. There was a group of people on deck who were talking about it in a very mysterious way."
"It's just hearsay. Don't be afraid. No matter what happens, I will protect you."
Rina listened intently for a while, then picked up her spoon and began to enjoy her meal.
Although she didn't know where he learned it, his cooking skills were excellent, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Unfortunately, she really had no appetite right now, and she put down her spoon after eating very little.
Lydia went to the house with a worried expression, but as soon as she raised her hand, she suddenly remembered that she should bring the woman back.
She had been so focused on winning over an outsider to protect her that she had completely forgotten about this matter. She left in a hurry and happened to run into John as she went downstairs.
John looked up at her and couldn't help but ask, "Where are you going?"
Lydia took a deep breath and said slowly, "I haven't found that woman yet."
John stepped up the stairs and walked past her, saying in a slightly cold tone, "Go back first, I have an important discovery."
Lydia bit her lip and reluctantly followed.
The two returned to their room, and John glanced back to see if anyone was following them before locking the door.
During this time, Odell drank half a bottle of red wine and reeked of alcohol. He may not have been drunk, but his voice was much louder.
They have no manners and no respect for others.
Emily was extremely disgusted, but she couldn't say much. He was clearly a person of terrible character, and she couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't hurt her.
Newspapers often report that alcoholic men are more likely to abuse women, and his wife's suicide was very likely due to this reason. In any case, she couldn't stand it anymore; her partner lay on the other side of the bed every day, reeking of alcohol, and was abusing her.
John poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip to calm himself down.
He said, “I just went to that man’s cabin. His name is Armstrong, he’s 39 years old and Dutch. He’s sleeping opposite him is Heather, a Belgian who just moved here. I asked her, and she doesn’t know the man. The two of them exchanged a few simple greetings after boarding the ship, but they didn’t have any other conversation.”
As he spoke, he took a worn-out briefcase from his suit and placed it on the table.
Rossi took it and emptied everything out.
Inside, besides a few oranges, a watch, keys, a water glass, and a card, I found...
John exclaimed incredulously, "That woman is a detective!"
Emily was also shocked: "You mean that young girl?"
Odel scoffed, his expression full of disdain. "She looks perfect for playing house."
Rossi picked up the card and smiled enigmatically. "A Mafia member who killed a mother and daughter on this very ship."
Emily paused for a moment, her tone full of surprise: "Sounds like a heinous criminal."
John took a sip of his drink, lost in thought.
“I…I just went to see Armstrong’s body,” Lydia said timidly, trembling slightly. “If he didn’t die of suffocation, then it was probably a heart attack.”
John thought for a moment and asked, "Should we bring this detective on board?"
“I think she’s more like the murderer,” Emily said sarcastically. “The Mafia are all very brutal.”
“Detectives tend to be solitary and have a strong sense of mystery about them,” Rossi said casually.
Emily spoke in a low, strange voice: "It sounds like you really like her."
Rossi raised an eyebrow and said, "You know a lot."
Emily was speechless for a moment, then turned to look elsewhere.
Lydia asked in a low voice, "Has anyone received Mr. John's card?"
Emily paused, then opened her palm: "It might have been me, but I burned the card. I thought it was just a prank."
Arrogant and conceited rich people are indeed capable of doing such things, but what made her change her mind? Lydia: "Well, Mr. John, could you tell me?"
John gave a wry smile, unbuttoned his suit jacket, and sat down on the sofa. “This matter is very simple. I work at a bank and often encounter stock investors. Wald is one of them. However, he is an old man in his seventies, and his mind is sometimes not sharp. Because he did not listen to me, he invested the £80,000 he had in the bank into the stock market and lost it all. You could say he went bankrupt.”
Lydia was curious about the old man's ordeal. "And then?"
John shrugged, masking his true guilt: "I don't know, he hasn't come back."
"Which madman dragged us innocent people into this?" Emily's mind was in turmoil. She couldn't bear the current situation. She felt that her husband was watching her from somewhere, or from behind her.
"Who among you is innocent?" Everyone knew the answer without saying a word. Rossi looked at the group, smiled, but didn't show his teeth. "I'm not one of them."
The color drained from Lydia's face little by little.
John broke out in a cold sweat and shivered involuntarily.
Along with the invitation, he also received a woolen hat. Every time Wald came to see him, he would wear that hat, including the day he waited at his doorstep and cried bitterly.
Wald completely lost his dignity, kneeling on the ground and begging for the money he had saved to treat his wife's illness to be returned, but this was impossible, because he had already invested that money in the stock market and lost it all.
He had no choice. But what he didn't expect was that later, the story of the two elderly people committing suicide by taking sleeping pills in their rented room made the newspapers.
“We’re not going to get any answers if we keep going like this.” Rossi stood up and left the room, not wanting to waste any more time on this bunch of good-for-nothings.
He has no chance of finding the diamonds with this bunch of brainless people; perhaps the female detective can be used.
Odell whistled, stood up, picked up his suit from the ground, and walked outside.
Lydia nervously twisted her hands together, glanced at Emily, bent slightly, and followed her away.
Emily was preoccupied, but pretended to be relaxed: "I've lost interest in this game."
After everyone left the room, John immediately rummaged under the bed for his suitcase, took out the hat inside, opened the window, and with trembling hands threw the hat into the sea.
Rina happened to witness this scene, but John, in a highly tense state, did not see her. After throwing the things away, John quickly closed the window and drew the curtains. Rina looked away and continued reading the newspaper in her hand.
The newspapers on this ship are strange; it's probably due to the crew's carelessness. There are even newspapers from three years ago on the counter.
And so, for the rest of the morning, Rina, bored out of her mind, flipped through half of the newspapers on the counter, while the guy named Peter was still there guarding the place, showing no signs of letting up. On the contrary, she had a persistent high fever and was about to collapse.
Rina was thinking that he might be missing a glass of brandy laced with laxatives.
Rossi walked up behind her and asked, "Miss Natsume, how are you feeling?"
Rina wasn't surprised. She slowly turned a page of the newspaper in her hand and politely replied, "Much better, thank you for the medicine."
Rossi stood to the side, maintaining a comfortable social distance from her. "Miss Natsume, haven't you ever thought about collaborating with someone?"
Rina: "What do you mean?"
“Let’s be frank. I know your identity, but you may not know the others as well. I can tell you everything I know right now, and I can even help you with the investigation,” Rossi smiled. “For example, getting that crew member out of the way.”
Rina didn't show any inappropriate expression on her face, but she couldn't help but let out a soft "hmm".
Seeing her reaction, Rossi's smile deepened. "So, Miss Natsume?"
Rina put down the newspaper she was holding and looked at him.
Rossi looked around again. "Or shall we go get lunch first?"
Rina: "I will not cooperate with you."
“It’s okay, I just want to know the truth. You don’t need to pay any attention to me during your investigation. I will help you.” Rossi recounted all the information he had just received. He had no need to hide anything, since this matter had nothing to do with him and did not involve any interests. Moreover, given that this girl was quite interesting, he also mentioned the card.
Rina fell silent.
She did not deny the Mafia and the tragedy, but it was indeed remarkable that the person behind it could find out her connection to the Mafia.
Rossi asked curiously, "Is there anything you want to say?"
Rina said thoughtfully, "If the pattern of the murderer's crimes from last time holds true, then two people will lose their lives today. You'd better tell that group of people to lock their doors and windows during their break."
"I will," Rossi said confidently.
Rina stood up, took the newspaper she hadn't finished reading from the table, and went to Armstrong's room.
Rossi looked both helpless and serious, and at the same time felt that things were a bit difficult.
Presumably because there was no body stored in this room, it was simply locked, and Heather, who shared a bunk with the other person, was simply moved to another room.
Rina looked around, took out the tools from her pocket, and listened to the wire turning in the keyhole. Soon, the door opened.
She went into the room, closed the door, and carefully checked the doors and windows. She found no signs of forced entry, so there was no possibility of violent intrusion. Only a crew member with a key could open the room.
Rina put on gloves, squatted down, and examined the bed Armstrong had slept in, especially the pillow stuffed with cotton.
She smelled the pillow; it had a strong, sweaty odor.
The Dutch inherited European ancestry, and their sweat glands are naturally well-developed, making them very prone to sweating. Armstrong did indeed spend a night here.
But she still noticed something strange: the sheets on this bed didn't look as wrinkled.
Heart attacks are accompanied by agitation, fear, or a sense of impending death. Heather was fast asleep and didn't hear anything, but that doesn't mean Armstrong didn't struggle.
Rina propped herself up on the table with one hand and suddenly felt a strong wave of dizziness.
-
During the meal, Emily seemed agitated, which Tia mistakenly thought was because she was angry that she had followed them onto the ship without permission.
She whispered reassuringly, "I'm sorry, I came along because I noticed you haven't looked well these past few days. Don't worry about it."
Emily's face turned ashen, and she said, slowly and deliberately, "Tia, you don't understand."
Tia hesitated for a moment, then asked with concern, "What's wrong with you lately? Would you mind telling me?"
Emily took her hand and kissed it, whispering, "Tia, I really love you, but I have been feeling a lot of pressure lately."
Tia's cheeks flushed. Her appearance was flawless, like a natural leading lady on stage. "It's okay, everything will pass. There's nothing to be afraid of when we're together."
These were the words Emily used to comfort Tia when Tia was heartbroken after her husband's death and couldn't perform in a stage play for a year. Lost in her grief, Emily seized the opportunity to stay by her side, and when Tia was drunk, she said these words and kissed her.
From that moment on, Tia's heart belonged to her, and she was willing to give everything for her, including the substantial inheritance left by her husband.
If Tia knew that Emily was the murderer who killed her husband, would Tia still forgive her?
This was a crime committed in the name of love, that was all she could tell Tia.
"Thank you." Emily took a deep breath, composing herself. "Let's go back to our room."
Tia nodded.
Just as the two were about to leave the restaurant, Emily saw something on the corner shelf and gasped nervously.
It was a newspaper with several distorted, bright red words written on it, like blood.
Evil will eventually be punished.
Tia followed her gaze and was also surprised.
The words were written with lipstick, the same color as the lipstick she couldn't find after boarding the ship.
“It’s probably just a child’s prank, Emily,” she said, reaching for the newspaper.
Emily angrily snatched the items away, crumpled and tore them to pieces, threw them on the ground, and strode away. Tia stood there stunned for a while before she came to her senses and hurriedly cleaned up the trash on the ground.
-
As dusk fell, Lydia finished her dinner and returned to her room, changing into a long red dress. She stood on the deck, waiting for Leon to appear.
The women here wear exquisite makeup, high heels, and dresses that reveal their shoulders or backs, while the men are dressed in suits and ties.
Everyone was dressed formally because there was going to be a ball.
Lydia drank half a glass of red wine, and half an hour after the misunderstanding began, she finally got the fish to bite. "Are the waiters on the ship all busy?"
Kurosawa Shiran looked down at her, his face showing no impatience, even though he wanted to twist the head off the person in front of him.
Kelina said that the murderer would definitely commit a crime in the next few hours, so she had to let him come and deal with this woman. If any suspicious person approached, it would be best to catch him.
He said, "It's alright."
Lydia had her hair tied up in a high ponytail, and her breasts were high and full, making her look extremely sexy.
Those around had subtly sensed the atmosphere and moved away.
Lydia pursed her lips, stared at his face for a moment, and asked, "Would you like something to drink?"
With her height of over 1.9 meters, Kurosawa Shiran looked down at the crowd of people on the deck and then took a glass of iced tea from the waiter's tray.
Lydia asked curiously, "You don't drink?"
Kurosawa Shiranui: "I don't like the taste of alcohol."
The other person seemed indifferent, but Lydia, seeking refuge, wouldn't give up easily. She smiled ambiguously and asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
Kurosawa Shiran: "No."
He now only has one person who can make his blood boil.
Lydia said in a seemingly nonchalant tone, "It's unbelievable, you have a great figure and looks."
A playful smile flashed across Kurosawa Shiran's eyes as he thought to himself, "I also want to show off my physique."
He exuded a chilling aura when he wasn't speaking. Lydia shifted closer to him. "Shall we go look around somewhere else?"
Kurosawa Shiran: "There's not much to see on the ship, except for the decent view from the deck."
“It seems you really have no experience chatting with women,” Lydia said, taking a sip of red wine. “Do you act like this with girls you like?”
Kurosawa Shiran glanced at his watch, looked down at her, and paused for a long time before asking, "What do you want to say?"
Lydia stared at him blankly, then shook her head. Noticing the several layers of gauze wrapped around his hand, she said with concern, "Let me bandage your wound. It's already bleeding, so it must be quite deep."
Kurosawa Shiran replied with only two words: "Okay."
He just thought it was a way to pass the time; it would heal eventually anyway, so he didn't care at all.
He deliberately cut himself, probably too hard, because it would bleed easily with the slightest pressure. He originally wanted to use this wound to see Rina's reaction, but his plan was obviously seen through. When Rina saw the wound, she didn't show any heartache or pity. Instead, she glared at him as if to say, "Are you an idiot?"
This trick had no effect on her; he should think of something else.
The dance continued, and everyone was having a great time.
Lydia wanted to attend too. If she hadn't received the invitation, she might have used the ball to find a rich boyfriend; she loved to flaunt her charm at such events.
However, life is more important.
She needs a man who can protect her, and Leon is a good fit. He may not be rich, but he is tall and has a strong physique. With him by her side, it would be difficult for the killer hiding in the shadows to harm her.
Lydia took him back to his room, rummaged through the cabinet for a first-aid kit, and handed him a painkiller.
Kurosawa Shiran didn't eat; instead, he hid it in his pocket when she wasn't looking. He sat in the chair, calmly observing his surroundings, while also keeping an eye on the dark figure outside the window.
However, his wound was bandaged very carelessly, which Lydia couldn't stand. She started by disinfecting it with alcohol, then sprinkled on some wound-healing powder, and then wrapped it with gauze. "The wound is so deep, aren't you being too careless?"
She bandaged it very carefully.
Kurosawa Shiran said thank you.
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