"What!?"
Lestrade's voice unconsciously rose, but he quickly lowered it.
"Are you really sure, Charlotte?"
He refused to give up and pressed on. "That man… may be a bad person, but he has never killed anyone. He didn't kill a single person from Lloyd's Bank."
"Handwriting, word choice, type of paper, signature habits…"
Charlotte's voice was calm and matter-of-fact. With extrely careful movents, she gently returned the card to the evidence bag.
"Every detail perfectly matches his previous style. There is no doubt—this is Moriarty's handwriting. This card was written by him."
The mont he received this affirmative answer, Lestrade felt as if a heavy hamr had struck his head; it throbbed painfully.
"But… how could this happen…" He leaned weakly against the doorfra and muttered to himself. "That man… why would he kill soone?"
"You seem a bit unusual."
Charlotte glanced at Lestrade. "I thought you hated him."
"That's not it, Charlotte."
Lestrade shook his head. "The only reason I dislike him is that he always causes trouble and embarrasses Scotland Yard. But how should I put it… In my opinion, he's just… a child who took the wrong path, desperate for attention, but deep down not a bad person."
Lestrade said, "He caused quite a lot of trouble, but it's undeniable that a large part of his actions were actually good. Look at the bank robbers he caught before, or that man who committed treason…"
He had wanted to catch him, but never intended to send him to prison. At most, he wanted to teach him a lesson and encourage him to use his talents for good. But now, Lestrade's voice faltered, filled with indescribable complex emotions and disappointnt.
"A thief who steals things and a murderer who kills and robs are completely different concepts."
Even after hearing this, Charlotte didn't say much about the mistake. Instead, she turned her eyes back to the cri scene.
"Why would he do sothing like that…?" Lestrade continued speaking absentmindedly. "Maybe it was an accident? Moriarty broke in, the victim woke up, they struggled, and Moriarty accidentally killed him?"
"Don't jump to conclusions, Lestrade."
Charlotte said. "His card is here, but that doesn't necessarily an he killed soone."
Lestrade was surprised. "aning…?"
"First, tell about the deceased."
"The deceased was Thomas Hanigan, aged 47."
Lestrade quickly recovered from his complicated emotions and returned to work. "He was a trader dealing in silk and porcelain. Quite well-known in Southwark, with a good reputation and very active in paying taxes."
"But the fact that Moriarty ca to see him ans he wasn't as clean as he appeared, right?"
Charlotte walked around the room, observing. "Has it beco clear what he was doing behind the scenes?"
"They should still be there…"
"No need to waste ti. This guy is probably a smuggler in disguise."
Charlotte said with certainty.
"Are you really that sure?"
Lestrade couldn't help asking, "Based on what?"
"Based on what?"
Charlotte stopped, turned around, and looked at him with an expression as if she were looking at an idiot. "Why would a master thief who specializes in exposing high-society scandals target an ordinary, reputable businessman who pays his taxes properly? What was he after? A few pieces of porcelain or silk at ho?"
"Then… then maybe…"
"Don't be so quick to agree," Charlotte interrupted irritably. "The answer is right in front of you, Lestrade. He's a businessman in import-export trade. The easiest thing for him to hide and transport is illegal contraband that cannot be exposed to daylight. What more evidence do you need? Inspect his cargo ships and check the recent shipping records, and you'll definitely find what you're looking for."
Lestrade was stunned by her words. He felt sothing was off, but couldn't find a reason to argue and could only nod.
"Understood… understood. I'll have my subordinates investigate later."
He compromised.
Charlotte ignored him and turned her attention back to the cri scene. Her gaze swept every corner of the room, missing nothing. The pattern of bloodstains on the floor, the position where the body had fallen, the arrangent of items on the desk, the ashtray and wine glasses on the table…
"There were no signs of forced entry on the doors or windows, so the perpetrator likely entered directly through the front door."
She casually picked up a wine glass from the table and glanced at the remaining liquid inside.
"Also, there were two wine glasses on the table. One was partially drunk, the other empty. This indicates that he was entertaining a guest at the ti. At the very least, the murderer initially t Hanigan as a guest."
Charlotte said, then shifted her gaze to the ashtray. "He smoked more than ten cigarettes in one night. This man was either a heavy smoker, addicted to tobacco, or in a state of extre anxiety."
"Who is the murderer?"
"Hm."
Charlotte nodded, then placed the two wine glasses on either side of the desk. "The unfinished one belongs to Hanigan, and the finished one belongs to the murderer. Hanigan was in a very relaxed state, so he could savor the wine at his own pace. The other man clearly was not. He was extrely nervous and anxious, so he needed to constantly consu nicotine and alcohol to relieve the tension."
"Why?"
Lestrade asked in confusion. "He was here as a guest—what did he have to worry about? Was he planning to betray Hanigan?"
"This relates to his situation."
Charlotte said. "What if he didn't co to talk business with Hanigan, but to ask for help?"
"Help?"
Lestrade frowned.
"Yes, he needed help."
Charlotte nodded lightly. "He had nowhere else to turn, so he asked Hanigan for help." Hanigan was involved in smuggling. "If living creatures can be smuggled, then humans can too."
She paused for a mont, then turned around. "You ntioned earlier that the murder weapon was a short knife, right?"
"Yes."
Lestrade nodded. "Show ."
Lestrade walked to the door, called soone from evidence storage, and handed Charlotte an evidence bag containing the short sword.
Charlotte glanced at it and looked slightly surprised. "This wasn't a decorative knife."
"So what?"
"Do you think Moriarty would carry a short sword when committing theft? Or do you think the deceased would decorate his study with an ordinary short sword for his own enjoynt?"
Hearing this, Lestrade suddenly understood.
"So what does that an?"
"The answer is obvious, Lestrade."
Charlotte put down what she was holding. "This is a setup."
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