Fork

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They walked down on the road until they reached a waiting shed and bench down the mansion. They waited for a taxi on the bench going to the police station. It was not long when one arrived.

"To the police station," said Rook. He gave his payment right after. The driver didn't start his taxi immediately.

"What's wrong?" Tatsumi asked the driver.

"This is dollars, not Swedish Krona," the driver replied, raising the dollars Rook gave.

Rook was surprised. He remembered he didn't prepare much Swedish currency on his wallet.

"I am very sorry sir, I wasn't able to notice. We have no Swedish currency right now, we only have dollars here. Can we change back those dollars into Swedish Krona when we arrive at the bank?"

"It's okay, it doesn't matter at all. I will just change it when we arrive there at the police station. The bank is near there. By the way, are you visitors in that mansion?" he asked, started his car and drove.

"Yes sir, do you know the people there?"

"I do. Haven't you heard the story of what happened to the young girls Sari and Jenny five years ago?"

"Story?"

"Well it was long time ago. I guess it was around five years ago or so. Ms. Sari Mortensson was the leading stage actress here in town. But there were rumors that she killed the stage actress named Serena, who was her main competitor in fame. Because of Serena's death, Sari became the number one."

"Do you know how this Serena was killed?" asked Tatusi, looking at the places they were crossing.

"I can only tell you what I read from newspapers, besides, I'm not a cop. Serena's body was found on her room, bathed with her own blood, holding a CD on her right hand. The police suspected Sari at first but there were no hard evidences that would convict her and she had alibi the time happened. They also thought that the CD is some sort of a message the victim left before her death."

Rook's mood changed after he heard that story.

"So Sari was once suspected of a murder. Who is Serena?"

"This Serena who died, from where is she? What's her family name?" he asked the driver, with his curiosity more driven stronger at this moment.

The driver stopped his car for a while because of the traffic.

"I don't really know much about that, but I heard her father is Japanese and her mother was Swedish. She had a brother, although no one knows who that is. The weirdest thing about Serena that made her so famous was her language intelligence. I watched one of her show before, it was 'Falsetto and Allegretto", it was one of her best shows too, because she showed her knowledge in Swedish, Japanese, Italian, Irish Gaelic, Spanish and Greek language. She was really talented. Sari only knew Italian and Farsi before, so she wasn't that much of a competitor, but they were considered the greatest in their craft."

Tatsumi brought back his thought to Jenny. If Sari was involved in that case, what makes Jenny?

"How about Jenny? You mentioned about her."

"Ah, yes, Jenny. She was younger back then when Sari was getting her fame. Her voice that almost calms any soul. She was loved by many here in Stockholm. Although one day, she was caught attempting to hang herself in her office. The police asked her why did she do that and all she said was 'if only I could understand those words she said'"

"That's so strange, who was that SHE Jenny was talking about?"

"Moreover, for a taxi driver, you know a lot," Rook continued and looked at the driver who stopped the car. The taxi driver looked from his front mirror and smiled.

"Cops usually ride my taxi. We get to talk a lot. Well, we're here on the police station now. Thanks for the dollars," he excused.

"One last question, who was the officer who was in charge of those investigations?" Rook asked as he opened the taxi's door and went out.

"It was the good old Inspector Krauss Andersen."

Both of them were surprised. "Inspector Krauss…what a coincidence!"

They went straightly to the police station and asked for Inspector Krauss. A police officer escorted them after they told him their cause. The inspector was talking with the coroner when they arrived.

"You're here?" asked Krauss.

Rook bowed to the coroner as respect. The coroner noticed that he is Japanese and bowed to him as well.

"I came here with Tatsumi to ask something to the coroner," he replied and turned his eyes to the coroner. The lady coroner's attention was caught by Rook when he said he is going to ask her something.

"What is it that you want to ask?" smiled the lady coroner.

"The COD of the victim was ligature strangulation resulting to asphyxia, right? Was the weapon a piano wire?"

The coroner was amazed. She nodded and said yes. "We were just discussing about that with Inspector Krauss here," she replied.

"We can infer then that the hanging marks from the rope were post-mortem. The murder weapon is a piano wire."

Inspector Krauss interrupted with a scoff. "Excuse me, but, I respect you arrived far in investigating, but remember this is our job and not yours."

"I just want to help, Inspector. I just learned that Sir Hansel Mortensson was once a friend to my father…"

"Who is your father?" asked the coroner.

"My father is Gradd Kazuki."

"The famous detective? Well, isn't it a small world!" the coroner smiled.

"I was told," Rook replied and looked at the inspector who had the same face as he glanced back at him.

"Inspector, we also found something weird in the crime scene before you arrived. It was the flat surface on the ground, near the left part of the window," Tatsumi said, explaining what they have discovered in the crime scene.

"Flat surface?"

"That's right. If the rope was carried by the criminal, then –" he was not able to continue his words because of the Inspector, continuing his word.

"Then the rope should have mud. Have you checked that Ms. Sierra?" he turned to the coroner.

"Yes and like these two said, there was some mud, but, from those information, what can you tell?" she asked, seems interested to Rook's deduction.

"I was hoping we could trace some fingerprints from the rope?"

"No prints detected," replied the coroner.

Rook smiled when he proved his doubt.

"Just as I thought! The killer prevented having his prints after the murder…!"

Krauss saw both the boys looking at each other with a determined smile.

"Have you figured something out?" he asked them. Rook replied with a smile and nod.

"Inspector, we will return to the mansion now. I hope to call the police station once I hear something out. But before that, about the case many years ago about a murdered stage actress…"

Krauss waved his hand and shook his head. "Aah! I don't want to talk about that! The case is still unsolved and confidential."

He left without saying other words to them. Both of them bowed to the coroner and went back to the mansion.