The search continues

Nash reached the capital town. He could sense the crux from the brush, though faintly. He saw grey lanterns being hung in front of every shop. Kites of various shapes, some shaped like fairies and some shaped like snakes were wavering to the wind. Street vendors were selling candy and toys to kids with new vendors coming to town. People came flooding in, not caring about the destitute or maybe to forget them.

It was time for the festival in the fall, the festival of wind.

He first went to Piper's shop. People were entering and leaving the tailors nearby. Nash pushed Piper's door and it opened with a creak. He entered inside and was met with the repulsive smell of rotten vegetables making it clear that she sold them.

He closed the door and went to the nearby tailors. A short puffy man with a bald head and thick grey beard was measuring people and noting them down, one by one. His black eyes focused. They met with Nash's eyes and Nash bowed to him.

"Excuse me, sir, I am investigating the woman missing from the nearby shop. Would you be kind enough to spare some time?" Nash asked politely.

The tailor told the man whom he was measuring to wait and signalled Nash to a room inside. Cloth pieces of various sizes and colours riddled its floor.

"Make it quick, it's a busy time," the tailor said grumpily.

Nash bowed and sat on a chair.

"Does Piper have any relatives?" Nash asked.

"I heard that she has a daughter outside of town. She was a rather quiet woman," the tailor said while scrunching his beard.

"So she had no visitors from outside?" Nash asked curiously.

"Well, there was this guy who brought produce to her place," the tailor said thinking.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Nash pushed in.

"No, nothing else," the tailor replied shaking his head.

Nash got up from his chair and bowed his head." Thank you for giving your time during such a busy time."

The tailor went to his job without saying anything and Nash left the shop.

'I need to meet this man who was bringing in produce, Nash thought.

He went to the main area from where people took then produce in carts to other places. Nash went up to a man to gather information.

"Excuse me, sir, do you know the one who supplies to the shop in the northmost corner?"

The man shook his head vigorously as if saying no.

He had to ask a dozen more traders before he got an answer.

"You mean Brian. I think I saw him over there," he said pointing to a man.

The man was lean with a sculpted body. He had brown hair and black eyes and a thin beard. He was loading his cart with potatoes.

"Excuse me, I am looking for the person who delivered to the vegetable shop on the north side. Owner's name was piper," Nash asked the man.

The man loaded a sack, wiped his sweat on the collar and looked down at Nash, "I knew her. Who is asking?"

"I am investigating about her missing. Can you tell me anything you knew about her?" Nash asked.

"Not much. The shop was her husband, Paul's. She started looking after he died. She has a daughter, though I don't know anything about her," Brian replied thinking Nash was trustworthy.

"Anything else you can tell me?" Nash asked.

"Well, a few days before I last saw her, I saw a guy loitering around the shop when I went there for delivery," Brian said thinking.

"Will you be able to describe him?"

"Well, he had a crooked nose and a slouching back. He carried a bag and I saw some brushes in it. He kept muttering 'defilers' repeatedly," Brian replied.

'Again, the same man,' Nash thought.

"Thank you for your time," Nash said.

"No problem," Brian replied and went on to his duties.

Next, Nash went to the jewellery owned by Roy Caulfield, father of Ash Caulfield. People were entering and leaving, showing the festive mood on their faces. Nash entered inside and saw Roy Caulfield, a man in his forties with a bulging belly. He had red hair and brown eyes. Despite the heavy business, the man had a depressed look. Nash went to the man and bowed.

"Hello sir, I am the one appointed by the king for finding the whereabouts of your daughter. Can you spare some time for answering some questions?"

Roy's face lit up, "Praise the king and thank you."

"It is said that she went missing during the visit to her mother's estate. Is that right?"

"Yes, I was married into my wife's family. I build this business from the money she gave me," Roy replied.

"Was there anyone who was with her during the journey?" Nash asked.

"Yes, Mathew was with her," Roy replied.

"Who is Mathew?" Roy asked, confused.

"Oh, Mathew is her bodyguard. I can call him if you want," Roy said.

"Please do," Nash requested.

Roy called a servant and after some time, a man came.

He had auburn hair which was neatly cut and a goatee. His blue eyes glared and stared down.

"Yes," Mathew asked.

"I am here for the investigation of the missing Ash Caulfield. I believe you were here bodyguard?" Nash asked.

"Alright," Mathew replied in a professional tone.

"When did you notice that she was missing?" Nash asked.

"It takes about two days from here to reach the estate, we couldn't reach an inn and so we were forced to camp outside. When we woke up, she was missing," Mathew said regretfully, as he had failed his duty.

"Thank you, Mathew. But don't mind me asking, did anything strange happen on your journey?" Nash asked.

Mathew went to thought closing his eyes. He opened after remembering.

"Actually, there was this guy who was lying on the road. He wouldn't move however we screamed. And at last, I took and threw him off the road."

'Again,' Nash thought.

"Did the man have a crooked nose and a slouching back?" Nash asked.

"Yes, how did you know?" Mathew asked, surprised.

"Well, let us call it a hunch. Thank you for your time, Mathew," Nash said bowing.

He had a definite lead right now. He decided to go back and wait for his colleagues.