Chapter 27: The Death of Dodge

"Indeed!" Monet nodded in agreement. Following that, he beckoned the driver and the maid, and they drove Nicole to the hospital.

Fortunately, her emotional disturbance was only momentary, so she quickly regained consciousness after arriving at the hospital. Detective Klein, with utmost caution, asked her, "Madam Dodge, I apologize for my bluntness earlier. I hope you can cooperate with us in catching the culprit. Has Mr. Dodge offended anyone recently?"

Nicole, with a troubled expression, replied, "I'm not very clear about my husband's work matters, but as a lawyer, he inevitably crosses paths with people who hold grudges, especially the relatives of those who lost cases."

Upon hearing Nicole's response, Detective Klein felt a chill. He had already gathered information about Dodge the lawyer during this time and discovered that he often represented unscrupulous wealthy individuals in lawsuits, which led to numerous enemies. Investigating each of the plaintiffs' families would be a considerable task, and over time, the culprit might manage to escape.

At this moment, Monet suddenly asked, "Detective, were there any witnesses who saw the murderer when Mr. Dodge was killed?"

"Well, there were witnesses, but they only caught a glimpse, so they couldn't clearly describe the murderer's appearance," Detective Klein answered somewhat frustrated.

"No worries about the description. I can draw it out for him. Could you take me to meet this eyewitness?" Monet volunteered.

At that moment, Detective Klein remembered something Monet had mentioned earlier: "Oh, right, you mentioned that you can draw the portrait of the culprit based solely on the eyewitness's description without having seen the person in person. Let's give it a try then!"

With that, Detective Klein advised Mrs. Dodge to rest and told her to send any leads to the police station. Then he brought Monet to meet the eyewitness, John, the owner of the general store.

As it turned out, Detective Klein's earlier assessment was correct. Although John did indeed see the culprit, the suddenness of the incident and witnessing Mr. Dodge's death right in front of him had left him quite shaken. Consequently, his memories and description were muddled.

Fortunately, Monet had some insights into sketching criminals. He understood that witnesses, especially in situations of sudden criminal encounters, couldn't maintain their usual calmness and clear thinking. Expecting them to provide an accurate description of the culprit's facial features like eyebrows and eyes was highly unlikely.

In such cases, the standard procedure was to guide the witness in describing the culprit's actions and expressions at the time of the incident. Based on these behaviors and expressions, it would be easier to deduce the culprit's appearance, leading to a more accurate depiction.

So, Monet started guiding the conversation, "Mr. John, you don't need to recall the appearance of the perpetrator right now. Instead, focus on his expressions at that moment. For example, his actions and demeanor when he fired the gun and fled."

Old John took a moment to recollect and then mimicked a shooting gesture, responding, "He seemed to be in this position at the time!"

"Hmm? Why did he use such an awkward pose? Is it because he had some problem with his leg?" Monet asked curiously.

Upon hearing Monet's question, Old John seemed to remember something, and he exclaimed, "Yes, yes, that's right! He had a bit of a limp in his leg, so he was limping as he ran!"

"Why didn't you share such an important clue with us before?" Detective Klein asked displeasedly from the side.

"Well, I was scared at the time, so I didn't think of it right away!" Old John answered somewhat embarrassedly.

Monet gave Detective Klein a stern look and said, "Hold your tongue for a moment and don't scare Mr. John away with your words! He's just recalled something valuable."

Under Monet's continuous guidance, Old John gradually recollected more details. Monet, using the details provided by John, kept enhancing the portrait he was sketching.

Twenty minutes later, an image of a middle-aged man appeared on paper: he wore a tattered trench coat, had a slight limp in his left leg, had a fierce gaze, rough hands, and disheveled facial hair.

Seeing the portrait, Old John couldn't contain his excitement, exclaiming, "That's him! The murderer is him! Especially those eyes—I absolutely won't mistake them!"

"Are you absolutely sure you're not mistaken?" Monet pressed.

Without hesitation, Old John nodded and affirmed, "Absolutely certain!"

Monet then handed the portrait to Detective Klein, saying, "With this portrait, it should be easier to catch the culprit, right?"

Detective Klein took the portrait and, after examining it, excitedly responded, "With such an accurate depiction, how could we not catch him? I'll have my team investigate right away!"

Indeed, Detective Klein's words proved true. Based on the portrait, they apprehended the culprit the next day, just as he was attempting to flee New York by train. The case, however, had a tragic backstory. The culprit's son had his leg injured by a wealthy man over a minor incident. When they went to court, Mr. Dodge successfully defended the wealthy man, resulting in an acquittal. This left a deep grudge in the culprit's heart, prompting him to shoot and kill Mr. Dodge the previous night.

After this incident, Detective Klein greatly admired Monet's artistic skills. He said, "Tony, I never imagined you had this ability. How about you help me in similar cases in the future? Don't worry, I won't have you work for free. I'll pay you at least a hundred dollars for each sketch!"

"You guys at the police station have that much money?" Monet asked curiously.

Detective Klein shrugged and replied, "The police station doesn't have that money, but I can have the victim's family pay for it. After all, it's a service for them!"

Although Monet understood that this approach could make such services accessible only to the wealthy, he wouldn't agree to work for free either. So he sighed and said, "The world really is unfair."

Detective Klein nonchalantly responded, "The world has never been fair, has it? For instance, only the wealthy can afford the most expensive medications and treatments when they're sick. But even if the less fortunate know that these treatments could alleviate or cure their ailments, they can only watch helplessly as they deteriorate."

While Monet acknowledged the truth in Detective Klein's words, he still felt uneasy about it. He stood up and said, "Alright then, send someone to find me when you need my help. Now, I'll go inform Mrs. Dodge about the capture of the culprit."

Nicole, upon learning about her husband's cause of death, was also deeply affected. However, while they were discussing the matter, the door suddenly burst open, and a group of menacing individuals entered. Unfriendly, they addressed Nicole, "Mrs. Dodge, isn't it time you paid back the money you owe us?"