Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1413 My Deputy Minister Uncle

The nearest police station is not far from St. Sherman's Church, just at the other end of White Chrysanthemum Street. In fact, Tina and Dorothy passed by here on their way from the subway station to the church to "offer" the magic lamp. However, neither of them expected that they would be back here ten minutes later, and that they would be arrested by the police as suspects.

This is just one of many police precincts in the East District, occupying a two-story building facing the street, surrounded by shops on both sides, making it appear very crowded.

Christina had never been to such a place before, but she had passed by many police stations in Tingen on her way to school and when she went out for fun. She knew that in order to deter criminals and ordinary people and to demonstrate their strength, they would choose independent buildings with more than three stories, with the gate decorated with pillars and arches, and usually several four-wheeled carriages parked in front of the gate.

As the capital of the country, Backlund's police department seemed rather shabby... Tina quickly realized that most of the city's police force was likely in areas like the West End, Queens, and Hillston, where nobles and top wealthy businessmen lived, even now that the nobility had gradually faded from the core of power.

The reason is simple: the police system of the Kingdom of Rune is not solely for maintaining public order and ensuring the operation of society; a significant portion of its function is to protect the safety of nobles, the wealthy, and government institutions.

This situation only improved in recent years when legislators from the Eastern District and the Pier District demanded that the government allocate police resources to each district based on population rather than economic conditions.

Collecting her thoughts, Tina entered the gate and saw several disheveled and unkempt people huddled on a bench in the corner. They were both men and women, their expressions blank, as they were being registered and questioned one by one by a middle-aged policeman. The policeman was writing and drawing on a form and was clearly taken aback when he saw Tina and Dorothy before noticing the two policemen who had followed them in.

“The case of the attack on Hudson?” he asked, then pointed to an iron door behind him with a sign that read “Interrogation Room.” “Go inside and ask.”

Tina was initially relieved that she didn't have to sit on a bench with strangers, but when she entered the interrogation room, she found that the conditions there weren't much better.

The cramped room had no windows, only a dim yellow light from an overhead lamp. The walls were made of raw brick, giving the room a heavy and cramped feel. A small table sat in the center, with chairs on either side.

Seeing this scene, Tina's mind instantly flashed back to the scenes of suspects being interrogated and forced to confess in the novels she had read. Things like being tied up, being electrocuted, and being whipped with salt water came to mind one after another. Dorothy, who was next to her, also turned pale, which was unusual. It was clear that she, who loved reading even more, had thought of many possibilities.

One of the two policemen who brought them in sat at a small table, while the other took Tina's small bag and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Fortunately, he did not search them, and the "Mirror of Arrodes" in Dorothy's pocket was not taken, which made the two sisters secretly breathe a sigh of relief, but they immediately became nervous again.

The injury to "Hudson" was caused by this sealed artifact.

They sat down on the other side of the small table, leaving the young police officer who had been asking questions to smile slightly. Unlike the officers in the lobby who were asking every suspect to fill out a form, he didn't take out paper and pen, but instead asked kindly:
"You don't look like you're from the East District. Where do you live? Why are you here?"

This casual, conversational questioning took Christina by surprise; she had expected cases involving physical harm to be treated more strictly.

Perhaps it was because my sister and I didn't look like we could hurt a grown man; perhaps it was because our clothes, though not expensive, fit well and were appropriate, and our coordinated return to the police station gave him a good impression. Hmm, a good appearance makes a good first impression… Tina was lost in thought when Dorothy cautiously replied beside her:
“We are not from Backlund; we came here today from Tingen, and our parents are not with us.”

The young policeman, wearing a soft cap and a slightly tight black-and-white checkered uniform, nodded repeatedly, as if he had encountered many similar cases before, and pressed for answers:

"Run away from home? Or go find relatives?"

The question left the two women speechless for a moment, because they seemed to be involved in both situations, but the truth was that they had to grant the "genie's" wish, which they couldn't tell the man in front of them.

After a moment's consideration, Dorothy continued:
“We came to visit our aunt, and before that we planned to go to a church to seek blessings. But as soon as we left the subway station, my sister’s bag was snatched…”

She briefly recounted what had happened not long ago, omitting, of course, the details of how "Arods" had punished the other party through a question-and-answer game. She only said that the robber, while fleeing with a dagger, was struck by an unknown bolt of lightning and fell unconscious.

Finally, she asked with concern:
"Is that man named Hudson? Is he alright?"

“Unfortunately, he was taken to the hospital for treatment and has not yet woken up,” the young policeman shook his head, but there was little regret in his tone. “In recent years, electricity has become more widespread, and many buildings in the East District have illegally installed wiring, which often results in accidental electric shocks, but there are no power lines in that alley.”

"And here's a problem. You said that after Hudson snatched the bag, he disappeared into the alley. He could have escaped from the other side, so why would he turn back with a dagger and threaten you? He's suspected of several thefts and robberies and has been to prison twice. Logically, he wouldn't make such a mistake."

At this point, the young policeman's expression turned serious, and his words became somewhat stern.

So that guy was a repeat offender... But we really can't explain this, because the alley becoming a dead end is likely the work of the "genie's" power, and Hudson is greedily trying to steal "Arods" too... Tina muttered, really not knowing how to cover up this lie without revealing the existence of the "sealed artifact".

She turned her head to look at Dorothy, a girl not much older than her, who was also silent. Her right hand under the table unconsciously reached for the pocket where the magic mirror was hidden, as if she wanted to draw on Arrothy's power.

But Tina knew that this time was different from when she had cornered the robber Hudson in the alley. Even if she could use Arrodes to deceive or even knock out the policeman in front of her, there were still two or more people outside the door. If a conflict broke out, the two sisters would go from innocent people to real wanted criminals, which would be a complete loss.

Just as they were hesitating about how to respond, the young policeman suddenly laughed again and said in a gentle tone:
"Don't be afraid. That Hudson often does petty theft and has robbed children like you or elderly people with mobility issues more than once. Apart from the doubts about whether he was seriously injured by electric shock, I tend to believe what you experienced."

"What are your names? Who are your relatives in Backlund?"

Because of the questioning just now, this sudden change in attitude could no longer deceive Tina. She instinctively felt that the other party was trying to trick her into telling information, but firmly believing that she was innocent and that the robber had only himself to blame, she still answered honestly:
“My name is Christina Moretti, this is my sister Dorothy, and our relatives in Backlund include my aunt Melissa Moretti, who teaches at a university and lives in the North End, and my uncle Benson’s family, who also live in the North End.”

As she answered, the young, empty-handed policeman finally pulled out his notebook and began diligently recording the information. But when he heard the name Benson, his pen suddenly stopped, and he asked, as if confirming:
"Benson? Benson Moretti?"

Tina nodded, wondering why the other person didn't focus on asking about her aunt Melissa, who had made many inventions and was quite famous in Rune, but was more interested in Benson, who worked in the government and was often too busy to come home.

In her few memories of visiting her uncle's house, it was almost always Benson's wife, Lily, who was also the sisters' aunt, who brought them home, allowing everyone to reunite.

Seeing her affirmation, the young policeman's expression changed slightly. He actually stopped the questioning, put down his notebook, got up, pushed open the heavy iron door, and walked out, leaving Tina and Dorothy looking at each other in bewilderment.

Seeing the iron gate closed from the outside, the latter, without hesitation, took out the ancient-looking "Mirror of Arodes" from his pocket, gently stroked the mirror three times, and asked in a low voice:

"Arods, why did that policeman act so strangely after hearing Uncle Benson's name?"

"Kind and friendly Arrodes..." The greeting, composed of silver-white letters, had just appeared on the mirror when it was interrupted by Dorothy's urgent question. The words had to be hidden, and a clear picture was revealed in the shimmering water.

That was another room where evidence and stolen goods were stored. The young policeman who had just interrogated the two men pushed open the door and entered, talking to the middle-aged policeman who was playing with a golden lamp he had taken out of Tina's handbag.

Since the mirror doesn't make any sound, Arrodes thoughtfully added a text message below the image.

“...Those two girls just mentioned Benson, Benson Moretti.”

"Who is that? A wanted criminal?"

The middle-aged policeman put down the "magic lamp" and asked in confusion.

“It’s the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr. Benson!” the young policeman replied in a low voice, as if worried about being overheard by others outside the door, unaware that his actions had fallen under the watchful eye of a magical seal. “He is in charge of Backlund’s administrative expenses, and he is responsible for distributing the salaries of all police officers and public sector employees.”

"The last time he came to inspect the situation in the East District, the police headquarters sent all available personnel to disguise themselves as passersby to protect this 'money bag' gentleman and isolate those dangerous people. Unexpectedly, the deputy minister saw through it easily, making the East District director very embarrassed. I was there at the time and remembered his appearance."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged policeman, no longer bothering to admire the antique gold lamp in his hand, frowned and said:

“I remember this deputy minister, but are you sure those two girls were talking about him? Could it be a coincidence of names, or are they lying?”

It's normal for him to have such suspicions. Many thieves, fraudsters, and robbers in the East District claim to know a police chief, government official, or even nobles and royalty when they are arrested, in an attempt to escape legal punishment. Although based on the current clues, it is highly unlikely that Hudson's injury was caused by two weak girls, but who can say for sure?

The young policeman shook his head:

"I'm not sure, but just to be on the safe side, I'll contact the General Administration. If it's true, the sooner we know, the better; if it's false..."

"You must have your eye on this thing too, right?"

As he spoke, he pointed to the "magic lamp" in the middle-aged policeman's hand.

The image reflected in the silver mirror was submerged by the rippling water. Arrodes did not follow the rules of the question-and-answer game by asking Dorothy a new question, but instead fell silent.

It seems my sister really made the magic mirror owe her ten questions. How did she manage that...? Could she have tricked the genie and made it grant my wish ahead of time...? Tina withdrew her gaze from the scene of the two policemen talking and asked the question that was nagging at her:

"Is Uncle Benson really the Deputy Minister of Finance they're talking about?"

That middle-aged man with a receding hairline, a perpetually warm smile, and who often works overtime, is actually one of the most powerful people in this country? Didn't Mom and Dad say he works in the government...? Come to think of it, that makes sense... Tina's thoughts were a bit confused.

She thought that "government employees" were like her neighbor, the public lawyer Mr. Shaw, who worked six days a week, occasionally worked overtime, spent weekends with his family, and earned about the same as her parents, only it sounded more respectable.

"I don't know, should we ask Arrodes?"

Dorothy replied, somewhat bewildered, feeling it was either a coincidence of names or that the two policemen had misremembered her name.

But before she could pick up the magic mirror to ask the next question, footsteps came from outside the iron door of the interrogation room. Dorothy could only put the silver mirror back in her pocket and pretend to be talking to her sister with her head down until the young policeman pushed the door open and walked in with a smile on his face, carrying two cups of sweet iced tea bought nearby.

Tina learned from the "eavesdropping" that the other party's strategy was to keep her and Dorothy calm, with the middle-aged man sending a telegram to the police headquarters, and then going up the chain of command to inquire with the "Deputy Minister" whether he had two nieces to confirm the truth of the matter. Therefore, she was not surprised by his change of attitude again.

But she no longer trusted this seemingly kind and approachable man who was actually plotting to steal the golden "magic lamp," so she silently accepted the sweet iced tea, listened to his rambling, half-hearted chatter that was no longer focused on the case, and waited for the telegram's result.

She also wanted to know whether her uncle, Benson Moretti, was actually in charge of all public spending in Backlund.

Time ticked by in an awkward silence. Just as Tina was guessing whether 10 or 20 minutes had passed, the iron gate opened again. All three looked toward the entrance, where a middle-aged man wearing a black uniform with white checks, whose epaulets were not the usual V-shape or silver six-pointed star but rather a double swords symbol, walked in.

"Your Excellency, Director!"

The young policeman immediately stood up, saluted the man, and looked as if he were meeting the prime minister.

Because he was not the chief of this police precinct, an inspector-level officer, but the chief of the entire Eastern District Police Headquarters, a full eight ranks above ordinary officers.

But at this moment, the imposing bureau chief's face was grim, and he muttered a curse in a low voice that only the young police officers could hear:
What are you guys doing here?!

Immediately, his expression changed, forcing a smile as he looked at Tina and Dorothy, and said in a completely different, gentle voice:

"Ladies, Lord Benson has come to pick you up."

As he spoke, he stepped aside, clearing the way for the iron gate. A man with short, neatly combed black hair, revealing a broad forehead and brown eyes, walked into the already somewhat crowded interrogation room with an imposing aura.

He saw Christina and Dorothy and his face lit up with a delighted smile.

He is Klein's brother, whom his two nieces refer to as "Uncle Benson".

P.S.: A little less today...

(End of this chapter)