New Gods of North America.

Chapter 585 "The Female Ghost"

I lingered at the restaurant until evening.

Lina, who went out after lunch to continue working on her "intelligence network," didn't return until after dinner.

Building an intelligence network isn't something that yields results in a week or two. Even the informants in movies and TV shows don't have news coming in all the time—after all, they're doing it part-time, selling information to earn extra money, and they can't be compared to so-called "spies."

Wayne didn't have high expectations for this intelligence network, which wasn't entirely composed of "professionals." As long as they could occasionally leak some valuable inside information or provide timely feedback on current urban gossip, it would be enough to give the detective agency a few more "eyes" and "ears," and the investment wouldn't be wasted.

As it turned out, Wayne clearly underestimated Lina's luck and ability to dig up juicy gossip.
When Lina walked into the restaurant, she was followed by a dirty child who was clutching a paper bag of bread tightly. The blonde girl smiled smugly, "Guess what 'Inflated' and his gang found today?"

Wayne thought for a moment, "Is it a clue about that banker, Mr. Schwartz?"

"wrong."

"Is that the case that's now involving me?"

"...No, it's not related to the case." Lina tossed something over. "Here's a little hint for you."

Two ropes are connected by a small cloth bag in the middle, resembling the slings used by indigenous people, but in a more "mini" size.
Then look at the child Lina brought back; looking at the whole picture, he looks exactly like the kind of kid that naughty kids would use to "break your windows"...

The fact that Lina went out of her way to bring the person back means it certainly wasn't a pointless endeavor.
Break the glass...

Wayne made a connection, "That 'evil spirit' that was harassing gangsters in the dock area before?"

"bingo."

Lina snapped her fingers to indicate that Wayne had guessed correctly, then she had the dirty kid sit down at the table with her, and while shouting that she was hungry, she called out to the freckled girl in the shop to ask what else was available.

The first thing served was two meat patty burgers with lemonade, followed by thick-cut fries that were already cooked but freshly fried. The lemonade was more in line with the version from that era, containing slices of pickled lemon.

Lina pushed one of the dishes toward the dirty child, saying, "Eat it, and then tell him again what we just talked about."

It seems like kids from all generations have pretty much the same tastes. The dirty kid held the tray of hamburgers protectively in front of him, even sniffing the aroma, but barely touched it.
Instead, after the fries arrived, he swallowed hard and couldn't help but imitate Lina, dipping them in ketchup and eating several in a row before stopping, still wanting more, but his eyes remained glued to them.

Wayne looked at him and tentatively said, "It's okay, there should be enough ingredients in the kitchen. I can pack another set meal for you to take back later."

"Can I?" The dirty child seemed a little surprised.

Wayne nodded. "Let's talk after you've eaten."

After receiving an affirmative answer, good heavens, the dirty kid started eating like a wolf!
He took two bites and ate half of a hamburger. Before he had even finished chewing, he put fries in. When he picked up his lemonade, he made a series of "gulp gulp gulp gulp" sounds, followed by a long, silent "ah—" exhale, and then did it again.

Once the dirty child's eating speed gradually slowed down, Wayne, who was playing with the "slingshot," spoke again, "Tell me, what have you been doing over at the docks?"

Upon hearing this, the dirty child immediately stopped eating, wiped the sauce from his mouth with his finger, licked it twice, and sat up straight.
"I shot marbles into someone's house in the middle of the night... but I can't say exactly who. She, like Miss Lina, was a kind person willing to help me." She...

She's a "female ghost," huh?

While mentally sketching a picture of the other person, Wayne continued to soothe the child, asking, "How does she usually help you?"

Without hesitation, the dirty child said, "She would give me or my friends some cash, sometimes food, and then ask us to do her some small favors. She's not a bad person."

They wouldn't be seen as "companions" by the street kids, but they also wouldn't be considered to be taking money unjustly. The other party's economic situation at least appeared to be that of a middle-class citizen who didn't lack food or clothing.
Wayne continued, "What kind of help will that lady ask you to do?"

“Hmm…” The dirty kid seemed a little hesitant, and secretly glanced at Lina. After seeing an encouraging smile, he turned back and continued, “It’s just throwing things into some houses… At first, it was some small items, but now it’s usually marbles.”

There was no reaction to the word "Miss"; she was a young woman, or unmarried, whose extraordinary abilities required additional items as a medium, but whose presence seemed unnecessary.
Wayne continued, "I won't ask for specific details about her. But can you tell me how many times you helped her? Do you remember the exact times and locations?"

After saying that, Wayne gently pushed the tray over there. "This isn't a serious matter. You can talk while you eat. We probably have quite a bit to discuss."

……

After the dirty kid left with the packed meal, Wayne and Lina, who were still sitting at the table, began to review the situation.

Lina finished the thick-cut fries, but hadn't finished her burger and was struggling to eat the rest.
"This kid got noticed by the 'inflated' kids because he lived in a dark alley in the commercial district, a stranger to the kids in the dock area. Kids who make a living on the streets are very sensitive about this; when they see a stranger who is similar to themselves, they worry that their already meager jobs will be taken away."

Wayne was already studying a map of Richmond. "The target seems to know the addresses of those gangsters very well, so there's a good chance she's a Richmond local. Judging from the areas where that kid usually helps out selling newspapers and running errands, the target might live in the commercial district or be a regular customer. Can you find her?"

"If they make another move, it shouldn't be too difficult." Lina and Hamburger's fight had entered its final stage. "Should I have 'Inflated' and the others bring them back then?"

"You guys should talk to her first. I feel like the target's actions were a personal matter. If there was no malicious intent, just tell her to be more careful in the future and not involve our detective agency again. Otherwise, we'll handle it according to the situation, whether to send her to a church or the police station."

Lina didn't even look up. "I understand. This is easy."

“Oh, right,” Wayne said, then thought of something else, “I’m planning to print some coupons and free meal vouchers as a promotion for the opening period. He seemed to enjoy his meal quite a bit earlier, and taking it home would probably make it taste worse. If you’re going to give the kids rewards later, you could give them vouchers directly; that should be popular.”

"Won't some customers have a problem with those children?" Lina asked.

"Remind them to tidy themselves up a bit before they come, as long as they don't have any unpleasant odors. Our restaurant isn't positioned as a high-end establishment; we welcome all citizens to come and dine. As long as it doesn't interfere with business, people are welcome to come and sit and chat."

Lina thought for a moment, "You want to turn the restaurant into another kind of 'tavern'?"

Wayne nodded: "Actually, more customers are good for the restaurant. Besides, the restaurant is ours anyway, so doing this might save us some expenses. In the end, it's just a little less profit."

"You're going to make another profit from this? Wow, you really are a shrewd businessman. I'll have to learn this trick from my hotel in the future."

(End of this chapter)