The Last Case

The Jomking I

'We parted and I walked toward the southwest. I knocked on the doors and talked to the faces that welcomed me and it was not hard to catch; people hesitated talking about the incident. It must have been new for them. For blood and killing was not something farmers would have to deal with regularly. It was, I think, the fourth house who answered.

'"I knew the household well," she was a lady I assumed was in her early 30s. "I was pretty young when I first met that man. I was a child so he would be kind, of course. But he was not so behind that smile."

'No one is, I said to myself.

'"He was a man of business and was pretty straight with his words. If you borrow something, you return it in time at any cost. If you agree upon some contract, you follow without giving any excuses later-"

'"Understood." I cut her off and she calmed. "And about the slave, his brother is suspecting. Might I ask if you know a thing or two about it?"

'"I know some things," she nodded. "He bought 3 new slaves some 4 years ago. That is after his old slaves managed to escape from him. They were two females in their twenties, by their looks, and him, a broad, muscular man who no one would believe could be a slave."

'"How were their- Interactions?"

'"He was always strict and a master of 3 slaves and an owner of a massive farmland. The slaves were always pressured. He was hardworking too. He farmed in his lands with only the male slave and still managed to farm his entire lands. One of the girls looked after the cattle while the other looked after the house.

'"After, I think, a year, one of the female slaves was nowhere to be seen. Making up some reasons, I even roamed around his farms, as I and that girl had some interactions, but I couldn't find her. I stopped thinking as I didn't want to imagine anything. In the coming years, the other girl was carrying a child (which I assumed would be the masters, because- well, obviously. He must have been her father's age. Even the thought of it disgusts me.

'"The master never liked his slave helping the other farmlands. Even a small help was punished with heavy beatings. I once saw him using braided ropes on the male slave. So, I would not wonder if the slave actually ended up killing his master. You can visit the last farmland house at the end of this road. He was pretty close to the slaves. I often saw him helping the lady when the man was not around.

'"Though, that has to wait till tomorrow. I am sure you won't like disturbing their privacy in such late hours. You can stay here for the night if it pleases you." She had a genuine kind tone and a smile, but I had to deny that . . . well, for obvious reasons. Women in those farmlands didn't get to spend much time with their husbands and sometimes felt the need for intimacy.

'"I appreciate that, but I have arranged my stay," I replied. "And thank you for cooperating."

'That day I visited a small spaghetti shop; a moving shop which stood on the streets two blocks from my place. The shop used to change places, travelling the whole town on its four wheels, making it accessible for more and potentially profiting more. A shop made on a strong wooden cart, a small kitchen top on one side and the counter-cum-dining on the other where the person served and some floating stools attached to it.

'"One normal one," I ordered.

'George showed up soon, unexpectedly, dressed in casuals and still having the long coat of his on him for the cold winds.

'"Certainly expected you here," said he. "After all, out of anything in this world, how could you miss spaghetti?"

'"I can't say the same for you though. I do not recall you ever confessing your love, or feelings for this native dish."