Cry, Even Better if you Beg

Chapter 35: What The Thief Stole

From the previous several days, Leyla Lewellin's name was once again marching briskly through the tongues of Arvis's workers. This time, with a radically different narrative.

Now, the outline was; 'The gardener's cottage had been burgled.'

The news traveled fast around the Manor like a wildfire. The incident was met with people's doubts. Few believed a thief had the nerve to steal from Duke Herhardt's estate. Only until they saw a half-dazed Bill Remmer looking for the culprit did they believe the robbery really happened.

Matthias departed the Mansion at the peak of the clamor. The scheduled time had come, and he must leave now to avoid being late for lunch.

He wasn't the kind to chime in on gossipy talks, sensing something different upon passing the Arvis's driveway flanked by Platanus trees.

From the opposite side of the road, police officers on horseback were making their way toward the scene. Matthias didn't even have to make logical assumptions of where they were going since the route would lead them to the Arvis forest.

“They said a thief broke into the gardener's house.”

The quick-witted aide answered first before Matthias could open his mouth to ask.

“At Bill Remmer's house?”

“Yes, he was in a big pickle since the funds he'd set aside for his daughter's College tuition were stolen.”

Thief.

Tuition.

Leyla.

Matthias tilted his head to one side, elatedly repeating those three syllables.

Just as his vehicle exited the Platanus' shade, he recalled his unpleasant encounter with a strange man on the Schulter River this morning.

The guy introduced himself as Daniel Rayner, Mrs. Etman's cousin. He was in the neighborhood paying a visit to Etman's house and stopped by the Estate to congratulate Leyla.

His following few speeches were full of baloney; the investment firm he ran, the mining rights of overseas mines, the stock market, and other business-related matters. But most of them had been spilled and were now just a blot on Matthias' mind.

Matthias did, nevertheless, remembered a few details about the event. His wristwatch read nine o'clock in the morning when he met a middle-aged man drenched in sweat by the riverside.

It seemed strange for a well-heeled middle-class businessman to bother coming just to congratulate his cousin's future daughter-in-law at such an early hour.

Matthias, however, didn't mind it since it was irrelevant to him. He treated the thought as a passing interest until he overheard a ludicrous report of a burglar sneaking into the gardener's cottage.

But why?

As a civilized business person, sneaking into Arvis to steal the gardener's money seemed so wrong no matter how dire his financial circumstance was. If he were him, Matthias would instead steal from the house of his wealthy cousin sister.

“Linda Etman.”

He was ready to quit on thinking such a nonsensical idea when he muttered that name without knowing.

After he inserted Linda Etman's name between that guy and Leyla, Matthias was able to draw a very plausible relationship line between the three of them.

He was just guessing. Yet, it was fascinating, how perfectly fit the jigsaw pieces were in place together.

The car finally reached their stop in front of the Hotel, where his appointment for the luncheon will take place. Before stepping out, Matthias issued a short order to his assistant.