Chapter 4: Working with the White Raccoons

last night the most unforgettable night of our lives, I and Galba were prepared to die without even knowing how and where the archduke was killed. it's about time, Miss Aurelia will unravel the mystery, From Now I will pray to the god of every damn religion for saving my worthless life. I have decided to leave this revolution of communism, Now I'll just be a normal peasant." "Hey Galba from the murder of that ugly bulldog, I've got some fiery content to write in my autobiography.

Galba released a soft chuckle as he slept lopsidedly. It was half past 9 in the morning, and Galba was still lying on his rock-hard bed without a mattress. They both resided in a shelter on 12B Grimmauld, originally built by Holden's father to house his livestock of chickens. The morning was vibrant and sunny, with the sun directly assaulting their shaggy faces, making their eyes gleam with a glimmering brown hue.

However, the ruckus outside showed no signs of subsiding. A swarm of officers, of unknown ranks, hovered over 12B. The noises in the neighborhood grew louder as time passed. Galba and Holden both awoke with empty, growling stomachs. The place where they usually ate had no name, but it served fish sticks, boiled potatoes, bread, and berry jam - a monotonous diet they had consumed for the past twenty years of their lives.

"Should we prioritize filling our stomachs, Galba?" Holden asked. "They've shut the whole town down. We might have to survive on water for a couple of days."

Scenes in the Archduke's mansion were quite alluring.

"I want a cranberry pie or pudding for today, Miss Jenson," said Helena Mayer, sitting in the extravagantly serene and cozy hall of the mansion. The Archduke's Mansion was named after Gilbert's grandfather, Gilbert himself. Miss Jenson replied, "Ma'am, that request won't be possible today. Most of the chefs and servants have been taken into custody. They only spared me to look after the family and fulfill the necessary needs."

"Have breakfast and get ready for the storm of questioning from the cops that will be arriving in an hour or so," a maid said, bringing a bowl of macaroni to Miss Helena. "Perhaps if you have any shame left in you, this is the very moment you should use it, bratty old sis," said Shelly.

Helena Mayer slurped on the macaroni and pesto without a hint of grief for her father. "I heard from Miss Jenson that you ate tuna early this morning. Why not stay hungry to grieve for our father, who was killed more brutally than an insect? It would be logical, don't you think?"

"This is insanity! You have gone insane, Helena. You should be the one to suffer and die a horrible death. I pray to God that He grants my wish," Shelly sobbed.

"Whatever, get the hell out of here, you ugly-looking bitch," Helena commented dismissively while munching on the pasta. Shelly left the room, having received brutal blows of honesty from her elder sister.

Helena Mayer, the eldest daughter and the most reckless and ignorant child of Mr. Gilbert, had no humility for anyone. She didn't care about norms and etiquette, preferring horse riding, hunting, and manly sports. Despite these traits, there was no denying that this royal princess looked mesmerizing - a blonde with superlatively smooth skin and complexion, a perfectly slim waist, and curves that could rival Aphrodite herself.

Meet Shelly Mayer, the remarkable 23-year-old middle daughter of Mr. Gilbert. She possesses a prodigious intellect, excelling in academics and demonstrating remarkable sensibility. Currently, she is pursuing a medical degree alongside her best friend, Mrs. Jenna Fischer, as her trusted mentor. While Shelly holds the title of her mother's most beloved daughter, her outward appearance tells a different story. She carries the burden of facial imperfections, sporting numerous bumps on her face, making her look rather plain and weird. Regrettably, she did not inherit the captivating aesthetic qualities of her other two sisters.

As for Mr. Gilbert, he maintains an intriguing stance toward his three daughters. Neither harboring affection nor exhibiting hatred, it's as if they exist outside the realm of his interests, occupying a distant space in his world.

Meanwhile, Holden was brushing his teeth with a neem stick when a small, short constable approached him and asked, "Do you happen to know Galba and Holden, the communist brothers?"

"Oh... you almost made me cry! That's the first time I'm hearing my name from the pitch-white raccoons," Holden replied sarcastically.

"White raccoons" was a term used by locals to taunt foreigners who settled in Maygynks.

"Yes," Holden continued, "I'm Holden Raulwiser, and I live with Galba Hinks. "I suppose you came to arrest us?" Holden asked, his voice filled with suspicion.

"No, Mr. Raulwiser. Inspector Berg has summoned both of you to the police quarters," replied the officer.

"The police quarters? Aren't we becoming quite familiar with each other? Why not the station?" Holden inquired.

"We'll follow you, Sir Habucha," Galba said confidently.

Holden began to speak, but before he could finish his sentence, Galba interrupted him with a warning. "If you open your mouth, Holden..."

Holden grinned and simply replied, "Understood."

"Care to follow me?" the officer suggested, leading the way.

The constable's badge read "Luis Habucha," the most polite white raccoon they had ever encountered.

Upon reaching the police quarters at 13A Rayban's, Holden remarked, "The entire street and alleys smell just like the houses of the wealthy. For some reason, the bright sun and these shelters of white raccoons make it quite pleasant here."

"I agree. It has been ages since Maygynks encountered such a bright sun. It seems even the universe is delighted by the death of that wrinkled-assed pussy" said Galba.

Holden burst into laughter, but quickly composed himself, realizing the seriousness of the situation. Luis, the officer, suppressed his own laughter as he listened to their conversation.

"This way," Luis said, opening the door to one of the duplex apartments among the many others. In the living room, Inspector Berg sat with his dark, wrinkled skin and an unsymmetrical mustache that provoked another round of laughter from Holden, which he tried to contain.

"Oh, I didn't expect to see you," Galba said, his eyes fixed on Miss Aurelia from head to toe.

"Please take a seat, both of you," Berg instructed, continuing the conversation.

"So, you said you saw someone while you were at the bar?" Berg asked.

"Hmm, yes, I saw someone, and I even accused Mrs. Aurelia, didn't I?" Holden responded, making a perplexed face to Aurelia, signaling that he had no idea what his friend was talking about.

"That's very uncertain," said Berg. "Last night, Miss Aurelia was at her home in 13B with our inspector allies from another sector."

"Anyway," Miss Aurelia interrupted, "I want you to give me the exact time you saw the shadow."

"Oh, I don't trust you raccoons even an inch," Galba said, his voice filled with suspicion. "But still, if I consider it wasn't you, it passed in front of our bar between 10:50 and 11:00. Can you tell me the time of the murder, Miss Aurelia?"

"It was 11:02," Aurelia replied.

"What? The murder?" exclaimed Galba.

"No, it was 11:02 when you saw that shadow. The body was discovered exactly at 11:05. The intriguing factor is that the victim had been dead for more than 30 minutes," explained Lady Aurelia.

"Considering a minimum of 30 minutes, the time of the murder should be 10:17 or earlier. Am I right, Miss?" Galba questioned.

Miss Aurelia locked eyes with Galba and responded, "The time is between 10:00 and 10:17. He was last seen alive at around 10:00 by his manager, Mrs. Jenson."

Galba immediately picked up the diary from the tea table and apologized, "Sorry, please don't mind. I need a pen."

Holden quickly retrieved a rusty pen from his pocket, the one he carried around to jot down his thoughts for his autobiography.

Galba drew a map, marking important landmarks.So here it is he says."Can you give me the exact location where the body was found and exactly describe How he was killed? Miss Aurelia."

Berg and Aurelia both sat like statues, their superiority complex resisted them to follow the order given by a worthless nobody.

"Come on, release your wicked complexes, white raccoons. It's a case of national importance. I will say it to your face, both of you and your whole department lack the intellect to solve this case." "In my opinion, this case will surpass the criticality of all those cases we have ever seen or read about in stories. If someone were to slash the Archduke out of the way, it should be executed with absolute perfection."

"Galba, it would be better if you only talk when we tell you to... bloody-" said Mr. Berg in an angry hoarse voice.

Annoyed, Galba locked eyes with Aurelia. She picked up the paper, marked the location of the body, and kept it on the tea table. Holden could not believe his eyes! "Miss Aurelia, the great detective, was humbled by Galba and taught humility." A lot has been going on since yesterday, which his fragile brain can't comprehend.

While Galba began to stare at the map with complete concentration, he said, "Continue to describe the murder, Miss Aurelia." "It occurred between 10:00 and 10:17 pm, discovered by his own secretary, Mr. Loin. The body was badly bruised on the upper body, chest, and right arm. The skull was crushed from the forehead. A 6-inch broad dagger was pierced all the way through his neck. Postmortem is yet to be done."

"Hmm, thanks for providing the intel, Miss. I have this weird urge to observe the body and cross-check some information before arriving at any conclusions." "Stop acting like a corny detective," Holden whispered in Galba's ear. A smile was about to appear on Galba's face, but soon he realized something! "Mr. Fischer!! Have you taken his alibi, Miss?" Before letting Miss Aurelia speak, he turned to Inspector Berg and said,

"Inspector, take a look at this map. The height of Mr. Fischer's residence, it offers a direct possible view of the alley where Mr. Gilbert's body was found. And the cherry on the cake is that Mr. Fischer likes to spend late-night hours drinking on the terrace. There is a high probability that he might have seen the body being dragged or any suspicious attacker trying to escape." "Yes, we should start with Mr. Fischer," said Holden when the conversation landed on Mr. Fischer.

"We will, but first, the Corps needs to attend Gilbert's residence for an inquiry. We need to go. There isn't much time left, and you both should accompany us," said Aurelia.

This literally shocked all the men present in the room.

"But, Miss Aurelia, we can't allow them to interfere with the case and investigation," exclaimed Berg.

"They both live on 12B and know most of the critical details in this region. They will act as my assistants to check the facts. And I have even developed a personal liking for this duo," said Miss Aurelia, looking at Galba.