Chapter Eight: Eva, the Key to the Mystery

10:00 AM, at a hospital in the city:

David wakes up to find himself in a hospital room. He looks around to see the detectives waiting for him to wake up.

John: Thank God you're safe. (David nods his head)

Stephen: The doctor told us you have severe anemia.

Raphael: A severe hemoglobin deficiency makes the body unable to handle any physical activity. It causes muscle weakness and fatigue from the slightest effort.

David (smiling): Actually, I've had it since birth. That's why I couldn't play or do sports as a child. My father used to bring me magazines full of puzzles like crosswords, math problems, and so on. (He laughs happily and continues) I still remember one day when I saw some neighborhood kids playing a game — you had to kick a ball into a basket to win. I snuck out of the house to join them, and the moment I kicked the ball, I felt excruciating pain throughout my body. That's when my mom saw me and pulled me back home. Once we got inside, she took off my shoes… my feet were badly swollen.

John: Sounds like you went through a lot. You should rest now. We'll handle the rest.

At the hotel, 11:40 AM, in Edward's room:

The detectives enter the room — all except David, who's still in the hospital — to find Edward surrounded by newspapers.

Kevin approaches and asks:

Kevin: How long have you been reading?

Edward: Since last night.

John: Did you find anything?

Edward arranges the newspapers on the table and points to sentences he marked with a pen.

Edward: Look at this…

Detectives (reading): Dr. Theodore Sterling.

Edward: He's a toxicologist, the man who raised Martin.

Raphael: Really?!

Edward: Yes. It's said that he holds a special status in England's scientific circles. The police trust him deeply — he's helped solve many poison-related cases. Known for his wise decisions, once he decides something, it's carried out without question. He dedicated 68 years to serving his country.

John: Could such a thing really exist?

Edward: Everything is about connections, my friend.

Stephen: So basically, Martin joining us and Simon trusting him was just a request from this doctor.

Edward: Exactly. Now look at this next article. It's from 25 years ago.

Kevin picks up the newspaper and starts reading:

Kevin: Bankruptcy of Ritz Company, specialized in clothing manufacturing. This led to the suicide of the owner, Jonathan Ritz, leaving his wife and daughter in hardship.

John & Stephen: Ritz?! Isn't that…?

Edward: Exactly — Eva Ritz's family.

Raphael: But if the company went bankrupt and the father committed suicide, how did they survive — and even own this hotel?

Edward: Remember Martin's story? (Raphael nods) He said she works in the medical field, meaning Eva started working early on. As for the hotel, it was founded just a few months before the bankruptcy. I assume Jonathan didn't rely on its income because it wasn't enough at the time.

What's odd is that Martin said Eva came with James a week ago — the night of the crime and the hospital fires — yet she didn't come here.

Raphael: This is her country, so naturally, her house must be somewhere nearby.

Stephen: There's something that caught my attention!

Kevin: What is it?

Stephen (stroking his chin): In Maria's case, it was said that James had an alibi — he was writing his new play, "Witch Under the Moonlight." The strange part is, his maid confirmed it, and according to Martin, it was Eva who came because of the Ghoul. The gap between Martin's arrival and the police's was two days. That means…

Edward: She had nowhere to stay — so she worked as James's maid for money. The trip she took was probably paid by Moriarty, and the hotel's income likely goes to her mother.

Raphael: I suspect she's with her mother… Wait, what does this have to do with the case?

Edward: What do you think caused the bankruptcy? (Raphael stays silent) Here, read the reason.

Raphael reads:

Raphael: On the other side, M_P_N Company, Ritz's competitor, saw massive success and became one of the top fashion brands.

Edward: Do you know who the company's former owner was?

Stephen: Who?

Edward: Moriarty's late wife — her name was Sandy.

Stephen (shocked): What?!

John: So that means…

Edward: Yes. Her being with Moriarty wasn't to assist him — it was to take revenge. And this connects directly to Martin's story.

Kevin: Yeah, I felt something strange in that story… I mean, the part where he said Moriarty's wife was at the shop where the necklace was tried on.

Edward: Of course. If she wanted to tell her story, she would've started from the moment Martin's father fell. But she began from their picnic…

Stephen: That means she was watching them.

Edward (nodding): Exactly… And I suspect she kidnapped Thomas.

John: But didn't the kidnapper come after James and say the boy was in London?

Edward: Most likely, they're working together. Not just that — I think she's part of Alexander's gang.

Stephen (holding a newspaper): Seems like the capital police are doing a good job. They discovered that Arthur Luther was forming a gang with the actress Maria to traffic contraband. And all buildings built by Arthur are connected through underground tunnels used for illegal trade. Simon stated that they're getting close to the truth, so the public should stay calm.

Edward: That's why I said "Alexander's gang." Eva joined him — I don't know how or when, but I'm sure he's behind the idea of kidnapping Thomas…

Stephen: Why'd you stop?

Edward holds his face with his right hand, his eyes full of shock. He starts trembling, panting, then follows with a light, victorious laugh, repeating:

Edward: "I solved it… I solved the puzzle… I can't believe it, I see everything now!"

Stephen: What? What did you discover?!

Edward (smiling): No time to explain — we have to go! (He opens the door and starts running outside.)

The detectives follow him, their minds full of questions. They hop into a taxi, with only Edward knowing the destination.

Kevin begins asking questions, but the only reply he gets from Edward is:

Edward: "Martin… he's a miracle. He figured everything out just from telling me his story. While everyone focused on the Ghoul, he saw the truth from afar. He planned all of this…"