“It just doesn’t sit right with me,” I said, pacing back and forth in my room, which was beginning to look like a proper office. “A little quick, wouldn’t you say?”
Wei shrugged.
“I think many would just call that a well-conducted investigation.”
His words seemed to counter mine, but the uncertainty in his voice told me that he shared my doubt.
Ghost perched near the window, casting a watchful gaze over the palace grounds.
“More than the speed of it is bothering you,” he said.
“Everything about it bothers me. The Ministry of Justice shows up before we do, and then, before we have a chance to wedge ourselves in, General Junwei appears with the perfect culprit in tow.
“Speak plainly, Taylor,” Wei said. “Are you implying General Junwei is somehow involved in this?”
“I’m speaking as plainly as I can, Commander. I think he’s either involved or being led astray just as we are.”
Wei sighed, crossing his arms and tapping his bicep.
“Prince Dao’s estate isn’t far from here. General Junwei made it clear he wouldn’t stand in the way of our investigating further if we deemed it necessary.”
“Could he, even if he wanted to?” I asked.
“Well… technically, no, but General Junwei is one of His Majesty’s most trusted friends. If he were to bring it up in a way that made Prince Renyi feel he needed to halt our efforts to protect the general’s reputation, it would put him in quite an awkward position. So the real answer is, yes, maybe he could stop us.”
“But that would make him look guilty.”
Wei nodded in agreement.
“You aren’t wrong. It would be better to risk being caught than to request that an investigation be halted and appear to be admitting guilt.”
“I hate these games that are always played in court,” I said, rubbing my temples.
“And yet you don’t sound entirely unfamiliar with them.”
“I’m not,” I said.
“Unfortunately,” Ghost added.
“I will accompany you,” Wei said before I had the chance to ask. It was almost as if he was afraid of not being invited. Likely, the general’s potential involvement made this even more personal for him. It was a shame that three friends found themselves in such an awful situation.
***
The estate was grand, as was to be expected from a prince. It was like a miniature palace, complete with wings, guards, servants, and more. The mood was somber. Also unsurprising.
“Sorry, Prince Dao’s estate is under lockdown. No one may enter or leave,” a guard in the courtyard said before saluting Commander Wei.
“It’s alright. Taylor is here on Prince Renyi’s authority, and I can personally vouch for the general’s approval for our presence here.”
I’d wanted to point out that we hadn’t needed it but remembered Wei’s words. Better to tread lightly when it came to the general, unless it became necessary not to.
The guard stood aside without comment, allowing us to pass through.
“I understand the general has already investigated thoroughly,” I said. “We’re just here to confirm some details for Prince Renyi, and we’ll be out of your way.”
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
“The steward’s office,” Wei said quietly as we left hearing distance. “He’ll have access to copies of all the records we need. It’s likely the originals have already been seized.”
“Good thinking,” I said. “Perhaps you’re in the wrong line of work.”
“You think I’d be better suited to the Ministry of Justice?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Point taken.”
“Fewer people are reacting to Ghost now. It seems word has spread.”
Ghost only nodded. Likely he wasn’t thrilled with that idea.
It didn’t take us long to find the steward. He was a thin, anxious man with ink-stained fingers. He was flipping through ledgers as we stepped inside his office.
“Commander Wei?” he asked, rising from his desk in alarm.
“Relax. We’re just here to ask you about a few of your records.”
“Certainly. I’ve been reviewing them… all morning, in fact,” he said, grabbing one and holding it in the air, shaking it at us like he was about to attack us with it.
“I just want to see the herb sales,” I said, raising my hands, hoping to calm the man.
“Oh, Prince Dao…” he muttered, flipping frantically through the ledger. “Here. This page. Transactions from the vendor, Hong. Hong’s signature is even at the bottom. Look,” he said, poking at it with his finger.
“This does verify the transaction,” Wei said.
“That’s the part that bothers me,” I said.
“What do you mean?” Wei asked, narrowing his eyes.
“It would be much harder to find evidence if a record wasn’t kept. Why log the transaction in the first place? Look how many sales took place on that single day. No one would miss one or two. In fact, I bet it happens regularly by simple mistake.”
The steward nodded. “Oh, you’d be surprised how often that happens. I scold the workers regularly for not logging all transactions. Someone miscounts, is in a hurry, or misidentifies the product. It is a daily occurrence.”
“I see your point…” Wei said.
“Had Hong purchased anything from your estate before?”
“Not often,” the steward said. “I believe it has been more than eight months since his last purchase. Before that, I’m not even sure. I haven’t had the chance to review that far back yet.”
“What relationship does Hong have to the prince?”
The steward wrung his hands together frantically.
“To my knowledge, the prince has never even met the man! I couldn’t swear to it, but even I don’t know what this Hong fellow looks like.”
I considered my next questions carefully, knowing we were going beyond the basics now.
“What is Prince Dao’s relationship like with Prince Renyi? I know what the rumors are, so please, in your own words.”
The steward sighed, looking between Wei and me.
“The truth,” Wei insisted.
The man nodded.
“Poor Prince Dao was prone to fits of rage about his brother’s appointment to the throne. He ranted and raved almost daily. But… I doubt my prince would resort to something so risky. Despite his disdain for his brother, he was always careful to stay on the right side of the law. He was paranoid that Prince Renyi might come after him if he left an opening. That’s why he insisted I maintain perfect records and… oh… I’ll just come right out and say it. Prince Dao is meticulous. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but if he were to do such a thing, Heaven and Earth would have to be moved to find even a shred of evidence.”
“Go on,” I said, not wanting to give the man much time to second-guess himself.
“Even the prince’s office is perfectly organized. His books are ordered, with spines aligned. Anything placed on his desk must be perfectly arranged. To overlook something so… incriminating…”
“Unless it was done to appear absurd, just as you’re explaining it now.”
Wei had a good point. These games could be played from every possible angle. Something could appear off, and it could simply be by design to throw us off the trail. And yet… the ease with which it could be covered up bothered me. Perhaps with other aspects of the crime, but to have only this one connection, and for it to be so easily removed…”
“Thank you,” I said, turning and leaving the steward’s office with Wei.
After we stepped out, I paused, shaking my head.
“I’m sure we’re thinking the same thing,” Wei said.
“I have never seen a paper trail so carefully kept by the perpetrator of a crime. Had it been something discoverable in another way, I might think it was meant to throw us off. But something so easily omitted? Had this record not been kept, how would anyone ever link Prince Dao to Hong? Knowing how meticulous Prince Dao is with his records makes him an ideal target…”
Wei shook his head. “I won’t believe the general is doing this deliberately. Not without proof.”
“I understand that,” I said. “He should be given the benefit of the doubt. If he saw the records, it’s easy to see why he’d come to the conclusion he did, especially knowing Prince Dao would benefit greatly from a weaker Renyi. Not just Renyi, but he may be even angrier about Tannis’s role in Renyi’s selection. Perhaps angry enough to target him personally.”
“More answers. More questions,” Wei said, his shoulders visibly slumping.
“Don’t be discouraged, Commander. We might be spinning our wheels a little, but I think we’re traveling down the right road.”
“I… don’t understand that expression.”
I almost laughed, realizing my mistake. This man had probably never seen a vehicle unless he’d glimpsed the ones PanTech Adversity Management used on occasion.
“Spinning our wheels just means we’re putting in a lot of work and feeling like we’re not making proportional progress.”
Wei nodded at that.
“A good summary of the situation.”
PanTech Chronicles trilogy and the series, both available on Amazon.
Thank you so much to everyone who supports me on Patreon. I wouldn't be able to do this without you!
Special Thanks: Shin and Drunkenbiker
Patreon | |
