Guidebook for the Dark Duke Chapter 8: John’s death

When Evan arrived at Woodwich Cottage in his carriage, there were already a lot of people in the house. Sheriff Chandler and several police officers surrounded the entrance of the house, and the surrounding neighbors stretched their necks. Look into the house as if you can see something.

When Evan got off the carriage, Sheriff Chandler found him. He walked straight towards Evan and said, "For God's sake, you are finally here, I just sent A police officer is here to invite you, come in, Mrs. Lawrence is utterly hysterical."

Evan can completely imagine the blow to Mrs. Lawrence. Just a few days ago, she was leading her son to show off, and her affection was beyond words. But today, something like this happened, Mrs. Lawrence can It's weird to be plain.

"Mr. Sheriff, please tell me first, what the **** is going on?" Evan asked while following Sheriff Chandler inside.

Sheriff Chandler waved angrily at the homeless man who was craning his neck outside the fence to look in, complaining, "Gypsies! See what Delan Lil has become, we'll just Trains shouldn't pass, look what this has brought to this peaceful town! It's a disaster, I swear it must have been done by a gypsy, and only these people Crazy!"

"Is it a murder? Sheriff?" Evan looked at Sheriff Chandler in astonishment.

Sheriff Chandler lowered his voice and leaned into Evan and said, "Yes, it was murder, Mr. Reverend, can you believe it? Murder! In Derain!"

Evan had a shocked look on his face, but he was muttering to himself, you're surprised now, but you won't feel that way in the future.

"My God, this is horrible." Evan quickly crossed his chest, like a true devout Protestant.

Chandler looked at Evan's pale face, for fear that he would faint if he accidentally passed out, and hurriedly said: "But don't worry, I will catch this beast soon, and now I want to Please reassure Mrs. Lawrence, let's take out Mr. Lawrence Jr.'s body first."

Evan's nerves are naturally not as slender as Sheriff Chandler imagined. He pursed his lips tightly and nodded in response.

As soon as Evan entered the house, he heard Mrs. Lawrence's shrill voice coming from the living room. Sheriff Chandler frowned and strode toward the living room. Evan trotted after him.

Mrs. Lawrence in the living room was still wearing pajamas, her hair was disheveled and her eyes were red and swollen. She hugged the two police officers who were carrying a stretcher and screamed: "You gangsters, put down my little John He just fell asleep! He couldn't have died! He couldn't have left his poor mother to bear it all!" she said, beating the policeman with a look of madness in her eyes.

Sheriff Chandler was very angry when he saw this, and said loudly: "Enough! Mrs. Lawrence, we know your grief, but please don't interfere with our case!"

Sheriff Chandler's momentum quelled Mrs. Lawrence's madness for a while.

"Handle the case?" Mrs. Lawrence turned to look at Sheriff Chandler, the sadness in her eyes almost overflowing, her thin body was trembling and she could barely stand. After looking at it for a long time, I couldn't help but feel a little moved.

"No...it can't be, my John is so obedient, so cute, he can't just leave his poor mother like this..."

She was about to fall down as she spoke, and Sheriff Chandler hurriedly stepped forward to support her, with a softer tone: "Madam, look, I've invited Pastor Bruce here, and he'll take care of little John The soul prayed, you don't have to worry at all, things have happened, and I ask your condolences."

Mrs. Lawrence hardly heard Sheriff Chandler's words. She was still murmuring, how obedient and sensible John was, as if there was nothing else in this world Can distract her.

In the end, it was Mr. Lawrence who couldn't listen anymore. Until then, he had been sitting on the sofa by the fireplace with a sullen face. He stood up abruptly, pulled Mrs. Lawrence from the sheriff's hand, and snapped. Said: "Okay! Enough! Don't make trouble anymore! What's the point of saying these words again! It's you who spoiled him!"

Mr. Lawrence was talking nonsense, but he didn't even dare to look at John. His lips were trembling, and his cloudy eyes were a little red, as if he was about to cry in the next moment.

But he didn't cry, Mrs. Lawrence did. Her voice was so sad and desperate, like a mother beast who had lost her cub, and everyone present couldn't help but be moved.

Of course, these people also include Evan. Even if he is really hard-hearted, when he faces this kind of scene, his heart can't help but soften. Evan lowered his head and crossed his mouth. After silently reciting a prayer, he walked to the stretcher carrying John.

Evan lifted the white cloth covering John's face. His eyes were wide and pale, and there seemed to be a trace of puzzlement in his eyes. He really didn't expect this to happen to him. In fact, Evan Wen also did not expect it.

Sheriff Chandler silently walked to Evan's side and whispered: "Poor boy, was hit on the back of the head with a lamp, and he died just like that, he was only twenty-two years old, and there was a lovely Fiancee, her life ended so early."

Evan did not respond to Sheriff Chandler's sigh. He half-kneeled in front of John, put the Bible on John's forehead, crossed his chest, and said a prayer silently before covering the white cloth. , stood up.

"Did you find out who did it?" Evan whispered.

Sheriff Chandler smiled a little embarrassedly: "There is no conclusion yet, it still needs further verification by the forensic doctor, otherwise there is no way to determine the real time of death."

Evan raised his eyebrows, didn't speak, and turned to Mrs. Lawrence to do his job and comfort her.

Mrs. Lawrence was still crying in Mr. Lawrence's arms, and now she saw Evan coming, like a drowning man who grabbed the last straw, suddenly broke free from Mr. Lawrence's arms, tight Grabbing Evan's arm tightly, he wailed: "Mr. Pastor, my John is a good boy, he can go to heaven, right!"

Evan helped Mrs. Lawrence to sit down and said softly: "Don't worry, John is a devout believer, and God will use his broad mind to accept him into heaven, no matter what he has done."

When Evan said this, he observed the expressions of Mrs. and Mrs. Lawrence meaningfully. Mrs. Lawrence seemed unaware and did not respond at all. Mr. Lawrence also lowered his head and smoked a cigar with a look on his face. The sadness of his expression did not change at all.

Evan was a little confused for a while, didn't Jimmy shake this thing out.

Dr. Hester just walked downstairs while Evan was comforting Mrs. Lawrence. His eyes were full of excitement, but when he saw Evan's reproachful eyes, he was a little embarrassed and restrained. When he got up, he stepped forward, took out a tube of tranquilizer, put two drops in Mrs. Lawrence's water glass, and handed it to Mrs. Lawrence: "Madame, drink a little, it's good for you."

Mrs. Lawrence had completely lost her strength at this time. She took Dr. Hester's water glass in a daze and took a sip.

Mr. Lawrence stood up, supported Mrs. Lawrence, and said solemnly: "Thank you, Dr. Hester, Pastor Bruce, I'm feeling a little sick now, so I won't send you two, please do it yourself."

With that, he helped Mrs. Lawrence up to the second floor.

Evan looked at this situation, and it was not good to stay here any longer. He also stood up and said to the doctor: "Let's go, this poor couple has experienced enough today, don't let them It's annoying."

Dr. Hester looked a little unfinished, but he didn't dare to say anything more, so he agreed with Evan with a smile, and left the Lawrence house with Evan.

Out of the Woodwich Cottage, Dr. Hester immediately took a carriage to the police station. He is a small town doctor and the only forensic doctor at the police station. Today he needs to autopsy the body.

But Evan did not leave immediately. He avoided the more or less visiting eyes around the cottage, and spared him from the backyard of the house. He walked through the fake fence gate and entered the garden of Lawrence's house. , and further on is the kitchen, where he had heard Jimmy say that he had a good relationship with one of the cooks in the kitchen.

Evan walked outside the kitchen door, but found that the kitchen door was open. He walked in and heard a faint cry. Evan followed the cry and walked over, and saw a man dressed in a maid costume. The little girl was covering her eyes and sobbing.

She heard someone coming, and raised her head hastily, seeing it was Evan, she was relieved: "Oh, it's you, Pastor Bruce, do you need something?" She wiped her red eyes, There was still a hint of crying in his voice, but his face was still delicate and beautiful, with a hint of childishness of a girl.

Evan smiled softly and whispered, "I'm here to find Jimmy, is he there?"

The maid seemed a little surprised by what Evan said. In her opinion, it was impossible for a low-class person like Jimmy to know a gentleman like a priest.

"Oh...oh, you came to see Jimmy..." The maid's expression instantly became a little cramped: "But...but, look, Jimmy left Woodwich Cottage early this morning, he said He has a new job and is leaving here, so he should be going home."

"Jimmy found a new job?" Evan couldn't help frowning. That night Jimmy was worried about being fired. How did he find a new job today, Evan was a little puzzled.

Seeing that Evan's expression was wrong, the maid became more and more embarrassed: "Mr. Pastor, you...do you have anything to do with him?"

Evan saw the horror in her eyes, and couldn't help but smile: "No, it's just that he left something in the church last time, I'll just ask."

"Oh, so that's the case." The maid sighed with relief: "Jimmy is such a person. He always likes to throw things around. I can give you his home address and you can send it directly."

Evan nodded and took down the address the maid said.

Just before he was about to leave, he glanced at the faintly emerald green lace ribbon in the maid's hair, and suddenly said, "Why did you cry just now?"

The face of the maid who had been relieved was instantly flushed, and she was holding back her tears, so she stammered: "Because... because Master John is dead, he is a good master, we He is sorely missed."

Evan twitched the corners of his mouth when he heard it. The term John and good master had nothing to do with it. At the last banquet, he had seen John scolding the manservant more than once. I'm afraid this little maid has something to do with it. An unspeakable secret.

Evan looked at the maid at a glance, and smiled gently: "My child, the door of Delan Lier Church is always open for you, no matter what kind of trouble you encounter, you can come to me, God will not close the door for any devout believer."

After speaking, he ignored the sad-looking maid, turned and left the Lawrence house.