Chapter 51
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51
Vanessa glanced around anxiously. She desperately hoped someone would help, but anyone whose eyes met hers was quick to look away. Helping the vagrant shift into a more comfortable position, Vanessa spoke.
"Please, try to calm down. Someone will be here to help you soon..."
"D-Don't... lie to me! You're trying to call th-those bastards, aren't you?"
Trembling so violently it seemed he might draw his last breath at any moment, he glared with wide eyes and screamed. But his fierce outburst didn't last long. The vagrant hacked out a dry cough and struggled to push himself up.
"I'd r-rather d-die... I'm not... going back to those bastards!"
"I understand. Please, just calm down."
Vanessa patted the man's frail back, waiting for his coughing fit to subside. The handkerchief in her hand was nowhere near enough to wipe away the pooling blood. Glancing anxiously in the direction Mary had run, Vanessa supported the vagrant, who seemed on the verge of losing consciousness. She had to keep him talking. If he passed out in this state, he would surely die.
Vanessa chose her words carefully, trying not to agitate him.
"It's true that help is coming. I'm not lying. Let's get you examined first, and then..."
"N-No! Don't call anyone. Do you hear me? D-Don't call them."
He was gripped by an overwhelming terror. If he could have moved, he would have pushed her away and fled. Looking around frantically, the vagrant suddenly grabbed Vanessa's wrist in a tight grip.
"T-Tell that man. Tell him I have proof... absolute proof... Proof that will drag him before the Chief Justice this instant..."
"The Chief Justice?"
"Yes. The owner of that car p-paid me to k-kill someone..."
At that, Vanessa reflexively let go of the rambling man's arm. Seeing the sudden change in her expression, he pressed on with anxious eyes.
"I remember when the engine was repaired... they used smuggled parts, so it made a strange sound. And the color was definitely that color."
A chill ran down her spine. This man had committed a horrific crime, and he was mistaking her for a henchman of the person who had hired him.
All because of a car's old, peculiar engine and its paint.
"Besides, the color is so tacky. A car like that must be the only one in the entire South..."
Vanessa's pale lips trembled. She didn't know why Mary's words suddenly came to mind.
Could he be connected to Uncle?
A horrifying thought flashed through her mind, one so repulsive she felt disgusted with herself for even considering it.
That's impossible.
Why was she taking this man's words seriously? It was nothing more than the delusion of a vagrant.
Of the three cars owned by Uncle Wyatt, this was the oldest and most worn. It was rarely used, except when she had to go to Bath; otherwise, it remained parked in the garage. And its color was indeed peculiar, just as Mary had said.
It was a cheap, military surplus vehicle, painted navy blue to follow the trends of the time. A car like this would be the only one in all of Ingram. Perhaps, he really...
"What exactly is this absolute proof?" she asked.
A look of deep suspicion belatedly washed over the vagrant's face. Narrowing his eyes, he scrutinized Vanessa before letting out a raspy, metallic gasp, as if in sudden realization.
It was a sound somewhere between a scream and a groan. He frantically fumbled at his filthy chest. Between the tattered gray collar of his shirt, something of pure gold glinted—a luster so out of place it was impossible to mistake.
Just as she tried to get a closer look, the vagrant gasped and clutched it tight in his right hand. The thin metal chain pulled taut, looking as if it might snap at any moment.
"Who... Who are you?"
"I am... of Somerset."
"Found him! Ah, there he goes again."
Just as Vanessa was about to answer, three men pushed through the gathering crowd. Spotting them, the vagrant gasped in sheer terror. He shoved Vanessa aside and tried to flee, dragging his stiff, barely functioning legs.
"Look at him, trying to pull another one of his useless tricks."
Striding forward, the men grabbed the vagrant from both sides and hauled him up. He struggled with all his might, but he was quickly pinned to the ground, a dirty rag stuffed into his mouth. Tears mixed with grime streamed from his wide, terror-stricken eyes.
"Wait!"
Vanessa raised her voice, desperately trying to stop them, but the man who appeared to be their leader blocked her path. Though momentarily intimidated by his overbearing presence, she quickly straightened her back and faced him.
"Let him go this instant. Or I will call the police!"
"Oh, my dear lady," one of the men pinning the vagrant said with a slick smile. "You must be an outsider, so you wouldn't know. This isn't the first time this fellow has done this."
"Whenever he sees a car with an unusual color, he pulls this scam. It's his trick to extort money by pretending to be hit."
"We've had several reports from residents this week alone. He's a real nasty piece of work."
The man blocking her path pulled a constable's badge from his coat and showed it to her. Vanessa looked back and forth between the badge and the vagrant, bewildered.
Meanwhile, the struggle grew more violent. Then, after a swift, unseen maneuver, the vagrant's limbs went completely limp. Startled, Vanessa tried to step forward, but her path was blocked once again.
"This is our jurisdiction. We'll handle it."
"But he looked like he was about to die! He was bleeding so much..."
"It's probably pig's blood. They keep it in a small pouch and splash it on themselves."
Vanessa looked down at the dried blood on her hands, confused. Was all of this pig's blood? It looked far too much like human blood. And it had been steadily trickling from his forehead...
"Ah, your maid is coming."
Turning at the constable's words, she saw Mary approaching with quick steps, carrying a basin of water. Her face was pale, likely mistaking the men for thugs harassing her mistress.
"Don't worry about this fellow. We'll keep him at the station tonight and send him home tomorrow once he's calmed down."
"...I've already called for a doctor. I'll go with you to the station, so please, at least let him be examined."
"That's asking too much, my lady. We have other duties to attend to."
"We're sorry we can't wait on a noble lady," the man pinning the vagrant with his knee said, bowing mockingly like a courtier. Dry chuckles erupted from the crowd.
It was the first time Vanessa had ever been subjected to such public mockery. Her cheeks flushed red, but she gathered every ounce of her courage and stood her ground.
"If you know him so well, what is his name?"
"What name would a vagrant have? Please, run along. It's not wise to cause a scene here."
"My lady," Mary called out softly as she drew near.
As the standoff dragged on, onlookers began to complain about them blocking the street. Left with no other choice, Vanessa stepped back, and the constables dragged the unconscious vagrant away. Mary, having grasped the situation from their exchange, stood beside her.
"They said he was a scammer, right? Yes, I had a feeling."
Vanessa watched the retreating figures with lingering confusion. The badge had looked real, so it was clear who she should trust. Yet, she couldn't shake the memory of the vagrant's pitiful gaze, or his absolute certainty that the men coming for him were his captors.
"How did they know I was an outsider?"
"Well, it's a small town. We might as well use this water to wash your hands."
"..."
"Hurry, now."
As she lowered her gaze to wash her hands at Mary's urging, she spotted something at their feet.
"Wait, Mary. Look..."
Vanessa knelt and picked up a dust-covered locket. Though she had only caught a glimpse of it, she recognized it instantly. It was the one the vagrant had been wearing. It must have fallen during his violent struggle.
She understood at once why he had cherished it so dearly. It was made of solid gold. The craftsmanship was delicate and beautiful, and it felt so familiar it triggered a strong sense of déjà vu. She had definitely seen it somewhere before. It was...
"Isn't it pretty?"
Vanessa whipped her head around. The voice was so vivid it felt as if someone had whispered right in her ear.
"This is what your mother lent to your father. If you flip it like this, it opens, and if you do this, it locks, so you can keep something precious inside."
"Wow."
"Daddy is going to commission a small portrait to go inside. That way, whenever our little one wants to see us, you can look at it, right?"
Following the memory, she flipped the locket. The loose, broken clasp gave way with a soft click, and a piece of paper tucked inside fluttered to the ground. It looked like a portrait, or perhaps a photograph faded with age. With trembling hands, she picked it up.
"My lady?"
Vanessa slowly raised her head at her maid's call. Her face, drained of all color, felt strangely cold.
"I need to borrow a telephone. I have to let them know that an urgent matter has come up and I won't be able to make it."
"Wait. Does that mean you're not going to Essex?"
"No. There is somewhere else I must go."
"Go? Where?"
Vanessa folded the portrait and slipped it back into the locket.
"To Gloucester."