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墨書 Inktalez
Despite all passengers being instructed to remain in their respective compartments and stay calm, Jason's professional instincts awakened rapidly at that moment. He knew that a real investigation could not wait, especially in such a snowstorm where they were cut off from the outside world; time was of the essence. Even as the atmosphere inside the carriage grew increasingly oppressive due to the blizzard, Jason was determined to start searching for clues to unravel the mystery.
He first returned to the room of the victim, Arthur Fernandez. The surroundings maintained a deathly silence, but Jason had grown accustomed to this sense of oppression. There were almost no signs of a struggle in the room, as if everything had proceeded in an orderly fashion, yet this only heightened his unease. Jason approached the bedside, his gaze lingering on the corpse. After confirming the cause of death, he began to meticulously search for any possible clues.
Before long, his eyes fell upon a letter on the bedside table. The paper was torn and fragmented, with the handwriting barely legible. The envelope had been ripped open, and there were some ink stains on the paper, seemingly intended to obscure certain information. Jason reached out and carefully unfolded the letter. Although many parts were damaged, scattered words still revealed some content. The mention of "business competition" and "cooperation" stood out particularly, hinting at some complex interests at play; however, due to the damage to the paper, it was difficult to piece together a complete meaning.
Jason tucked away the letter, a thought stirring in his mind. His intuition told him that this letter concealed some crucial clues, but now was not the time for in-depth analysis. A vague framework began to form in his mind, yet he still had a long way to go before uncovering the truth.
Next, Jason decided he needed to quickly learn more about every passenger on the train. After all, in this isolated iron box, anyone could potentially be a suspect. He contacted the train's supervisor and requested a detailed background check on all passengers. The train staff sprang into action swiftly; following Jason's instructions, they began to investigate each passenger's movements and behaviors one by one.
Soon, the investigation focused on several suspects, with one standing out above all: the young painter Isabelle Leon.
Jason had already taken note of her presence. She always wore black clothing, her slightly solitary demeanor making her stand out among the crowd. Isabelle's face seemed perpetually shrouded in a layer of hidden pain, an expression as if she were bearing some deep guilt or sorrow. As Jason approached her, Isabelle's gaze remained cold; her canvas appeared filled with some repressed emotion. Jason couldn't help but glance at her painting and suddenly felt an unusual sensation.
"What was your relationship with Mr. Fernandez?" Jason asked directly without any preamble.
Isabelle's expression shifted slightly; she took a deep breath as if organizing her thoughts before softly replying, "We once had a relationship, but that was a long time ago. I left him. His death has nothing to do with me now."
Her tone was unnaturally calm and detached, which aroused Jason's suspicion. He looked at her thoughtfully—her nonchalant words made him wonder if there truly were no complicated emotional ties behind them. Perhaps she simply wanted to distance herself from this case, but Jason's instincts told him that things were not as simple as she claimed.
At that moment, Jason noticed a portrait on her canvas. The figure depicted bore an uncanny resemblance to Fernandez; however, there was no glory or success reflected in that face—instead, it was shrouded in shadows and oppression. The painted Fernandez seemed enveloped by heavy black strokes, his eyes filled with endless pain and guilt. A jolt ran through Jason as he committed the details of the painting to memory without immediately questioning her further; he merely sighed softly.
"Can you tell me something about this painting?" Jason asked.
Isabelle's gaze showed no sign of wavering. "That was just one of my inspirations during this journey; nothing special," she said.
Jason didn't fully believe her words, but he knew it wasn't the best time to press her for more information. He nodded and gently placed the canvas back where it belonged. Although she seemed to have little connection to the case at the moment, Jason was certain that the emotions and details hidden within Isabelle's artwork would eventually become key to uncovering the truth behind the case.
Next, Jason shifted his focus to another suspect—Thomas Harrison. Thomas was a British businessman and a long-time commercial rival of Fernandez. Jason learned that Thomas's financial situation had recently deteriorated significantly, with many failed business transactions plunging him into a debt crisis, while Fernandez continued to capture more of his market share. Given this backdrop, Jason couldn't help but think that Thomas might have had sufficient motive.
When Jason found Thomas, he appeared utterly exhausted, with an unmistakable look of anxiety etched on his face. "I admit that my relationship with Fernandez is not good. Our competition is fierce; we've even had heated arguments. But I would never kill him," Thomas said quietly as he sorted through some documents, his tone tinged with resignation.
Jason observed Thomas closely, noting his agitation yet maintaining a sense of calm. "What do you make of his death?" Jason pressed.
Thomas frowned slightly. "His death is just adding insult to injury for me. Our competition has never ceased, but with him gone, I gain nothing from it."
However, Thomas's response did not fully reassure Jason. During further questioning, Thomas mentioned that he had once had some sort of "collaborative relationship" with Fernandez and referred to a photograph—a group picture taken during a business event they both attended. Upon seeing the photograph, Jason felt a surge of doubt. The two men in the picture did not appear to be enemies; instead, they seemed to share a deep friendship. This subtle relationship contradicted their apparent rivalry and seemed illogical.
Jason tucked away the photograph, filled with questions. The emotions hidden within it might just be the direction for his next investigation. Each subsequent suspect would be crucial in unraveling the mystery. Jason understood that the story was far more complex than it appeared, and he needed to uncover the truth as quickly as possible.
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