Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 110 The Second Officer of the Seagull

Green and Alvin exchanged a glance, then followed Rick to Clarice's office.

Clarisse sat behind her desk, a document spread out in front of her.

"sit."

She gestured for the two to sit down. "I just received a supplementary report regarding old Bob's case."

After saying that, he casually pushed the documents over: "The Sheriff's Department has reviewed the visitor records and eyewitness reports for the three days before and after Old Bob's death. Besides the mysterious visitor seen by Mrs. Hudson, there is another person worth noting."

Is anyone else there?

Green took the document and quickly browsed through it.

The report mentions that on the afternoon before Bob Sr.'s death, a young man who claimed to be a distant cousin came to 32 Mariner Street, stayed for about half an hour, and then left.

The neighbor described the man as "in his twenties, well-dressed, and speaking with a slight southern accent."

"A distant cousin?"

Green frowned. "Old Bob's notes and the port authority's records never mention that he had any relatives."

"The sheriff didn't pay much attention at the time, assuming it was just a routine family visit."

Clarice said, "But combined with your 'murder' theory, this suddenly appearing 'relative' is very suspicious."

Alvin stroked his chin: "Southern accent... The 'Seagull' sank in the southern waters, right? If the second mate is still alive, could he be in the south? Could this 'nephew' be someone he sent to scout or deliver messages?"

Green's heart skipped a beat: "That's possible. If the killer is hiding in the south, it would be too risky for him to return to Oberhafen in person. Sending a trustworthy young man would be safer."

He looked at Clarisse: "Do you have a portrait of this 'cousin'?"

"The police department is drawing a sketch based on the neighbors' descriptions, and it should be delivered tomorrow," Clarice said casually, rubbing her temples.

"Now it depends on whether your little assistant can get any information about the 'Seagull'." Alvin picked up a magazine and began to read it with great interest.

Time flew by and it was already the morning of the next day.

Green was going through the information provided by Eliza in the base when the phone on the table rang.

"Green, this is your assistant." Eliza waved the microphone in her hand.

"Hello, this is Green."

Mr. Morris, I found a list in a pile of very old files on "Sailor Psychological Intervention and Resettlement".

Anaïs's voice came from the other end of the phone.

[A record of the subsequent job assignments of the surviving crew members of the "Seagull" shipwreck. Issued approximately two months after the disaster.]

Green picked up his pen: "Is there anything special on the list?"

[The list includes a second mate named Jacob Fletcher. Records indicate that he was reassigned to the Southern Cross Inland Waterway Company due to a need to "remove the marine environment to alleviate post-traumatic stress," with the noted service route being...the Remburg to Ducey Bay area.]

Jacob Fletcher. From Rembrandt to Ducey Bay.

Anaïs clearly uncovered these two key pieces of information.

"Excellent, Anaïs," Green praised sincerely. "Are there any others on this list? And are the reasons for all the transfers the same?"

[There are eight people on the list, and the reasons for their transfers are all similar: "health reasons" or "psychological advice." Jacob Fletcher is the highest-ranking.] Anaïs replied.

[Furthermore, I noticed that the approval and signing of this transfer order were rushed, using a generic stamp rather than the signature of the person in charge. It seems...it seems the port authority was eager to remove these crew members from the maritime transport list and quickly reassign them to inland waterway routes.]

This was a very subtle detail. Green noted it down.

"Does the file mention anything about what happened to the Southern Cross River Shipping Company afterward? Or how long did Jacob Fletcher work there?"

[No follow-up records have been found yet. The file only records the initial transfer. We might need to find the old files of the Southern Cross Company itself, or the records kept by the maritime union, to know exactly how long they worked there and where they went afterward. The port authority... probably doesn't have any more detailed tracking documents.]

"The information you found is crucial. Keep an eye out for any scattered records about this inland waterway shipping company or the movement of crew members during that period, and write them down."

Yes, Mr. Morris.

After hanging up the phone, Green's fingers continued to tap on the recorded names and flight information.

From Rembrandt to Ducey Bay, in the south. This matches the southern accent of the "distant cousin".

He was about to go find Alvin and Clarice when Alvin pushed the door open first, holding a portrait he had just received.

The young man in the portrait is about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He has an ordinary face, but his eyes are slightly alert and his mouth is slightly downturned, giving people a feeling that he is not easy to approach.

"The portrait has arrived. Take a look... Hmm? Why do you look like you've discovered a treasure?" Alvin raised an eyebrow.

"Annaise found the second mate's name and the inland waterway he was assigned to back then."

Green handed over the note: "Jacob Fletcher has been transferred to the Southern Cross River Shipping Company to run the route from Remburg to Dixi Bay."

Alvin whistled: "Not bad, your little assistant. This is getting interesting. The 'nephew' has a southern accent, and the second mate has been transferred south... The clues are starting to point south."

The two immediately went to see Clarice with the new information.

After listening to Green's report, Clarice carefully examined the portrait and the information Anaïs had found in the archives, and pondered for a moment.

"Jacob Fletcher..."

She repeated the name, "If he is the murderer and has been hiding in the South for over thirty years, then it makes logical sense that he sent a young man back to Oberhafen to silence him. The transfer record Anaïs found is crucial evidence."

She looked at Green: "Your assistant has done a very effective job. However, based solely on this transfer order from decades ago, we still don't know whether he lived or died, or where he is now."

"So the next step is to check the old files of the Southern Cross River Shipping Company, and Jacob Fletcher's whereabouts after that," Green interjected. "Can the church find anything more?"

“I’ll have Eliza try to find clues about ‘Southern Cross Corporation’ in business registrations, tax records, and old files from the maritime union,” Clarice said. “But it’s been too long; the company may have already gone out of business, and the records may be lost. As for Jacob himself… if he’s willing to hide, he probably won’t be found in civilian records.”

She then changed the subject: "However, considering the appearance of the 'cousin,' we can take a two-pronged approach."

"Based on the sketch, you secretly investigate this young man in Oberhafen, focusing on where he came from, who he contacted, and where he might be now."

"Green, continue to investigate the connection between the 'Seagull' and Jacob through the Port Authority and Anaïs, especially... see if old Bob left any other clues, or if there are any insiders within the Port Authority who know about the incident back then, even if it's just a vague rumor."

"Yes," the two replied.

As he left the office, Alvin nudged Green's arm: "Looks like we need to prepare for a business trip south. If Jacob really is hiding over at Disi Bay... but there's one thing I don't quite understand."

"What?" Green looked at Alvin.

"That Henry at the port authority is known for his excellent connections, why don't you contact him?"

Green frowned and looked out the window. "Intuition."