Chapter 55 Murder on a Rainy Night

The cool rain in Gotham in late autumn floated down, causing dim fog to float under the lit street lights. The cold light of the car lights gradually spread from the corner, illuminating the end of the dark alley.

The colorful colors of the neon lights were reflected on the black car body. The car door opened, and the driver walked down with a black umbrella and went to the back seat to open the car door.

The waiters at the door of the mansion were all wearing white shirts and champagne vests. They ran over quickly, spread the carpet under the car door, stepped on the carpet with leather shoes, and Schiller held the car door and walked out of the car.

He just stood up and saw a guest who walked in in front of him throwing a huge umbrella into the arms of a thin umbrella boy. The large amount of water droplets on the umbrella directly soaked the umbrella boy's body. The waiters next to the gate laughed at him in a low voice.

Schiller took the umbrella himself and walked to the door. A blond manager came out enthusiastically and said, "Is that Professor Rodriguez? The Godfather is waiting for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Evans came down the stairs. He hugged Schiller enthusiastically and said, "Thank you, Professor Schiller. My coming-of-age ceremony is really not worth your trouble to come here."

"Nothing, happy birthday."

As the two were talking, Schiller caught a glimpse of the umbrella boy holding a huge umbrella. He looked about the same age as Evans, but he was thin and small, had a hooked nose, and his eyes were a little sinister. He didn't look pleasing. He was trying to fold the huge umbrella in his arms, but because he was very thin, his movements looked a little funny.

Schiller noticed that the cufflinks on his wrists were buttoned meticulously, and he looked more like a nobleman who came to the party than a waiter.

Seeing Schiller still holding his own umbrella, Evans was a little unhappy. He turned to look at the umbrella boy. The manager was very good at observing people's expressions. He walked up and patted the umbrella boy on the back of his head, and then asked the person next to him to take the huge umbrella.

The umbrella in Schiller's hand was already folded. He held the middle part of the umbrella and handed the handle to the umbrella boy. The man rolled his cloudy eyes upwards, glanced at Schiller, and then lowered his head and took the umbrella timidly.

This little episode did not affect the progress of Evans' birthday party at all. What was surprising was that Bruce also came.

Of course, after all, they were classmates and were in similar classes, both of them were in the upper class of Gotham.

Schiller was holding a glass of wine and talking to Evans about the club. Soon, the protagonist of the party was called away by his father. Bruce came over and said, "Don't you want to eat something first, professor?"

Schiller shook his head and asked him, "You said last time that you wanted to be the leader of the club? This is really strange."

Just as Bruce was about to speak, he heard Schiller say again, "Judging from the level of the papers you submitted, let alone being the leader of the club, you may not be very suitable for studying psychology."

"Don't be like that, of course you know why I did this."

"But that's not a reason for you to pollute my eyes with a bunch of academic garbage."

"Okay , how much club fees can make you slightly shake your academic persistence? Is 200 million US dollars enough? "

Schiller cursed in his heart, but he still said: "I suggest you change your disguise. Can you really stand this way of mixing with bad people all day long?"

"I always use ginger juice instead of alcoholic beverages, and those burning powders are just ordinary spices."

Schiller didn't say anything, but silently cast his eyes on his waist. Bruce said: "Okay, this is indeed a problem."

As he was talking, the lights in the center of the banquet hall lit up one by one, and Falcone took Evans down the central stairs.

This is an important part of the coming-of-age ceremony. The elders introduce their children to his social circle to show that he can participate in social activities normally and take on the mission of inheriting the family business.

After that, Schiller and other elders encouraged Evans, and finally Evans himself. He first drew a cross on his chest very piously, and then thanked God.

While Evans was speaking, Schiller discovered that in his right peripheral vision, under the shadow of the heavy curtain, there seemed to be a thin figure hidden.

When the crowd gathered in the center dispersed, the figure disappeared.

Then it entered the normal process of the dance and banquet, with shining lights, cups and plates, and people talking in the magnificent banquet hall with their own thoughts.

However, just like the treatment Schiller received in SHIELD, almost no one would take the initiative to talk to him. Everyone knew his amazing resume, and no one wanted to stay too long in front of someone who might see through their inner secrets.

After a while, the banquet came to an end, and Schiller felt a little hungry. He planned to go to the dining table next to him to get something to eat. At this time, he heard some noise behind the stairs on the right. Soon, a lady in a gorgeous dress ran out screaming, shouting: "Old Edward!!! He fell in the bathroom!!"

All the people around hurriedly dispersed, and Falcone said in a steady voice: "Be quiet, Andy, go and see what's going on."

A man beside the Godfather walked away, and soon he came back and whispered a few words in Falcone's ear. Falcone's eyes swept over everyone present, and no one dared to speak out because of his momentum.

Falcone said: "Old Edward died, died at my son's coming-of-age ceremony."

In the banquet hall with hundreds of people, it was as quiet as if nothing existed, and no one even dared to breathe loudly. Everyone was thinking, who was so bold to mess up the place on the Godfather's territory?

Falcone said with a cane: "Where is little Edward? Let him come to see me. His uncle died here, and he has to come here."

"Also, go to the police station and ask them to send someone to investigate. Evans, please help me entertain the guests and don't let them feel neglected."

After that, Falcone gave his assistant Andy a look, and then turned and left.

Bruce stood beside Schiller and asked him: "You saw it, too, didn't you?"

"Yes, but it has nothing to do with me."

Bruce said: "It seems that Edward Jr. has won, and the situation at the dock is going to get chaotic."

"Do you think it was Edward Jr. who did it?"

"He is the one who has benefited the most, isn't he?"

Schiller shook his head and said: "I think the Edward family is the biggest loser. Old Edward is dead, and everyone will think it was his nephew who did it. And such a thing happened at the coming-of-age ceremony of the Godfather's only son. It is not excessive for the Godfather to retaliate against the Edward family in the future."

"Do you think Falcone directed and acted it himself?"

"He is smarter than you think."

Bruce looked back and saw that the banquet hall, which was bustling just now, was now completely deserted. Most people left. They did not dare to stay here while the Godfather was angry. The remaining leftovers looked even more desolate under the still brilliant lights.

When Schiller was about to leave, it was the assistant next to the Godfather who returned the umbrella to him. Andy said, "I'm sorry, professor. The Godfather asked me to convey his apology. We didn't expect that this would happen at the first banquet we invited you to."

"Yes, we didn't expect it."

Schiller looked down at his umbrella. All the water drops on it had dried up. He stood under the porch and saw a group of people carrying a box at the side door of the mansion. It should be the body of old Edward.

They loaded the box into the car. Judging from the direction the car drove out, his body should be thrown into the sea.

Schiller stood at the door for a while, and soon the police lights flashed in the rainy night, and the police car drove in. Yes, Gotham is like this. They will not wait for the police to come to deal with the body.

Gordon came to another crime scene where there was no trace of the victim and the murderer. They had even wiped off the blood, but he was very adaptable. He directed several policemen under his command in an orderly manner and began to wander around in the bathroom.

He himself neither handled the case nor recorded it, but went to see Falcone under the guidance of others.

The outcome of the investigation of this case does not depend on what happened in the bathroom or what the police can find out, but only on the attitude of one person, that is, Falcone, the host of the banquet.

Gotham is like this. When a gang member kills another gang member, the police will be in an awkward situation. Gordon deeply understands this truth. When a policeman in Gotham, psychological quality is much more important than the method of solving cases.

After a while, Evans came out with an umbrella. He hurried to Schiller and said, "Professor, I heard that you haven't left yet. Do you have anything else to do?"

"No, nothing special. You know, I'm more interested in these cases."

Evans showed a somewhat embarrassed look and said, "Uh... This is just a small case, not a serial murder case, but if you are interested, you can also go in and take a look."

Schiller shook his head, but handed the umbrella in his hand to Evans and said, "Please bring it to the Godfather."

Evans took the umbrella and felt a little puzzled.

After Schiller left, Falcone took Schiller's black umbrella from Evans and said, "It seems that he will indeed be your longest-lived tutor."

Sitting in the car on the way back, Schiller listened to the sound of rain hitting the car window. He recalled the thin and timid umbrella boy. The guest who went in before him and teased the umbrella boy with a huge umbrella was old Edward.

Schiller just returned to the apartment when he heard some noise on the balcony. Batman was standing there. Schiller didn't turn around. Batman said, "I'm going to investigate Old Edward's case."

"Why? Gang fights are also within your jurisdiction?"

"He used to be the boss of Park Street."

Siller didn't answer him, but Batman said to himself, "He knows who killed my parents."