Aaron Hastings?
Hearing Chief Greve introduce the name, Lorien's expression shifted slightly.
He suddenly recalled—
Just a few days ago, when they met, Aaron Hastings introduced himself as the inspector of the "Whitechapel Enforcement Squad."
And where had Jack Arnold killed Ivans?
Inside the Whitechapel precinct.
From the driver's seat, Chief Greve caught Lorien's reaction in the rearview mirror, a hint of confusion in his tone—
"What? Do you know Inspector Hastings?"
Lorien straightened up, his voice deliberately neutral but tinged with amusement.
"We worked together on a case once."
It wasn't exactly a lie—
Technically, it was Detective Winnie Hastings who hired him, but since her brother fronted the payment…
Well, close enough.
Chief Greve let out a sharp inhale, his voice taking on a note of respect.
"I didn't realize you were acquaintances!"
This wasn't just empty flattery.
The inspector was genuinely surprised.
After all, this private investigator had zero history in the police archives—
No major cases.
No notable contributions.
Barely any recorded activity.
Yet now, not only was he personally requested by Commissioner Douglas, but he also had ties to Aaron Hastings?
"Some people just prefer to keep a low profile."
Greve glanced at Lorien before refocusing on the road.
Still, he couldn't help but offer his thoughts—
"Aaron Hastings is the youngest inspector in the force right now.
From rookie officer to inspector? He did it in under four years.
The previous Police Commissioner, Moriarty, trusted him completely."
The name "Moriarty" made Lorien's brow twitch slightly, but he said nothing.
Greve continued—
"Honestly, if he hadn't been held back by his short tenure,
his achievements would've been enough to promote him to senior inspector by now."
"That explains a lot."
Lorien thought back to their last case together—
Aaron's sharp instincts and impressive depth of knowledge had already made an impression.
Now he understood why.
"Want to hear something interesting about Hastings?"
Greve's voice took on a conspiratorial tone.
Lorien smirked, intrigued—
"Go on."
Greve chuckled, gathering his thoughts before revealing—
"When Hastings took over as the new head of the Whitechapel Enforcement Squad,
his first official act was to fire every single officer."
"...Excuse me?"
Lorien blinked.
"That's right.
He gathered every single officer—
Even the ones who were off-duty, on vacation—
And told them all they were 'unfit' for duty.
Then, he disbanded the entire squad on the spot."
Damn.
Lorien hadn't pegged Aaron Hastings as that ruthless.
"And the police department allowed this?"
He asked, skeptical.
Greve nodded, his voice carrying a hint of admiration—
"It made headlines at the time—
But public opinion?
Was completely in his favor."
Apparently, Hastings had been smart about it.
He had already discussed his concerns with Commissioner Moriarty beforehand. He had secured full approval before making the call. On top of the department's standard severance pay, he even paid out an extra 10% of his own money—
Even though, at the time, he had practically no savings.
It was legal, justified, and publicly supported.
"No one could challenge him on it."
Lorien nodded slowly.
That sounded exactly like something Hastings would do.
"By the way, doesn't Hastings have a younger sister?"
Lorien casually inquired.
Greve glanced at him, seeming impressed.
"You really do know him well.
Yeah, his sister's name is Winnie—she's also with the police force."
Then, Greve's voice took on a slightly awkward tone.
"Although… Hastings wasn't exactly thrilled about it.
He's been trying to convince her to quit for a while now."
"Why?"
"You know how it is.
Being a detective in East London isn't exactly a safe profession.
With her qualifications, she could've easily chosen a 'proper' career."
Lorien hummed in understanding.
So that explained the odd dynamic between the two.
Arriving at Whitechapel Precinct
The black police car finally pulled up in front of the station.
Standing at the entrance, waiting for them, was a tall, sharp-eyed officer in a formal police uniform.
His stance was military straight, his expression serious, and his badge shone brighter than Greve's.
Greve introduced him—
"Detective Lorien, this is Superintendent Kuhn."
"Superintendent Kuhn served alongside Commissioner Douglas in the 'Sheffield Fleet.'"
Kuhn's dark complexion, strong features, and no-nonsense demeanor practically radiated military discipline.
He stepped forward, gripped Lorien's hand in a firm shake, and gave a curt nod.
"Pleasure to meet you, Detective Lorien."
"Likewise."
As they entered the conference room, another figure was already waiting by the door.
A man in his 30s—
Sharp features, an eagle-like gaze, and dressed in an immaculately tailored Chesterfield coat.
A polished gentleman, but—
Lorien could practically smell the arrogance.
The man extended a hand.
"Good afternoon, Detective."
Lorien didn't shake it.
"...And you are?"
Greve cleared his throat and interjected—
"This is Detective Hermann.
Founder of the 'Hermann Detective Agency.'"
Lorien gave a barely perceptible nod, then moved past him without another word.
As they passed each other, Hermann muttered under his breath—
"This isn't a simple case, friend.
If you truly understood the world beyond its surface,
you'd know that some things remain unknown for a reason."
Lorien's steps didn't falter.
But his mind sharpened.
"That tone… that attitude…
You reek of someone with 'forbidden knowledge.'"
There was a certain arrogance that came with possessing information others lacked—
Lorien had seen it before.
The kind of person who stumbles across secrets and suddenly believes themselves superior.
For the first time in a while—
Lorien felt he might have encountered another "extraordinary" individual.
"And what exactly are you implying?"
Hermann fell into step beside him, his voice low.
"I'm saying you should drop this case."
"That way, I get the full £900 reward."
"As compensation, I'll give you £20."
He leaned back in his chair, smirking—
"A fair trade, don't you think?"
Lorien's eyes darkened slightly.
Before he could respond, the conference room doors swung open.
A crisp, commanding voice filled the space.
"Apologies for the delay, gentlemen.
I had personal matters to attend to.
Now—let's begin."
Inspector Aaron Hastings had arrived.
TO BE CONTINUED…