CWMBR 144

Chapter 144

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"I tried to push for the maximum sentence... but... I'm sorry."

Leaving the courthouse, Declan—who was always so confident—unusually couldn't hide his regret. It seemed especially so because the investigation had gone smoothly until now, building up his expectations.

Unlike Declan, Bridget wasn't as disappointed as one might expect. After all, reopening a case from years ago—one already closed as an accident—and securing punishment wasn't an easy feat. She resolved to be satisfied that the suspicious circumstances and cover-up allegations discovered in that accident had been properly considered.

"It couldn't be helped."

The road where the Penningtons had their accident wasn't one where accidents frequently occurred. Though the slope on the side was steep, it was wide enough that one could pass safely with caution. It was flat ground, and the road surface was well-maintained.

Perhaps it was sheer luck that, precisely because accidents rarely occurred there, he could find an officer who remembered the Penningtons' crash?

The officer who had handled the scene at the time retrieved an old report stored in the archives, noting that the carriage wheel marks left on the ground had been unusual. Unlike the typical marks left when a carriage was thrown off course by its own momentum, the wheel tracks he had observed back then had been tracing an unstable path from the very start. The investigation files revealed there had been a problem with the wheels from the beginning. Yet, for some reason, this information had been omitted from the records.

Additionally, an elderly couple who had lived next door for many years testified that when the Penningtons visited Ronan Pennington, they had argued loudly. The elderly couple, natives of the area, remembered Ronan Pennington as a threatening neighbor. They apparently recognized him as a person of concern, noting that men with sinister appearances occasionally came and went from his house, or that he caused disturbances late at night while drunk and loud. Several other residents had also witnessed Ronan Pennington openly arguing with a man who bore an uncanny resemblance to him.

Of course, substantial bounties were offered to secure their testimonies. Fortunately, Bridget's bank balance was quite ample, allowing her to gather every conceivable piece of evidence.

At Ronan Pennington's hideout, traces were found of his persistent business ventures that had ended in failure. Among the yellowed papers he hadn't managed to dispose of were half-written letters, each pleading for a loan, promising this time the business would succeed. The recipient was his twin brother.

The most decisive piece of evidence was records showing Ronan had been inquiring everywhere about how much money he could secure if he used the Grand Theater as collateral. Since the Penningtons were still alive and well at that time, this evidence strongly supported the claim that he had been targeting the Grand Theater for quite some time.

The doctor who had issued the fake diagnosis was already dead, so his testimony could not be obtained. However, inquiries were made into the doctor's family. According to acquaintances, they had all left for a foreign country together one day, claiming they had come into a large sum of money. 

Various other pieces of evidence were found, but ultimately, no clear verdict could be reached that Ronan Pennington had personally killed his brother and sister-in-law. Ronan vehemently denied the accusation, insisting he had merely been blinded by greed for the inheritance after his brother and sister-in-law's suspicious deaths and had failed to commission a proper investigation.

"Are you sure you want to end it like this?"

"I don't want to drag this out."

Declan suggested trying to supplement the evidence, but Bridget shook her head. This was the result of an investigation conducted with Sanne's help and a significant investment of money. She didn't expect pouring more time into it would yield anything meaningful.

"Still, I didn't think Uncle would accept hard labor. They say long-term convicts usually die before their release date."

Bridget recalled Ronan pleading for sympathy and mercy right up until the end in court. His attitude, shifting to suit himself until the very last moment, mirrored Donna Green's final appearance perfectly.

"It's notorious for being closer to torture than labor, but still, hard labor is preferable. There are guards there, aren't there? To confirm his life or death."

The words sounded profoundly ironic.

"Being watched over also means being protected."

Whatever task he'd be assigned, bearing the name of punishment, it would surely be painful.

Despite this, Ronan declared he would accept hard labor. To Bridget, it didn't seem like an admission of guilt or remorse. To her, he had simply chosen. The better option among the choices given.

That meant the debt collectors circling him must have been that dreadful.

"So in the end, all Uncle's debts will be transferred to Donna?"

"Yes."

Declan shrugged indifferently. Bridget asked him in a calm tone.

"That debt... it was originally owed to Ain, right?"

It was a question, but Bridget was actually certain.

"It just seems strange no matter how I think about it. Since running the Grand Theater, Uncle was quite cautious. No matter how desperate he was, I don't think he would have resorted to borrowing from that kind of group."

Declan, who had been scratching his forehead, gave a brief explanation.

"It happens often. Selling off troublesome debts."

"And the buyers of those debts, instead of going after the wealthy divorcee who became the creditor's niece, go after the creditor's illegitimate child, who was never officially acknowledged?"

If it was a debt Ronan had incurred personally, then his blood relative, Bridget, couldn't possibly be safe either. Bridget realized, seeing that Ronan's debt had no effect on her whatsoever.

That it was pressure with a clear purpose.

"If you find Ain's involvement unpleasant, then..."

"It's not unpleasant. Shouldn't I be grateful instead?"

Reaching the main gate of the courthouse, Bridget pulled down the brim of her hat. Deep shadows fell over her eyes.

"I know the people he left behind were protecting me from Uncle. Donna came looking for me, so she must have tried to contact him too. I was just wondering why I hadn't heard from him at all."

Ronan couldn't just let Bridget go, especially since she had clearly received a huge settlement from the Wise family. Above all, it was Bridget who had driven Ronan to that state, so he must have felt resentment and a desire for revenge.

Despite all that, Bridget's mansion was always peaceful.

“………He didn’t assign someone to monitor Miss Pennington……….”

“Yes, protection.”

“It’s true. Not surveillance. I guarantee it.”

Declan defended Ain with an awkward expression. Bridget responded to him in a flat tone.

"Even if it were surveillance, what difference would it make? The person meant to receive that report would be sailing the middle of the vast ocean. No matter how many reports he wrote, they'd never reach his master."

"Haha."

Declan, who had been awkwardly smiling at Bridget's calm face, soon sighed.

"You're right. The distance isn't just a stone's throw away. Even if we take the shortest route, it'll easily take two years................"

Ain had left by ship. News of his boarding only surfaced a full fortnight after the vessel had set sail. Inquiries flooded into Ain's office belatedly, but no one would speak about it. There was no official statement from the Wise family either. People whispered that he had fled due to his recently exposed private life. They said he probably planned to return once the media died down a bit.

Of course, Bridget didn't think so. Ain likely hadn't cared about the stories the press was making a fuss about from the start.

"Do you know why he left?"

"…………He probably needed time to sort out his thoughts."

Declan answered curtly, then glanced at Bridget and added,

"When he comes back, he'll probably be a bit more like a normal human being than he is now. Probably."

Bridget turned away quietly, her expression inscrutable.

"I'll be going now."

***

On her way back to the mansion, Bridget picked up the afternoon paper she'd just left.

The front page carried a story about a famous popular playwright facing his first trial at the Metropolitan Court. Though his name wasn't explicitly stated, everyone knew it was Finn Emerson.

Finn Emerson's trial was far from simple. Numerous individuals linked to him—those who distributed illegal drugs and participated in illicit gatherings—were constantly coming and going from the courthouse.

Hadn't Sanne, who had visited Bridget just before leaving ynford, gritted her teeth?

"It's time to end this tiresome tug-of-war."

Judging by the look in her eyes back then... It seemed certain the trial would drag on indefinitely.

Amidst this, several murders committed by Finn Emerson also came to light, drawing public attention. One of his victims was a photographer found in the Valia River. According to Gilum's tip, it seemed the photographer had seen something while taking pictures of Finn Emerson and Donna Green. What he saw was the kind of thing that could incriminate Finn Emerson.

It also came to light that bouquets were a method Finn often used. He would add drugs to strongly scented flowers, slowly poisoning his targets until they eventually begged to be on their knees. It was a well-known anecdote that he occasionally sent bouquets of encouragement and congratulations to promising aspiring playwrights or new writers. Thanks to this, it also became known as a chilling preparatory step.

"I apologize for not mentioning the bouquets earlier. They were crucial evidence... Fortunately, the amount of chemical added wasn't large. You should be fine, but if any issues arise, I will take full responsibility."

"Your words alone are enough. Thank you."

"If you'll allow it, I'll come down often. Of course, only if it doesn't burden you."

Gilum, who had been unusually apologetic towards Bridget, left with Sanne. He was probably working diligently by Sanne's side by now.

Bridget folded the newspaper after confirming the name of the Glynford Grand Theater didn't appear anywhere in the article. With so many locations where the pin had been exchanged across the entire region, no one would likely pay attention to the Glynford Grand Theater anyway. Still, she would probably continue checking the newspaper anxiously every day for the time being.

"Miss, all the workers have left!"

Just as she placed the paper on the table, Jane called out loudly from outside the break room. Bridget quickly grabbed her coat.

"We're leaving now too!"

Their destination was Pastore Cemetery.