“How did he recognize me?”

Hailey rubbed the soot on her cheek while looking at her reflection in the hat shop’s window. The smudge only spread wider.

Suddenly, her light green eyes widened. The man she had met again at the murder scene—Derrick. The more she thought about it, the more suspicious he seemed.

“Come to think of it, I never heard why he came there.”

Mumbling vacantly, Hailey quickly came to her senses and hailed a passing carriage. The coachman, looking at her appearance with suspicion, only smiled politely once she handed him some money.

“To Silent Park, please.”

The open-sided landau carriage with its folded-down canopy rolled along the stone-paved road. Hailey stared out at the street, lost in thought.

Three women. Was it random murder? Or had something about them triggered the killer?

Just as her gaze drifted aimlessly along the passing scenery—

“!”

Her eyes met those of Inspector Albert, who was giving instructions to Hans. She could also see other uniformed constables.

From within the slowly moving carriage, Hailey’s eyes widened in surprise. Albert, who had unconsciously closed his mouth, slowly turned his head to follow the carriage. His sapphire-like eyes clung to her persistently.

“Yikes.”

Turning her head in the opposite direction, Hailey let out a shaky breath. Did he recognize her? She recalled her reflection in the shop window just moments ago and shook her head.

“No way.”

Her disguise was perfect. Sure, Derrick had seen through it instantly, but that was just because he had an abnormally sharp eye. An average person wouldn’t have recognized her.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Thank you.”

Hailey lifted her skirt slightly and got off the carriage. Finding the address Eddie had given her wasn’t difficult.

In front of her was a one-story red brick house. Judging by how the wall was connected to the neighboring house, she could roughly guess the viscountcy’s financial situation.

Looking at the front door atop two stone steps, Hailey bit her lip with an awkward expression. There were many things she wanted to ask about Claire, the daughter of Viscount Isaac.

Why had she been alone on Central Street at that hour? Did she have plans to meet someone? Was she secretly seeing a man? Was there anything unusual before she was murdered?

But no noble would be willing to talk to a stranger—especially a shabby-looking commoner woman with soot on her face.

Even if she visited as “Hailey Salmon,” it would be no different. Given the rumors that the Duke was a murderer, her status as Duke Gunner’s fiancée would only make them more guarded.

They wouldn’t say a word to Hailey.

“What should I do?”

She had come all this way and couldn’t return empty-handed. At last, she made up her mind and looked around with a determined gaze.

There was no one passing by. No one watching her.

“Alright.”

Hailey quietly headed to the back of the house. In the narrow backyard, she saw a back door and three windows. She strained her ears, but the inside of the house was dead silent.

Apparently, like Kent Hall, this house didn’t have many servants. Perhaps just a butler and a housekeeper. Maybe one maid at most.

Besides, with Claire dead, the house was surely shrouded in grief.

Hailey tiptoed to the nearest window. There was a table and chairs—clearly the family’s dining room. The next window was the kitchen.

“Eek.”

Afraid the housekeeper cooking inside would spot her, Hailey quickly ducked her head. Then she crept toward the next window.

Standing before the final window, she rose on tiptoe.

“……”

It was a room adorned with lace. A portrait hanging on the wall stood out. A young, beautiful woman looked at Hailey with a faint smile, her hands resting on her knees.

Claire Isaac.

In that moment, a rush of emotion surged inside her. The reality hit her—that the girl who now lay cold and lifeless had been alive just days ago.

With her expression quietly hardened, Hailey slowly scanned the room. It was an ordinary room. Nothing particularly eye-catching. Then her gaze landed on a piece of paper placed on the bedside table.

Hailey stood even higher on her toes. The nightstand was right below the window. Her forehead pressed against the glass. Her body, balanced on a single big toe, trembled slightly.

It almost felt like she could hear someone mocking her with a “shorty,” but she was alone here—just her own self-consciousness, most likely.

The rather fancy-looking piece of paper—could it be a love letter? She strained and struggled to get a better look. And just then—

“What are you doing here, Miss Hailey Salmon?”

“!”

At the sound of her name, she turned around in shock.

Albert stood there, a faint frown on his brow. His gaze slowly traveled downward—from the top of her head to the tips of her feet.

“And what’s with that look?”

“Ah…”

Flustered, Hailey couldn’t say anything and just blinked her large eyes. It was strange. She’d disguised herself flawlessly—how did everyone keep recognizing her at a glance?

She even felt a little unfairly treated.

Albert let out a quiet breath, glanced around, then spoke in an unyielding tone.

“This isn’t the place for such a conversation. Let’s go somewhere else.”

“…Alright.”

Albert led the way to Silent Park, a short distance from Viscount Isaac’s mansion. Hailey followed him with her head bowed, like a student summoned to the principal’s office.

When Hailey moved to sit on the nearest bench, Albert stopped her with a “Please wait a moment.” Then he took a handkerchief from his pocket and laid it on the bench.

“Thank you.”

She lowered her head slightly with a sheepish expression. It was the first time she had ever received such consideration. Hailey sat down on the bench, and Albert stood across from her.

Sensing his gaze, Hailey opened her mouth with an embarrassed look.

“In case you misunderstand, I should tell you there’s a complicated reason I’m here…”

“I heard you’re engaged to Duke Gunner.”

At his unexpected words, she started to raise her hands in denial, only to freeze mid-motion. Hailey quietly lowered her arms, which had been hanging in the air.

His thoughtful blue eyes gazed at her.

“Was the engagement something you agreed to, Miss Hailey Salmon?”

In other words, was it an engagement she wanted? He was suspecting that she had been forced into it for some reason.

Well, it wasn’t an entirely wrong guess.

“If you’re in a difficult situation, I can help.”

He was a gentleman who wouldn’t turn a blind eye to a lady in distress. If Hailey just asked for help, Albert would surely extend his hand to her—without a moment’s hesitation.

“No.”

Hailey shook her head with a smile.

“I can take care of my own affairs.”

But it felt awkward to receive help from someone else.

She had always handled everything with her own hands. She had never even dared to expect help from others. Her life had simply been too harsh for that.

At her refusal, Albert furrowed his brow faintly. What could she possibly handle on her own? Against the monstrous Duke Gunner, with a woman’s body?

Most women always wanted something from him. Especially after he became a police inspector. They wanted him to save them from danger. They wanted him to protect them.

But Hailey Salmon asked nothing of him. For some reason, her firm rejection left him feeling strangely unsettled.

Just as he impatiently rubbed his brow and parted his lips to speak—

Hailey beat him to it.

“More importantly, Inspector Albert, what brings you here?”

“That’s what I should be asking you.”

As if she had expected the question, she shrugged her shoulders with a nonchalant expression. Albert’s blue eyes furrowed once again.

“I’ll ask you again formally. Miss Hailey, what were you doing at Viscount Isaac’s residence?”

“More importantly, how is the murder investigation progressing? Have you found anything out?”

“Could it be…”

Albert didn’t finish his sentence and simply stared at her intently. Before his gaze full of suspicion, Hailey subtly lowered the corners of her lips. At the moment, Albert clearly had more information than she did. In other words, this was the perfect opportunity to obtain information from Albert.

“Have you figured out why Lady Claire was at Central Street that day? Was she supposed to meet someone? Or was she doing something there? What was the purpose of her visit to Central Street?”

Albert looked like he wanted to sigh, but recalling that such behavior was unbecoming, he merely rubbed his eyebrows lightly.

“Miss Hailey Salmon.”

He didn’t know why she kept drawing his attention. A girl who had never received proper training as a lady, more like a wild, untamed foal.

Come to think of it, not long ago she even asked Duke Gunner for a dance. It was obvious she knew nothing about either bridal training or proper social etiquette. And considering she had asked the stubborn and ill-tempered Duke Gunner for a dance, it was clear she had poor judgment of character. There were countless things about her that seemed far too reckless to just leave alone.

Yet, she refused his help. Albert couldn’t take his eyes off her sparkling, light green pupils. He rubbed his palms on his pants as if anxious. It was uncharacteristic of him.

“I can’t figure out what the connection is between Tara Donald, Misha, and Claire Isaac.”

Hailey absentmindedly bit her fingernail. Albert stared at her nails, resisting the urge to gently grasp her hand. Sensing his reproachful gaze, she quickly hid her bitten fingers behind her back and opened her mouth.

“Two were daughters of noble families, one was a singer in a tavern. Different social standings, and they lived in completely different areas. What could have triggered the killer about these three women?”

“There’s no real connection. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In short, they were unlucky. More importantly…”

As he watched her lost in thought, Albert furrowed his brows with a grim expression. Hailey slowly lifted her head, and their eyes met.

“Is the reason you’re here because of Lord Gunner?”