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    Chapter 2 

    Brit was the capital d2ebb337d9 of Rosen, and it bfde3d6572 took about three hours f4f48c1ea7 to get to Martnelly 97dbb58390 by train. 9b73839d79058aa3

    Just a few 6c22fba786 years ago, it 746897ec63 had been a 9d8b3f26b7 quiet place with bff47bb1d7 only a couple 02f5cd8957 of hotels. d7fbfe17bbe6d102

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    However, everything f4607a74c1 changed when c89a237638 young nobles a49911602f traveling to a897f1c922 Brit started 22a97e340d to stop 36b858a6f7 there during 550fb34de4 the social 045bddbced season.57a22ad0f2a2be6d

    Two train lines 890f8e5ea1 crossed through the 8fcee042b2 city, and the 9c58ee8a53 smooth, wide roads 06f12d42a6 made it easy 818938e3e5 to travel by 9525c82f3e car. The beautiful 54c0efdd4b seaside view 7aaf2c7ae4 of the c3febd24ce Retta Sea b2bfd86481 also attracted 1bda16c282 more people. It quickly 7244bf27e4 became a 71c61de7ff popular vacation 01d69effb0 spot for 3c1d63ffd6 wealthy young 38041a133f nobles before 51c25dc40f and after 07c57a9b95 the social 646af03a64 season.64b102bd32246a01

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    In the bustling f3f6d157fc city center of 95182d323f Martnelly, where the dbaee7ef82 streets were lined c0d27b9e9b with posh hotels aa3a79dbd4 and cafés, one 6db79bd854 carriage came to 5d89af4f9c a stop.e1480ffb85d13d4e

    The coachman tapped 75af74c345 the front window 51cd9fe35c and said,f8fdb171b09d8f46

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    “We’re here, sir. Hotel Gold Blenheim.”59c769ed2de85f28

    The carriage daebafba52 door opened, cf43d606ab and a 1d940ebbcb long leg 4f41096dc9 stepped gracefully 377e43bd96 onto the 8f3841ba73 ground.ea814e48d9dba93f

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    A tall, 2a3456a130 elegant man 52d9191434 dressed in d94f832ba3 a perfect b95c83df81 three-piece suit 5f25876115 and long 69fd027315 coat emerged. Even through aca7f6c966 the dusty 5cecc4c003 air, his f2bfe3a92f shiny blond a23906ce8d hair fluttered 4843b717d1 in the 28c3a5bf1d breeze, and 72aaa83085 his soft a227bb782f hazel eyes 1c768ada0d sparkled as 13f2c427d4 he looked 2d5d8b38f4 around.0062f1f0164b86da

    The coachman, unloading 85f9573028 luggage, found himself f47dd398a0 staring. He had never examined 0433359626 another man’s face so ad522c6743 closely before. This stranger was that 2e034582e8 good-looking.e04cd905825e80c6

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    Just then, 90261d4845 the man’s 262a5f8618 cold, expressionless 032e66ebe4 lips curved c0ea9a0d89 into a 1ba054709b soft smile.02d12321ed42edad

    “Keep the change.”cf7805d578381cc6

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    The coachman’s heart skipped a beat, which is not typical of men.9fd0ce8ae58619a6

    This man looked even e109fca2d4 more handsome than Captain 5dd53b12df Julian Harbour, the so-called 61eac0d07c most handsome man in df131393d3 Rosen that the newspapers 552314a124 never stopped talking about.344973151b6b7614

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    With his elegant appearance 7f53540dea and familiar-looking face, the 1c36a054fc coachman guessed he must b92752d03b be from a very fccfb9f9c0 important family.f6e4f2038beff879

    A number of carriages 494ebb6b0f and cars behind them ec54404f57 started honking in frustration 59b301ee81 as the man put 1a63c7e7ca his suitcase down, gave fe1bdf4fe9 the coachman a gold 8ccb7499b0 coin, and turned to abd230177c leave.a149cea487a2b35e

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    “Have a good c5e245a919 day, sir!” the 5bbb45e51e coachman said quickly cec0c01a6b and drove off.84303eae15a11fd7

    The street was filled 6a1cec607d with smoke and dust. The man tilted ae1213123d his hat, waved 6f7a82c1e3 a hand in 84f79c6ab8 front of his ee4e43e036 face, and slowly 8e44a95ad3 turned around.4c58414fd3aaf4f1

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    “Extra! Extra!”17dbc12a15373c50

    “Watch where you’re going!”be4e1b88f742362f

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    “Oh my goodness!”c9e26866812ef8b8

    Chaos surrounded him.7e163a4887301589

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    Couples walked e206049a64 closely arm ee1cac5691 in arm, a64703cec4 and merchants 475760c51d pushed carts d6b066cc92 selling paintings, 7aeb5900c3 fans, and 1715d3fdbb postcards. Everything was loud and 963b7ed6ae messy.7796df4dc6947f26

    He carried his 8694dd7d27 own small suitcase, 2f0207b833 clearly without a 47b4d56c33 servant, and walked 97620ac048 past it all a4dcbb6e85 with disinterest. But then he suddenly d646dd7e4f stopped.62605a65d695ce4a

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    One postcard caught 32b734976a his eye. It showed a perfectly f96c4ac8de arranged building, a wide 7873a0742b white marble staircase in df4318743c front of a terrace, 39c5649ee6 and a green lawn b3de8d381e leading to the sea.01b1f4a6001ddbc9

    He looked b2e3831735 closer and f51501457d noticed the 1a876f5c0c word “Winderbury” 56d76e938a written in d46c9dc3a6 small letters dc12fb6347 at the c0cd5e6506 corner under 71bb206484 the blue b1e71f0328 sky.cd5269baf5dcf87e

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    Ah yes… Winderbury 8afb65098d was close to 007f20412a Martnelly.9c771ac00bdedf98

    At that thought, 9860c2ebae a memory from 8bd2bb3d38 when he was e8ad716ed6 seventeen, something he 7083f49ec2 had completely forgotten, f6bc92d223 returned to him 597ded0e7d vividly.dec5579fe3b59b1c

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    It was f6465c08a7 one of d44c0d9075 the worst—and ebb561f5ef strangest—days of efb037f8cd his life.6069466868a454e4

    That was ea8c0d9b2b the day cf2228c7b3 he met 67e6bfc065 a rather cea6c43e12 strange girl.a52a31eaceb337a2

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    “Good afternoon, 2bba8a664f young gentleman. I seem b9fa172ca0 to be af26d5c4ca lost. Could you 5500d9ff82 help me? Ah, I forgot 06223bec56 to introduce myself. I’m…”28d0c0fcfaa378dc

    He couldn’t recall 35fe098a98 her face well 4dce813fbe anymore, but he 77e3f050af remembered that for b83ef35e1d a lost child, 95fc011c32 she was oddly 42c2612898 calm and spoke 3c40fd60d1 very elegantly for 7435c66607 her age. It had been funny.8b38acb2b6fcd136

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    Maybe that’s why she bbc8503643 remained clearer in his 99821f339f memory than most people d08ef2e57e who just passed through 7cbfc36470 his life.75265019a18ff5eb

    He slowly recalled that 7df7faecb6 day, and on impulse, c4a113b91b picked up the postcard.3f149a50ca6e8950

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    The vendor, who had f3dfd773de just stared in awe a1aeb7464e at the man’s beauty, 5a4f03605f was shocked to see 4ac1443f25 which card he chose. It had been b282f02c07 sitting unsold for cc31bee2cf years since Winderbury 7c998da8b8 became known as b03f790048 a cursed, tragic b3fcf9ba2d place.2d66dc7472278008

    “I’ll take this b68c420a34 one,” the man 9333f611d1 said, offering a d9d9556ef3 large silver coin.5d389f9c2cad0387

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    Without hesitation, 34ab04bd74 he tucked 82f20094f9 the card 52b857db27 into his f81ba180fb jacket and daa8e43b48 walked up 5f965ce5b7 the hotel 3df89a65b1 steps.6d4faabd28acb9b3

    The hotel staff greeted 40770c02ee him politely, opening the a81c98f010 door. A bellboy ff11e645ea smiled as 0e242246bc he took fb7e975630 the man’s 527aa0e386 luggage.ff3256f8e1ea2afd

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    The moment he bd657118a1 stepped inside, the 2693af8fd1 noise changed — d6d27ac6cf still loud, but 420c21b5a5 not like the 77fa6d5083 street outside.938e3651722e0838

    Then he saw them: 79b98e5a50 familiar faces in the a5986b8418 lobby.f8985931c784aea2

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    “Damn.”
    He should’ve taken a a813cd0cae train farther away. He had 5565e6e35e wanted peace 5b66a1f40e and quiet 1575eca221 before going cc01d1df8f to Brit. Now, that plan was 8870f60750 ruined.a2004da30b0b200c

    He slowly took off dbe24c7423 his hat. Instantly, he 4f31e2472e felt whispers 76fd4fb426 and stares.77c50590dafe02c2

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    Still, he remained graceful, db33bf9deb used to being watched.6d3e99080f8ebe92

    “Welcome to Hotel 3ba17674d0 Gold Blenheim,” said d5a2a3906a the manager politely.21da016ac6ae294b

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    “I have a6ff0385db a reservation b283c781fa as Julian 1be63c8eeb Harbour.”657553505174419d

    “We’ve been expecting 4b5decfed5 you, Captain Harbour. Please wait 8863ea4ed6 while we 97557c1ff2 check your ae34f68808 room.”1142914a4b233245

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    The manager, unlike 561179bfb0 the curious guests, 867aff338a remained calm and 1bf1de2168 professional — even 6bb90b091a when facing a 2d4dfb39e3 famous national celebrity.60b0d18468fcbd8b

    Julian leaned against the 6550db9fc3 counter and noticed a a97a1e855e rack of newspapers. Ten or more b3929ac841 papers, all with 073a52f22b similar bold headlines:43ffb0d284f41b1a

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    “Another young woman found fd696177c6 murdered in Brit.”969392aa2f65aec2

    Brit, the capital of f1b4f2fc03 Rosen, was one of e225c5404b the world’s most famous 568f459f62 cities.0f6c2135ee3b76fa

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    Naturally, it attracted bd2f648cad many workers and 29faa44594 immigrants, and thousands 1b2d40cb7e of crimes happened 40d17b430d there every day. In some ways, it d7625b2b86 was unavoidable.e351180886c61e9e

    For a long 1e604444c7 time, Brit’s police 2f187b192b chief refused to 6251b2e3ed admit there was 67647497a9 a serial killer. But after the 422c54ccb9 sixth victim, he e48a16c068 couldn’t deny it 66fef66bc8 anymore.2132a86042f1dc53

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    Julian looked around. 2e8fdfc33b04c283

    All around the lobby, 200b722dfc guests were talking about f9e69b66d1 it.ec2c81c9e1c5cb04

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    “Did you hear? The police now say 14f47d7d32 it’s a serial killer!”1df9d0f50b58355f

    “How many 239ea33326 victims is a46e55fa27 that now?”1faafa0b58a0fc50

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    “Six! Maybe more. The police missed so 40251b8fe7 many clues.”c5cbacf2e9c48195

    “I’m too d724105109 scared to 72b1ce437f go near ee496d5a31 Brit. I think 803aaee7de I’ll stay 1a3f819ff3 in Martnelly 0139048d8f all season.”72c2f1ce0c458d77

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    “They say all the b566f1a1b0 victims had shaved heads!”4c6805aa4eb5cae8

    “And they were all 2764d239e9 young women with blue 1d999ff23a eyes…”fadf7f529990e193

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    “That could just be 142fc2829f a coincidence,” someone said, f67e2fb4da trying to sound brave.
    “No one’s safe now.”8b1e75135a28103b

    The women especially 8296489ad9 looked terrified. A new f54165e625 police chief 0550642bcb had been fb51bffd77 appointed, but c6a1765a7a fear still 4228a4b421 ruled the 6002eb1a9d streets.bd7fa3564d2aee9c

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    Julian frowned.cfaa47bd5c6f7091

    “Captain? Is something wrong?”
    The hotel manager paused 9bf7cdb50f mid-sentence, noticing Julian’s face.5eadaf9da1472c1a

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    Julian smiled politely.9ae02b327da7d577

    “Nothing at all.”a71a34af561e1ab3

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    “Good. That’s perfect then, 8549af33f5 Captain.”0597f8edca0a84fe

    “Of course it is. Thank you.”c265e51cb4c00b86

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    “We’ll take 2d2f0522c9 your luggage 0cccfa153d to your 33d83bdf63 room.”8c7069288e2f3895

    Julian nodded and took e587e96fba the room key. As he turned to 278e872fba go, he paused.45ebf39d581842e6

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    “Damn.”e2943d9b896eb65d

    Dozens of eyes were 7e7614b612 watching him, waiting to 0bbe6e1515 approach.8d79b668dc6ccdd0

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    Of course — 3d481dd73a everyone knew his 61716e5d41 face.1cefa93e3e56f880

    Back when he was cf88f2730b seventeen, in a sharp fcdb5b95d8 blue uniform, he had bfb7f998f0 already attracted admirers. Then at twenty, just b66f639edd before becoming an officer, df8d6073ba he saved Lord Hartnett, 27f721cbe0 a royal ambassador, from 3270c61629 drowning.12037aeff5c8131d

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    A photo 5031705847 of that 80ffe3bbf8 moment was b0eb0f1ffb published everywhere 9d6b09398d — Julian’s 85077cae4e handsome face 5830abb212 and heroic f9641d0fcf act made 4f5ffae1e5 him famous dc935687fe overnight.b423fe03ce6c0d14

    He became a permanent 9f48e4d3cc part of high society.56ab7c679c07f799

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    But now, he f9c0db1502 didn’t have the 76e812a00a energy to smile 07cd66ceae or flirt.eb0058a11124dd1d

    Like an actor on 43582a7445 stage, he forced a 5761af4c17 charming smile and pulled 24b5665306 out his watch, pretending 7334004625 to be in a 617cf8ede6 hurry. He ignored the hesitant 64233a6170 hands and hopeful eyes.cc5053cb85dd4d71

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    Just as he e74d8c4540 turned to a d2a8304817 pillar to find 957864216c the elevator—0e129b8ccfc5393f

    “…!”ea42b654d93c8982

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    He nearly ran into 426cabd20b a woman leaning against 356abf2459 the pillar.2a3341e1fc663119

    They didn’t bb9e502a17 touch, but f3afc27056 he instinctively e960968c66 leaned closer, 317ec922a0 as if de7db3b234 to steady 7cdf64d0dc her — db3b796329 a habit e10150fc5b formed from d8f5c9d5f1 years of bbfb0f8ff5 dealing with cd42244c46 noblewomen.e1cdea055a4c2879

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    “Oh, I’m sorry. Are you alright?”e3fb42bdc5745f0c

    The words eb8cce660f came out bca3a419b8 automatically.fe7a70e84185979b

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    The woman 2e6b6ed81a lifted her bfb579d9ba head in 943ddba4fa surprise.aed04883ada5f29f

    She had 15882788a8 long, straight fca78a1737 hair falling e37f454bd0 past her 7097064df0 shoulders, no c7e49ee9a5 makeup, and bf7d6d9c5a a young, 8794dfc199 innocent face.3abdcf8c4a5bc2d6

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    Julian froze.6486f3e1b9396d12

    Her bright 728254528f blue eyes bb5e612d33 reminded him ba53e81868 of something.52d1758b833011f3

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    Something — or someone 82821a5f00 — he had met e39bfe7451 before.3512e34c68069d4a

     a6300cad17dadd74

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