Disaster

L shivered. He opened his eyes wide and tried to take a closer look at the man.

Mid-fifty, slim, half bald, stooping, formally dressed, and a huge pair of glasses. Yes, scholar-like.

“Excuse me, sir,” L cleared his throat and asked, “Did you say something?”

“I said something bad is going to happen,” the stranger said in a matter-of-fact tone, “To be exact, something is going to happen at the King’s Paddock – the elegant house of Mr. Ferrars.”

L opened his eyes even wider – if that’s at all possible. King’s Paddock is the biggest house of the village, and Mr. Ferrars is the symbol of money in this place.

The man obviously saw the surprise on L’s face, “Let me introduce myself. You can call me Professor Y. I am the Professor of Alternative Science at the University of Munchausen, and I have been investigating the happenings at King’s Paddock for quite some time. You know, a few members of the Ferrars’ family fell sick recently, and I could perceive Satan is growing strong in the house... If we do not do something urgently, a disaster is going to happen.”

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Szeto’s notes: For the “true” story of Mr. Ferrars at King’s Paddock, please refer to Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.