01x09 - Not All That Glitters Is Gold

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THE CASEBOOK OF ARNE

PART 9: NOT ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD

Can't you even read quietly,
Lynn Reinweiß?

Back again, kiddo.

I've brought you another client
today, kiddo. See?

Well then, um, Mrs. Sheila,

would you mind telling us your request?

Certainly.

This is very embarrassing for me,

but I'd like you to find out
if my husband's been unfaithful.

If he's been unfaithful?

Two months ago,

my husband fell down a staircase
and was severely injured.

Due to his injuries,
he lost the ability to speak.

Up to that point, my husband
had been a very kind person,

but after his release
from the hospital,

it was like he was a different person.
A very distant one.

I see. And that's why
you suspect him of cheating?

Yes.
- How stupid.

Lord Arne!

Yes, I agree.
I think it is quite foolish myself.

But as my husband is invisible,
him being unable to speak makes things...

J-Just a moment. Did you say "invisible"?

Oh, I suppose I forgot
to mention that part.

While I am a normal human,
my husband is an invisible man.

An in-vi-si-ble man?

Huh.

Good afternoon.

Thank you for coming. Please come in.

Lord Arne, hurry up.

Well then, I will take my leave.

I have brought our guests.

Come in.

Incredible.

They really are invisible.

It's almost like an optical illusion.

I'm my husband's second wife.

His first wife, who was
also invisible, passed away,

but they had three sons together.

I don't have a very good relationship
with them, however.

Is that so?

Does the father get along with his sons?

Before the accident,
they didn't see eye to eye at all.

But since the accident, he's been letting
his sons help with the business,

and when he needs to go out,
one of them accompanies him,

so he's come to depend
on them much more.

As it happens, I was out of the house
on the day of the accident.

By the time I returned, the boys had
already taken my husband to the hospital.

I wasn't allowed to visit him there.

And when he was released, it was like
he was a completely different person.

All right. We'll take the case.

You mean it?

Yeah. But not to look into any infidelity.

We'll investigate the accident.

This is my husband.

These are his eldest and middle sons.

This gentleman is, um, Ar—

Arne Neuntöte. I'm a private detective.

I'm his assistant, Lynn.

And this is Amy.

Detective?

Forgive me. I accidentally
squeezed too hard.

Well? To what do we owe the pleasure,
Mister Detective?

Oh, right. I'm going to start looking
into your father's accident.

I see. However, it was
undeniably an accident.

Nothing about it warrants an investi—

I'm sure. But this is my job.

Unless you're trying to hide something,
I'd welcome your cooperation.

By the way, I heard there were
three brothers living in this manor.

Yes. The youngest is out of
the house at the moment.

I see.

Then, I'd like to inspect
the manor right away.

Show me around.

Hey! Just who do you think...

Take it easy. I'm not trying
to accuse you of anything.

I'm merely interested in the truth.

What?

Are you okay, Dad?

He must be tired. Why don't
you take him to his room?

Okay, I shall show you around.

This is the staircase in question.

The three of us heard a loud noise and
a scream, and when we ran here to look,

we found our father down there, bleeding.

Do you use this staircase often?

Father and Sheila do.

Our three rooms are rather further away.

I see.

Well? Are you satisfied now?

Not even close. I want to
interview you each separately.

F-Fine.

So what did you want to ask about?

First of all, the time of the accident.

Is it true you brothers were
the only other people in the house?

Yes. My middle brother and I were
playing chess in another room.

The youngest said
he was drinking in the kitchen.

I see.

By the way, do you bear a grudge
against your father for any reason?

What's that supposed to mean?

Just getting the facts straight.

No, I do not.

If any of us do,
it would be my middle brother.

I'm ashamed to say this, but, well...

It seems he's had feelings for Sheila.

Well? What do you want?

I'm afraid I don't have a lot of time,
so try to keep it brief.

Then, I'll cut to the chase.

Do you desire your mother-in-law?
- What?!

L-Lord Arne! How could you
ask something like that?!

What? I was trying to keep it brief.

W-Well, that may be, but even so!

Th-That is to say, that's not the issue.

Couldn't you phrase it
a little differently? I mean—

Ahem.

That's a load of garbage.
What a sickening thing to suggest.

So you don't?

You bet I don't.

We did go out together a few times,
just the two of us,

but that's only because
I was sizing her up.

Meaning?

I'm convinced that woman latched on
to my father for his money.

H-Huh?

But of course, she never let
her guard down around me.

As soon as my father decided to remarry,
I started looking into her background.

She comes from a family
of failed aristocrats,

and was once married to someone in
another country, if only for a few months.

She wed a very wealthy man
who was almost 80,

and it sounds like he had
a fatal accident soon after.

A fatal accident?

Yeah, he fell down a flight
of stairs and hit his head.

Just like what happened here.

But what a fool my father was.

The moment my mother dies,
he hooks up with this shady broad.

It seems you investigated her
quite thoroughly.

A-A-Anyway, if you insist on
strutting about like you're the police,

can't you at least
employ a lighter touch?

I mean, even my little brother
has problems with our father.

He gambled away a fortune, then when he
tried to get Father to shoulder his debts,

Father got so mad,
he nearly disowned him.

Good afternoon!

This is the youngest brother.

Hey there.

I'm Arne Neuntöte.

Huh?

Th-This way, please.

Oh, that ring!
- Huh?

I've seen it before!

It's from the latest
Amelia Wilson collection!

U-Um...

It's gorgeous! It looks so pretty on you!

Tch. Got yourself all dolled up, huh?

Speaking of, some of Mother's jewelry
has gone missing bit by bit lately,

while your collection's
been growing bit by bit.

What?

What are you trying to say?

So today is my turn, huh?

Cool. Ask whatever you want.

Is it true you got your father
to shoulder your debts?

Yep, sure is.

But I got brutally chewed out and
was almost kicked out of the house.

Do you resent him for that?

Isn't that what
a rebellious phase is all about?

Huh. Next question.
It's about what you just said.

Oh, you mean my mother's jewelry?

Yeah, it's the truth.

After that debt thing with my dad,
he completely cut off my allowance,

so I sniffed out pretty much
all of the valuables in this house.

Don't tell my brothers, okay?

But even I wouldn't think of selling off
Mom's keepsakes like that.

I see.

Have you seen your brothers or mother-
in-law with any unusual items recently?

Unusual items?

Now that you mention it,

I found a pretty unusual pocket watch
in Sheila's room the other day.

It had all sorts of jewels
stuck to the front.

Looked pretty darn pricey.

Dad never carries a watch,

so I'm betting it was a gift
from some other man.

Man, that woman really turns my stomach.

But y'know, my older brother's the one
who's had the most trouble with Dad.

He bombed at business, and Dad said,
"I'm not leaving the estate to your type."

He hasn't been able to let that go.

I see.

Hey, what—

Isn't that...

Lord Arne, a-are they cheating?
Are we catching them in the act?

Settle down.

Maybe he's giving her a present.

Seems pretty by the book.

Isn't this something
we should be investigating?

Knock yourself out.

Excuse me, please!

Can I help you?

Um, there is something
I would like to ask you.

Y-Yes?

Oh, I beg your pardon.

I'm a famous private detective...

...'s assistant.
My name is Lynn Reinweiß.

A-A detective?

And the question I'd like to ask is:
Are you and Mrs. Sheila...

in some kind of intimate relationship?

Myself and Madam Sheila?

Oh, no. Nothing of the sort.

Oh? Th-Then, why were
you meeting just now?

Oh, so you saw us.

I was delivering an item she'd ordered.

An item she'd ordered?

Yes. She has been asking me to find
a medicine to help her husband.

Ah, s-so that's why.

She is such a faithful wife.

Does she often order things from you?

Huh?

Uh, yes. Perhaps once or twice a month.

After I finish my business
with her husband.

What sorts of things does she order?

Well, let's see. I specialize
in everyday household goods,

and she often orders
tea leaves and perfume.

Also tableware, candles, weed k*ller.

She's also ordered oil
for lubricating door joints before.

I suppose she cares
for the furniture by herself.

She truly is a dutiful wife.

I must apologize. They should
be done with business soon.

No matter. We only came to see if the
middle brother was out of the house.

Huh?

Yes, uh, I believe he is out
at the moment.

I see.

So how is the investigation going?

Oh, pardon me. This seems to be damaged.

Aren't you going to fix it?

I'm not handy enough for that.

I'll have to get someone to repair it.

What's this picture from?

Oh, uh, that's me and a patient
from a hospital I used to work at.

Come to the agency tomorrow.
I'll share my conclusions then.

Huh?

A-All right.

Please tell me, Lord Arne.

What have you concluded?
What did you find out?

Why not figure it out yourself for once?

Miss "Famous Detective."

All of the sons hold grudges
against their father.

So it probably wasn't
an accident after all, right?

Also, there's something about Mrs. Sheila.

They might have gotten
ahead of me this time.

Huh? Did you say something?

No.

And also, Lord Arne, why don't
you talk to the husband directly?

Even if he can't speak,
he can still write—

It would serve no purpose.

Huh? Serve no purpose?

For the last three days, I've been
observing the brothers' movements.

You've been observing them?

I am able to manipulate my own blood.

I left some of my blood on each of them

so that I could see which rooms
they slept in each night.

And I've concluded...

the three of them were taking turns
sleeping in your husband's bedroom.

What?

The three brothers have conspired to make
it look like your husband is still alive.

Th-Then, my husband is...

The day of the so-called accident,
the three of them likely m*rder*d him.

One corner of the garden smells
very strongly of blood.

I suspect that's where the body is.

No...

It seemed like a man's body
that had been dead for a month or two.

Mrs. Sheila?

The investigation is over.

You can go home now.

What? Lord Arne!

You can't send her home
when the K*llers are still there!

A detective's job is merely
to solve the case.

W-Well, yes, but still...

You can't just send
our client to her death.

Fine. I'll let you stay here
for one night.

If you need something after that,
get in touch with Sheeeep.

Lord Arne.

If you're willing to give up
and abandon it all, that is.

Thank you very much.

Do you really think it's safe
for us to go there?

"I must apologize for unintentionally
giving you the wrong impression

during your investigation the other day."

"To clear up any misunderstanding,
I ask you to visit the manor again."

"The entire family looks forward
to seeing you."

No need to worry.

Zwei and I will be right there with you.

I-I guess you're right.

And I do want to check in on Mrs. Sheila.

I-Is something the matter?

You know what, Lynn? We can't just
show up empty-handed now, can we?

Let's go and buy them
some sweets or something.

Uh, w-w-wait just a second. Wh-What?

Oh, there you are.
We've been expecting you.

Is it just you today?

That should be obvious.

Yes, of course.

Well, please come in.

Sheila informed us that
we may have inadvertently led you

to a very unfortunate
misunderstanding of the situation.

Where is your mother-in-law now?

I must apologize. She just went out.

She did, huh?

When you see this, you'll understand
once and for all that we're all innocent.

Father, we're coming in.

It seems you were under the impression
my father had died, but as you can see,

Father is right here with us.