For several minutes, no one spoke.
They suspected that there was something wrong with their ears. Melanie, how to save Melanie? Of course, she was a lucky woman, but she was also a victim. All three murders were aimed at her.
Leo was the first to say, "No, it's impossible."
Hollen also said, "Don't talk nonsense."
But apart from them, no one else dared to refute it. Mary even said, "It is entirely possible to poison yourself. As long as the dosage is controlled, strychnine will not cause death."
Jian Jing snapped her fingers. "That's right. Once the murderer is identified, many things will be much easier. Of course, I know Kimberly wore the necklace, and I am familiar with the terrain of the house. I also know that there is indeed someone here who wants to kill me and stop this marriage. It's a perfect frame-up, isn't it?"
Carl couldn't help but jump out: "What does that have to do with Kimberly? Did he poison himself just to kill Kimberly?"
"No, the person you want to kill is... Leo." Jian Jing said coldly, "They are already married. Once Leo dies, the other person who can inherit his property will lose the inheritance right. Wouldn't the huge inheritance of the Sal family belong to you?"
"Oh God." George finally caught up with the rhythm and understood, "This is terrible."
Leo refused to believe it: "You are talking nonsense."
"I knew you would say that, so I guessed that he would attack you, but I didn't tell you. Instead, I chose to hide in the car and rescue you after the incident." Jian Jing sighed and said, "Think about it, why is it such a coincidence that the car exploded as soon as he got out of the car?"
"Maybe..." Leo licked his lips and said with difficulty, "It's just luck."
"Don't fool yourself," Jian Jing looked at Melanie who was sitting upright. She was still elegant and beautiful, with a delicate and sad face that could easily attract a man's sympathy. "The person you love is not as fragile as she looks."
Suddenly, Si Yingjie put himself in the situation and couldn't help saying, "This is not surprising. We always fall into trouble with beautiful women."
"There is a fatal flaw in your reasoning." Hollen said coldly, "I admit that I have the motive to kill Leo. Why did you kill Kimberly? Was it just to create a cover for murdering yourself?"
Jian Jing shook her head: "This was an accident. Killing Kimberly was not a smart choice. Escaping death three times is too dramatic. Twice is just right. However, we have to do it."
"I don't understand," George said honestly.
Jian Jing said: "Kimberly's existence may lead to a consequence that Melanie does not want to see - the marriage is invalid."
Everyone was confused: "Why? The law does not have such a provision."
"Leo, I heard that your family has a rule. I don't know if it's true or false," Jian Jing asked, "Did Count Saar say that your family is not allowed to marry Hungarian women?"
Leo was taken aback for a long time before he frowned and said, "Indeed... But this is just a, uh, not very binding clause."
He asked: "Excuse me, what would happen if you married her?"
Leo hesitated and said, "This requires consulting a lawyer."
"According to local laws, if there are such restrictions in the will, Leo may lose his inheritance rights," said Hollen.
Melanie smiled: "My dear, I never married you for property. Besides, I am French, not Hungarian."
Leo smiled at her, with an unnatural heaviness in his eyes.
Jian Jing asked: "Really, you are French?"
"Do you want to see my passport?" Melanie asked back.
Jian Jing said: "Of course the passport is not a problem. But what I find strange is the words Kimberly used. She said you are a lucky girl - when you first arrived at Uncle Hank's house, he made a fortune in stocks - why did she say 'just arrived'
"I suppose it's referring to your birth, not the French word for 'arrive'? What's even stranger is that when he suggested you to play the role of a countess, it was Countess Bathory. Forgive my poor knowledge of European history, but I vaguely remember that he seemed to be very famous, and, moreover, Hungarian?"
Hollen said: "The most famous rumor is that he kills young girls and bathes in their blood to maintain his youth."
Jian Jing suddenly realized: "I was wondering if it sounded familiar. It really is from Hungary, isn't it?"
"That's just your conjecture." Melanie said calmly, "Kimmy likes to joke around. Maybe she just thinks the Bloody Countess is funny."
"I don't think so. Kimberly was very persistent in this regard. Aren't you proud of France? Emily is an actress and she is French. Esmeralda, who was proposed later, is also a character in a French novel. It makes sense that when she compared you to someone else, she chose a Hungarian woman."
Jian Jing refuted, but also said, "Not only is this just my guess, but the adoption records are not difficult to find, it's just that it's a bit difficult to do now - forget it, let's talk about more powerful evidence."
His expression gradually became serious. "This is the biggest problem I have encountered. Both poisonings were very clever. It is normal even if some traces were left. After all, you are the one who should have been killed. Therefore, I was very troubled for a while and had to analyze your actions from a more abstract psychological state."
Murder is a crime, an evil thought, and a cruelty.
And exquisite murder is also a kind of talent.
The brilliant detective and the cunning criminal, at some point, sparked a wonderful resonance.
"I think that even if you have been embezzling the inheritance since you met Leo, the plan to kill must have only come up recently. You need to ensure that it is on the inheritance list and that there is a considerable inheritance, rather than an empty shell with a lot of debts.
"The most important thing is that you must deal with the other heirs. The core of this plan is to kill two birds with one stone."
Jian Jing said the last idiom in Chinese and then translated it into English. Then, as the eagle himself and the brother of another eagle, Leo's expression changed significantly.
But he resisted the urge to question her, and did not rashly trust someone he had only known for a few days, instead of doubting his wife.
Jian Jing continued, "Poison is difficult to check. If your bag is checked, it will be very difficult to explain. You have been staying in the castle since you got here and rarely go out. It is very unsafe to buy poison in an unfamiliar place. So, where does the poison come from
"I carefully studied the poison needle that killed Kimberly. It was very insignificant, but it was different from the usual disposable stainless steel needles. I didn't pay much attention at the time until I went to the collection room on the third floor, and a diary was displayed in the cabinet in the corner."
Leo said: "Is it Wilson's diary?"
"Yes, he is yours..."
"My grandfather's brother."
Jian Jing said, "He participated in World War II and collected some war souvenirs, including medical kits from the former Soviet Union and poisons used by the German army for assassinations, including cyanide and strychnine. The poison needle is a used injection needle. Its special shape is used to match the metal syringes of the past."
Hollen asked pointedly, "Are there fingerprints on it? Otherwise, what else can it prove?"
"It proves that the murder weapon was made locally." Jian Jing said, "Let's recall the first day's dinner. What did Melanie wear? A beautiful evening dress."
Mary said, "I understand. The key lies in how the poison was administered."
"Yes, an evening gown has no pockets. How can you carry out a covert poisoning in public?" Jian Jing stared at Leo and asked, "You know, right?"
Everyone's eyes were fixed on looking over there.
Leo's face was incredibly stiff, as if it was a mask. Facing Jian Jing's question, he neither answered nor refuted.
This already explains the answer.
"It's a ring." Jian Jing announced the answer, "I remember it very clearly. It was a beautiful antique ring with a ruby inlaid on the ring face..."
Leo nodded slightly: "Poison ring."
This is a classic European ring shape that was popular in the 16th century. There is a secret compartment in the ring, which is usually used to store smelling salts, hair, spices and... poison.
"So, it's really that simple. Just open the secret compartment, shake it gently while drinking... and everything will be done." Jian Jing asked calmly, "Melanie, do you need to find the ring and test it for strychnine residue, or do you want to refute that you didn't know anything?"
“No need for that.” The beauty stood up slowly, a smile blooming on her charming face. “If you continue talking, it will only make me embarrassed, yes, Leo.”
Looking at Leo, he gently uttered the answer: "It's me."
"Oh, no." Hollen turned his face away, his face twitching, unable to bear to look any longer.
Leo looked at him sadly and whispered, "I don't understand."
"Leo, I don't like this kind of plot: after the truth is revealed, the author tells his story in tears to win the sympathy of the audience. Crude detective novels always like to do this, but what's the point?"
He looked down at the audience's faces and said slowly, "I decided very early on that I must live a life of superiority in the future. I hate old cheap houses, drunkards, drug addicts, and prostitutes as neighbors. I also hate my lecherous adoptive father and stupid adoptive mother. I hope they all go to hell.
"After much difficulty, I found a handsome and wealthy husband and was about to enjoy a comfortable life. But because of my bloodline, ha, my damn Hungarian bloodline, I have to lose everything? No, I will not allow myself to go back to that day.
"Leo, of course I love you, but compared to love, I want money more, a sum of money that can end my nightmare - most women like me know that men are unreliable, and money will never betray you, so it's a pity."
Melanie turned around and smiled, she pulled out the embroidered handbag from behind and held a small pistol in her hand.
"No, don't move." He stretched out his arm and pointed the gun barrel at Mary next to him, "Leo, for the sake of our marriage, I have to remind you to go see the lovely Margaret. It's too late, I don't know if you still have a chance to survive."
Leo stood up suddenly and staggered a few steps: "No, Mela, no..."
"Accept the situation like a man," Melanie said coldly, "Gentlemen, please leave, otherwise poor Mary will go to see God."
Mary clenched her fists. “Do you think you can get away?”
"That's what I need to do." Melanie held the gun steadily, and her tone was calm and ruthless. "Jane, go to the garage and drive a car for me. Don't play tricks. Look at Mary's face."
"You think too much." Jian Jing put down the cooled hot chocolate, "I think I'm just playing tricks."
He simply put down the silver spoon in his hand and threw it out quickly, powerfully and accurately.
Aim card.
The exquisite silver spoon hit Melanie's wrist exactly one inch or one centimeter away. In the severe pain, her body reacted faster than her brain and she suddenly loosened her grip.
The gun fell down.
Mary reacted quickly and kicked the gun away to prevent him from picking it up. Then she quickly stood up and dodged to a safe place.
Melanie clenched her red and swollen wrists, her beautiful eyes revealing deep surprise.
it's over
This one and a half seconds
"Failure and death happen in a split second." Jian Jing smiled, "Melanie."
There was silence for a moment, then he sighed softly and sat down on the chair.
Jian Jing said: "Let's go see Margaret. I hope she hasn't killed herself."