The Shadow of Great Britain

612: Chapter 306: Three Files_2 612: Chapter 306: Three Files_2 Arthur shook his head as he read, “Not this kind of story again.

Perhaps I’ve seen too much; it’s starting to make me numb.”

Field lit his pipe and sat down next to Arthur, “Chief, to be honest, I feel the same.

I must admit, you were right when you said, ‘Work at Scotland Yard long enough, and your heart hardens.’ You were spot on.”

Arthur closed the first file and began, “Let’s set aside the unfortunate plight of the Kowalczyks and discuss the case.

If it’s true what the parishioners say, that Mrs.

Kowalczyk maintained a high standard of living through some special channels, then perhaps we also need to employ means from certain special channels.”

“You mean Miss Yvonne?” Field asked.

“Exactly,” Arthur replied, accepting a light from Field, “Send someone to London, tell our ‘Underground Queen’ it’s time for her to start working her lazy ass off.

I’ve had my eye opened; we can’t just let this slide.”

Field took out a small notebook and began noting, “We need Miss Yvonne to look into whether there’s a Polish lady named Agnieszka among the new prostitutes after the end of October.

Besides that, could she possibly find out her current whereabouts?”

Upon hearing this, Arthur asked, “Find out her whereabouts?

Does that mean this lady is missing?”

“Correct, shortly after Kowalczyk’s disappearance, this lady also vanished,” Field confirmed with a nod.

Arthur frowned, “What about the remaining two children then?”

Field put his pen back in his pocket, “The usual outcome—they’re in the poorhouse.”

Tapping his finger on the table, Arthur inquired, “Has someone confirmed this, or is this just what the detectives heard from the parish priest?”

“This…” Field also realized something was off, “I’ll send someone to London to confirm it right away.”

Arthur nodded slightly and then flipped open the next file.

[File number 1831-12-A2]

Name: Nikola Daboski

Age: 20-30 years

Religion: Catholicism

Marital status: Single

[Information Summary]

According to the parish priest’s statement:

Daboski moved into the area at the end of September this year, sharing a poorly lit one-bedroom apartment with another gunman.

He claimed to be an educated alumnus of the University of Warsaw and an actual participant in last year’s Warsaw rebellion, having served as an ordinary soldier among the Rebels in the fight against the Tsarist Russian army by the Vistula River.

Of all his experiences, Daboski most enjoyed boasting about how he had personally slain two Tsarist infantrymen.

However, given his history of alcohol abuse and tendency to exaggerate, the parish priest was highly skeptical about the veracity of his stories.

Furthermore, the parish priest considered him a local troublemaker.

Although Daboski had only moved into the parish a few months ago, he had already had a brief stint in jail due to a drunken brawl.

According to local residents:

Residents’ impressions of Daboski were greatly polarized.

Some considered the Pole, who knew only a few simple English words, to be a helpful, generous neighborhood resident, who, despite being tight on money himself, often treated everyone to a drink at the tavern and shared his food with others more in need.

Others vehemently complained about Daboski’s uncivil behavior when drunk, which included but was not limited to severe exhibitionism, violent acts, and embarrassingly coarse language.

This was particularly upsetting for the ladies, who complained that 90% of Daboski’s already limited English vocabulary consisted of words one should not shout in public.

Putting aside the contradictory views of the residents, Daboski apparently fared much better locally than another prisoner.

Soon after his arrival, he was introduced by new friends to dock work, where he labored with such resilience that it compared to even the most downtrodden Irish immigrants.

His strong physique was to the liking of the dockworkers, but his fiery temper and unchecked speech attracted the attention of the Short Dagger Gang, which roamed the West India docks.

One day, after work, Daboski was confronted by members of the gang.

In front of dozens of people, he used a nail to blind a key member of the Short Dagger Gang in the right eye, then disappeared from the public eye.

Following the incident, members of the Short Dagger Gang went to Scotland Yard to file a report, and the Criminal Investigation Department subsequently issued a warrant for Daboski…

Seeing this, Arthur took a slow drag from his pipe and exhaled a smoke ring, “These scoundrels are rather law-savvy, aren’t they?

To think they knew to report to the authorities.”

Chewing on his pipe, Field responded, “That’s how spineless the Short Dagger Gang is.

If Fred were still around, these worthless groups would’ve been blown out of the East End a long time ago.

It’s because Fred is gone, and Police Superintendent Jones, along with the former Police Superintendent Klein, have been keeping the pressure on Tower Hamlets’ various factions to not go too far, that these little bastards who wouldn’t dare use their knives have been scratching out a living at the edge of the West India docks.

Yet even that meager meal isn’t going well for them—how could they not drown themselves in the Thames after an outsider blinded one of them in an eye?”

Arthur shook his head and let his gaze drift down further.

It was not until two weeks after Daboski went missing that he reappeared on the streets of London.

According to an account from Mr.

Smith, a local resident who got on quite well with Daboski, he was heading home from work when he spotted Daboski emerging from a legal brothel.

Daboski was now garbed in extravagant clothes, a girl under each arm, and with a triumphant smile plastered across his face.