Chapter 323: Chapter 237: There is only one truth!_1
William had eyes only for justice, and playing the victim was futile against him. "Are you the only one suffering? What about the victim who lies unconscious, leaving behind a wife and children? Aren’t they in a worse position than you?"
"Speak the truth right now and turn state’s evidence, and I will report to Lord William and request a reduction in your sentence. Otherwise, prepare to leave—Hamlet has no place for the likes of you."
Left with nothing else to say, the man hurriedly told everything, daring not to conceal any more details.
"So, the victim had finished registering?"
"He was the quickest and had registered just before me."
"The egg wasn’t a bribe?"
"He bragged to us that his wife had prepared it for him for the road, and he kept it in his hand the entire time."
The man no longer dared to speak with certainty, only recounting what he had seen and heard at the time.
Nevertheless, his words were enough to confirm William’s suspicions, overturning the previous testimonies.
The matter was plain, so simple that it could be clarified in just a few sentences, yet under the foreman’s pressure, it had dragged on until now.
William, however, was not yet ready to clear the victim of suspicion; his investigation needed to proceed further.
Soon, the shopkeeper and the foreman arrived.
"I definitely remember—few people buy so many eggs at once, and every transaction is recorded in the books," the shopkeeper stated.
"He did tell me yesterday that he had registered," the foreman added.
"Then there is only one truth!" William stood and commanded, "Seize the foreman at once!"
With the confirmation from these two individuals, William understood the evidence chain was more robust, but he still needed one key piece—the list.
Yet just at that moment, a disturbance erupted outside.
Following that, a person burst into the sheriff’s station without William’s permission.
"What’s happened? Why is my man being detained?"
Upon entering, the man demanded an explanation in front of everyone, showing no regard for William as the sheriff.
William recognized him: he was the one in charge of the town’s construction project.
However, his attitude, and his appearance here at this particular time, seemed rather inappropriate...
"You’re unrelated to the case and need not know too much. A report will be posted on the notice board in the square afterward."
"My man’s been detained, seriously delaying the plans of Lord William. You must give me an explanation," the project manager stood his ground, not backing down at a single word.
"I will report to Lord William. You needn’t worry about these matters."
Although all clues pointed to the foreman, the case had not yet been conclusively determined. William was not ready to confirm anything, so he couldn’t reveal too much. A more detailed investigation was needed.
But William’s refusal only provoked the project manager.
"You’re detaining my man for no reason and disrupting the construction of Hamlet. If you arrest one today and another tomorrow, are we even supposed to work at all? If you don’t explain yourself today, you might as well arrest me too."
William frowned at the project manager. Everyone knew how important this project was to Lord William, and even he felt the pressure from such an accusation.
However, this was also an opportunity to explain the situation and have him find a replacement for the suspected foreman’s work.
"This morning, a serious assault occurred in the square..."
Listening to William, the project manager’s initial fiery demeanor cooled.
As evidence piled up before him, it seemed he realized that something was amiss and fell silent.
But to William’s surprise, the manager soon began pleading on behalf of the foreman.
"It was likely a clerical error during the registration. Though he bears some fault, the injured man ran into the hazard himself; it wasn’t the foreman who directly injured him. Just have him compensate the family a bit, and let’s consider the matter closed."
"No! We must investigate this to the end."
William refused without hesitation. He had explained the situation hoping the project manager would relieve the foreman of his duties. This would allow the investigation to proceed without disrupting construction, rather than letting the matter drop.
His firm stance irritated the project manager. "Look," he said, "the development of the western wilderness is a long-scheduled project. We can’t just pull people from other sites; it would disrupt all other ongoing work. Are we really going to halt the entire project for one person?"
"That is not my concern. My duty is to uncover the truth and ensure any criminal receives the punishment they deserve. If he’s found to be innocent, he will be released once the investigation is complete." William was immune to these threats.
Concerned that the project manager might interfere with the investigation, William personally went to secure the suspect, not wanting to waste any more time. He knew that the longer he delayed, the fainter the criminal’s trail would become.
Outside, the sun had risen, and its rays fell upon William, making the badge on his chest glitter brilliantly.
"It’s your turn. Come in."
The foreman looked up, instinctively raising a hand to shield his eyes from the blinding light. He lowered his head, avoiding the glare. It took him a moment to register what was happening, but his earlier bravado had vanished, replaced by a palpable unease.
When he saw the project manager emerge with William, his face stern, the foreman sensed something was terribly wrong, and his apprehension grew.
But William didn’t give him time to resist and simply gestured with his hand.
"Bring him in!"
Two sheriffs restrained the foreman and dragged him inside the station.
"Save me, sir! These outsiders are framing me! I didn’t do it!" the foreman bellowed to the project manager.