"What are you doing just standing there, blocking the way?" Charles said who was just right behind his older brother.
He stopped talking the moment he saw the corpse on the bed. But unlike Edward's reaction, he quickly rushed forward. "Father!"
Luo Yan heard horror in his voice. Now this was the reaction a son would have when he saw his father in this kind of burned state. But before the other could reach the bed, he quickly stopped him.
"What the devil, man? Let go of me!" Charles shouted at him, the rim of his eyes was red. From anger or sadness, he didn't know. Maybe it was both.
"You can't go near him. You might destroy important evidence."
"Evidence?" the other muttered, as if only realizing the severity of the situation.
It was then that the rest of the people finally arrived at the room.
There was a horrified scream. Luo Yan turned towards the door and saw Catherine screaming before falling back and fainting. Her husband quickly caught her.
Luo Yan raised his brow upon seeing the reaction of George. He thought this man was a someone who was only wearing a gentle mask but was completely violent without it. It could explain the timidity of his wife and daughter. But lo and behold, it seemed that he truly cared for his wife.
"That… that… is that G-grandfather?"
"Daphne, for god's sake, help me with your mother!" George shouted at the girl who was staring wide-eyed at the corpse on the bed.
"Y-yes. Sorry, Father," Daphne said.
"No, let me," the solicitor, Arthur Wells, said.
The older man helped George carry Catherine to a couch inside the room.
Harry, who arrived later together with the doctor, stopped on his tracks the moment he saw the corpse. Then, he bent over to the side and vomited. In this manner, the young lady Daphne had stronger nerves than her cousin.
"Doctor, come quickly and check if this is Mr. Harcourt," Luo Yan called, gesturing towards the corpse on the bed.
Peter Baker appeared to be dazed after hearing what Luo Yan had said. "M-me? Me?"
Edward, who seemed to return to his senses, said, "Who else? You're the only doctor here! Go and check if that… that corpse is my father!"
"Oh, right. Yes," Peter said, walking forward.
Luo Yan observed the doctor. His knees were shaking and there was also a look of fear and disgust in his eyes as he was looking at the corpse. This was not the reaction a doctor should have. Even if Peter Baker was not a surgeon, surely, as a medical student, he had seen his share of dead bodies, right?
So, what's with this reaction? It's almost was the first time the other had seen a corpse. He narrowed his eyes, observing the doctor's every movement.
Peter crouched down beside the bed and examined the corpse's legs. Although his hands were shaking as he did so, his movements were not just perfunctory. It seemed that he was indeed examining the corpse as a doctor should.
Luo Yan's suspicion on the doctor decreased a bit. But when he heard the result of the other's examination, his suspicion returned again.
"It's Mr. Harcourt," Peter announced.
Luo Yan frowned. Was this corpse really William Harcourt? Somehow, a part of him found that hard to believe.
He was waiting for his detective talent to make a 'ding' sound inside his mind, telling him that he found the doctor's findings to be suspicious, but nothing. So, it was either Peter Baker was correct and this was indeed William or his conviction about this matter was not so solid as he thought it was.
For the couple of times that he heard that notification, he was pretty sure of his guesses. He's not second guessing like he was doing now. So, it's pretty easy to conclude what the condition was to trigger the detective talent. He first had to have a suspicion, then, he had to be convinced of that suspicion himself.
Due to the fact that he was not certain himself whether this corpse was William or not, he could also not be certain whether the doctor was lying or not. For that, he needed more evidence.
After Peter Baker's confirmation, there was a commotion in the room. Or more accurately, violent reactions from Edward and Charles. This update is available on novel★fire.net
"Are you sure it's really Father?" Edward asked, his eyes were almost bulging because of excitement. Not the happy and couldn't wait excitement but the kind that seemed to have been agitated. "Check it again! Check it again right now!"
Peter stepped back, probably wanting to avoid Edward just in case the other tried to attack him. "I'm very sure of my diagnosis. I've been Mr. Harcourt's doctor for five years now. I couldn't be more familiar with the state of his legs. Even if this body is burned beyond recognition, I could still tell that the state of its legs was the same as that of Mr. Harcourt."
For a moment, this man really sounded like a doctor. But Luo Yan was still not fully convinced.
Charles collapsed on the floor upon hearing what Peter Baker said. "Father… Father is really dead."
It was then that Luo Yan saw the butler, Gilmore, entering the room. But when he saw the corpse on the bed, his steps faltered. Luo Yan saw how the young man's face was on the verge of collapse. As if he would fall over at any minute and faint. His expression was full of grief and sadness. It's not something that could be easily faked. It could be seen just by this that the young butler indeed care for his master.
Luo Yan walked towards the other. And as he did, he managed to hear Gilmore say in a very soft whisper;