Professor Layton perceived a psychelock when the police chief stated the following sentence: "Besides, there hasn't been a single death in town for a couple of months now." If the concept behind psychelocks is accurate, then they should only appear when someone is directly lying. There was only one way for the professor to find out...

Since he had no evidence or any provable reason to suspect that the police chief was lying to him, the professor tried a method that was unorthodox for an English gentleman, "Chief, please tell me the truth."

The elderly chief actually seemed somewhat amused, "So, I'm lying now? Here I thought today would be as much of a bore as any other..."

And here goes the professor's 'method', "Perhaps you are already aware, chief, that there was a peculiar figure with a top hat climbing up the various buildings in town last night."

The police chief recalled reports of something like that last night, "How did you know..? Hold on, you mean to tell me... that was you?"

The professor admitted to this as if he was actually guilty of something, "Yes."

The chief looked like she had heard the most absurd thing in her life, "And you just came waltzing in here to tell me personally? I don't know whether you're fearless or just brainless, but my officers assumed that there was another thief in town. If that's true, then the famous Professor Layton has got to be the worst thief in history! Nobody reported any thefts at all, just you climbing buildings..."

The professor was careful not to let himself be accused of theft, "Let me assure you, chief, that I had no intention of thievery. I was called to solve a mystery about a malicious spirit haunting the heir to the Auric throne. I was told by several sources that the hauntings may have started merely a couple of weeks ago, so I was under the assumption that there had been a recent death and that it may have possibly been covered up, but I do not know all the details. I realized that this theory is not the sort of thing a local stranger would simply tell me about, so I was forced to eavesdrop on some of their conversations to get answers. In addition, I would seem even more suspicious if I were to simply stand outside of each house in plain sight. Yes, now you understand now... I am here to solve this mystery and as any proper gentleman, I chose to do so in the manner that was as most efficient as possible. Baron Auric was never known to be a patient man."

The police chief paused for a moment to memorize the professor's entire 'explanation' before busting out laughing, "Behehahahahaha!"

The professor knew he would sound completely foolish, but he needed information, "Laugh at me if you must, chief, but my point still stands. The locals have discussed a recent death amongst themselves and that is why I have now come to you for information. If there is anything you can tell me at all, I am certain that it could be used to help the Auric family very much."

The police chief shook her head like none of it really mattered, "The people don't really know how to keep a low profile..."

The police chief's statement had confirmed the professor's 'spur of the moment' theory, "Then, it is the truth?"

The police chief didn't even seem like she cared that much, "Well, if it will help the Aurics... Yes, it's true. A convicted felon had received his death sentence exactly a couple of weeks ago just like the locals talked about."

Once the police chief admitted this, the psychelock that the professor perceived earlier had broken apart.

The professor didn't understand why the police chief would even hide something like that, "Chief, forgive me if I am crossing a line here, but why didn't you simply tell me the truth in the beginning?"

The police chief took the whole thing in stride, "To be honest, I was only doing what the Auric heir told me and the rest of the police to do. It wasn't anything personal!"

The professor clearly wasn't expecting that, "Hold on... Cattleya wanted this covered up?"

The police chief nodded, "Mhmm... The death sentence that she wanted covered up was of a man named Stanley Hertz. At first, I didn't understand what the point was of a cover-up either, but it turned out that the Auric heir was the victim of this Hertz fella in a kidnapping."

The professor found it odd that someone could sentenced to death over a mere kidnapping, "This Stanley was sentenced to death for it. Doesn't that sort of punishment seem a tad harsh even if it was Cattleya that was kidnapped? Perhaps that was why the death sentence was covered up..."

The police chief was reluctant to speak any further about it, "Well..."

After that, the professor perceived three more psychelocks over the police chief now, "Oh my word..."

"So much for 'It wasn't anything personal!'."

The professor figured since he came this far that he could squeeze more information out of the police chief, "Chief, is there something else you aren't telling me? Was it more than a mere kidnapping?"

The police chief refused to cooperate any further, "Uh-uh... Sorry, Professor Layton. I can't tell you any more even if it will be used to help the Aurics out. Let's just say that there are some things that won't heal in time. Justice has already been served anyway and there's just no point in bringing up painful memories now."

The professor figured that three psychelocks would be harder to break than one with simple coercion anyway, "That is all you can tell me then?"

The police chief seemed sincerely remorseful about it, "I'm sorry, but this sort of information is what caused the Aurics so much misery in the past and I just don't want to cause more harm than good, that's all. Oh, and do me a favor. Don't tell anyone that I told you about this? You'll be a gentleman, right?"

The professor knew that she was just appealing to him now, but he didn't mind, "I may need to use this information in several conversations, but let me assure you that I will not bring you or the police up if I do."

The police chief seemed grateful enough, "Thank you. Let me tell you that there just aren't many gentlemen like the glory days. Kids these days... Ehehehehe..."

The professor didn't like being reminded of his recent premature aging, but the police chief wouldn't have known anything about that, "Uh... Ahem! Well then, I suppose we should be goi..."

Before the professor finished, the police chief started ranting about something that had nothing to do with the mystery, "It's really quite sad. People like us are getting so old... We're a dying breed, Hershel Layton."

The professor wondered why she called him 'Hershel' just now, "Chief, did you just..?"

The police chief interrupted again, "Please, call me Margaret."

The professor didn't understand what was going on, "Margaret? One moment... Why must I..?"

The police chief had now started to rant about old age, "I know that this is all so fast, but I'm so old and lonely. We don't have much time left!"

The professor didn't understand what the police chief's real intentions were, "This does not have anything to do with the mystery..."

"Hershel... The police chief is flirting with you."

Between watching the police chief flash her eyebrows repeatedly and the other soul within him speaking to him, the professor finally understood what the police chief was doing, "Oh no... Good heavens, NO!"

The professor immediately jumped out of the chair and bolted out of the building with Luke's arm in one hand and Flora's arm in another, "Ohgoodnesslookatthetimeweshouldreallybeleavingnow therearepuzzlestosolveandtheydonotsolvethemselvesi twasverynicemeetingwithyoubutweshouldreallybeleavi ngnowIsaidthatalreadygoodday!"

The professor was practically fleeing for his life with Luke and Flora behind him. Travis stared at the chief for a moment and wordlessly shook his head before following the rest of the group...

After everyone left, the professor shivered at the thought of what had nearly happened, "If only I could have anticipated how frightening a simple investigation could have ended..."

Flora tried to think of the situation a bit more positively, "The police chief was quite strange, but we have learned some new pieces of information. According to the police chief, Cattleya was once kidnapped by a 'Stanley Hertz' some time ago and he was sentenced to death for it about a couple of weeks ago. She also told us that Cattleya wanted the death sentencing covered up from the public's eyes."

Luke didn't understand how the professor got the police chief to tell them that information so easily, "Professah? You told me that you were only outside finding hidden puzzles all night while we were sleeping. Why didn't you tell us about the rumors earlier?"

The professor was holding back the urge to chuckle, "Quite simple, my boy. It is because there were no rumors being spread that night."

Luke wasn't used to the professor blatantly lying to anyone, "Then, that means... Professah? Were you bluffing back there?"

The professor explained why he bluffed earlier, "The police chief was not going to give us information freely, so I needed to 'convince' her into telling us."

Luke thought about it for a moment, "Convince her..? I saw your eyes glow faintly right when she said that there wasn't a single death in town. Professah? Did you... see her lies?"

The professor was impressed how quickly Luke figured that out, "You have caught on quickly, my boy. I suppose that I should not be that surprised as you have grown into quite the capable investigator yourself over the years."

Luke was practically gushing over the professor's praise, "Aw... It was nothing, professah... You have always been able to solve puzzles and mysteries before, but now... What you did back there... was actually quite frightening! If you can see lies like that, then that means that nobody can hide anything from you!"

The professor was clearly amused by Luke, "That frightens you?"

Luke wasn't trying to suggest that the professor was doing anything wrong, "Don't get me wrong, professah! What you did back there was amazing, but it's also a bit frightening. I didn't say anything before, but after what happened to us six months ago. It's like you've changed a little bit inside. Just a little bit..."

"Well, I have to hand it to him, Hershel... Even if your body falls apart and you can't go on, you'll still have a worthy successor!"

Travis interrupted the rest of the group with his signature snarking, "Yea, sure... You were cool at first, and then the chief started hitting on you.", Travis started imitating the police chief's voice, "Hershel... I want you and I will not be denied! Wrrrraaaaaaahh!"

The professor was once again disturbed by that, "The chief is hiding more information from us... It pains me to know that I will have to see her again."

The professor shivered at the thought...

Hopefully, I should be able to explain more of Stanley Hertz's backstory in the next chapter. As always, feel free to review!