"Here we are, Layton."
Grosky unlocked the door and the professor stepped into the Archive of Notorious Criminals and Cases. This particular room was joining the regular archive and was quite a bit smaller than it too, the professor having previously mistook it for a broom cupboard.
"Not to make light of any of these situations, Layton, but you're lucky there are so few. It shouldn't take you very long to find what you're looking for. I'll let you to it. I need to be in Chelmey's strategy meeting anyway. Perhaps I'll see you there." Grosky stood up straight. "Scotland Yard's finest will do everything in their power to see to it that your boy is safely returned home. Good luck, Layton. For the Yard!" and with that, he tore off.
The professor turned to the nearest pile and sifted through it. He shook his head, muttering to himself. That pile contained all documented atrocities of Targent. He moved on to the next. This pile contained Clive's file, along with Descole's, Don Paolo's and Oswald Whistler's files. No sign of Andrea or Aleks. He turned to the next pile. Mass murder cases, suicide bombings and a number of peculiar cases involving a whoopee-cushion and a megaphone later, he reached the last pile.
The top file read 'Andrea McIntyre; Midleton, , Ireland, 2013.' The professor opened it and read.
"Assisted J. Vaughan a.k.a. A. Chovanek with the terrorising of the town of Midleton, the theft of import and archaeological artefacts from Professor Hershel Layton, Professor Desmond Sycamore and Mr. Leon Bronev, and threatening national and international security with the grounds of rebirth. Sentenced to twelve years imprisonment. UPDATE:- released on the grounds of evidence missing from trial. Diagnosed with a severe obsessive disorder and depression.
Current address:- McNamara's Farm, Co. Hampshire.
Bail paid: by relative - Adrian McIntyre - father."
The professor turned to the next page, titled 'personal information'.
NAME: ANDREA MCINTYRE
AGE:
NATIONALITY:
PPSN:
EDUCATION: ?
CALTHORP PARK SCHOOL, HAMPSHIRE
GRESSENHELLER UNIVERSITY
FAMILY: ADRIAN MCINTYRE (FATHER)
? (MOTHER)
? (SIBLINGS)
The professor frowned. The majority of Andrea's personal information was missing. And, considering how these were supposed to be the most detailed criminal files in Britain, the professor found this more than a little suspicious.
The professor picked up the next file he was looking for; Johnathon Vaughan/Aleksander Chovanek, Midleton, , Ireland, 2013. He read.
"'Murder' of Sinéad O'Donovan,
Kidnapping of Emmeline Bronev, Luke Triton, Flora Reinhold,
Theft of archaeological artefacts from Professor Hershel Layton, Professor Desmond Sycamore and Mr. Leon Bronev,
Assault of Jai of Birth and Rebirth, theft of the artefact of rebirth,
Creating a threat to national and international security by use of the grounds of rebirth.
Sentenced to life of imprisonment.'
The professor turned to the next page.
NAME: ALEKSANDER CHOVANEK
AGE: 56 YEARS BORN 22 JULY 1958
NATIONALITY: CZECHOSLOVAKIAN (CZECH REPUBLIC)
PPSN: 13841259 K
EDUCATION: RUDOLFA II ZÁKLADNÍ ŠKOLA, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
KAREL IV ST힀EDN횒ŠKOLA, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
FAMILY: GUNTHER CHOVANEK (FATHER)
ANNA-MARIA CHOVANEK (nee BRZOZOWSKI) (MOTHER)
RAPHAEL CHOVANEK (BROTHER)
PALOMA CHOVANEK (nee ALTAVA) (WIFE)
EMMELINE ALTAVA CHOVANEK (adopted BRONEV) (DAUGHTER)
DANIEL ALTAVA CHOVANEK (SON)
The professor frowned at this. "The name 'Andrea McIntyre' must be an alias..." he muttered to himself. "She must have changed her name, erased her old life... But why?"
The professor read on, turning the page.
"Targent atrocities in relation to Aleksander Chovanek, leader.
Kidnapping of Leon and Rachel Bronev.
Murder of Rachel Bronev.
Murder of Paloma and Daniel Chovanek (corr. See Bronev file),
Kidnapping of:
James Macintosh,
Ryan Myles,
Serenya Kennedy,
..."
The kidnapping list went on for another six pages. The professor shook his head, disgusted, as he flipped through the pages until he found something he didn't know about.
"Record of sexual abuse of girls aged between twelve and fifteen between the years 1983 and 1991."
"Sexual abuse..." the professor muttered.
"Chantelle Krauze,
Agata Corvelle,
Moira Moriarty,
Geraldine Lowe,
Romilda Lyons,
Marcel du Pontavice.
Accomplice; Dr. Darnel Aleksa. Sentenced to three years imprisonment."
The professor closed the file. He was shocked. He thought he knew of all of Aleks' crimes, but he never thought the man was actually capable of that sort of abuse. The professor stopped and thought. "Between the years 1983 and 1991... But that could possibly mean... Emmy was born in '91..." The professor took out his notebook and listed the names on that list, then put the file away. He then made his way to the general archive and searched thoroughly until he found the file he was searching for:
"Emmeline Bronev" read the heading.
"Fourteen years of age.
Female.
Date of birth: 23rd September 1991.
Arrested for: petty theft on the streets of London.
Name of victim: Robert Manning.
Alibi forwarded.
Cleared of all charges."
This confirmed Emmy's date of birth. The professor nodded.
He suddenly heard the door open behind him. "Grosky," the professor thought.
"I think I've got something," the professor said. "I've found something strange on Chovanek and Emmy too."
"Like what?" a cold female voice asked.
The professor froze. It wasn't Grosky with whom he was speaking.
It was Emmy.
The professor turned around to face his fuming wife. "Emmy, I-"
"You truly are determined to make out like this is all my fault, aren't you?" she snarled.
"No, Emmy, but I know for certain that this concerns you in a bigger way than I thought."
"So you're convinced that I'm 'keeping something from you?" she snapped.
"Well, I don't know," the professor asked coldly. "Are you?"
Emmy shot him a disgusted look. "Listen, Hershel. If you want to go rifling through my files, or accusing me of god knows what, or drinking tea or solving puzzles or whatever you really want to do, then that's fine. But I'm going out there and looking for our son. Whether or not you help me is up to you. But don't you dare go accusing me of keeping things from me when you're the one going behind my back, because I've had enough." She turned on her heel and stormed off.
The professor stared miserably after her. He really thought she was keeping yet more secrets, but he had to admit that there was a chance that she was oblivious to whatever Andrea held against her. He just wasn't sure anymore.
He had to clarify this. He had to prove Emmy's innocence - or her guilt - to himself. He knew what he had to do.
He had to go to Prague.