"So, you are saying Robin bought a custom made coffin from your father?"
Daniel asked, glancing back at Mikhail who walked beside him on the streets.
Mikhail nodded his head. "I saw it in his data."
Daniel didn't reply, his steps unhurried and calm. "…That's a weird coincidence." He mumbled. "Don't you think?"
Mikhail nodded his head, unable to give an answer.
They walked on the streets silently, heading towards Mikhail's father's shop that was on the 18th street.
Daniel's office was on the 36th street and it would have taken 60 Telen per person for the ride on a carriage to the shop.
But Daniel preferred to walk, taking in the small details of the city.
"Where is your mutated cat?" Daniel asked softly.
"I left him at home." He replied. "My niece Olivia is fond of him."
"Isn't that dangerous?" Daniel asked, frowning. "You can't trust a beast around a child."
Mikhail smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Methew is much smarter than he looks."
Daniel had questions but he just nodded, accepting his answer.
After a few minutes of walking, they finally reached Eric's workshop.
It was more like a warehouse with one big building working as both the showroom and workshop.
A chimney was placed at the side that kept on releasing smoke into the air.
Daniel opened the door and walked inside, and at the reception Ronic sat doing paperwork.
The man with the receding hairline stood up in surprise when he saw them. "Mikhail?"
Mikhail waved at him with a smile. "Would you mind calling father?" He asked. "We need to talk about something."
He frowned and looked at Daniel who took off his hat. Ronic recognised him.
"Give me a second." He said, walking inside the workshop.
Mikhail looked around the showroom that had multiple beautiful items on display.
It had everything from small carved knives to long broadswords with engravings.
'The engravings must have been done by an Awakened One.'
Mikhail thought, keeping his eyes on a beautiful sword.
The door of the workshop opened and a man with a bald head walked outside wearing a leather apron over his old clothes.
Eric looked at Mikhail and then at Daniel who stepped forward with a smile.
"Daniel Smith." He said, offering a handshake. "I am a private detective."
"Who doesn't know about you." Eric said, grabbing his hand. "I hope my son isn't a bother."
"Not at all." Daniel replied. "On the contrary, he is smart enough to help me."
Eric let out a soft chuckle and leaned on the reception desk. "How can I help you?"
Mikhail quickly took the picture from the files and passed it to Daniel.
He showed the picture to Eric. "Do you remember this man?"
Eric took the picture, took a good look and nodded his head. "Yes, he was one of my customers."
Daniel nodded his head. "I believe he asked you to make a custom coffin?"
"….Yes." Eric replied, glancing at Mikhail. "That was his request. Wait, did something happen to him?"
"He is missing." Daniel replied. "When did you deliver him the coffin?"
"A week ago?" He responded, rubbing his chin. "But it wasn't delivered, he came to take it from me."
Daniel raised his brow. "A coffin, alone?"
"Yes." He replied. "He brought a hand carriage with him."
Daniel nodded his head, took out his notebook and wrote it down.
"Anything else?"
"He also asked me to never mention the coffin." Eric replied deeply. "I meant to keep my promise."
He glanced at Mikhail as if asking him to explain himself.
"I saw his name in the list of your customers." Mikhail replied, bowing slightly. "I am sorry, father."
Eric only had to show the purchased items, not the names in the tax files.
So it was completely Mikhail's fault that he got involved.
"…It's fine." He replied, looking at Daniel. "There is one more thing."
"That is?"
"He had gone really skinny and his eyes were always bloodshot. It was like he was losing his mental health."
'That did match with the nightmares Vina talked about.'
Daniel asked a few more questions before he put his notebook back.
"Thanks for your time, sir."
"Worry not." Eric replied with a smile. "I hope you find him soon."
Daniel nodded and walked out of the building.
Mikhail stayed. He looked at his father who was covered in black dust with burned marks on his hands.
He let out a sigh and gave his father a gentle hug. "Thanks for your hard work, Dad."
Eric let out a laugh, patting his back. "It's my duty to provide for you guys."
Mikhail took a step back. "I will be going then."
"Good luck." He replied. "I need to return otherwise Ronic will mess up the forge."
He walked inside the workshop while Mikhail walked out.
Daniel looked at him and said. "Let's talk with the border patrol."
---
The border patrol gave the same answer they had given to Vina.
They were adamant on the fact that Robin had never gotten outside of the city.
It was already past four when the duo stopped their investigation and sat down for some food.
Daniel kept on rubbing his chin as he checked all the information he had collected that day.
Mikhail on the other hand was eating his pasta as he was hungry.
"This doesn't make any sense." Daniel mumbled. "Why would he just take all the items from the home and even bring a coffin with him?"
"Do you think he was just mentally ill?" Mikhail asked.
"No." Daniel shook his head. "He was having nightmares sure, but running away wouldn't have solved that."
"What if he killed someone and buried them in the coffin?"
"He would have just dumped the body without a coffin." He replied. "Buying a coffin for that is unrealistic."
Mikhail nodded his head. "And the coffin must be quite heavy as it was custom made."
"A heavy coffin…." Daniel mumbled. "Why a coffin in the first place."
"What if he hasn't killed anyone yet and is just hiding." Mikhail said after some thought. "What if he is planning to kill his family?"
Daniel thought for a moment and nodded his head slightly.
"That could be a possibility." He mumbled. "I will send Matt to collect information on his family's past."
"We should also look into the graveyard." Mikhail suggested. "In case there is a new unknown grave."
Daniel nodded his head and stood up. "You are dismissed for today." He said. "We will continue tomorrow."
Mikhail nodded his head. "Yes, sir."
Daniel walked away, leaving behind Mikhail with his own thoughts.