Chapter 69: A Storm in the City

Chapter 69 A City Full of Rain
It had been raining all night in London, and Arthur had been busy at the police station almost all night.

The door of the police station had to be pushed open every few moments, and although the people coming in and out were all police officers wearing the same uniform, those who knew what they were doing could tell that they belonged to different police districts by the police numbers on their shoulder patches and collars.

From XH in Hillingdon in the westernmost part of the Greater London area to KD in Hevering in the easternmost part, from YE in Enfield in the northernmost part, to ZD and PY in Croydon and Bromley in the southernmost part.

Almost overnight, Greenwich Police Station seemed to become the center of the whole of Scotland Yard.

“Sir, the hospitals in the entire Greater London area have basically been exhausted, and the results …… don’t seem too optimistic ……”

“The dissected bodies in hospitals of unexplained origin exceeded our original basic prediction ……”

“Several superintendents are currently leading the interrogation department to expedite interrogations, and from the information we have so far, most of these bodies are not related to the disappearance.”

“The police superintendents’ initial judgment is that most of these bodies should have been stolen from the cemetery by professional grave diggers.”

“According to our understanding, these grave diggers should have multiple stable contact channels.

They would learn in advance that a body is going to be buried and then wait early near the cemetery.

When the relatives of the deceased leave, they immediately pry open the grave and steal the body to sell to the hospital.”

“A few superintendents have asked for instructions on whether or not to put the gravedigger case on hold for now, as the number we’ve caught so far is indeed a bit high. If we interrogate them one by one, it might delay the progress of the murder case ……”

Hearing this, Arthur spoke, “Release? How to release? The difference between grave diggers and body snatchers is very blurry, who knows whether their bodies were stolen or obtained by murder?

Ten years ago, there were only eight anatomy schools in England, and now that number has doubled.

Even back then, just after the Napoleonic Wars, when the Blood Code was enforced most harshly, the demand for legal anatomical corpses exceeded the supply.

There’s no reason why these guys are still in the plain old gravedigging business now that the demand has become greater and the legal sources of corpses have diminished.

You go back and pass the word to me to isolate and interrogate all of these people separately, and tell that group of corpse diggers and anatomical doctors not to think that they won’t get into trouble if they keep their mouths shut and don’t give up any evidence.

If they can contribute useful information, then the Ministry of the Interior and Scotland Yard can still be lenient from a legal point of view and spare their lives.

If they don’t give an account, then we can also put them out.

But they’d better not forget how the public in Great Britain really views the matter of stolen bodies and dissections, not to mention the fact that there’s a murder case involved!

In 1795, in the case of the Lambeth burglary, the public were so inspired by the discovery of empty coffins in the graveyard that they nearly beat the gravediggers to death on the spot. It was only when the authorities stepped in that their lives were saved.

In 1801, when Londoners burned down the houses of those same people, it was only because the authorities stepped in that it didn’t lead to large-scale violence.

And it’s not just England, the Scottish police force has been deployed at least four times in the last dozen years to prevent angry members of the public from storming Glasgow University.

The reason for this is something I’m sure those doctors know all too well. If we hadn’t stepped in to hold them back, they would probably have been burned at the stake by the public!
The public of Great Britain, as well as the clergy and archbishops of the various dioceses, have been watching them for a long time!

Tell them that if Scotland Yard can find the perpetrators of the missing murders this time, then according to the ‘Grave Stealing Ordinance’ passed in 1828, it will only be the doctor who will get ‘unlawful possession of a corpse’ and the gravedigger who will get a ‘Grave Stealing’. ‘grave-digging and corpse-stealing’ offense.

Both of these charges can be released after paying a fine.

However, if they don’t give a clear account of the source of the corpse and the channels through which they acquired it.

Then, although Scotland Yard cannot legally punish them.

But I guarantee that those who don’t cooperate with the investigation will appear on the front pages of various major and minor newspapers.

At that time, if any righteous London citizens run to burn their houses, beat up their people, and dig up their ancestral graves, don’t blame Scotland Yard for failing to protect the safety of their lives and property!”

The small policeman standing in front of Arthur heard this and a false sweat broke out on his forehead, “But …… sir …… can we say such things? Don’t we have to ensure their dignity and honor?”

Tony, who was seated on the side and had a blackened face, looked the little cop up and down and asked, “Little old man, are you new here?” The little cop nervously stood at attention and saluted, “Reporting! Just joined a month ago.”

Tony asked, “So have you read the new revised regulations issued by Scotland Yard?”

The little cop nodded, “Read it.”

Tony asked again, “So let me ask you, what is the third Arthur Hastings principle in the revised regulations?”

The little cop recalled, then recited aloud, “Arthur Hastings Principle #3, if the law-abiding public voluntarily cooperates with the police, the police must ensure and maintain the honor and dignity of the public!”

“What is the fourth article of the Arthur Hastings Principles?”

“Number four, the degree to which the police have the cooperation of the public is inversely proportional to the amount of force and coercion that needs to be used in order to accomplish the police’s goals!”

“Are these people obeying the law?”

“Report! No!”

“Did they cooperate with the investigation!”

“Report! Neither!”

Tony rose to his feet and clapped his hands and growled, “Then what dignity and honor are you assuring him of? A crime is a crime, and we’ve done them the honor of not directly exercising violent means against them!”

The little cop was sweating, “Yes, sir!”

Arthur looked at him like this and raised his hand, “Tony, come on. Don’t take your temper out on others, it has nothing to do with him.”

Tony also noticed his outburst and he rubbed his face.

Arthur wasn’t the only one who had had a busy night, he had likewise.

He patted the young officer on the shoulder and apologized, “Sorry about that, actually …… actually maybe you’re right.

I was thinking the same as you when I first came in, but after working in this place for a long time I realized that sometimes the right way doesn’t work, and the way that does work, it might not be right.

Whew …… what am I talking about …… I’m not the councilman who makes the laws or the judge who decides the trial, I …… I’m just a cop.”

When Tom heard this, it was a little hard on his heart as well, and he comforted Tony by saying, “Don’t worry, Tony. With Arthur here, the case will definitely have a good outcome. You and Arthur have been busy all night, why don’t you go inside and lie down for a while first? I’ll keep an eye on things here, and I’ll call you guys if anything goes wrong.”

Tony nodded grimly, “Maybe …… maybe it’s time for me to get some sleep, the dream world might make me feel better.”

Arthur looked at his distant figure, but instead of following Tony, he spoke at the young officer.

“Are you going back to Scotland Yard? I’m going to a meeting later, so why don’t I just drop you off on the way, the public carriage is the same price for one person as it is for two anyway.”

Tom was surprised, “Arthur, you’re still up, aren’t you?”

Arthur shook his head, “I can’t sleep.”

After saying this, he pulled the fuming little policeman in front of him along with him and headed out.

Arthur found a piece of empty space where no one was, lit the pipe in his pocket and took a deep drag, accompanied by the thick smoke, he opened his mouth and asked, “What’s your name?”

The young officer looked at the great man of Scotland Yard legend in front of him and stood at attention and saluted.

“Report! My name is Charles Field!”

(End of chapter)