So she likes to turn a previous compliment into a slight against him. No, he hadn't expected to encounter a first year like this. With this quick conversation, she reminded him of some of the worst villains he read about in his detective stories. These commonly weren't eleven years old girls, attending a school for witchcraft and wizardry, though. How to best navigate this minefield?

"As for your worries. I assure you I wouldn't dream of providing my own cases to solve. I wish this investigation wasn't necessary, but I'm happy to help the victims.

"As for evidence regarding my lack of involvement in the matter, I can safely say I couldn't have stolen anything myself or instigated anybody else. I fail to think of a sensible reason how I could bring any other student to steal for me," said Tem sincerely.

"Not even bribing, threatening, or blackmailing?" asked Esmae casually.

Stunned by this comment, Tem took a step back involuntarily. Now that she said these things out loud, it was obvious they were possibilities, but Tem thought it impossible for anybody to imply such tactics.

"Ms Webster. Of course not. I wouldn't dream of such methods. To support my words, I shall explain further. I'm sure I do not have the necessary funds to bribe anybody sufficiently to commit to these activities. I can't see anybody being convincingly threatened by me. As for blackmailing, my network of information is rather small, only knowing a handful of people on this train."

Tem was in full defensive mode, which he assumed an unfavourable place to be. That fiend of a girl would take any opportunity to use her offensive position even more, if he let her.

"I heard you know Mr Rowle. You had been to their estate, even produced a missing item for Mrs Rowle. Who knows what else you found there? Mr Rowle shared the compartment with Mr Caervey. He had the chance to steal anything there, don't you think? Of course, I'm simply spinning a few threads together, nothing more." She smiled her wolfish grin again.

"I knew Mr Rowle fleetingly through my parent's invitation, but have not conversed with him since that particular day you mentioned. Furthermore, I stated this connection early on when offering my services. I'd presume it rather careless to mention such an association if I were at all connected to the thefts, don't you think?" said Tem, his face stony.

He would play her game and see what came out. It might even help.

"Admittedly, that would be quite the blunder on your part and I don't think you are capable of such an oversight. What makes you think Mr Rowle wasn't the thief? Mind you, I don't know him personally. I can't express an opinion of him at this point. I wonder if you could enlighten me?" asked Esmae.

"The facts and potential progression of events make it highly unlikely he was entangled. Furthermore, there is no real motive except maybe for some amount of animosity. Statistically speaking, both of the thefts are likely to be connected and Mr Rowle could not have been involved in the theft of Eleanor's necklace," said Tem, who was increasingly asking himself why he kept explaining himself to this girl.

"Hmm, I'm not convinced. It sounds to me as if you're protecting Mr Rowle…."

"I'm not!" said Tem, pressing his teeth together.

Ignoring his comment, Esmae continued, "Did you know Mr Rowle's sister is rather special? I heard she needs specific, very expensive treatment."

"Oh, wow. We're working with sourceless rumours now?" asked Tem incredulously.

"Not at all, it's merely keeping my sources safe." She smirked.

"Do you know Jim Krane?" asked Tem.

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"No. Who is that? Perhaps your prime suspect? Interesting." Her face lit up.

He ran right into her trap of fishing for information. He should've known better as to use questions to dig up more details from this girl. He was pretty sure she was not at all involved in the thefts. Nothing pointed towards such a possibility. She couldn't have the ability of advanced spells, wasn't at all seen around the scenes of the crime, and with her group surrounding her, she was more likely garnering attention and nothing more. Tem was not about to provide her with anything more.

"Thank you for your answer. I am not at liberty to provide any more regarding the progress of our investigation," he said in a professional voice.

"Nathan was it?" Without missing a beat, Esmae turned her head towards the other boy and asked, "Are you happy to run after the mighty detective like a good doggy?"

Nathan's eyes went wide in surprise at being addressed. He stood there, as if in shock, his lower lip trembling a little. Esmae waited with a cocky smile.

"Well, Temsivar, you trained your hound well. Might be a bit too docile, though. Or is he mute?"

Tem turned around and looked at Nathan. He had anticipated this situation while dealing with girls, but such blatant hostility surprised him.

"No, he is not mute. I'm beginning to understand why he'd choose not to talk to you in the first place. What is your problem, anyway?" asked Tem. He took a step closer to Nathan, shielding him partly.

"Who is hostile? I was trying to help but had to realise the detectives were less than cooperative. It's not my fault you are not well situated at knowing with whom you're dealing in your investigation. Some cheap parlour tricks, finding misplaced diadems, and solving crossword puzzles are no indication of capabilities in the real world, don't you think? I had to make sure you could solve this investigation, otherwise nobody would be safe." The group around Esmae nodded their heads in support, even Gerald.

Tem snorted. He felt his blood being pumped into his head, his temper rising.

"Who do you think is incapable here? I for once have questioned multiple people, eye-witnesses, victims, and suspects. Every clue points towards Jim Krane, a fifth-year Slytherin, who has threatened both victims before. I bet you didn't know that, did you?"

Tem heard a quiet squeak from behind him and Nathan touched his shoulder. He tore away and moved a step closer to Esmae Webster. He pointed a finger at her, while she listened eagerly, completely unimpressed by his outburst.

"Who are you, running around on this train as if it belongs to you, anyway?" Tem’s face arrived at a deep crimson hue, short of producing steam.

"No, no. It's not my train. Of course not. So, are you going to apprehend the culprit soon, or is there doubt in your own reasoning?" she asked with her disconcerting smile.

"Of course I am sure. But a proper detective won’t simply point a finger at somebody and proclaim them as the criminal!" Realising what he had just said, he dropped his hand back down and continued, "So, if you excuse me, I have work to do." At this, he turned his back to her and strode past Nathan out of the compartment, fuming. "Come on, Nathan."

Nathan hurried after him and they left the compartment to rising laughter from the other students.

"Big help you were back there," said Tem, frustration on his face, as he stomped down the corridor.

"S-Sorry, I didn't know what to s-say," stammered Nathan.

"Ah, it's not your fault. But what is it with you and talking to girls, anyway?"

Nathan's head dropped a little and he didn't answer.

"Never mind, we shall deal with that some other time. Now I need to show all these nay-sayers that we solved the case and present the culprit," said Tem.

"Are you sure? Do we truly know it was Jim? What about the stolen items? We have no clue where they could be," said Nathan cautiously.

"Well, we will know where the items are when I'm done with Jim. He won't be able to withstand my examination when I present him with the facts that lead directly to him!"

"B-but we didn't check all the other leads? What... what if they turn out to point away from Jim?" asked Nathan.

"Rubbish. It's a clear case. Rowle and his sister are innocent; there is no evidence supporting their involvement. Who cares about a stupid rat and Ashley only told me about some girl incapable to pack her bag properly. Why should we waste our time on that?" asked Tem, not calming down at all.

"If you put it like that, maybe. I'm... I'm looking at my notes, and there are quite a few question marks there I couldn't write an answer to. Feels wrong."

"Who is the investigator here?" asked Tem angrily.

"S-Sorry. You are, of course. I didn't mean to..."

"Of course you weren't," interrupted Tem. "Tell me, is there one question so important and contradictory that you can't deduct Jim Krane as the thief?"

"Uhm," Nathan flipped frantically through his notebook, "I guess not."

"See, that's what I mean. So, let me handle this."