Diedrich nodded in understanding, all the while listening intently to what the fox-woman was saying. He wrung his hands nervously and fidgeted impatiently, still somewhat unnerved by the theft. In reply to the question, he stated, "No, I believe not. Although," he continued, trailing off. Turning away from Versailles, for a moment, the German walked behind the counter, upon which the register sat. After a moment of searching, Diedrich pulled out a large, aged book. The cover was red, adorned with golden ornamentations along the edges and spine. The pages were lightly browned with age and held the signatures of many different men and women, along with various figures and times of transaction.
"Perhaps the villain was here," the Grand Duke postulated, all the while searching through the book for the most recent adage. Eventually, he found the most recent signatures, timed just a couple of hours prior. "I seem to recall two gentlemen, Arthur Gunningham....and James Stockton, perusing the shelves downstairs earlier. Unfortunately, however, I was too preoccupied with aiding the latter to gain some idea of where this Gunningham fellow had gone, and by the time Stockton was finished Gunningham had already left."
"Perhaps the villain was here," the Grand Duke postulated, all the while searching through the book for the most recent adage. Eventually, he found the most recent signatures, timed just a couple of hours prior. "I seem to recall two gentlemen, Arthur Gunningham....and James Stockton, perusing the shelves downstairs earlier. Unfortunately, however, I was too preoccupied with aiding the latter to gain some idea of where this Gunningham fellow had gone, and by the time Stockton was finished Gunningham had already left."