Chapter Two

A relatively quiet time passed inside the train, as the passengers rested in their compartments, and a solemn silence fell over the snowflakes outside the windows. Jean-Claude was lost in thought, trying to decipher the mystery of "Monsieur, le Crime," which grew more mysterious with each new piece of information.

Suddenly, a sharp scream erupted from the corridor. The entire train shuddered, and the passengers' voices rose in panic and confusion.

Jean-Claude quickly got up and headed toward the source of the screams. Upon reaching the next compartment, he was shocked by what he saw.

There, amidst the chaos, stood French Lieutenant Basil Duval, his face pale and his eyes filled with astonishment and confusion. In front of him, on the floor, lay the body of an elegant man wearing a torn gray suit, blood gushing from his neck. Beside him, the man's wife was sitting on the floor, unconscious, her clothes also torn.

The passengers gathered around the scene, their faces reflecting shock and fear. But what was most surprising was that the bodies of the man and his wife were the same two people who had been sitting in front of Jean-Claude and Gabrielle a short while earlier.

"Basil?!" Jean-Claude called out in a trembling voice. "What happened here?"

The lieutenant didn't answer, but stood still, as if incredulous. Then the train policeman's voice said firmly, "Lieutenant Duval, you are accused of this crime!"

Whispers rose among the passengers, and some began to cast accusing glances at Basil.

Jean-Claude was deeply shocked, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew full well that things were not as they seemed, and that a greater mystery lay ahead.

"I will not allow my friend to be accused so easily," Jean-Claude said firmly, looking at the man's body and realizing that this crime might hold the key to uncovering the identity of "Monsieur, le Crime."