CHAPTER IX -A Strange Disappearance

In Chapter IX of “A Strange Disappearance” titled “A Few Golden Hairs,” the detective Mr. Gryce discusses with the narrator the troublesome Schoenmakers, who have managed to evade capture and are believed to be hiding within the city. The discussion shifts abruptly when a report concerning the discovery of a dead girl’s body in the East River catches their immediate attention. Prompted by the ominous possibility that this body may be related to their case, both Gryce and the narrator hasten to the scene.

Upon their arrival and subsequent examination of the corpse, they are initially led to believe that this is not the girl they have been searching for due to the distinctive locks of golden red hair contrary to the missing girl’s described features. However, the narrator recalls a significant encounter in Broome Street with a girl who matches the description of the deceased, including her attire, fostering a moment of revelation confirmed by comparing a piece of fabric he previously collected with the clothing on the body. This conclusive evidence linked the dead girl to their investigation directly.

Despite confirming the identity, Mr. Gryce notes signs of brutal violence on the girl’s body, concluding she had been murdered, compelling him to vow further investigation into her death and its motives. This chapter deepens the mystery surrounding the disappearance case and introduces a violent crime element, indicating a complex weaving of criminal activities that Gryce and the narrator must unravel. The final remark by the narrator highlights a pivotal conclusion; the discovered girl was not the one missing from Mr. Blake’s residence, thus expanding the scope of their investigation into potentially interconnected crimes within the city’s shadows.