Disturbed by the knocking while contemplating the original Klein's suicide, Klein cautiously armed himself. The knocker identified himself as Bitsch Mountbatten, the local policeman. Klein, recalling Mountbatten's gruff nature, stalled before opening the door, quickly hiding his revolver in the stove and disguising it.
Outside, Mountbatten stood with three inspectors, two with higher ranks. The lead inspector, a sharp-eyed middle-aged man, immediately asked if Klein knew Welch McGovern. Klein feigned shock, asking what had happened to him. The inspector sternly reminded Klein he was asking the questions. A gentler, gray-eyed inspector interjected, assuring Klein it was routine. Klein confirmed his acquaintance with Welch and Naya, mentioning their joint work on a Fourth Epoch notebook. The lead inspector exchanged a look with the gray-eyed one, who then somberly informed Klein that Welch and Naya had died in Welch's home.
When Klein asked if they were killed, the gray-eyed inspector stated it appeared to be suicide, describing the gruesome scene of Welch repeatedly hitting his head against a wall and Naya drowning herself in a washbasin. Klein expressed disbelief. The inspector acknowledged the strangeness but stated the autopsy and scene excluded foul play or drugs, noting no signs of struggle. The lead inspector then casually inquired about the last time Klein saw the deceased, while subtly gesturing to a younger, poetic-looking inspector to examine the room. Klein recalled their last meeting on June 26th, before he focused on his upcoming interview. The younger inspector picked up Klein's notebook, ignoring Klein's protest. The gray-eyed inspector justified it as procedure while the other two watched.
The younger inspector then read aloud the final entry: "Everyone will die, including me." Klein, realizing he could use this to his advantage, feigned memory loss, claiming he felt unwell and couldn't recall writing it. Bitsch Mountbatten scoffed at his apparent lie, but the gray-eyed inspector surprisingly suggested it might be true, mentioning an expert would arrive in two days to help Klein recall his memories. Klein grew uneasy at the thought of his past life's memories being potentially revealed. The younger inspector searched the room, focusing on books. The gray-eyed inspector then warned Klein not to leave Tingen without notifying Mountbatten.
Perplexed by the lack of deeper questioning, Klein nodded in agreement. As the inspectors left, the poetic young inspector patted Klein's shoulder, remarking on his "luck" at being alive, as the "norm" in such events was for everyone involved to die. This chilling statement left Klein deeply disturbed.