Chapter 22: A Girl with a Complicated Social Life

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: A Girl with a Complicated Social Life

Zoe Sawyer watched the women hurry away as if fleeing a crime scene. She pursed her lips. Just as she was about to head forward with Evan Keller and Sean Hughes, a man’s voice called out from behind them.

The three of them turned to see an exhausted-looking police officer standing behind them.

Recognizing his face, Zoe Sawyer raised an eyebrow. ’It’s the captain from East Varden, the one they sent to catch the traffickers.’

’Hasn’t he been sleeping well? He looks exhausted.’

"Captain Lynch, long time no see."

Evan Keller had worked with Captain Lynch before. He stepped forward to shake his hand, then asked, "You said you had something to ask us, Captain Lynch. What is it?"

Captain Lynch didn’t beat around the bush. He held out a transparent plastic bag to the three of them. "If I remember correctly, this is your tracking device, isn’t it?

We dispatched a team as soon as we got your call. The crime scene is very clean. I’d like to ask—how did you manage to leave this tracking device here?

Did you know something? Or perhaps..."

Captain Lynch trailed off, but his implication was clear.

’Did you know this was going to happen, so you planted the tracker beforehand? Or... are you involved in this case?’

Captain Lynch took a deep breath. He knew his suspicion was far-fetched.

But the appearance of this tracking device was just too bizarre.

’The victim couldn’t have brought it back herself!’

Evan Keller understood Captain Lynch’s suspicion, but he couldn’t say anything since it concerned Zoe Sawyer’s safety.

"Don’t worry, Captain Lynch. We’ve already reported to both chiefs. They know about the tracker. I can’t give you the specific reason—it’s a classified matter.

But you can be certain that we have absolutely no connection to this case." Evan Keller’s tone was firm, and he stressed the words "classified matter."

Captain Lynch rubbed the bridge of his nose. ’Evan Keller has already taken it this far, even pulling the "classified" card. What more can I say?’

’Still, with two chiefs vouching for them, they had some credibility.’

"Alright. Let’s get back to the case, then. Come with me. We can’t discuss these things out here." Captain Lynch glanced around. This was no place to talk about a case.

Zoe Sawyer and the others had no objections, following Captain Lynch past the police tape.

"The scene is clean. Not many useful clues were left behind. The doors and windows are all intact, with no signs of forced entry.

When we arrived, we found the victim was wearing pajamas. Our current theory is that the perpetrator was an acquaintance. She must have known them quite well to meet them dressed like that." As Captain Lynch led the three of them farther in, he briefly explained what they had found so far.

Evan Keller frowned, looking around. "What about the security cameras in this area? Did they capture any suspicious individuals?"

Captain Lynch shook his head. "They’re out. The cameras here broke a week ago."

"What a coincidence?" Evan Keller was skeptical. ’That’s too convenient!’

Captain Lynch nodded. The timing was indeed too convenient.

They had the same suspicion at first and had specifically asked the property manager for details.

"It really did break a week ago," Property Manager Wang said, his tone helpless. "We reported it for repair the moment we found out, but the technician’s schedule is packed. He hasn’t been able to squeeze us in, so it’s been delayed until now."

Three or four different officers had already asked him about the cameras.

’He’d told them everything there was to tell. That’s just how it was!’

’Even if a hundred more people asked, his answer would be the same!’

Captain Lynch nodded at him and told Property Manager Wang to wait off to the side. He couldn’t leave just yet, in case they had more questions for him later.

Sean Hughes had a quick word with Evan Keller, then went with the East Varden officers to help at the crime scene.

They were there to help, after all; they couldn’t just sit around and do nothing.

Meanwhile, Evan Keller was jotting notes in his notebook, occasionally exchanging a few words with Captain Lynch.

Zoe Sawyer sat on a chair, staring at the witness statements in front of her, lost in thought.

"What about the victim’s parents?" Zoe Sawyer asked suddenly, remembering something. "I heard those women outside talking. It sounded like the victim didn’t have a very good relationship with her parents."

’When something happens to one spouse, the partner is always the prime suspect.’

’So if a child dies at home, and the killer is likely an acquaintance, shouldn’t parents who had a bad relationship with her be just as suspect?’

Besides,

Zoe Sawyer’s gaze fell on the middle-aged couple standing outside the police tape, flanked by two officers.

’There wasn’t a trace of sadness or grief on their faces. In fact, was that a faint hint of... joy?’

’It was too strange. Zoe immediately suspected them.’

Captain Lynch followed Zoe Sawyer’s gaze to the couple. "They are indeed the victim’s parents, but they have an alibi. They had a full schedule of classes today, got to the school early this morning, and never left."

Sensing Zoe Sawyer’s doubt, Captain Lynch added, "It’s true the victim had a poor relationship with her parents because of some personal issues. They clashed frequently.

We considered them suspects right away, but we honestly haven’t found anything out of place."

The Scott family were known for being kind and rarely got into conflicts.

Students, parents, and neighbors all had a high opinion of them.

So, after looking into it, the police had quickly ruled out the possibility that the parents had made an enemy who was seeking revenge.

Zoe Sawyer frowned. She felt something was off.

Evan Keller closed his notebook. "What have you found out about the victim’s social life? From what the neighbors said, it sounds like her reputation wasn’t the best."

At this, Captain Lynch looked even more troubled.

He had tried to ask the Scotts about their daughter’s social circle, only to discover the family of three barely communicated at all.

They had no idea who their daughter’s recent friends were.

All they knew was that their daughter had stopped going to school and was always hanging out with some bleach-blond punk. Sometimes, the people who came to pick her up were different every single day of the week.

At first, the Scotts tried to reason with her, but their daughter would just cut them off impatiently every time.

Plus, they were incredibly busy with work. Both of them were in charge of several senior classes preparing for college entrance exams, so they simply couldn’t devote much attention to their daughter.

Gradually, communication between the three of them ceased.

The only conversations they had were about her asking for money. If they refused, she’d throw a fit.

Listening to Captain Lynch’s explanation, the sense of dissonance in Zoe Sawyer’s mind grew stronger.

’No, that’s not right. It shouldn’t be like this.’

"I want to go take a look."