Chapter 31: I’m Just Cleaning House

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: I’m Just Cleaning House

After she spoke, Zoe Sawyer suddenly remembered taking Officer Lee with her to save those children. ’That means I should be able to take someone else through, too!’

’I was in such a rush, I can’t believe I forgot about that!’

Zoe Sawyer slapped her forehead in frustration. "I’ll take you with me," she said. "You’ll feel better if you’re there too, right?"

Evan Keller’s head snapped toward Zoe Sawyer. ’She can take people with her?!’

He then recalled the human trafficking case. Zoe Sawyer had, in fact, used the door to bring back the abducted children.

’This time should be no different!’

"If you can take me along, I have no objections!" Evan Keller agreed instantly.

The two then left Captain Lynch in charge of the station.

They would take trackers and earpieces for real-time communication, while Captain Lynch monitored them from the station, ready to provide immediate backup.

Captain Lynch, aware of Zoe Sawyer’s unique ability, readily agreed.

With all preparations complete, the three of them gathered in a private office. Zoe Sawyer took a deep breath and, as the two men watched, opened the door.

The moment the door opened, Zoe Sawyer saw a bustling crowd milling about. The clamor of a lively market, filled with the shouts of vendors, flooded through the doorway.

"Let’s go!"

Zoe Sawyer held out her hand, motioning for Evan Keller to take her wrist. After bidding farewell to Captain Lynch, who was staying behind, they stepped through the door together.

The moment he was steady on his feet, Evan Keller eagerly scanned the entire marketplace.

’It’s so normal! There’s nothing out of the ordinary at all!’

"That person at the entrance... doesn’t that look like Teacher Scott from behind?"

After chasing him several times, Zoe Sawyer immediately recognized the figure standing by the market’s main entrance.

The resemblance was uncanny. Her first instinct was that it had to be Teacher Scott.

Evan Keller followed her finger. The figure looked similar, but he couldn’t be certain.

"Let’s go check it out," Evan Keller said.

They rushed to the entrance, but by the time they got there, the person was already gone.

"Sir," Evan Keller said to the owner of a nearby rat poison stall, "the person who was standing here a moment ago, did they buy anything? Did you see which way they went?"

The stall owner, initially looking annoyed, noticed Evan Keller’s police uniform and quickly changed his demeanor. He pointed. "He bought a packet of rat poison. Said he needed to get rid of some rats, then went that way."

’Rat poison?!’

Evan Keller’s eye twitched. An inexplicable sense of dread washed over him.

’Did he buy the poison for another target, or is he planning to kill himself to escape justice?’

Unable to stand still at the thought, Evan Keller thanked the man quickly and relayed his theory to Captain Lynch over his earpiece.

"Your current position is near the city’s outskirts, but it’s in the opposite direction from the crime scene.

I’ve checked the map. The direction the vendor pointed leads to a small river and several abandoned buildings. The only people living there are homeless.

I’ve already notified the local precinct; they’re sending officers to help search the area. Captain Keller, we’re running out of time, so we need to move fast." Captain Lynch’s voice was urgent as he relayed the information he’d pulled up on their location.

Whether he was planning another crime or his own suicide... the priority was to find Teacher Scott and bring him in.

"Let’s go, find a door. I’ll do it again!"

As soon as Evan Keller ended the call, Zoe Sawyer grabbed his hand and pulled him toward a nearby convenience store.

Meanwhile, Teacher Scott was walking along, carrying two takeout meals in one hand and two drinks and the newly purchased rat poison in the other.

He weaved through the streets, turning into a dim alley before finally slipping into a derelict room.

"I brought food. Come on, let’s eat."

Stepping into the room, Teacher Scott held up the food with a smile.

Inside the room was a crude, makeshift table.

Mrs. Donovan, who had escaped from Varden General Hospital, sat beside it. A black-and-white photograph rested on the tabletop.

It was a picture of their daughter, Mia Scott, who had passed away not long ago.

"Oh, you got my favorites," Mrs. Donovan said, a smile blooming on her face as she opened the container and saw the food inside.

When Teacher Scott handed her a drink, her smile widened, and her voice grew surprisingly cheerful. "How sweet of you to remember what I like to drink."

Teacher Scott shrugged and sat across from her. "It’s a special occasion, isn’t it? We should have a nice meal. When we’re done, we can go be with Mia."

Mrs. Donovan’s smile never faltered. After hearing his words, she proudly patted a bundle beside her. "I brought all of Mia’s favorite things, and also the new clothes she bought for us.

We can change into them before we go to her. See? I even put on some makeup."

"You look beautiful. You can put some on me later, too."

Their tone was light and the atmosphere was peaceful. If not for the content of their words, no one would have guessed they were discussing their own suicides.

"What about the police? Did you take care of them?" Mrs. Donovan asked, wiping her mouth after quickly finishing her food.

While waiting for his answer, she began taking items from a bag and arranging them in front of the photograph.

Teacher Scott sounded completely unconcerned. "I drugged him. It’s potent stuff; he probably won’t wake up until tomorrow. Don’t worry, it’s all taken care of."

He finished the last of his food as he spoke.

Then, under his wife’s expectant gaze, Teacher Scott took out the rat poison, poured the entire contents into their drinks, and swirled them around.

They touched their drinks together in a toast. Just as they were about to drink, several police officers burst through the door.

As the couple stared in horror, the officers lunged forward and knocked the drinks from their hands.

"Trying to kill yourselves to escape justice is not an option!" the lead officer said sternly. "Don’t think dying will absolve you of your crimes!" While restraining Teacher Scott, he kicked the fallen bottle away.

Pinned to the floor, Mrs. Donovan had been straining to reach the spilled drink. At the officer’s words, she began to struggle violently. "Let us go! We have to go be with Mia!"

Teacher Scott, who had been lying still, caught sight of Zoe Sawyer entering, supported by Evan Keller. His eyes, now bloodshot, fixed on her.

"This is all your fault! If it weren’t for you, we would’ve already drunk it!

We were just cleaning house, getting rid of the child who disgraced the Scott Family’s name! We gave her life, we raised her, she lived under our protection! It was her duty to uphold the family’s reputation!"