Chapter 496: The Group of 3, Each With Their Own Thoughts

Chapter 496: Chapter 496: The Group of 3, Each With Their Own Thoughts

The arrest plan was set. Now, they just had to go through the rooms one by one, following the numbers, to pinpoint the source of the foul smell.

Zoe Sawyer didn’t object, simply continuing in the direction of the room numbers.

Soon, she came to a stop in front of the room’s door. She controlled her portal, moving it inside Room 714.

The moment it went in, a chaotic scene appeared before everyone.

The room had the same layout. All the walls except for the load-bearing ones had been knocked down. The windows and balcony were sealed shut with cement and bricks. An electronic votive light was plugged into one of the outlets.

And on the side closest to Wren Rowan’s apartment, there was an extra, half-height wall.

The gap between this new wall and the original one wasn’t very large, but Evan Keller estimated there was enough space for a person to lie on their side.

"Zoe Sawyer, move the portal between those two walls." After a moment’s thought, Evan Keller decided against having Zoe open it up to the smells.

He had to consider how it would smell in the office, after all.

Zoe Sawyer nodded and quickly moved the portal between the two walls.

The space was so narrow that half of the portal remained outside, but it was still enough for Evan Keller and the others to get a clear view of what was inside.

The moment the portal moved into the space, a pair of withered, emaciated feet appeared before them. The skin was covered in distinct dark red and deep purple patches.

"Now we can be sure of the source of the smell. Contact the person who filed the report and tell her not to leave her apartment. Then we’ll go through Zoe Sawyer’s portal and stand guard at the door here."

"Sean Hughes, you take a team from the station and come over to do a crime scene investigation. Bring a few extra cars," Evan Keller added after a moment, making a swift decision.

The extra cars were not only for transporting the three suspects, but also to provide cover for the team members coming directly to the scene.

Sean Hughes nodded, turned quickly, and gathered a team to go and prepare.

Evan Keller, for his part, also picked a few officers, telling them to get their gear on and prepare to go stand guard with him.

Meanwhile, Officer Lee contacted Wren Rowan and told her the police were on their way. He instructed her to stay inside her home and not to go out for any reason. If any issues arose, she should wait for the police to arrive.

After confirming that the police were on their way, Wren Rowan let out a heavy sigh of relief and promised she would stay put at home.

"Let’s go. We’ll stand guard at the door." Evan Keller waved to the team members standing ready behind him, signaling for them to follow.

Several of them passed through the portal into the hallway. The moment they stepped out, they were hit by an overwhelmingly intense stench of decay. The smell was so strong it nearly made everyone on site pass out.

It was a good thing Wren Rowan was the only living resident in the building. Otherwise, with a smell like this, the station’s phone lines would have been ringing off the hook.

The remaining officers, following Evan Keller’s orders, took up positions on either side of the door, weapons in hand, ready for anything.

Back in the office, Zoe Sawyer continued to watch the trio of suspects inside the room through the portal.

The leader of the trio, the boss, woke up at the predetermined time as if his head were fitted with a timer.

He stood up, stretched, and then kicked his two underlings who were sleeping soundly. "Get up, get up!" he said in a gruff voice. "Let’s go take care of that broad, then grab the money and live it up."

The two men, who had still been groggy, instantly became wide awake upon hearing their boss’s words.

The Bearded Man rubbed his hands together excitedly. "We’re finally making a move? I’ve been getting so antsy lately."

The skinny man’s expression held a hint of disdain. "What’s so great about the one next door? She looks too thin, nothing to her."

"We’d be better off just finishing the job, taking the money, and getting out of here to have some fun. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about the police finding us if we stick around too long."

The boss nodded in agreement. "Exactly. You need to get your priorities straight. With money, you can find any kind of woman you want."

"Alright, enough talk. Let’s make this quick. Get it done and get out."

After speaking, the boss walked over to a suitcase on the other side of the room. He bent down, picked up a fruit knife from the floor, and handed it to his two underlings.

The three exchanged glances. After confirming nothing was forgotten, they headed for the main door.

"They’re getting ready to leave! Evan, you guys be careful!" Zoe Sawyer, who had been watching the trio’s every move, quickly alerted Evan Keller and the others at the door via her earpiece.

Because the room had been converted into a "coffin apartment," the main door had no peephole. The Bearded Man and his crew had no way of checking if someone was waiting outside.

’As long as Evan Keller and his team keep their cool and make no noise, they won’t be discovered!’

After Zoe Sawyer finished speaking, Evan Keller tapped his earpiece, signaling that he understood.

He then made a "silence" and "move back" gesture to all the team members guarding the door.

The team members received the message instantly and, in perfect sync, took a few steps back. The entire process took less than three seconds, and they made almost no sound, not alerting the three men inside.

The trio reached the door. The boss subconsciously glanced at the crack beneath it. It was clean; no shadows were cast from the other side.

"Boss, you’re so damn paranoid. Who else is in this building besides us three and the one next door?" The Bearded Man waved his hand impatiently, his tone turning a little nasty.

’He really couldn’t figure his boss out. He was the one who said the building was quiet and no one would come, yet he was also the one who was suspicious of everything. If he hadn’t followed him from the start, and if they hadn’t done so much together and had so much dirt on each other, he would have wanted to part ways long ago. Why be so constrained?’

The boss, who had wanted to be a bit more careful, heard The Bearded Man’s comment and secretly gritted his teeth in anger.

’The Bearded Man was annoyed with him, and he was just as annoyed with this brainless brute!’

’The guy did whatever he wanted. If I hadn’t been there to clean up the messes, this moron would have been caught long ago!’

’Unfortunately, this brute is the strongest one. When we need muscle, he’s the one to do it.’

’It’s fine. A few more jobs, earn enough money, and then I can send this idiot to hell!’

The skinny man, who had remained silent, stared at the two of them, the gears in his mind turning furiously.

’Once these two are done with their infighting and have worn each other out, that’s when I’ll make my move!’

The trio, each with their own agenda.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the portal, Heath Hale also noticed something was off. He pointed at the three of them and said, "They’re not a united front. Each one has his own little scheme. They’re making a whole production out of just opening a door. After we catch them, we can interrogate them separately."

"Especially this bearded one. He’s simple-minded and has a short fuse. He’ll be the easiest one to break."

Evan Keller and the others guarding the door heard the conversation through their earpieces. He signaled for his team to be patient and wait quietly.

"Alright, let’s get this last thing over with first!"