Chapter 195: Miss Ford is Dead

Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Miss Ford is Dead

At those words, Sean Hughes coughed loudly and shot Evan Keller a glare.

’Can’t you just give it a rest?!’

"Come on, give it a shot! Let’s see just how powerful this walking case-cracker of ours is." Several heads poked in from outside the office, their eyes alight with curiosity and a touch of scrutiny.

They had worked with Evan Keller’s team a few times and had also heard about Zoe Sawyer’s ability.

But they’d never actually seen it in action.

Evan Keller’s team was very protective of her and never let them watch.

Now that they were finally colleagues, they were determined to see what all the fuss was about, one way or another!

With everyone putting it like that, Zoe Sawyer had no choice but to try opening the door.

Just like before, Barry Quinn and Monkey took up positions on either side of the door. If any danger emerged, they could instantly pull her to safety.

One of them was prepared to decide on the fly whether to charge in and make an arrest or slam the door to block the danger.

Aside from the team members who were used to this, the others who’d never seen it before also squeezed in once they understood what was happening.

Facing so many pairs of eyes for the first time, Zoe Sawyer was, understandably, a little nervous.

However, once she gripped the doorknob, a familiar sensation washed over her. Her expression turned grim, and after a deep breath, she carefully opened the door just a tiny crack.

It was so small that anyone on the other side would have a hard time noticing it unless they looked closely.

Through the crack, she could see the room was warmly decorated. The floor was covered with a white, long-pile shag carpet that looked like it would feel very warm to step on.

But at that moment, a pool of red liquid lay coagulated on the white shag carpet, and a heavy, metallic smell wafted out from the room.

The room on the other side was silent, save for a soft dripping sound. DRIP... DRIP...

But considering the blood on the floor, it wasn’t hard to imagine the source of that sound.

Zoe Sawyer turned to look at Evan Keller, who was standing not far off. "Congratulations, your dream came true."

The moment they caught the scent of blood, Barry Quinn and Monkey, still flanking the door, went on high alert.

Their bodies tensed, their backs slightly bent, poised to attack at a moment’s notice.

Evan Keller, who had been lounging about just a moment before, instantly straightened up, his eyes fixed intently on Zoe Sawyer.

Sean Hughes and the other team members behind him also came over, expertly beginning to put on their various pieces of equipment.

Everyone moved swiftly, yet made very little noise.

Heath Hale promptly handed over a miniature surveillance camera, and Officer Lee skillfully took out his laptop, ready to go.

The team worked with seamless coordination, leaving the other group of officers staring, dumbfounded.

"We have to be prepared in case the killer on the other side is armed, so these precautions are necessary," Vivian Dunn explained to her new, slightly bewildered colleagues, holding Beau by the hand.

Zoe Sawyer carefully wedged the miniature surveillance camera into the opening by the door.

Soon, an image of the room appeared on Officer Lee’s laptop. The room wasn’t large, and the camera feed showed everything inside in full view.

Aside from a woman lying face down on the bed, the entire room was empty.

"Clear!"

The moment Officer Lee gave the word, Zoe Sawyer pushed the door wide open.

The scene inside was revealed to everyone.

The room didn’t seem large. The entire floor was covered in the white shag carpet, and a 1.8-by-2-meter bed was situated right in the middle.

A woman lay face down on the bed, her long, curly black hair hanging over the edge and obscuring her face.

And the dripping sound Zoe Sawyer had heard was coming from her head.

Some of the onlookers crowded closer, and after seeing the scene on the other side, they couldn’t help but gasp. The way they looked at Zoe Sawyer was now filled with awe.

’No wonder Evan Keller’s team guards her like a precious treasure. With an ability like that, she deserves to be treated like royalty!’

After quickly pinpointing the exact location, Officer Lee contacted the local police and told them to dispatch a team immediately.

Meanwhile, Evan Keller and Sean Hughes slipped on plastic shoe covers and cautiously began to investigate the scene.

Someone followed behind them, taking photos to document the scene.

When they pushed aside the victim’s hair to get a look at the fatal injuries, the familiar face beneath made both of them freeze.

"Miss Ford?" There was a trace of hesitation in Evan Keller’s voice. ’Didn’t she just go home a few days ago? How could she have been murdered?’

Sean Hughes carefully examined Miss Ford’s body. Her hands, feet, and mouth had been wrapped tightly with several layers of tape.

There was a very obvious ligature mark on her neck, and the area felt limp. Her hyoid bone was clearly broken, and on top of that, her throat had been slit.

A large amount of blood had poured out from her neck, which explained the bloodstains on the shag carpet and the dripping sound Zoe Sawyer had heard.

"Based on the current evidence, there are two possible causes of death: strangulation or excessive blood loss. But we won’t know the exact cause until the medical examiner takes a closer look." Evan Keller spoke only after carefully placing Miss Ford’s head back down and stepping out of the room.

The chief stood outside the door and nodded. "Liam has already contacted the local station and explained the situation. Their people will be here soon.

This location isn’t far from the Varden West Precinct. Sawyer, open a door and take some people over there. If I’m not mistaken, the killer is that serial murderer who’s been on the move.

This individual is extremely dangerous, so all of you need to be careful."

The local township station didn’t have its own medical examiner, so Zoe Sawyer’s team would have to go via the Varden West Precinct, which meant they could pick up Lynn Grant on the way.

"Yes, sir!"

Zoe Sawyer and a few others quickly acknowledged the order and began their preparations.

Beau looked from side to side, then let go of Vivian Dunn’s hand and ran over to Zoe Sawyer, hugging her arm to show that she was coming along too.

"Go on, then. We might need your help later on," the chief said, waving his hand to indicate Beau could go with them.

Soon, the group heading out was ready. They passed through the door one by one, back into the small office that had been specially prepared for Zoe Sawyer.

The portly chief at the precinct had already received the news. The moment Zoe Sawyer’s team arrived, he immediately arranged for vehicles to take them to the crime scene without another word.

By the time Zoe Sawyer and her team arrived at the actual scene, the entire house had already been cordoned off.

Most of the buildings in this area were owner-built houses. Since you couldn’t see the ground floor of the Ford family’s house from the street, many onlookers had gone to the second-floor balcony of the house next door. The view was better there, and you could see a lot more!

"Chief, what’s the situation? Have they brought the victim out yet? We brought our M.E. with us," Evan Keller said, stepping forward to shake hands with the man in the middle of the crowd and inquire about the scene.

The station chief shook his head, his expression exceptionally grave.

"It’s not just one body. There’s one in the master bedroom and another in the living room, both on the first floor."