Chapter 200: Locking onto the Murderer, Making the Arrest

Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Locking onto the Murderer, Making the Arrest

Zoe Sawyer threw open the door, and the events of the previous night unfolded before her.

Sometime between three and four in the morning, the suspect, Wesley Hayes, was walking down the street, cursing and grumbling as a constant stream of profanities spewed from his mouth.

"Useless trash. It’s not like I was going to kill a real person. I just wanted to use a dummy to see how it felt, and he wouldn’t even let me do that." As Wesley Hayes spoke, he furiously kicked a nearby tree.

’Useless piece of junk!’

Thinking about all the murder techniques he’d seen, Wesley Hayes felt his hands itching to try them out.

But he couldn’t practice on a real person. He had finally found a realistic, life-sized doll at his friend’s house and wanted to use it to practice, but he was flatly refused.

He was even chewed out and called a pervert.

Wesley Hayes spat to the side, his expression savage. "He won’t give it to me? Fine, I’ll take it!

’Just you wait, I’m stealing it tonight!

That serial killer has it so good. A life should be filled with thrills and excitement. I want to go slaughter all those homewrecking mistresses, too."

After muttering this, Wesley Hayes found a place to sit down, propped his chin on his hand, and sighed in frustration.

It was then that someone sat down next to him.

"So, you want to kill someone? I have experience with that. Want me to teach you?" The man’s voice was hoarse, and he spoke in fits and starts.

Wesley Hayes turned his head, amused. ’People these days will say anything to brag.’

But when he got a clear look at the person next to him and what he was holding, Wesley Hayes’s eyes lit up.

His clothes and hair were a mess, but the knife in his hand was covered in fresh blood.

Perhaps it was the recklessness of youth, or perhaps the sheer excitement had eroded all reason from Wesley Hayes’s mind.

Swept up in the moment, he couldn’t help but ask, "You can really teach me?"

"Of course. But I have one condition: you take me back to your place so I can take a shower and get something to eat." The man rubbed his stomach as he stated his demand.

"No problem!" Wesley Hayes agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

On the way back, the man walked behind Wesley Hayes. He clutched the knife tightly, his eyes fixed on the young man in front of him.

If he made a single wrong move, the man would send him on his way.

Luckily, however, Wesley Hayes didn’t try any funny business and genuinely brought the man home.

He also found a set of clothes for the man.

Looking at the items the man had thrown in the trash can, Wesley Hayes scratched his head. He recalled from all the TV shows he’d watched that such things needed to be destroyed and disposed of.

After a moment’s thought, he put several more trash bags over it and threw the entire trash can out the door.

Perhaps feeling that wasn’t enough, he then found a woven sack, filled it with large rocks, and put the trash can inside as well.

He threw the whole thing into a nearby canal.

Then he mopped the entire living room floor, and only after confirming there were no traces left did he clap his hands in satisfaction.

When the man came out and saw the clean and tidy living room, he gave Wesley Hayes a surprised look.

"Don’t worry, I took care of all your stuff. I guarantee no one will find it," Wesley Hayes said, excitedly patting his chest.

The man didn’t care how his things were disposed of. Instead, honoring his earlier promise, he had Wesley Hayes bring him a fruit knife.

Then, he caught a chicken in the backyard and had Wesley Hayes stab it in the neck.

When the fruit knife was pulled out, warm chicken blood gushed out, some of it splattering onto Wesley Hayes.

Immediately after, the man drove an electric scooter, taking Wesley Hayes to the vicinity of the Ford Family’s house.

By now, the sky was beginning to lighten. Although some people in the small town were starting to stir, most were still asleep.

The man pointed at the house and said, "Know how to climb walls? Take this fruit knife, find an occupied room, and hide there for a day.

This will test your ability to hide and your endurance. If no one has found you by tonight, I’ll teach you the next step."

Wesley Hayes’s eyes shone. He nodded frantically, and under the man’s watchful gaze, he climbed onto the second-floor balcony, slipped inside, and found a place to hide.

The man just stood there, watching everything unfold.

Only when people started moving about did he get on his scooter and leave.

Zoe Sawyer memorized the man’s face and closed the door with a grave expression.

"How did it go? Find anything?" Barry Quinn asked, looking at Zoe Sawyer.

Zoe Sawyer nodded, then looked at Beau beside her and described the man’s appearance.

After the sketch was done, Zoe Sawyer stared at it. ’He looks so familiar.’

"What is it?" Barry Quinn looked at the sketch, took a picture of it, and sent it to Heath Hale.

Zoe Sawyer stared at the sketch, then reached out and covered the lower half of the face.

"It’s him!"

Realization dawned on Zoe Sawyer’s face. ’I remember!

He’s the man from downstairs who was giving me that creepy look!’

They had made eye contact once, but he was wearing a mask, so Zoe Sawyer hadn’t recognized him at first.

It was only after covering part of the face that it suddenly clicked.

"I need to verify if he’s the killer." Zoe Sawyer placed the sketch in Barry Quinn’s hands and, repeating the process, opened the door again.

Soon, the entire process of Miss Ford’s murder unfolded before Zoe Sawyer’s eyes.

Suppressing her revulsion, Zoe Sawyer stared at the masked man in front of her.

Zoe Sawyer ignored the resistance from the door and reached for the killer’s face.

’I can’t save Miss Ford, but at least let me pull off his mask and see his face!’

In truth, Zoe Sawyer could already confirm from his clothes that the man who murdered the family of three was the same one who had manipulated Wesley Hayes into hiding under someone’s bed.

But to be absolutely sure, Zoe Sawyer still wanted to yank off his mask.

Finally, Zoe Sawyer’s fingers hooked the edge of the mask. Although she didn’t have the strength to pull it completely off, she managed to pull it down to his chin.

Only after getting a clear look at the killer’s face did Zoe Sawyer let out a sigh of relief.

The moment she relaxed, she was thrown back by the door.

"Are you okay?" Barry Quinn stepped forward to catch Zoe Sawyer as she fell backward.

Zoe Sawyer stood up straight, her expression somewhat feverish. "I saw the killer’s face! It’s this man! Go arrest him now!

I know where the murder weapon is, too!"

’If we can catch him and retrieve the weapon, we’ll have the direct evidence to nail him!’

Monkey wasted no time. He took the sketch from Beau and ran downstairs to report to Evan Keller and Heath Hale.

"Alright, I got it." Evan Keller glanced at the sketch in his hand.

There weren’t enough surveillance cameras in this part of town. Trying to pull footage now to catch the guy would be too slow.

’We’ll have to rely on Zoe Sawyer again!’

Evan Keller gritted his teeth and shot Heath Hale a look.

Heath Hale understood immediately. He drew the attention of the station chief and the others, creating a diversion so Evan Keller could bring his people upstairs.

Meanwhile, Zoe Sawyer clenched her own hands, a stunned expression on her face.

The sensation this time was incredibly distinct. She was certain.

’My ability... it’s leveled up again!’