Chapter 24: Exchange Murder?

Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Exchange Murder?

From Zoe Sawyer’s perspective, she could just make out the fleeting look of panic on Mrs. Donovan’s face.

’Shouldn’t she be happy about finding evidence that could lead to her daughter’s killer? Why would she be panicking?’

Zoe Sawyer keenly sensed that something was wrong. But this wasn’t the right time to voice her concerns, so she could only keep her doubts to herself and wait for a suitable opportunity to tell Evan Keller and Sean Hughes.

"In that case, we won’t disturb your investigation any longer. I’ll take my wife back to get some rest," Teacher Scott said, as if he had noticed something. He took a step forward and helped Mrs. Donovan to her feet.

He put one arm around her shoulder, nodded at the group, and then supported her as they walked toward the tent the police had set up for them.

Their home had become a crime scene, and the police were inside collecting evidence.

The two teachers couldn’t leave, as they needed to be available for questioning at any moment, so the police had arranged a tent for them to rest in temporarily.

Once the couple was out of sight, Zoe Sawyer took each of her companions by the arm and hurried them back toward their tent, completely missing Teacher Scott as he stepped outside his own tent and looked in their direction.

Zoe Sawyer didn’t waste any time. She briefly recounted what she had discovered, emphasizing Mrs. Donovan’s emotional state.

Sean Hughes rubbed his chin. "Could the killer be connected to the couple?

Maybe they thought their daughter had become degenerate, ruining the family and their reputation, so they went as far as to kill their own child to protect their public image?"

Evan Keller immediately rejected that theory. "They have a perfect alibi. But there’s another possibility: a contract killing. However, their phones are clean—not a single suspicious message. We didn’t find anything unusual on their personal computers either."

What they had considered, their colleagues in East Varden had considered as well.

But the investigation showed that Teacher Scott and his wife really had nothing to do with it.

Zoe Sawyer stroked her chin. ’If not a contract killing, then what about an exchange? Oh, right! An exchange!’

Thinking of those two words, Zoe felt as if she’d had an epiphany, and many of the puzzle pieces instantly clicked into place.

’Have a complete stranger with no connection to you kill your daughter. That way, even if the police investigate, it would be extremely difficult to identify them.

’And you’d have a perfect alibi to clear your name.

’But there’s a problem. If that’s really what happened, how did this group of people contact each other?

’How did they arrange it all and carry out the plan?

’These are all questions that need answers.

’There’s also another very important point: there are a lot of outsiders here, and the population is highly transient.

’On top of that, the surveillance cameras happened to be broken during this period, which makes the investigation exponentially more difficult.’

Zoe Sawyer didn’t hesitate; she explained her theory from start to finish.

Sean Hughes, who had been somewhat skeptical at first, found his eyes growing brighter and brighter as he listened to Zoe Sawyer’s explanation.

If that was the case, then some of the loose ends really would make sense!

Evan Keller said nothing, simply jotting down some of Zoe Sawyer’s speculations.

"Zoe Sawyer, you’re amazing! I never would have thought of that. It’s a strong possibility. If we follow this line of thinking, we might actually dig something up," Sean Hughes said, giving Zoe Sawyer a surprised and delighted hug.

They weren’t afraid of a tedious investigation to follow, nor of the many places they would have to visit.

This meant there was still a chance to solve the case.

Hitting a dead end right from the start with no leads at all—that was the worst-case scenario.

Evan Keller’s expression also showed a hint of excitement. ’A tedious investigation is fine. At worst, we can just assign more people to it. We’re bound to find some trace of evidence!’

Just then, Captain Lynch walked in, with Teacher Scott following behind him.

Seeing the three of them looking excited, he asked, a little puzzled, "What’s going on? Did you find something?"

Teacher Scott lifted his head and stared intently at the three people before him, his expression a mixture of anticipation and fear.

"Not really. We were just discussing the fingerprint we found earlier. The breakthrough might be right there!" Sean Hughes was no fool. Seeing the highly suspicious Teacher Scott behind Captain Lynch, he instantly changed his tune, swallowing the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

He didn’t mention their recent theory at all.

Captain Lynch nodded, not giving the matter much thought.

Then he pointed to Teacher Scott beside him and explained in a low voice, "You guys need to brief Teacher Scott. Until the killer is caught, he and his wife can’t just leave. It would be bad if the killer isn’t done and decides to target the couple next."

With that, Captain Lynch hurried out.

He had a pile of work to deal with and no time to argue back and forth with Teacher Scott.

Before Zoe Sawyer and the others could speak, Teacher Scott cut them off. "I know what you’re going to say, but my students are in the final sprint of their senior year. I just can’t rest easy leaving them!"

As he spoke, Teacher Scott took a tissue from his pocket and began wiping his glasses, muttering continuously. The students’ studies couldn’t be delayed, and he and his wife didn’t want to stay in this heartbreaking place.

It was better to return to the classroom than to sit in a tent letting their minds wander; at least it would be a distraction.

Teacher Scott rambled on, jumping from his students to himself, giving the three of them no chance to get a word in.

Zoe Sawyer and Evan Keller exchanged a look, then tacitly took a step back. One on his left and one on his right, they clapped Sean Hughes’s shoulders. "He’s all yours!"

Sean Hughes was the smooth-talker of the three of them, so he was the best one to deal with Teacher Scott’s rambling.

Having escaped, Zoe Sawyer looked at the police tape that had been put up and asked curiously, "How long will the cordon be up? You can’t keep the residents from getting home, can you?"

Evan Keller shook his head. "Tonight at the latest," he explained. "By then, only the immediate crime scene will be sealed off. Captain Lynch and his team are sweeping the entire hallway right now, just in case they missed anything."

Zoe Sawyer nodded in understanding and said no more.

As they were walking, Zoe Sawyer’s gaze was suddenly drawn to the crowd of onlookers outside.

Or more precisely, to a man within that crowd.

Unlike the curious and fearful gazes of those around him, his expression was calm, even holding a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

When he glanced in the direction of Teacher Scott’s home, the curve of his lips became more pronounced.

He was tall with well-defined features, and he wore a black baseball cap that hid most of his eyes and brows.

After noticing Zoe Sawyer’s gaze, the man reached up and tugged the brim of his cap down, briefly revealing a red triangular tattoo on his hand before quickly disappearing from the crowd.

Evan Keller noticed something was off with Zoe Sawyer and followed her line of sight, but he didn’t see anything.

"What are you looking at?"