Chapter 248: Hazel Hogan, Come Down from the Suspended Ceiling

Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Hazel Hogan, Come Down from the Suspended Ceiling

That was the first thought that came to Zoe Sawyer after she finished reading all the statements, and she said it aloud.

And this leverage would, in all likelihood, be enough to ruin their reputations.

Heath Hale nodded in agreement when he heard her. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have changed their statements so quickly.

"Hayden Shaw, you handled these statements before. Try contacting the five individuals and see if you can get anything out of them.

Sean Hughes, you and Liam, get the details on the two latest victims. Let’s resolve this as soon as possible." Evan Keller’s phone vibrated. His expression changed the moment he saw the message on screen, and he quickly finished giving out assignments.

After settling the assignments for the case, Evan Keller looked at the remaining team members, beckoned them over, and said, "We’ve got an emergency, and we’re short-handed. The rest of you are with me.

Zoe Sawyer, you and Heath Hale will stay behind. If anything comes up, you can support us through the door at a moment’s notice."

Everyone except those who were specifically named followed Evan Keller and rushed out of the office.

"Alright, let’s focus. Solving Hazel Hogan’s case is what matters now." Heath Hale clapped his hands, bringing the remaining team members back to attention.

Sean Hughes and Hayden Shaw wasted no time, immediately diving into the case.

Because Hazel Hogan had been summoned five times, her file was extensive, requiring no additional background checks.

The priority now was to identify the young couple so they could prevent the tragedy from unfolding.

Zoe Sawyer and Beau worked together, and quickly sketched out the two individuals.

With the sketches, they quickly identified the pair. Following the trail, Officer Lee even managed to find the company where the man worked.

The man was named Mr. Armstrong, and he was a manager at his company.

A call to the number on the company’s official website confirmed that Hazel Hogan had recently resigned, proving they had the right people.

"We found them! Beau, you’re amazing!" Zoe Sawyer praised, throwing an arm around Beau’s shoulders and rubbing her cheek against hers.

Hayden Shaw put down his phone and shook his head at the others. "None of the five would tell me what was in the text messages they received. They all told me to stop calling and bothering them."

"Let’s shelve that for now," Heath Hale said, tapping the table as he made a swift decision. "We know where the couple is. We’re going over there now to get Hazel Hogan under control first."

Zoe Sawyer and the others hurried to Mr. Armstrong’s company. After presenting their badges, they asked specifically for him.

"Excuse me, has something happened?" Mr. Armstrong came out to the lobby after being notified by the front desk. Seeing a group of police officers waiting for him, his voice was filled with confusion.

’Did I do something wrong?’

’That can’t be right. I’ve always been a law-abiding citizen!’

Mr. Armstrong racked his brain, recalling his recent actions. ’Everything was completely normal!’

’Or... did something happen to my girlfriend?’

"Officers, did something happen to my girlfriend?" Thinking of this possibility, Mr. Armstrong’s voice became a little panicked.

He didn’t wait for an answer, immediately pulling out his phone to call his girlfriend. Mr. Armstrong only breathed a sigh of relief after hearing her voice, which sounded perfectly normal.

Just as he was about to hang up, a piece of paper was held out in front of him.

Four words were written on it: "Have her come here."

"Ria, can you come to my office for a minute? I have something very important to tell you," Mr. Armstrong said, his tone shifting.

Although Ria was puzzled, she trusted her boyfriend and agreed to come.

Their offices were in adjacent high-rises, and in less than ten minutes, a young woman with immaculate makeup appeared before Zoe Sawyer’s group.

"What’s going on?" Ria asked, looking quizzically at Zoe Sawyer’s group on the sofa as she moved closer to her boyfriend.

Mr. Armstrong shook his head, wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, and sat down across from them. Then, looking toward Zoe Sawyer’s group, he asked, "I brought her here like you asked. Can you please tell us what’s going on?"

During the wait, Mr. Armstrong had calmed down and come to a realization.

If the two of them had actually done something wrong, the police wouldn’t have been acting like this.

Sean Hughes got straight to the point, sliding a photo of Hazel Hogan in front of them. "Do you know this person?"

When they saw the photo was of Hazel Hogan, the expressions on both Mr. Armstrong and Ria turned sour. "We know her. A former colleague. She resigned a short while ago."

Realizing the police wouldn’t be asking without reason, Mr. Armstrong hesitated before asking, "Are you here to see us today because of her?"

"Yes. According to the intelligence we have, she’s currently hiding in your home with the intent to harm you.

For your own safety, we’ll need you to take us there so we can check it out." Sean Hughes said, his tone grave.

Upon hearing Sean Hughes’s words, Ria shot to her feet. The chair screeched loudly as it scraped against the floor, attracting the attention of everyone nearby.

Ignoring the curious stares, Mr. Armstrong and Ria fixed their grim expressions on Sean Hughes, desperately searching his face for any hint that he was joking.

But unfortunately, his expression gave nothing away.

A minute later, Mr. Armstrong’s shoulders slumped in defeat. "Just a moment," he said. "I’ll ask my boss for time off, and then we’ll take you there."

Ria nodded frantically and did the same, asking her supervisor for time off. Then, the two of them hurriedly led Zoe Sawyer and the team to their home.

Mr. Armstrong and Ria’s apartment wasn’t far from their offices. In less than twenty minutes, the group arrived at their front door.

"Is it possible your information is wrong?" Just before opening the door, a conflicted expression crossed Ria’s face.

Mr. Armstrong put a hand on Ria’s shoulder before keying in the passcode and opening the apartment door.

The layout of the apartment, which Zoe Sawyer had seen through the door just a short while ago, appeared before her once more.

Zoe Sawyer glanced around before pointing toward their bedroom.

Sean Hughes, Hayden Shaw, and Heath Hale nodded, drew their tranquilizer guns, and cautiously approached the bedroom door.

Mr. Armstrong and Ria, also tense, clasped each other’s hands tightly as they followed behind the three officers.

Meanwhile, Hazel Hogan, hiding in the space above the drop ceiling, was just about to climb down for some food and water when she suddenly heard noises from the living room.

She froze on the spot, her expression turning blank for a moment.

’Why are they back so early?’

’This isn’t right. Weren’t they supposed to be going to the mall tonight?’

’Don’t tell me they know I’m up here?’

As these thoughts raced through her mind, Hazel Hogan carefully tried to shift back into the corner. The knife in her pocket accidentally bumped against the ceiling panel, making a sound.

"Hazel Hogan, come down from the ceiling!"