Chapter 288: A Sudden Face-to-Face with a Corpse

Chapter 288: Chapter 288: A Sudden Face-to-Face with a Corpse

All eyes turned to Zoe Sawyer, wondering why she had said such a thing.

Zoe Sawyer frowned. She had seen similar stories before where the supposed victim wasn’t actually dead but had conspired with others to frame the accused.

Sensing their confused stares, Zoe Sawyer explained her line of thought to the others.

"We can’t rule out that possibility, but there’s no clear evidence to support this idea right now. We’ll have to investigate on-site to know the specifics," Evan Keller said, rubbing his chin.

Zoe Sawyer nodded. ’Of course.’

「Soon, the group returned to the provincial bureau.」

When they returned, Officer Lee promptly handed over the latest report. "Here’s what we have on the suspect, Yvonne Wayne’s, phone activity for the past few days.

The phone has been off the whole time, and there’s been no activity on any of the bank card accounts in her name.

We’re pulling the surveillance footage of her last known whereabouts."

Hayden Shaw then gave his report. "We found Yvonne Wayne’s parents. She isn’t close with her family—it’s normal for them to go ten days or even half a month without contact, so they don’t know her current situation."

So, the current situation was that both the suspect and the victim were nowhere to be found.

"Have the neighbors around this building been interviewed? What’s the situation behind the house? Are there any security cameras?" Evan Keller asked.

Hayden Shaw flipped to another page in his file and continued, "The occupancy rate for that owner-built house isn’t very high. We’ve questioned all the neighbors, and none of them noticed anything out of the ordinary.

As for what’s behind the house, it’s an empty lot. According to the landlord, someone planned to build a similar rental house there, but construction hasn’t started yet. So, no cameras and no witnesses."

The most pressing issue for the case now was to find both the suspect and the victim.

The case couldn’t move forward otherwise.

"Let me try. Give me the files on the suspect and the deceased," Zoe Sawyer said, knowing it was her time to step up.

She got the files on both individuals from Officer Lee and went into an adjacent office.

Heath Hale and Evan Keller quickly followed.

The victim’s situation was the most urgent, so Zoe Sawyer didn’t dare delay. She immediately memorized the victim’s information, then gripped the doorknob.

When that familiar feeling surged up again, Zoe Sawyer gently pushed the door open.

A blast of frigid air rushed out to meet her. A stiff, deathly pale face with eyes wide open suddenly appeared right in front of her.

The corpse’s face was less than ten centimeters from her own.

It had been a while since she’d had such a close encounter. The sudden shock of it made Zoe Sawyer stiffen and gasp.

"What’s wrong?" Hearing her gasp, Heath Hale rushed to her side, and immediately saw the corpse she had been blocking from view.

"I’ve found the victim. Looks like he’s been placed in a freezer," Zoe Sawyer said with a frown, stepping aside to reveal the scene to the others.

The body was curled on its side inside a freezer, eyes wide with terror. Its hands were raised to its chest, as if it had been about to pound on the lid.

It was surrounded by large chunks of ice.

Heath Hale didn’t dare open the door too wide, afraid the body and the ice would spill out. They left an opening just large enough for an arm to fit through.

Evan Keller quickly reached through and placed a tracking device near the corpse’s head. Liam, who was already prepared, typed furiously on his keyboard.

The freezer’s chill seeped through his jacket, biting at Evan Keller’s arm.

The tracking device was small but powerful.

Still, it would be conspicuous inside the freezer, and Keller didn’t want to risk leaving traces, so he had to hold it in his hand.

"Captain Keller, hang on a little longer! The signal inside the freezer is weak, so it’s taking more time." Liam’s fingers were a blur across the keyboard.

As the progress bar crept forward bit by bit, the faint sound of footsteps could be heard from outside the freezer.

"Someone’s coming! Liam, what’s your status?" Evan Keller’s voice was tinged with urgency.

Liam typed even faster. "Almost there, almost there! Just give me a few more seconds!"

Zoe Sawyer stood to the side, her fists clenched in front of her chest, her expression anxious.

’We can’t be discovered! If we tip off the killer, it’ll be a huge problem if they move the body!’

The footsteps grew closer, clearer. At the last possible second, Evan Keller finally heard Liam’s voice: "Got it!"

The second before the freezer lid was opened on the other side, Keller snatched his hand back. Heath Hale instantly slammed the door shut. Their coordination was seamless, not a single moment wasted.

"Captain Keller, I’ve got the victim’s location!" Liam’s voice was excited, but his expression faltered as he looked at the screen.

"What is it? Is there a problem with the location?" Keller asked, noticing Liam’s expression and finding it strange.

Liam turned the screen toward the others who were gathering around. "The tracker’s location... it’s the owner-built house!"

’But we searched that entire house, inside and out, and found nothing!’

"So where is it? Sean Hughes, get your gear. We’re heading over there now to check it out." Evan Keller frowned. He had assumed the body would be somewhere within a one-kilometer radius of the house.

’I never expected it to be right inside the house itself!’

’Looks like we’ll have to search the whole building again.’

"Right!" Sean Hughes and the team behind him quickly gathered their equipment and hurried after Evan Keller.

Heath Hale looked at Zoe Sawyer, who was still standing by the door. "Zoe, you continue," he said gently. "Pinpoint the suspect’s location now."

They couldn’t jump to the conclusion that Yvonne Wayne was the killer yet; they needed more evidence to support that theory.

"Right."

Zoe Sawyer didn’t object. She picked up Yvonne Wayne’s file and began to read.

Once she had memorized the details, she repeated the process.

Once the familiar sensation washed over her, Zoe Sawyer carefully opened the door just a crack. She took the device Heath Hale handed her and cautiously slipped it through the opening.

A moment later, a dim room appeared on Liam’s computer screen.

A figure was sitting in the corner, head bowed.

Zoe Sawyer frowned. Just as she was about to ask Liam to zoom in, the door to the room opened.

Another figure walked in and strode briskly toward the person in the corner.

The newcomer stopped.

Then, the newcomer suddenly kicked the seated figure viciously in the chest.

"Oh dear. How did you fall over?"