Free Web NovelChapter 70: Chapter 70: The Deceased Turned Out to Be Her
After receiving an emergency call, the police were dispatched overnight, arriving at the murder scene at the same time as the ambulance.
Two consecutive deaths by falling at Emberwood Apartments had left the surrounding residents in a state of panic.
"How could another person have jumped...?"
"Was it suicide, or did someone push them?"
"Damn it, this is starting to scare me!" ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
"Could this place be haunted...?"
Henry Stark had just arrived on the scene when a middle-aged man suddenly grabbed him by the collar.
"Officer, you have to get to the bottom of this! One person died the day before yesterday, and now another one this morning. If this keeps up, it’ll never end...!"
"Sir, please calm down." Sawyer quickly stepped forward to placate the agitated resident. "We’re already investigating with all our resources..."
"How am I supposed to calm down?" The man’s face was flushed with agitation. "I live in this building! What if it’s me or my girlfriend who ends up dead tomorrow?"
Henry Stark’s eyes narrowed. "Sir," he said in a low, steady voice, "please don’t cause a panic. The police will uncover the truth as quickly as possible, and we will do everything in our power to protect the public."
With that, he gave Kyle Morgan a pointed look.
Kyle Morgan took the hint immediately. He guided the man out of the crowd by the arm. "Sir, you seem very distraught. Would you like to talk with me for a moment?"
Henry Stark glanced at the man’s retreating back and murmured to Sawyer, "Run a check on him."
"Got it." Sawyer nodded.
Henry Stark walked over to the medical examiner. The moment he saw the body, his dark eyes narrowed, and his expression shifted.
’It’s her!’
When Renee Jennings learned that Daphne Dalton had fallen to her death, she rushed to Emberwood Apartments.
Daphne Dalton’s body had already been transported to the forensic center, but here at the crime scene, a jarring pool of blood remained on the cold pavement.
Every drop of blood was like a cryptic code, waiting for the police to decipher the hidden truth.
Renee Jennings tilted her head back, her gaze fixed on the thirteenth-floor balcony.
Her brow was furrowed, her expression complex.
"Don’t let your mind run wild." Henry Stark stood beside her, speaking softly. "No one can predict what’s going to happen from one moment to the next."
Renee Jennings shook her head. "I’m not."
The group took the elevator to the door of Apartment 1303.
In the span of just two days, the two young women living in this apartment had died in the exact same manner: falling to their deaths. It was enough to send a chill down one’s spine.
Kyle Morgan handed out gloves and shoe covers, and one by one, they entered the apartment.
"If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have taken the slider away yesterday," Sawyer suddenly muttered.
The words had barely left her mouth when she felt a sharp gaze fall upon her.
She looked up and met Henry Stark’s disapproving eyes.
Sawyer immediately realized her mistake. She looked frantically toward Renee Jennings and explained, "Renee, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that..."
"It’s okay." Renee saw the guilt in her eyes and knew she hadn’t meant any harm.
Hearing that only made Sawyer feel more ashamed. "I’m really so sorry."
Renee Jennings said softly, "Let’s just see if we can find any other small animals."
"Right!" Sawyer nodded quickly and began searching the area.
Though she said that, Renee didn’t actually hold out much hope. ’This is the thirteenth floor. There probably isn’t even a mouse up here.’
The forensics team had all heard that the department had brought on a consultant with a unique talent. Now, hearing this exchange, they all glanced over at Renee Jennings, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny.
’Is she really that amazing?’
From the kitchen, Kyle Morgan suddenly shouted, "Renee, do cockroaches count as small animals?"
Hearing this, Renee quickly began searching the animal dictionary in her System.
She found cockroaches listed under the insect category.
A flicker of delight crossed Renee’s face, her beautiful eyes seeming to sparkle. "They count!" she called out.
"That’s fantastic!" Kyle Morgan cheered, but a second later the cockroach was gone. "Crap, it got away!"
"Where did it go?" Sawyer asked anxiously.
Kyle Morgan opened a kitchen cabinet. "I just saw it scurry in here. These things are experts at hiding."
"I found one over here, by the range hood!" Sawyer exclaimed in delight.
Kyle Morgan shot to his feet. "Where? I’ll grab it!"
Afraid he might accidentally kill it, Sawyer said nervously, "Be gentle!"
"Help! That biped is terrifying!"
"AHHH! Everyone, hide!"
Hearing the cockroaches’ cries, Renee walked into the kitchen and approached the two of them. "Why don’t you let me try."
At her words, Kyle Morgan and Sawyer exchanged a look and stepped aside in perfect sync.
Renee looked at the trembling cockroach and said softly, "Don’t be afraid. You don’t have to hide. We’re not going to hurt you, we just want to ask a few questions."
A bolder cockroach peeked its head out. "Hey, listen... I think that biped is talking to us!" frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Renee: "Yes, I am talking to you."
The cockroach shrieked, "Ah! The biped can actually understand us?!"
"My name is Renee Jennings," she said gently. "May I ask how long you’ve all been living in this apartment?"
After she spoke, Renee paused. She turned, opened the refrigerator, and found only beer and some skincare products inside.
’Damn it. I can’t find any food to bribe them with.’
"Looking for a snack?" Henry Stark’s voice suddenly cut in.
Renee glanced over at him. "Yes. Cockroaches are very wary."
He walked over to her, his long fingers pulling a pack of soda crackers from his pocket. "Will these work?"
Renee’s eyebrow arched, and a faint smile touched her lips. "Perfect."
Henry Stark tore open the package and handed it to her.
"Thanks." Renee took the crackers and returned to the range hood. "Want a bite?"
At the scent of the crackers, several cockroach heads poked out.
"Whoa, that brought out five of them!" Kyle Morgan whispered in amazement.
Renee broke off a few crumbs and scattered them over.
Unable to resist the temptation, the cockroaches cautiously approached the food.
"Can I ask you a few questions now?" Renee asked softly.
Perhaps because it’s hard to be rude on a full stomach, one of the cockroaches finally spoke up.
"Um, what do you want to ask?"
Renee breathed a small sigh of relief that they were finally willing to talk. "Have you always lived here?"
The head cockroach: "Yes."
Renee: "Then you must know the people who lived in this apartment."
The head cockroach: "Two female bipeds."
Renee: "Did a man come here last night?"
The head cockroach stopped nibbling on a crumb and asked, confused, "Last night? You mean after dark?"
Renee: "Yes. Did a male biped come over?"
"Yes," said the head cockroach. "That male biped has been here a few times. He even crushed my nephew."
Renee’s eyes flickered. She translated its words for the others, then asked the cockroach, "Did they argue last night?"
"Let me think." The head cockroach blinked, falling back into its memories.
Last night, Daphne Dalton had called Todd to tell him that the police had discovered Eileen Coleman’s death wasn’t a suicide.
