CHAPTER 61
New York City police station.
Now Nicholas sat in his room with Noel. The two young detectives are like the envelope and the glue that cannot be separated these days. Plus, their age difference of only two years makes them quite balanced in communication. Nicholas is a leader who is able to help everyone, while Noel is an obedient and loyal partner. He is a loyal dog to a generous and warm-hearted owner. They were like a complete pair when it came to work.
But the two of them in Nicholas's office that afternoon were not there to chat between men. Rather, it was to investigate the murders that had occurred over the past week.
"So what did you find out?" Nicholas leaned his back against the chair. While Noel began to take out his journal from his pants pocket. Noel was busy going through the personal notes he had written on the sheets of paper. "I heard you guys have already checked the theater."
Noel nodded quickly. "But we didn't find anything suspicious there, Detective. We checked the main door, the main stage, and all the rooms. Even in the victim's locker, we only found a change of clothes and a black jacket. She didn't bring anything that could be used as a motive or alibi."
Nicholas furrowed his brow. "Does that jacket belong to her? Did you confirm it?"
"Yes. The witness named Pete said that the victim did wear the jacket when she came to the theater center that day. The jacket we found in the victim's locker was also confirmed by Pete, he said it with confidence," Noel replied. He then turned the page of his journal. With so many things to remember, Noel decided to just read his notes in front of Nicholas. "Meanwhile, the building owner himself didn't really know the victim because he lived in Japan and only got information about the event from the building manager. I think it's too far to link the victim's relationship with the building owner since he hasn't been back to New York for a long time."
The detective with light brown eyes rubbed his chin. He looked thoughtful, before throwing another question at Noel. "What about the stocking? Did you find it? I think the missing victim's stocking could be the piece that completes our curiosity."
But again Nicholas had to swallow his disappointment. "I don't think there's anything there, other than its proximity to the murder scene." Noel shook his head in despair. "Other than that, there's nothing we can find."
And in that instant, Alicia's words flashed through Nicholas' brain. "Did you check the hospital?"
But Noel lowered his head. He stared at the floor beneath his feet with a worried look.
"What's wrong, Noel? Did you find anything there?" asked Nicholas again, making sure.
But afterward, Noel only looked up and gave his superior a bad-feeling look. "We found no history of her activities there. Even the hospital confirmed that they never had a nurse named Natalie Heele." Noel scratched the nape of his neck awkwardly. "It looks like the victim lied about her job to the people around her."
Noel's guess just now might be right, but it could also be wrong. This case really was more complicated than Nicholas had previously thought.
He finally took a deep breath and decided, "Alright, you can go back. I will check the victim's relatives more deeply and look at the murder scene once more," Nicholas said. "I don't want to miss a single speck of the trail the perpetrator left for me."
"Yes, detective." Then Noel walked away from the young detective's room.
Next Nicholas began to think about where he should start. But again his mind was stuck. And it was Alicia's name that kept bothering him.
Then as if the goddess of fortuna was on his side, the tall man's cell phone suddenly rang. And when he checked the call, Alicia's name was there.
"Hello, Alicia?"
"Yes... I was just about to go to that place again to double check. Y-you what?!" Nicholas widened his eyeballs in disbelief as he listened to Alicia. "Really?"
"Oh, yes, yes. I'll meet you there. Bye."
***
"Alicia," greeted Nicholas.
Nicholas had just arrived near the Town Square building, in a small alley that was determined to be the crime scene of a premeditated murder a few days ago.
Alicia, meanwhile, was already standing there in a denim jumpsuit and black inner. She turned around when she heard Nicholas calling her name.
"I'm glad you want to help me," Nicholas said. He tried to say it as calmly as possible so that Alicia wouldn't know how Nicholas was feeling.
"Well... I'm honestly only going to help until you get some solid evidence," Alicia explained. "After that, I'll stop and you take care of the rest. I'm doing all this to check whether this case is related to Amanda or not, you know, she... disappeared."
Nicholas snorted with amusement. "Interesting offer."
Then the two of them entered a small alley that was protected by a police line at the front. Their eyes immediately flashed to observe the surroundings. Although in the end there was nothing unusual there.
Then Alicia lowered her gaze, observing the asphalt beneath her feet. "I think the perpetrator dragged his victim into the alley." As soon as Nicholas turned his head, Alicia immediately pointed out the streaks of asphalt that seemed to leave someone's shoe prints there. "They met from outside the alley."
"Maybe the victim was followed from outside the theater," Nicholas guessed. "Or... maybe the culprit was an audience member inside the theater itself."
Alicia looked at Nicholas seriously now. "Maybe you're right. Want to check the surveillance cameras now?"
After nodding in agreement, the two of them walked out of the small alley to enter the theater. And they were both greeted by a stocky man dressed in all black who suddenly stopped them in their tracks. "You can't go in. The show doesn't start until six," he informed them. By any estimation, the man was probably between forty and fifty years old. "I'll take you out."
CHAPTER 62Town Square Theater Center, New York."I gave him the surveillance data."After pushing Mike Mollison - aka Mike Houston - in the hallway of the theater, by exposing the funds embezzlement that Alicia didn't really know about, that big man finally confessed everything.Mike Mollison, who changed his name to Mike Houston after Natalie's murder a few days ago, finally told her that someone had met him to ask for all the surveillance camera data on the theater building before Alicia and Nicholas arrived."Can you describe his features?" asked Nicholas."I think he was about the same height and build as you, detective," Mike said. "But I couldn't see his face because he was wearing a mask." He then looked at Alicia and made an expectant face. "Don't tell anyone about the money embezzlement, miss. Please."Nicholas and Alicia exchanged glances before Alicia finally asked another question. "If you can't see his face, is there something so unique about him? Maybe he has a tattoo?
CHAPTER 63Alicia's flat, New York."I've been waiting for you here for over an hour, Alicia."The blue-eyed girl immediately lowered her head. Feeling guilty for making her boyfriend wait longer than usual in front of the flat.But quickly, Ace, Alicia's boyfriend, lifted her chin and smiled warmly at her. "I was so worried, you know?" He then gently rubbed the top of Alicia's head. "But now that you're here. I feel better when I see you.""Really?" The blue irises looked remorsefully into Ace's eyes. "I'm sorry for not telling you, Ace." And the tall man immediately nodded in understanding. "I had to do some work and didn't realize that my phone was off," she continued to explain.Actually, Alicia wasn't entirely lying. The blue-eyed girl had done her college work before meeting Nicholas at the theater center.But still, Alicia couldn't avoid the guilt."It's not your fault. So, stop feeling guilty like that," Ace comforted her. "Ah, by the way, I brought you your favorite food."Ac
CHAPTER 64New York City police station."Check all guest lists that may be related to the victims in this book," Nicholas ordered.As soon as Nicholas returned from the murder scene of the first victim (the Town Square theater), the serious expression of the young detective did not fade from his face. He didn't even give himself a break to rest or have a snack.Nicholas immediately called Noel and handed him a black book that listed the VIP guests on the night Natalie performed-and was murdered. And based on the time of Natalie's death, which was suspected to have taken place during recess, Nicholas' suspicions about the stalking action carried out by the perpetrator before killing were even clearer.The perpetrator must have stalked his victim since he was inside the theater.In addition, the testimony of the building manager who doubles as a special guest receptionist and financial manager of the theater center said that the victim might have been approached by the perpetrator who
CHAPTER 65Golden University, New York."You're okay, right, Alicia?"Alicia sat pensively in a corner of the campus cafeteria with Brittany after their classes ended for the day. Alicia had texted Brittany several times to see if they could meet up and it had worried Brittany.Both of them had ordered their food fifteen minutes ago. Alicia asked for pasta with cheese sauce, while Brittany ordered honey waffles. But it seems, Alicia is reluctant to touch her food at all.The Brooklyn girl continued to stare at her pasta without interest. Even the caramel ice, which had always been her favorite, meant nothing to her."You've been sitting here staring at your food like you're dying, Alicia," Brittany protested.She had just finished her waffles and seemed a little perturbed that her best friend's meal was still completely intact."Speak up, Alicia." Brittany stirred her ice lonade and sipped slowly, instead of waiting for her best friend to react. "Did something happen to you?"And afte
Chapter 66New York City police station."So, can we start the interview now Mrs. Veronica?"Nicholas' room, which had been quiet, was now transformed by the arrival of a woman named Veronica Smith. The legal wife of the second victim, Mr. Rich Greek.The woman, who was wearing a black blouse and a long skirt of the same color, was only able to attend the police invitation given by Noel, as she was still in a state of grief and busy clarifying all the news about her husband in the media over the past few days.Indeed, as a successful medical device entrepreneur, Rich Greek's unnatural death has caused quite a stir in New York City. And as the heiress to a fortune, it was Veronica's responsibility to answer all the public's assumptions about her husband's horrific tragedy."Of course, the detective," she said quietly.Veronica Smith was a councilwoman in the city. She was thirty-four and was now the sole caregiver of her two sons, Jason and Anthony."Did you know that that day your hus
CHAPTER 67Alicia's flat, New York."I told you yesterday, you don't have to pick me up here!"But Ace laughed amusedly at his girlfriend's response. She then did her usual thing to Alicia, rubbing the top of the dark-haired girl's head and stroking it gently. Next, Ace looked deeply into his girlfriend's eyes. "You're so adorable when you're angry like that, you know," he said trying to tease Alicia.But Alicia only replied to Ace's words with a short snort.Ace had just arrived in front of Alicia's flat to pick the girl up a while ago. Because tonight, Ace was going to Italy and all he wanted before leaving New York was to see Alicia's face."We still have time here. How about a quick stop at Uncle Chuck's for some ice cream now?" Ace asked enthusiastically.But Alicia, who had not been able to shake off the annoyance caused by Ace's attitude earlier, just scowled and huffed without interest. "You'll get a stomachache if you eat ice cream now," she snapped sternly. "And a stomachach
CHAPTER 68Sunshine Cafe, New York."Nice to see you again, Alicia."Nicholas was now walking with Alicia towards one of the tables in the corner of the cafe. They had made a prior appointment to meet again and discuss the case further.And after they sat down, their eyes began to glance around.Sunshine Cafe itself looked very cozy and relaxed with its light blue walls. The building itself has two floors, the first floor is for indoor enjoyment while the next floor is quite distinctive with its outdoor feel. It's perfect for visitors who want to experience the air and the view of the busy streets in the Town Square area itself.But this time, Alicia and Nicholas chose to relax on the ground floor. A room filled with air-conditioning and several colorful paintings on each wall. Each table consisted of four chairs, which meant that the ground floor was reserved for guests who came with a lot of friends, or family."How was the case?" Alicia asked straight to the point.Honestly, meetin
CHAPTER 69Sunshine Cafe, New York.Nicholas' forehead couldn't stop wrinkling in surprise as his eyes clearly saw scene after scene appearing on the monitor in the Sunshine Cafe manager's room right now.The cafe manager, Mrs. Donn, had finally agreed to the detective's request to view the CCTV footage in order to be considered as a cooperative citizen in assisting the investigation into the death of one of her patrons on the day of the Town Square massacre a few days back.Mr. Donn also explained to Nicholas that the man named Rich Greek came alone before his five colleagues followed and sat with him. He also added that all the food and drinks they ordered were checked for quality before being served on the table."Do you still remember what food or drinks they ordered that day?" asked Nicholas.Mr. Donn quickly nodded his head. "Mr. Greek's secretary ordered the same food for them. Salmon pasta and americanos.""They had a pasta with a cup of coffee?" Nicholas stared at Mr. Donn in