Chapter 56: Witch, Missing Body, and Malfunctioning Surveillance Cameras
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Naturally, there weren’t any surveillance cameras in these old apartment buildings.
The only security measure the apartment building had was an elderly lady who watched the main entrance. She was about 60 years old and still looked quite spirited despite her age.
Luke mused that this granny here definitely wasn’t as terrifying as Granny Lucy.
Selina went over and showed the granny her badge wallet with the new badge on it. On one side of the wallet was a police badge while on the other side was an ID card; they were most commonly issued to officers dressed in civilian clothes.
The granny remained calm and wasn’t shocked to see the police. When she heard that they wanted the key for the apartment where the murder had happened, she fished out a key from behind her. “This is the only copy I have. Remember to return it when you’re done.”
Selina thanked her with a smile.
The two then headed up the stairs to the third floor.
Old apartment buildings like these didn’t even have elevators.
When they arrived at apartment 305, they saw cordon tape over the door. Selina casually removed the tape and opened the door with the key.
The two then entered.
Forensics was already done with their work here. Thus, the two no longer needed to put on gloves, and only needed to be sure not to touch anything they saw in the room.
Looking at the human figure outlined on the floor, Luke said, “You check around here. I’ll go check the bedroom.”
After Selina nodded, Luke went to the bedroom.
The body had been discovered in the living room, and the bedroom wasn’t exactly the first crime scene. Thus, the bedroom was still largely the same as before.
Luke scanned the room before raising his voice. “Selina.”
Selina walked over, and when she saw the bedroom, she was somewhat horrified as well.
“So, have you investigated cases before which involved someone like this?” Luke asked with an odd expression on his face.
Selina shook her head. “No – not many people in our town believe in such superst.i.tions.”
“Do you know what these things are?” Luke asked.
Selina scanned the room before shaking her head. “There are only a few voodoo items here. I’m not sure what the other items are, but whatever the case, the things here definitely don’t belong to a regular religion.”
Luke nodded. “Fine. Looks like our victim is a witch.”
As the two were speaking, Luke’s phone rang. He answered, and after a while, he said, “Got it,” before hanging up.
Selina asked, “What’s up?”
Luke replied, “Let’s go. Our witch’s body is gone.”
Selina said, “What?”
When they went back downstairs, Selina returned the key to the granny. She also pa.s.sed her a name card, telling her to call them if she recalled anything. Then, the two got back into their car.
In the car, Selina asked, “What’s going on? How did the body go missing?”
Luke replied, “The coroner was about to conduct an autopsy on the body. Right before starting, he went to the toilet, and the body was already gone by the time he got back.”
Selina asked, “Anything on the surveillance cameras?”
Luke replied, “No idea. We’ll have to check the footage ourselves. It was Brock who called me. He told us to take on the case of the missing body as well. After all, the disappearance of the body might be related to the murder.”
Selina was somewhat disappointed. “Sigh, I thought she had been resurrected or something before she used her magic powers to teleport away.”
Luke replied, “If that really did happen, I don’t think we’d be able to keep the case for ourselves.”
Selina asked, “Who would take over the case then? FBI?”
Luke had an odd expression as he muttered, “No, S.H.I.E.L.D.”
Selina asked, “What?”
Luke replied, “Heh, nothing. Eyes on the road.”
When they arrived at the forensics center, the two entered after showing their police IDs.
When they arrived at the morgue, they looked for a coroner called Tom before telling him why they were there.
Tom was a middle-aged Caucasian, and he was somewhat soft-spoken even though he looked very forceful whenever he spoke.
Even when he was dealing with two detectives who were obviously newbies, he didn’t grow c.o.c.ky. Rather, he told them everything that had happened.
In truth, there wasn’t much he could tell them anyway. What Tom spent three minutes telling them was the same as what Brock had told Luke.
In the morning, Tom had a cup of coffee before work. Next, he felt nature’s call, so he went to the bathroom. When he returned, he found that the body on the autopsy table had already disappeared without a trace.
Luke remained silent and allowed Selina to continue questioning Tom.
Tom was a man, and was most certainly happier to cooperate with a pretty woman like Selina instead of a man like Luke.
“Where’s the security footage?”
Tom replied, “The surveillance cameras broke down last night. Someone was here to fix them this morning, but they were still down when the bodies went missing.”
Luke interjected, “Who’s the one who fixed the cameras?”
Tom blanked out slightly, as that was the first time Luke had asked a question since he arrived.
But he still answered honestly, “No idea. Logistics is in charge of that. You can try asking them.”
Selina then stuffed her notebook into her pocket and a wide smile bloomed on her face. “Thank you, Tom.”
The smile dazzled Tom somewhat as he nodded blankly. “Ah, sure, d- don’t worry about it. You’re most welcome.”
Then, the pretty Latina waved at him before leaving the room.
Selina jogged to catch up with Luke before saying, “What do you think?”
Luke replied, “Let’s first figure out what happened to the surveillance cameras. It’s too much of a coincidence. Do you still remember what Robert told us?”
Selina tilted her head as she said, “When solving cases, many coincidences are in fact no coincidences?”
Luke nodded. “Therefore, we need to figure out how the surveillance cameras broke down.”
After Selina asked two people for directions, they finally found the logistics department, and she told them the reason why she and Luke were there.
The person in charge here was a policewoman. Thus, Selina moved aside to let Luke take charge of the questioning this time.
The two had long reached a sort of tacit understanding.
Generally speaking, Selina would be in charge of communicating with men when it was safe to do so, and Luke would be in charge of communicating with middle-aged and old women. That was his job because of his pretty and tender face.
With a wide smile on his face, Luke told the policewoman what they were there for.
When the policewoman saw the handsome young man with a wide smile in front of her, she immediately had an amiable impression of him.
After taking a look at Luke’s ID, she told him the name of the company in charge of maintaining the surveillance cameras.
Wales Dalick Electronic Communications Company.
This was the name of the company in charge of maintaining the surveillance cameras in this building. Luke borrowed the office phone and called the company.
After he identified himself, he asked a few questions before waiting and listening to the answers he got with an odd expression on his face.
After ending the call, he thanked the policewoman again before he and Selina left.
Selina asked, “What’s going on?”
Luke replied, “The person on the phone told me they didn’t receive any calls from the forensics department yesterday, and they didn’t send anyone here today either.”
Selina: “Huh?”
Luke grinned. “Interesting. Let us…”