The firmament said, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t admit it. We will search your vehicle. Where you went last night, where you parked, who you had in your car—we can probably find all that out. Forensic technology is very advanced now, and the new developments in recent years are beyond what ordinary people can imagine. Besides, Ms. Sylvia Shaw, your methods are not exactly sophisticated. I doubt you even remembered to disinfect and clean the inside of your car to destroy DNA evidence, did you?”

Sylvia Shaw forced herself to say, “It’s perfectly normal for my husband’s DNA to be in our car, isn’t it? Don’t try to fool me.”

The firmament shook her head. “Thomas Daniels drank so much last night, and was even given sleeping pills. He vomited before he died—do you think he might have left some saliva or other bodily fluids in your car? Your husband probably never took such a high dose of sleeping pills before, right? Besides DNA testing, we can also do component analysis.”

Sylvia Shaw’s expression flickered, as if she was being broken down step by step, already on the verge of collapse.

The firmament said, “Turning yourself in can reduce your punishment, and confessing your accomplices can also lessen your crime. This is your last chance. Ms. Sylvia Shaw, is there anything you want to say?”

After much hesitation, Sylvia Shaw finally lowered her head and said, “Yes, I killed him.”

The young police officer showed a look of joy, winking at the firmament. But the firmament didn’t relax, sitting up straight to listen to her confession.

Sylvia Shaw spoke slowly, word by word: “I met Justin Hall a long time ago. I know he hated my husband, so…”

“Enough.” The firmament interrupted her. “The footprints left at the scene prove that Justin Hall wasn’t the murderer, because they don’t match.”

Sylvia Shaw stammered, blurting out, “Did you make a mistake? There were so many footprints at the scene.”

“Don’t doubt our professionalism, okay?” The firmament was amused, glancing at her phone for the time. “I really don’t have much time for your repentance. If you don’t want to talk, we have our own ways to investigate. But the outcome will be different then. There’s no need for that, don’t you think?”

Sylvia Shaw twisted her fingers, closed her eyes, and breathed heavily.

After waiting five minutes with no further response, the firmament seemed to lose patience and said, “We’ve already sent people to Xavier Daniels’s dorm. He was responsible for moving Thomas Daniels yesterday—his clothes, his shoes, there will always be some evidence left behind.”

Sylvia Shaw suddenly looked up.

The firmament gave a mirthless smile. “Starting with the family, just like you said earlier, right?”

·

Julian Grant arrived at Xavier Daniels’s school, found the counselor to ask about Xavier Daniels’s dorm, and called his roommate back.

The roommate opened the door, and Julian Grant immediately saw clothes hanging on the small balcony, still dripping water. He walked over quickly, pushed open the balcony’s glass door, and took the clothes down.

The roommate watched his actions with great curiosity—probably the first time he’d seen a police officer working on a case in person.

Julian Grant sniffed the clothes; they reeked of bleach. Xavier Daniels was clearly much more meticulous than Sylvia Shaw.

He asked, “When did Xavier Daniels come back?”

“Late last night, I think?” The roommate yawned, looking sleepy. “He called me at two in the morning, said he was coming back—so weird, right? And after he got back, he started showering and washing clothes, totally unreasonable! I was already up late working on a paper, and with all his fuss, I didn’t sleep at all.”

Julian Grant pushed open the bathroom door next to them and saw a blue plastic basin on the floor, soaking a pair of already-clean shoes. The soaking liquid also had a lot of bleach in it.

Julian Grant came out and asked, “Xavier Daniels is so rich, why does he still live in the student dorm?”

The roommate said, “He used to live in the apartment complex across from the school, but he just moved back last month.”

Julian Grant asked, “Why did he move back?”

“I don’t know.” The roommate shrugged. “Maybe to make studying easier?”

That reason sounded a bit perfunctory.

Julian Grant asked again, “How did he get in last night?”

The roommate walked to the balcony and pointed to a spot. “He climbed up from here. I opened the balcony door for him.”

At the spot he indicated, Julian Grant did indeed see a faint footprint. He stood at the edge, leaned out to look down at the identical balcony below and the grass on the first floor, deep in thought.

“Wait here for me. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Julian Grant ran down to the first floor, searched the grass nearby, and found nothing except some trampled turf.

He used his phone to record everything, then headed up to the second floor.

Julian Grant got a key from the dorm manager, and only at the door did he realize there were still students inside the second-floor dorm. Hearing movement, he chose to knock.

There was some rustling inside, then a young man in pajamas came to open the door, looking at him in confusion.

Julian Grant said, “I’d like to take a look at your balcony.”

Before he could show his badge, the student inside said, “Are you here for the necklace?”

Julian Grant paused, hand at his chest. “Could you show me, please?”

The student turned to fetch it, asking as he went, “How did your thing end up on our balcony? Did you hang it out to dry? But you look unfamiliar—are you from our school?”

Julian Grant flipped his badge with two fingers, showing it. “Police.”

The pajama-clad student nearly stumbled, muttering, “Is that thing really so valuable? You had to call the police?”

The necklace’s clasp was broken; it must have been too dark last night, and when Xavier Daniels was climbing, he didn’t notice it got caught somewhere and was snapped off.

Julian Grant carefully put it in an evidence bag, went back upstairs, and asked the roommate to confirm.

“Do you recognize this? Is it Xavier Daniels’s?”

The roommate answered without thinking, “Yes, he wears this necklace all the time.”

Julian Grant: “Okay, thank you.”

Julian Grant took the item to a quiet place and reported to the firmament.

The dial tone rang several times before the firmament picked up.

The firmament: “Did you find anything?”

Julian Grant said, “Xavier Daniels washed all his clothes and shoes with bleach. I don’t know how much useful information we can still get from them. But I found a necklace at the scene, which Xavier Daniels accidentally dropped while climbing the wall yesterday. If he was wearing it during the crime, maybe it’ll yield something. I’ll send it for analysis later.”

The firmament: “Hmm…”

Julian Grant could tell something was off in her tone and asked, “Sylvia Shaw still won’t confess?”

“She confessed,” said the firmament. “Sylvia Shaw has poor psychological resilience. It’s her first crime, she’s extremely anxious, and not very smart. A little bluffing and she admitted it.”

Julian Grant asked doubtfully, “Isn’t that a good thing? The case is solved. Aren’t you happy?”

The firmament gave a cold laugh. “She said she killed Thomas Daniels and planned the whole thing. She gave Thomas Daniels an overdose of sleeping pills, thought he was dead, then forced Xavier Daniels to help move the body. Xavier Daniels was unaware, unwilling, and passive the whole time, and even tried several times to persuade her to turn herself in, but she was stubborn. She originally planned to frame Justin Hall for the crime, but didn’t expect the police to uncover the truth.”

Julian Grant frowned.

“Maybe Xavier Daniels knew from the start that he might be exposed. He let Sylvia Shaw leave countless flaws and clues, leading us to her. But he also knew Sylvia Shaw would cover for him, taking most of the blame herself. That way, Xavier Daniels is just an accessory to corpse abandonment, which carries a lighter sentence, or even exemption from punishment. And abandoning a corpse, as long as there’s no desecration or destruction, isn’t a serious crime.”

The firmament said sarcastically, “Using a minor charge to legally escape a murder conviction. Thomas Daniels really did raise a son who surpassed him.”

Julian Grant was silent, not knowing what to say.

If not for the firmament’s view, honestly, he’d rather believe Sylvia Shaw’s testimony than believe there could be someone as absurd and shameless as Xavier Daniels in the world.

The firmament said, “I’m at the school now too. Wait for me.”

Chapter 69: Calm

In the screening room, everyone felt a chill from the firmament’s account.

Several psychologists turned all their attention to Xavier Daniels, wanting to deeply analyze this person who was likely antisocial and innately lacking in emotion and responsibility. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much footage of him, and the firmament had avoided interrogating him—he hadn’t even said a few words.

Quinn Shelby hesitated for a long time before finally asking, “Why is she so convinced that Xavier Daniels isn’t innocent?”

Several technicians looked up at this, sharing the same confusion. They thought Xavier Daniels had always behaved perfectly—obedient, sensible, shy, with a touch of nervousness. If this was all an act, then his acting skills were truly remarkable.