It was getting late, and Sophia went straight into the exam room.
Before long, two invigilators entered the room. Sophia knew both of them, who were chemistry teachers. She once worked in the chemistry department, so she almost knew everyone in the chemistry department.
After the test paper was issued, Sophia went over it first. The questions were not difficult. She picked up the pen and began to answer the questions.
It took Sophia about forty minutes to finish all the questions. It was still early, and she bowed her head and checked it again.
At this time, the inspection teacher came in and inspected the examination room. When he came to Sophia, he paused.
Sophia felt someone around her and looked up at him.
It was Professor Normand
It suddenly occurred to Sophia that Benjamin had told her that Professor Normand was the suspect who killed her.
At least, he had a motive.
Sophia could not help looking at him a few more at the thought of this.
Professor Normand was in his fifties. He probably dyed his hair, so his hair was still black. It was only that the wrinkles on his forehead could not be disguised at all, making him look a little older than his actual age. He was dressed in a neat suit this day, without a trace of wrinkles, so fastidious that she could see that the man paid great attention to his image.
Sophia had never cooperated with Professor Normand before. They were not familiar with each other. If it hadn't been for Benjamin's analysis, Sophia wouldn't have noticed this person at all. Nor would she suspect that the man had a motive.
Professor Normand met Sophia's eyes and smiled. "You do it very fast."
Sophia nodded slightly and did not speak. She withdrew her eyes and continued to look at her test paper.
Professor Normand walked away and continued to check other candidates.
Sophia's attention was not on the paper. She thought of the lab fire and felt a feeling of discomfort as if it was still burning.
After walking a circle in the examination room, Professor Normand left. At once, Sophia got up and handed in the test paper and then left the examination room. She wanted to take this opportunity to say a few words to Professor Normand to see if she could hear some useful information.
Director Bull was waiting outside the examination room. When he saw Sophia hand in the papers in advance, he was not surprised. He went up and asked, "How's it going, Sophia?"
Professor Normand had not yet gone far. Suddenly, he turned around with some consternation in his eyes. When he saw Sophia, he withdrew his eyes and turned away.
His expression fell into the eyes of Sophia, and there was nothing missing.
Was he so surprised at the sound of her name?
"It's fine," Sophia said in calm.
Director Bull was very satisfied with her answer. Since she answered like that, there should be no problem. "Good, let's go. I'll take you back to school."
***
On Sunday, Sophia got a call from Mrs. Martha, who said that she couldn't find the old lady. For several days in a row, she went to the flower market where the old lady set up the stall, but she couldn't find her. After asking about the nearby merchants, she knew that the old lady had been selling flowers before, but suddenly stopped coming half a month ago.
Sophia thought about it and said, "I can find her."
Mrs. Martha didn't believe her, "How? Do you know where her house is?"
"Almost." Sophia said, "Wait a moment. I will let you know when I find it out."
She checked the map on her phone and called back, "She should be in Yorkie Town."
"How do you know?" Mrs. Martha didn't understand.
"You said she sold flowers in a tricycle, small in size and single in variety. Besides, she took what she could get as flower pots. So, the flowers should be planted by herself. She should live in a big house with a courtyard, or she has a field. With the current housing prices, her house can't be downtown, and it should be in the suburbs. She, an old lady, can't sell flowers far from home, nor can a tricycle reach very far. So, the place near the flower market and with a low land price is… Yorkie Town." Sophia said.
Mrs. Martha laughed, "You're so smart, Sophia. But Yorkie Town is not small, right? Finding an old lady isn't that easy."
"No," Sophia said. "She has a sick little grandson, and she has to plant flowers to cure him. What does that mean? Her son and daughter-in-law wouldn't treat the kid, or... couldn't treat the kid. Given human nature, the latter is more likely. The child was young, and I speculate that the old lady's son and daughter-in-law probably passed away in recent years.
What's more, with her living condition, she probably lives on coupons. You can go to the police station and tell the police that you found something valuable lost by an old lady and ask them to help you look for her. You tell them her son and daughter-in-law died in recent years, and she lives on coupons. These are all recorded at the police station. If I'm right, you can find her after going to the police station. Of course, if her son and daughter-in-law do not want to raise the kid, forget about what I have said. The scope is too large to find one person."
"You're amazing, Sophia. I don't need to go to work today. I'll go to Yorkie Town. I hope to find her there." Mrs. Martha said.
Sophia hung up. She thought it was quite possible to find the old lady on these terms. Of course, things were uncertain, and she was not very sure.
Sure enough, Mrs. Martha called at night and said, "I found her.. When the police heard that one old lady sold a forty-thousand-dollar thing by mistake, they helped me look for her at once.