Jennifer Perry was 27 and in the prime of a woman’s life.
Her career was soaring and she ranked among the top five female stars in the country in terms of earnings last year. She was successful from every perspective. Now, in the face of this tragedy in her living room, she was more perplexed than shocked.
Luke gestured for her to sit down. Carefully avoiding the mess on the floor, he examined the maid who had been moved to the couch, and shook his head.
The woman’s skull was fractured from the blow. It remained to be seen whether she would survive.
Luke didn’t have the ability to save her.
He only knew field first aid, not brain surgery, so he stopped after a brief examination.
After calling the police department for reinforcements, he asked a male security guard, “You were the one to discover her?”
The guard nodded quickly. “Yes. When I came in, she…”
Luke interrupted him. “What’s your name and your job here?”
The guard replied, “My name is Thomson Morris. I’m the head of security here.”
“What’s her name? What does she do?” Luke pointed at the maid on the couch.
“Manny Scott. She’s a maid here,” replied Thomson.
Luke nodded. “Stay here.” He circled the living room and frowned deeply. He had yelled when he entered just now precisely because the five security guards and Jennifer were trampling all over the crime scene around the maid. He was positive that most of the clues in the room were gone.
Also, while trying to rescue Manny, they had spilled her blood everywhere in the room.
There were tissues, towels, blankets and a first aid kit around Manny, all stained with blood.
The people here all had varying amounts of blood on their clothes as well.
They were only trying to save Manny. But it was actually futile. Regular first aid was useless for Manny’s injury, and all they had managed to do was ruin the crime scene.
The forensics department would probably curse like crazy too! Luke dropped his head in his hand when he saw the countless bloody footprints of six people all over the room.
“Thomson, tell me how you discovered Manny,” said Luke.
Thomson, the head of security, hurried to explain.
The situation was very simple. He had been telling Jennifer that Luke was at the gate, and was asking for her permission to let Luke in when he heard Manny’s scream.
He ran through the back door of the living room, only to see Manny lying on the floor, so he cried out for help.
.
The other security guards arrived and helped lift Manny onto the living room couch.
It wasn’t until then that Thomson remembered Luke, and hurriedly unlocked the gate to let the two detectives in.
Luke was speechless. Do you really think that those security guards helped? If anything, they only helped the criminal!
All they had done was seriously mess up the crime scene and increase the number of suspects from two to six. Luke grumbled inwardly, If we were in a detective TV show, you would definitely be the murderer, and this would be your ploy to sabotage the crime scene!
Though he complained, he didn’t really think that it was Thomson who had committed the crime.
After being a detective for a while, he knew how unreliable preconceptions could be.
Other detectives might only be able to follow their gut, but Luke had Sharp Nose.
Although the scents in the room were a complete mess and smelled like a complicated knot, he could still work with that.
Jennifer’s smell was the simplest. It was the only one to come from upstairs, and carried over the shortest distance. Then there was Manny’s smell. Those two could be ruled out first.
Judging from Manny’s wound, the security guards were more likely suspects than Jennifer.
Luke said, “Stay where you are. Thomson, you can sit on the couch if you’re tired. Don’t bother me.”
Then, he circumvented the mess of blood and footprints on the floor and began his investigation.
It might be tricky for other people to uncover the criminal, but Luke had a lead, which was the weapon.
According to Thomson’s description, and considering how fast Luke had arrived, it was impossible for the criminal to get rid of the weapon so quickly.
Manny’s blood and the criminal’s scent was bound to be on the weapon.
Sniffing for a moment, Luke realized something, but he didn’t say anything.
He reached Selina, who was by the window, and asked a question with his eyes, but she shook her head.
That meant that none of the security guards outside displayed any anomaly.
However, Luke already had a theory about who the perpetrator was.
It might seem difficult to uncover the person, but Luke was able to lock onto the man directly with his Sharp Nose. The most challenging problem in the case was resolved, and all that was needed now was evidence.
Twenty minutes later, forensics arrived.
Luke stopped them and whispered something to the person in charge, who nodded slightly.
One of the two forensic scientists dealt with the people outside, and one dealt with the room.
Everybody took off their bloodstained clothes and shoes, which were all evidence.
Then, those people had to leave the mansion until the forensic scientists were done with their work.
Jennifer was no exception. Accompanied by Selina, she took off her shoes and changed out of her clothes, before she sat down in her garden.
Luke reentered the living room and pointed at the bottom of a cabinet not far away from the back door.
Seeing Luke’s motion, one of the forensic scientists turned on his flashlight and found an extendable baton under the cabinet. There was obvious blood on the stick.
Luke, on the other hand, went up the stairs to the second floor. He opened the door to one of the rooms and took a deep breath.
No mistake: this was Jennifer’s bedroom. Only her scent and that of the two maids were in this room.
However, Luke’s expression turned strange, and he didn’t walk into the room.