Chapter 10
Zoey strolled over to the bedroom next to the master bedroom. She nudged the door open and stepped inside. The room was bare except for a wooden bed, looking like it hadn't been touched in ages.
It was obvious this room didn't see much action. Lawrence probably never came in here; there were no signs of life at all.
Zoey's cop instincts kicked in, and she started poking around. She yanked open the heavy curtains, letting the sunlight flood in. A corner of the curtain knocked some dust off the windowsill.
Feeling a bit sleepy, she yawned, glanced out the window at the neighborhood, and was about to head out.
But as she passed the nightstand, she stopped dead in her tracks. Something was off.
If Lawrence was a clean freak, why would he clean the nightstand but leave the windowsill dusty? Anyone who had ever cleaned a room knew it was easy to wipe down a small area. This inconsistency meant...
"What are you looking at? The tech team already checked everything." Alexander's sudden voice made Zoey jump.
She pulled herself together, her brows knitting in annoyance.
Alexander noticed she was pissed at him but didn't seem to care. "Find anything?"
Zoey snapped, "Does the difference in dust thickness count as a discovery?" She shot him a look and continued, "The nightstand is spotless, but the windowsill has a thin layer of dust. If Lawrence was a neat freak, he wouldn't miss that. So I think someone else lived here, and Lawrence wiped out all traces of them."
Zoey started opening the drawers one by one. They were empty.
"Lawrence doesn't have a girlfriend, right?" she asked.
Alexander replied, "He said he didn't when we interviewed him, but who knows if that's true. The surveillance in this old neighborhood is pretty bad, and getting footage from other spots would be a hassle."
"What about his neighbors?" Zoey asked.
"They're not around. We don't know why yet. We haven't even talked to the only employee at Lawrence's supermarket," Alexander said.
Zoey's frown deepened. "If Lawrence has been living alone, this neighborhood is perfect for covering up a murder."
"Even though this place is old and rundown, it's convenient. There's a subway and bus stop right outside, a food street nearby, and all the essentials for living. Plus, it's close to his supermarket," Alexander replied.
Zoey shot him a cold look. "Rich people just don't get our world."
Alexander went quiet.
"No need to target me," he finally said.
Zoey yawned. "I just call it like I see it."
She was about to leave, but Alexander blocked her at the door.
He leaned against the doorframe, looking at her. "Do we really have to do this?"
"Do what?" Zoey replied coolly.
Alexander said, "I was just sharing my opinion, but you always have to contradict me."
Zoey lifted her head, her tone serious. "I'm just being real. How could rich folks possibly get what it's like for us regular people? Ever been broke? And you should check out more homes. That robot vacuum cleaner he's got is probably a rare sight in this whole city."
In Zoey's eyes, it was way too extravagant. Most people were all about saving money, focusing on practical stuff instead of dropping thousands on a fancy vacuum cleaner. It just didn't make sense.
Zoey went on, "For a single guy with such a high standard of living, why would he rent a place like this?"
She added, "These days, there are plenty of nice apartments around. Do you think someone making over ten grand a month would spend three thousand to rent a dump like this? And he even left one room empty instead of using it for storage?"
Alexander had to admit, she had a point. "You think Lawrence kept a woman locked up in this room for a long time? If that's true, it could explain a lot."
The gap between the two victims was really short.
Zoey's lips curled into a cold smile. "Move aside! Don't block me!"
She reached out to push him away.
Alexander stood firm with just a little effort.
But seeing Zoey's face darken, Alexander decided to step aside.
He pulled back with a grin, giving her space.
Zoey had no choice but to brush past him to get out. As she did, Alexander's unique scent hit her.
She vaguely remembered that during their combat class at the police academy, when they sparred, he had the same scent. She didn't know if it was cologne or something else, but he was definitely vain.
Zoey rolled her eyes at him.
Seeing that the investigation at Lawrence's house was almost done, Zoey noticed Robert on the phone, looking serious.
"What do you mean you can't get into their house even with a search warrant? The internet tells people to be wary of strangers every day, but it doesn't say to be wary of the police! I don't know if these people are too cautious or what! Show them your badges properly and get them to cooperate!"
Robert noticed Zoey watching him out of the corner of his eye.
He hung up the phone and waved her over.
Zoey walked over.
Robert gave her a long look, the smell of smoke heavy in the air. "I told Mark that until this Lawrence case is over, you'll be sticking with me. No need to go back to your team for now. I'll take you and Alexander to grab a bite to eat, then show you around."
Zoey nodded. "Okay."
It was late autumn, and at five in the afternoon, the city wasn't completely dark yet.
Robert took Zoey and Alexander to a random restaurant. The waiter handed over the menu, and Robert politely gave it to the only woman among them. "Ladies first, order whatever you want; don't be shy."
Zoey seriously looked at the menu and ordered everything she wanted.