Chapter 3

The rhythmic tread of footsteps could be heard hurrying afterward. They were the field forensics team under the New York City Police Department that Zach had asked to come. After two of them inspected the scene, took pictures, and noted the condition of the corpse, they hurriedly transferred Alisa's lifeless body into a body bag. One of them closed the zipper before the four policemen lifted the body bag together.

All the students who heard the news of Alisa's death immediately gathered around as if this horrific incident was an interesting show for them.

Many of these students even secretly took pictures with their cell phones and shared them on the internet. Although, of course, the ban on doing so had already been announced.

What makes this obituary interesting is that Alisa was the only daughter of William Harrison, the biggest investor in the dormitory and college. No one expected that the girl with the perfect life would choose to end her life in such a tragic way. Rumors about Alisa's parent's relationship spread quickly. The issue of infidelity, which had previously faded away, finally became a hot topic on all television stations.

"Did you check Alisa's room, Nate?" Zach walked into the women's restroom that had been blocked off by a police line and approached Nathaniel. "The conditions here don't seem to be helping at all."

Nathaniel turned to the source of the voice and nodded in agreement. Wrapped in latex gloves, Nathaniel held a small journal and pen in his hand. He was also writing down the conditions at the scene of the incident as was usually done at crime scenes. His face was downcast, staring at a page filled with analysis. "No blood was found in the room or on the street on my way here, nor did I find any sharp objects, alcohol, or d***s other than the fruit knife that supposedly matched Alisa's wound. It seems that this case is purely a suicide."

Zach frowned. "What about the luminol test?"

"I did. There's no blood at all," he said firmly.

Then, that 27-year-old man squinted at Nathaniel. "Fingerprints?"

Nathaniel replied to the question with a shrug of his shoulders. " I gave them to the field forensics team, we'll know soon when the results come out." The man with the gray scarf around his neck then put the journal and pen into his thick jacket pocket and looked back at Zach. "By the way, you don't sound like you trust me, Zach. Is something wrong?"

A short mumble escaped Zach's mouth. He looked at the spot where Alisa's body was found, and his forehead seemed to frown deeply again.

Before he finally looked back at Nathaniel. "I don't mean to disbelieve you, Nate," he argued. "Looking at the incision that was made with just one attempt and estimating the wound, as well as the position of the wound on her left vein, makes me a little hesitant to say that this is purely a suicide case."

Nathaniel crossed his arms over his chest and gave Zach a curious look. "Maybe that girl was brave enough to cut her veins in one try. Today's children are supported by rapid technological advances, and that girl could have copied the scene in the movie or looked up the method on the internet. There's nothing difficult in this modern era, Zach," Nathaniel said casually, trying to dismiss all suspicions made by his own partner. "Aren't I right, 'Partner'?"

Zach glared in displeasure and snorted in annoyance at the sarcastic Nathaniel. Nathaniel even dared to raise his head and wink ignorantly at Zach, who could be said to be his senior in the office. Nathaniel was really annoying. "But that girl cut the vein on her left hand, Nateeeee."

"So what?" Nathaniel shook his head and shrugged his shoulders indifferently. A confident smile appeared on Nathaniel's lips. "Aren't all the suicides we've dealt with like this? They cut the vein in the left hand, just like they cut the fruit. So, what's the problem?"

Zach landed a soft punch on the top of Nathaniel's head so that the man who was the same age as Zach was groaning in pain. "That's the importance of looking at an incident from all angles." This time, it was Zach who sounded like he was bragging. "I probably wouldn't hesitate if this case involved an ordinary person. But this girl, she cut a vein in her left hand and that's pretty odd."

"What do you mean?"

"Alisa is a left-handed girl; she doesn't usually use her right hand to do things." Nathaniel's eyes rounded in disbelief. It was an expression Zach had expected since Nathaniel was already acting arrogant in front of him. "You even saw the body. He didn't make any other cuts and only did it once.

The cuts on her skin also looked straight, and judging from the blood splattered around, the wound could be considered quite deep."

Not immediately responding to his colleague's conclusion, Nathaniel gave Zach another suspicious glance. "But how do you know that Alisa is really left-handed?"

Zach rolled his brown eyes lazily. He then snorted in annoyance. "I got this information from our main witness. The blonde girl who found Alisa's body is the one who told me. Apparently, they were really close."

"You just believe that?"

"I confirmed the statement with the dormitory secretary," Zach said, not to be outdone.

"How do you know they're really close?"

Zach inhaled as much oxygen as he could and exhaled slowly, letting all the frustration carry away with the breath he had just exhaled. And with a sharp gaze, Zach faced Nathaniel again. "Do we really have to argue over that, Nate?"

"I don't mind."

"Are you really a friend or enemy?" Zach sneered.

Which made Nathaniel laugh softly in his place. He then approached the man who was slightly taller than him and tapped his right shoulder twice. "I'll stand guard at the door until those people leave. You can go see Alisa's parents to explain everything and let me know when the results of the fingerprint investigation come out."

Zach gave another short snort and scrunched up his waist. "Did you just dictate my job, Nate? I'm your senior."

"No, uhm, maybe a little." Nathaniel's laughter was the last sarcastic thing he said before his tall body passed over Zach's, leaving him alone in the women's restroom of the dormitory that was the scene of the crime.

Her brown eyes then scanned the pool of blood in one of the toilet stalls, where the sole heir of the Harrison family fortune chose to take her own life. Could it be that the perfect fairytale life was just a mask? Could it be that all the wealth and power Alisa had didn't really make her happy?

Zach was curious about the answer. And that was the reason why that young detective chose to turn around and head to the hospital to meet Alisa Harrison's family.

Zach would find the answers to his own questions.

Didn't he just have to keep going and find out until the end?