Chapter 39

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Los Angeles Special Investigation Bureau.

"Guys, we have work to do!" Sarah grabbed her coat from the chair, putting it on while addressing Rain, Lina, and the other two officers in the office.

"Got a job?"

Rain sprang up from his chair. Lina put on her vest and checked her gun and ammunition, and the group quickly headed out.

The streets of Los Angeles were flashing with police lights and wailing sirens. The incident occurred in a residential area on Melrose Avenue, a luxurious house of over 300 square meters, which clearly belonged to someone with plenty of money.

The area around the house was already cordoned off, with many police cars parked near the street. Officers were constantly entering and exiting the house, along with forensic experts.

"Who's in charge here?" Sarah led her team through the police line and walked in.

A tall black police officer approached: "This area is under my jurisdiction. Hello, Captain Vog, I'm Chief Miguel Osen."

"Any findings?"

"The preliminary conclusion from the forensic experts is suicide. A Colt .44 M1847 revolver, manufactured in 1886, quite an ancient piece. It can be considered an antique!" Chief Osen explained. "I reported the situation, and they sent you over. I've heard a lot about you!"

"I'll take a look first!" Sarah nodded, ignoring Chief Osen's admiration, and pulled on a pair of gloves from her pocket.

The deceased was a blonde Caucasian woman in her thirties. The bullet had entered through her eye, shattering the entire eye socket, leaving a dark hole mixed with sticky fluids and blood.

"This isn't suicide!" Sarah said involuntarily.

A forensic expert who was examining the scene clearly disagreed.

"From the grip of the gun, the trajectory of the bullet, and the residue of gunpowder, this is a suicide case. She killed herself! It's just... I can't figure out why she would end her life in such a cruel way. Honestly, this is the first case I've encountered where someone shot themselves in the eye with a handgun!"

Sarah nodded: "That's why I say it's not suicide! A fashionably dressed woman wouldn't end her life in such a bloody way!"

"I found this!" Rain, wearing gloves, held up a document. "A treatment report. This report tells us that the woman had a mental illness and had seen a doctor over ten times. Her primary doctor is David Hanson, at 8515 in the same block."

"I see..." The forensic expert was clearly confident in his conclusion.

"Rain, Lina, go visit that doctor and see if you can get any information about the deceased!" Sarah said to Rain.

"I will, boss!" Rain nodded at Lina and said with a grin, "Let's go, Lina!"

"Rain, I hope you can separate work from personal matters!" Lina was dissatisfied with Rain's flirtatious smile and warned him.

"Don't think so badly of me!" Rain still had a grin on his face, which made Lina very frustrated.

Sarah ignored the two of them and looked around, hoping to find something, but she was disappointed. The house's decor was all normal.

The bedroom furniture was very luxurious. Sarah stopped by the bed, where there was a faint mark, clearly indicating that something often rubbed against the floor. Squatting down, she saw a flat box in the narrow gap under the bed, which would not be noticed if not looked at carefully.

Sarah carefully took out the box, but it had an electronic password lock and couldn't be opened. She decided to take it back to the bureau for examination.

Back at the bureau, Sarah handed the box to the technical department. At this time, Rain and Lina also returned.

"The deceased's doctor is a psychologist named James Hall, who runs his own clinic. He mainly provided psychological therapy, starting from last October. He told us that the deceased often said she had sudden hallucinations, very scary ones, like her soul was being extracted!" Rain reported to Sarah.

"And it got worse each time. Medication and hypnotherapy had minimal effect on her!" Lina added.

"So, the doctor wasn't surprised by the suicide?" Sarah looked at Rain.

"Yes, that's the impression he gave us!"

Rain shrugged. The forensic expert's conclusion of suicide was correct given the deceased's mental health history.

"Alright, the higher-ups want an accurate answer, which is why we, the Special Investigation Bureau, are here." Despite Sarah's feeling that something was off about the case, the forensic report was clear.

"Captain Vog!" A technician approached, holding the box Sarah had given him. "The password is cracked. It was a basic encryption!"

"Thanks!"

Sarah took the box, placed it on her desk, took a deep breath, and slowly opened the lid with both hands.

As soon as the box was opened, Rain, Lina, and Sarah were stunned.

Inside the box lay a special cross.

This special cross was identical to the one in the coffee shop owner's house and the one in the drawing by Zhen Fan.

"Heavens!" Lina covered her mouth and whispered in shock.

"How could this be?" Rain couldn't help but look at Sarah.

Sarah frowned, staring straight at the cross in the box, then opened her thumb and index finger, supporting her chin.

"Maybe we missed something! Damn, where is Zhen? Contact Zhen, he must know something. Damn, he should be here, not dancing with those girls!" Sarah couldn't help but complain.

Dancing with girls? Rain and Lina exchanged glances, knowing that Sarah had secretly used the bureau's resources to monitor Zhen Fan.

Using public resources for personal matters, this was very unusual for Sarah, who was always fair.

"Alright, I'll contact him!"

Rain immediately took out his phone and called Zhen Fan, hearing his lazy voice: "Rain? You've murdered my nap, you owe me. I have a friend at the Chinese restaurant on Berade Street who can give a discount!"

Rain's face turned black.

"Here's the thing, we found something in a suicide case that might interest you!" Rain tried not to beat around the bush, as he always ended up at a disadvantage with Zhen Fan.

"Don't tell me, I know what you're going to say. The cross, right? Didn't I tell you not to touch such cases?" Zhen Fan's accusatory voice came through immediately.

Rain thought about it; Zhen Fan had indeed said something like that, but how did he know it involved the special cross?

"Let me talk!"

Sarah, impatient with the conversation, snatched the phone from Rain.

"Alright, Zhen, no beating around the bush. You know something, and I need your help, now! Do you know about that cross?"

"Sorry, I can't, Sarah. Remember the condition you promised me?" Zhen Fan's voice was much calmer, without any emotional fluctuation.

"I remember!"

Sarah recalled the promise she made to Zhen Fan when investigating the coffee shop owner's house.

"Then remember this: the condition I asked you to agree to was not to touch the damn cross-related cases. That's the condition!"

After saying that, Sarah heard a series of busy tones.

"Damn!" Sarah cursed, but was helpless. She looked at the box and the cross, slowly walked over, and gently closed the lid.

After saying that, Zhen Fan immediately hung up. He didn't want to touch the cross, no matter the reason, as it could disrupt his peaceful life.

"Zhen, are you ready?" Raymond's voice came from the yard.

Zhen Fan walked out and saw Raymond getting into his car. Seeing Zhen Fan, he waved.

"I'll be your driver. Brenda warned me that you haven't bought a car yet!" Raymond drove out of the garage and gestured for Zhen Fan to get in.

Zhen Fan was happy to have a ride, avoiding the hassle of a taxi. Raymond chattered non-stop about his fishing plans for the day, clearly on his way. Zhen Fan couldn't help but laugh.

Dropping Zhen Fan off at the school gate, Raymond continued on his way. Zhen Fan entered the school and headed straight for the dance rehearsal room. Even before he reached the door, he could hear the sound of commands and clapping to keep the rhythm.

"Hey—Zhen, nice to see you!" As soon as Zhen Fan entered, he saw Jennifer nearby, smiling and walking over to greet him.

"Jennifer!"

Zhen Fan, of course, recognized the pretty girl. He extended his hand to shake hers, but to his surprise, Jennifer tiptoed and hugged him, her firm and soft chest pressing against him.

Looking around, he didn't see Brenda, then checked his watch; it was only two o'clock, so he had arrived an hour early. He realized Raymond had left early to avoid delaying his fishing, and he had followed along without thinking, which was quite amusing.

"Brenda might be a while. Why don't you watch our rehearsal?" Jennifer smiled, taking Zhen Fan's hand and leading him to the rehearsal area.

"Sure, I have nothing else to do!"

Zhen Fan shrugged, indicating he had no objections.

To be honest, Jennifer, in her tight-fitting outfit, had a very nice figure, slim and curvy, a perfect combination of roundness and slenderness, comparable to Brenda's. No wonder they were fierce competitors.

"Music, let's practice that part again!"

Jennifer clapped her hands, signaling everyone to get up.

"Good, that's it, girls!" Jennifer led the rhythm, giving instructions while occasionally glancing at Zhen Fan.

"Oh, what do I see? Zhen, why are you on their side?"

At that moment, the door to the dance rehearsal room was pushed open, and a group of people entered. One of them saw Jennifer's group and exclaimed in surprise.

"Hi, Elisa!"

Zhen Fan waved to the girl who had shouted and walked over.

"Brenda!" Zhen Fan also waved to Brenda, who was walking behind, with a gloomy expression.