8 AM.

Klancy woke up from bed and went downstairs to the first floor. There he encountered Kyong. Kyong looked at him with a smirk and said “Ahh, great timing Klancy. We found one of the killers who killed Layla Matilda”

“You did? Who?” asked Klancy.

“Some dude called Nate Anderson. If you’re wondering, I investigated Herald’s home with our team, he said that he placed his gun somewhere and couldn’t find it. Our team searched and realized that this Nate fellow took the gun from his home while he was away. They just thought they threw it somewhere in their house for the longest time. And Nate’s DNA matches with the other DNA we found under Claire’s fingernails.” said Kyong casually.

“That is great news. I’ll report it to my team. Oh, you should call your team and go with me. We want to ask you what exactly you were doing on August 5th, we want to hear about Naran and Betty as well since they are suspects for the people who could have stolen the glock from Juniper’s locker.” said Klancy.

“Oh, huh. You still believe that girl? How do you know she didn’t attack the politician herself?” said Kyong with an annoyed tone.

“Our team members gathered footage of Juniper’s apartment elevator and a testimony from a person who spent the night on the staircase of that apartment all night, awake. If Juniper tried to leave her apartment during the night she would have been seen by either one of them.” said Klancy.

“Well, shit. Fine. I’ll gather my team” said Kyong as he scratched his head.

Kyong’s team soon gathered in the conference room with Klancy’s team.

“We’ve made great progress on the case. Harjal and Nate were determined to be the two culprits who have murdered Layla Matilda and her family. However, there is a third perpetrator. We can determine that person’s identity by solving Juniper’s lost gun case. As the culprit likely stole Juniper’s gun from the changing room and used it to murder Layla.” said Klancy.

Juniper herself was standing next to Klancy confidently.

“Tch, this would be entirely solvable if you just drug Harjal and Nate with truth serum and force them to spill the beans” mumbled Kyong to himself.

“Thanks. I would like to first get Naran and Betty’s testimonies during August 5th. Were you two paying attention to one another? Are you sure one of you hadn’t been able to break into my locker?” asked Juniper.

“Of course, I’m sure. I was with Betty all the time, we kept chatting and laughing. I didn’t leave her side for her to start breaking into a locker.” said Betty with sass.

“Me too. I can vouch for her.” said Naran.

“Just to be safe. What were you two doing during 1-3 am August 15th?” asked Fushichin.

“I was at the police station at 1 am, looking through the files of past cases. The records inside the basement, you know what I’m talking about. I went home at 4.” said Naran tauntingly.

“Went home at 4? Can that be proven?” asked Salim.

“Yes, in fact it can.” said Hellen and showed them the footage of the front door of the police station from her phone.

“Naran was seen exiting it at 4:00 am in this footage. And Panam also saw her go.” said Hellen.

“Hmm, yes. But I want to point out the possibility of her exiting through the window of the first floor. If I remember, right. The windows of this very conference room opens wide. And it can allow people to escape to a grassy field if they simply jump. Naran could simply use this to exit, kill Layla’s family and return to the station through the open window.” explained Salim.

“Huh, I didn’t do that. Why would I jump through a window like a scamp? And doesn’t my alibi with Betty prove that I didn’t steal the gun, therefore I didn’t commit the murder?” asked Naran.

“There is the possibility of you two working together. You could have simply lockpicked Juniper’s locker together!” said Fushichin.

“Oh yeah, fuckface? Are you accusing me just because I’m not your squad member? I bet Hellen over there could have killed that bitch and her family in cold blood if she wanted to!” grunted Naran.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I had an alibi with my family members. I couldn’t have killed Layla!” yelled Hellen.

“Family can lie too, you know. If you’re suspecting Betty and I of working together, then some of you could have worked together with your family or your colleagues also.” said Naran.

“The possibility isn’t out of the question. Harjal attempted to create an alibi with Amir. We found evidence to prove his alibi to be fake. But that feels like luck more than anything.” said Klancy.

Klancy shook his head and said “More than that I think Mister Halbay’s testimony would be more than sufficient to prove why Salim’s theory is wrong. The conference room wasn’t used because Halbay was on guard duty on the night of August 14th to 15th. He said he was surveying hallway S and did not let anyone pass through between 21 pm to 3 am except Naran herself entering hallway C at 23 pm. This conference room is at the end of Hallway B. And hallway B is connected to hallway S. If Naran really did kill Layla’s family, she would have to leave this station starting from at least 1 am and I don’t think it’s possible with Halbay keeping an eye on her.”

“Oh, I see. And every other room that is normally accessible to everyone has small windows that have a net to let flies out.” said Salim.

“Not to mention the basement has no windows to break out through.” said Fushichin.

“Yeah, you can’t break out or break in that way.” said Hellen.

“But I don’t think that’s proof enough. Naran could simply use the cafeteria. She went through the cafeteria, went from hallway C to hallway B and entered the conference room that way. Halbay simply paid too much attention to hallway S and didn’t see the other hallways I bet.” said Salim.

“Real desperate to make me the culprit huh, asshole!” grunted Naran.

“Not really. Just because you don’t have an alibi doesn’t make you the culprit automatically. Tho, it’s good to keep the possibility at the back of our minds.” said Fushichin.

“But I do think Naran couldn’t have left the station before 4 am. Definitely not the way Salim described it. Because the cafeteria door is locked during the evening and night.” said Hellen.

“Oh, that’s right!” yelled Galtomor.

“Huh…I definitely did not remember that. If that’s true, then my theory was likely wrong. Sorry about that.” said Salim.

“What about Betty?” asked Fushichin.

“I’m innocent because I couldn’t have been able to get the gun. But if you want more, I will tell you that I was with my husband, sleeping at 1.” said Betty with a fancy tone.

“That clears it up then.” said Galtomor.

“I don’t think the people who went together with us into the hot spring are suspicious. They had little time after all. But the most suspicious person is that kimono lady! We know nothing of her and she was left alone in the changing room for 30 minutes!” said Hellen.

“Yeah, instead of sniffing my back, why didn’t you suspect the obvious suspects, dumbass?” mumbled Naran as she waved her hand around.

“There is a reason for it. We don’t even know who she is. Kinda wanna clear the suspects close to us first and then try to fry the big fish!” said Fushichin with an awkward smile.

“But the footage, look! Isn’t she suspicious?” said Galtomor as he pointed at the video displayed in the conference room which they were previously watching.

“She is trying to block her face from the camera! She must have known that there was a camera located at that corner!” said Galtomor.

“Was she an employee of the Konoko resort? How did she know there was a camera?” asked Dimitri.

“Klancy was able to find that there was a camera placed there just by looking. If you’re perceptive enough, you’ll find it.” said Fushichin.

“I think we need to reverse our thinking. If the kimono lady is the thief, whoever was inside the hot springs is innocent and whoever was outside of the hot springs is suspicious” said Klancy.

“But that could be anyone right? It doesn’t have to be from our police station then. Any random woman from the resort could have disguised themselves as that lady and done it!” said Joey.

“No, it couldn’t be any random woman.” said Fushichin with a sad face.

“Why?” asked Joey.

“Remember how Juniper dresses. She was already promoted to a detective. Cops like you wear a uniform. But detectives are different. We wear casual clothes, try to hide the fact that we’re related to the police. Sure, we interacted with cops, like you Joey, at the resort which could signal something. But I don’t think a random rookie would be able to tell we were detectives with guns just from that. Someone who knew Juniper was a detective and had a gun was the thief.” said Fushichin.

“Not to mention that my gun was replaced with a dummy! I don’t think criminals carry fake guns hoping that they would randomly meet a cop to switch it with” said Juniper.

There was a cold tension in the air.

“Then who is it?!” grunted Casey.

“Maybe it’s the cop from your team, Natasha was it? She is the only female left.” said Salim.

“Of course, I’m not! I was sick that day. I didn’t go with you to the resort!” yelled Natasha and crossed her arms.

“You could have lied about that. In reality you disguised yourself with makeup and kimono and infiltrated the resort.” said Salim.

“I want to defend Natasha. But she does live alone. Unless she says it herself, she may not have a strong alibi” said Casey with sadness.

“What? Then…how would I know where you guys were dining or having your hot spring bath or whatever.” yelled Natasha.

“Huh, that’s a good question. I don’t remember telling her anything, did any of you?” asked Kyong.

“I didn’t” said Dimitri.

“Me neither.” said Naran.

The others from Squad L5 also shook their heads.

“That proves it. She couldn’t have known that. None of us told her.” said Kyong.

“So, did we run out of suspects then?” asked Salim.

“Maybe. Ugh, maybe we made a mistake somewhere” grumbled Galtomor as he looked through his truth files.

Hellen looked at the footage of the women’s hallway again and said “Why are we so certain that the culprit is a woman? They had a disguise. If anything, isn’t the reason they used a disguise to enter was to hide the fact that they were a man?”