GUILTY OR INNOCENT | BTS ✓

14

Chapter Fourteen: Confusing Clues
OFFICER VIN'S POV

"That doesn't make sense," I said.

Flinn sighs and crumples the piece of paper he was staring at for 5 minutes. Like usual.

Flinn. Flinn Cruz, the guy who welcomed me to patrol the day I passed the exam. We've known each other for 3 years now, and he's basically a little brother to me.

"Vanessa, how can you be so calm?" He takes a sip of his grape juice.

"I always try to, it lightens up the mood," I said.

It's true, I'm not the best with handling tough and serious situations, so most of the time I try to joke around a little.

"Hey. Why did the chicken cross the playground?" I asked Flinn.

"Vanessa, this isn't the time—"

"—To get to the other slide!" I do jazz hands.

Flinn sighs and takes a huge gulp of his grape juice. Wait, he finished the whole glass! In just one go? Talent!

"I'm gonna get drunk on grape juice," he said. "BRB." He stands up and walks out the room.

"BRB? Seriously? Who says that?" I mumble.

Okay, enough jokes. I have to solve this case.

I look at the sheets of papers presented in front of me. We wrote down the suspects' answers to narrow down the list.

So far, what's written on our 'EVIDENCE' box on the bond paper is 'Bead from bracelet' which apparently is from the lady who called the police. She said it must've fell out because her bracelet broke. Suspicion doesn't stop there tho.

Then right next to it is the 'MAIN SUSPECT' box, which, until now, remains empty.

We can't narrow it down.

Who has motives? No one; was it an accident? Team 2 is still working on that; why was the victim's body covered with a giant leaf? For cover; what are the relationships of the victim and the suspects? Most of them are people who just arrived the mountain. Seven of them claim to be their cabin neighbor. One of them is apparently her boyfriend. What a pity.

Knock! Knock!

"Officer Vanessa."

I sigh and pile the papers into one stack. "Come in!"

The door opens and my assistant, Jihoo, enters. She's holding a sticky note with a paper clip attached to it.

"Here are other evidences or issues Team 2 took note of when cleaning the site," she says as she hands me the sticky note.

"Team 2 finished already?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

She nods.

I sigh.

All the clues are leading to nowhere but the middle of the circle, a question mark. We're doing all we can do but we just can't fill in the blanks. The stories of the suspects match up (somewhat), and accusing an innocent citizen will be a guilt of a lifetime.

I don't want to blame an innocent person tangled up in this mess.

But he...

...he barely spoke much.

—

I'm sorry for the short chapter, I'm currently losing motivation so there's not much left in my mind 😭 I'll update a 1k word chapter next (maybe).