Scrabble » Zarry ✔

🔍SIXTEEN🔎

An hour later when the judge approved of the warrant to search the premises of the house Philip had once lived in with his mother, Zayn and Harry found themselves standing at the fence where eight fence slats had been torn off. Forensic scientists found items that were all thrown across the fence in no particular way and as they found them, they bagged them, tagged them and handed them to Zayn and Harry to look at.

The detectives were surprised to find that just like the original crime scene, there wasn't much blood on his clothing aside from tiny specks here and there. However, that in itself would still be able to place Philip at the scene of the crime. And if it should happen to be difficult for some impossible reason, the knife definitely would place him there.

Among the items in the bags, they noticed winter gloves and a beanie. So right away it explained why there was no hair or fingerprints of his at the scene. Not only was it his first time in Niall's house, but his hands and hair were both covered. The best chance at solving this crime was definitely the confession that Philip gave. Had they not been able to talk to him, they probably would never have had a reason to request a warrant to search here and in turn would have never found the pocket knife with dried blood or the clothing and shoes with specks of dried blood on them.

After assessing the scene, Zayn and Harry both got in the car and exhaled deeply.

"Guess it's time to let Amanda and Arelie know the news." Zayn stated in a suggestive way.

Harry didn't even look at him. "Yep."

"Go now?"

"Don't we always tell the family after we solve a case?"

Instead of expressing that he didn't appreciate Harry's tone, he turned on the engine and pulled off from the curb.

* * *

"I finished my snack." Arelie announced as she put her plate next to the kitchen sink where Amanda was standing and looking at a sale paper.

"Alright then. Go and finish your homework. Call me if you need any help, alright?"

"Okay."

When she left the kitchen, Amanda looked at the sale paper for another few minutes. Just as she sat down and decided she'd go kick her feet up and rest a little, the doorbell rang. Wondering who it could be, she was quick about getting to her front door and peeking out the windows on the side. When she saw it was detective Styles and detective Malik, she quickly opened the door with a gasp.

"Hi, detectives."

"Hello, Miss Roder. How are you?"

"I'm fine, and you?"

"I think we're okay." Zayn answered. "We came to deliver some news about Niall's case."

She put her hand to her chest and then backed out of the way to let them in. "Come on inside and we can talk about it."

"Thank you."

The two of them went inside and followed her through the house, over to the table in the kitchen.

"Can I offer either of you anything to drink?"

"No ma'am. I'm fine."

"Me too."

She smiled nervously and sighed heavily as she sat down too. "Alright then. I'm ready for the news."

For what seemed like the first time, Harry made full eye contact with Zayn because he was wondering which of them should be the one to deliver the news to her. But Zayn sat back with a head gesture and let him be the one to do it.