Chapter 7 - Searching for clues

Arthur is now meticulously searching the alleyway, eager to find any trace the criminal might have left behind. He combs through every corner of the area where Kenny was attacked.

Despite his careful search, Arthur doesn't find any traces. As he contemplates advancing towards the West Plaza, he notices a red spot on the wall. Crouching down, he examines it closely and identifies it as solidified blood. The crucial question arises: "Whose blood is this? Is it Kenny's or the killer's?"

Given the distance between where Kenny was assaulted and the wall with the blood spot, Arthur concludes it can't be Kenny's blood. The wide gap of at least 500 meters rules out the possibility of her blood reaching this far automatically. Arthur collects the blood carefully in a small container before resuming his search.

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Arthur's POV:

After scouring the area around the Tanvi colony where Kenny was assaulted, I find myself near the West Plaza. The old man mentioned that the assailant fled in this direction while being chased by a crowd.

I search for clues but find nothing, as the police have already cleaned the blood from the crime scene. Given Kenny's description, it's evident the killer is intelligent, leaving behind no obvious clues. Questions about why he had blood on his mouth linger, prompting me to ponder later. My current focus is finding clues, but after a thorough search, I come up empty.

"Sigh, I don't think I will find anything here." Taking a deep breath, I decide to leave the alleyway. However, just as I'm about to exit, something near the dustbin catches my eye. Among the discarded items, I see a small logo with blood marks. Upon closer examination, I determine it to be from a cloth company. Picking it up with tweezers, I place it in a small box, suspecting it could be the logo of the killer's hoodie. I'll investigate it further later.

Finally out of the alleyway, the police have sealed this side as well. Now in the West Plaza, a bustling market area, I approach a shop.

"Hello, I am Detective Arthur. I wanted to ask some questions about yesterday," I inform the middle-aged shop owner, showing my detective badge.

"Uncle, are you aware of the incident that happened yesterday?" I inquire, considering not everyone might be informed.

"Yes, boy. Yesterday I was about to close the shop when I heard an uproar. I saw many people chasing a guy. But the guy was quick, and when he exited the alleyway, suddenly a person with a bike approached him. The guy quickly sat in the bike's backseat and escaped," the middle-aged man recounts.

After hearing his explanation, I finally understand how the killer escaped. It appears he had a teammate.

"Uncle, did you notice the bike's number, or did anyone note it down?" I swiftly ask.

"No, I didn't see the number of the bike. I don't know if he was the killer. If I knew that earlier, I could have stopped him from escaping. Also, I don't know if anyone noted down the number. Sorry about that, boy," the shop owner apologizes.

"No problem, uncle. If you find anyone who noted down the bike's number, please call me on this number and tell me the bike number," I instruct the shop owner before leaving.

"Boy... Boy... Boy," the shop owner calls out when I'm about to enter another shop. He approaches me and shares a crucial detail: another person claiming to be a detective had previously asked him and others about yesterday's incident, including inquiries about the bike's number.

To be continued...