Half an hour later, Susan arrived at the scene with a team of on-site investigators.
Susan approached and asked, "What's happening here?"
David, preferring not to draw attention to himself, simply gestured towards Luke. "We've just opened Lawn's private warehouse. Inside, we found a number of paintings and a large box. When we opened the box, we discovered a body."
David continued, "The body has been there for at least a month and is completely decomposed. All we can determine is that it was a male holding an oil painting. We can't identify him at this point."
Susan pressed further, "Have you spoken to the person in charge of the storage center?"
Luke pointed to a stout man nearby. "Boret, the day shift manager, checked the records and found two visits to Lawn's warehouse over the past three months. One was on the night of February 26, and the other was the night before last."
Susan inquired, "Can you confirm who made those visits?"
"There's no surveillance inside the warehouse, only two cameras in the reception area," Luke explained. "We're not sure if the cameras captured the visitor's identity. I've also contacted the night manager, who might have more information."
Susan and the team entered the warehouse. Although the stench of decay had lessened, it was still unpleasant. The warehouse was cluttered with oil paintings, some damaged and showing signs of a struggle.
Susan approached the box, wearing a mask. Inside, a corpse covered in maggots lay still, its eyes sunken and its clothing faded. The oil painting in its hands was also ruined.
"Captain Susan, please step aside so we can move the body," said Sheila, the forensic doctor in charge of the autopsy. Dressed in full protective gear, her face was obscured.
Susan stepped back to allow the forensic team more space.
The police set up a temporary office in an empty warehouse, issuing instructions from there.
Marcus reviewed the surveillance footage from the reception room. Raymond and Jenny canvassed for witnesses, while Luke and David took statements from the storage center staff.
The night manager, Romi, a Mexican man in his forties, was questioned by Luke. "Romi, were you on the night shift the night before last?"
"Yes," Romi confirmed.
Luke noted the differences between night and day shift managers, highlighting that night managers are responsible for basic duties, while day managers handle more complex tasks.
He asked, "Did anyone access Warehouse 53 the night before last?"
Romi checked the records and replied, "Yes, a white woman."
"The tenant of Warehouse 53 is Lawn, a man. Why would he allow a woman in?" Luke questioned.
"According to company policy, anyone with the warehouse key and the tenant's ID can enter," Romi explained, pointing to the record book. "The woman presented a driver's license with Lawn's name. I had no reason to refuse her entry."
Luke showed Romi a photo of Caroline. "Do you recognize her?"
Romi studied the photo. "Yes, that's her. She was very elegant."
"Did she come alone, or was she with someone else?"
"She was alone. When she arrived, she seemed fine, but when she left, she appeared frightened and ran off. I was puzzled by why she would rush to the warehouse so late."
"How long was she inside?"
Romi shrugged. "I can't be exact, but it was probably less than ten minutes."
Luke speculated that Caroline's visit was to retrieve something from the warehouse. The dim lighting and solitude must have been unsettling. Instead of finding what she sought, she discovered a decaying corpse, which would have been terrifying for anyone.
"Do you recall anyone visiting Warehouse 53 on February 26?" Luke asked.
Romi shook his head. "It's been too long, but according to the records, the visitor used Lawn's social security card and drove into the storage center."
After taking the statement, Luke returned to the temporary office to update Susan. Based on the body's decomposition, it was likely placed in the warehouse on February 26.
Mary entered the office, removing her gloves. "Is there any coffee?"
Susan shook her head. "No, but I'll treat you when we get back to the bureau."
Mary continued, "We've completed the preliminary investigation of the scene. There was evidence of a struggle and dragging, indicating this is the primary crime scene. We also found some blood and hair, but no identification documents or mobile phone."
Susan asked, "What about the murder weapon?"
"None was found," Mary replied. "I'll let you know when the test results come in."
The deputy captain noted, "Mary suggests this warehouse is the crime scene. If it were a premeditated murder, hiding the body in a warehouse seems unlikely. It's possible that the perpetrators intended to steal from Lawn, and a dispute over the loot might have led to the crime."
"Do you have someone in mind?" the deputy captain asked.
Luke speculated, "Tim?"
"Yes, Tim is a strong suspect. He's been reluctant to turn informant, possibly because he has other criminal records and fears exposure if he reveals his accomplices," the deputy captain said. "If we catch the accomplice, Tim's involvement might come to light."
Susan asked, "Are you confident you can get him to confess?"
The deputy captain considered this. "Tim is a prime suspect, but he's very cautious. Without concrete evidence, he's unlikely to admit guilt."
At that moment, Marcus entered with a sense of urgency. "Hey, I've found a major clue."
Luke, used to Marcus's dramatic flair, asked calmly, "What clue?"
Marcus placed a tablet on the table and played a video. It showed a black Volvo arriving at the storage center. Tony Will, the driver, registered and drove into the facility.
Marcus pointed to the video. "The body is too decomposed to identify clearly, but Tony's clothes in the video match those of the deceased. Tony Will is likely the victim."
Luke added, "Or the murderer. The question is, why is Tony Will connected to Lawn's case? Who is he?"