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Chapter 002: "I'm Going to Invite Him in Person!"
The police officers present were startled and turned their attention to Captain Harris.
"Captain Harris, we can't be so hasty in our criminal investigation work," said Sergeant Mitchell, a middle-aged officer in his 40s. Mitchell, Harris's deputy, had always harbored some resentment. Harris had leapfrogged over him to his current position, leaving Mitchell stuck in his rank.
"The shoes of the victim were not scratched or damaged, and there were no signs of struggle in the toilet stall where she was found hanging. If it was a suicide, she would have struggled," Harris explained. "Therefore, this was not a suicide. The victim was murdered."
Hearing this, the officers murmured among themselves.
"Captain Harris is brilliant as always!"
"As expected of someone the chief holds in such high regard. His insight is extraordinary," one officer said.
"With Captain Harris on the case, we're sure to solve this," added another.
Harris, however, seemed to be deep in thought. "This case might not be so simple," he finally said. Turning to one of the officers, he added, "Go to the psychology department of this university, find a sophomore named Jake Stone, and ask him to assist in solving this case."
"What?" the officer stammered, almost certain he had misheard.
Captain Harris was a well-known investigator, highly respected for his exceptional skills. Now, he was asking for the help of an unknown student?
"Do you need me to repeat myself?" Harris asked, his voice sharp.
"No... no need," the officer replied quickly, hurrying off to carry out the unusual request.
A few minutes later, the officer returned, looking flustered. "Captain Harris, he... he won't come."
The other officers were stunned.
"Who is this Jake Stone? How can he refuse a request from Captain Harris himself?" one of them asked incredulously.
Harris sighed, lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, and extinguished it. "I'll invite him myself," he said, striding off.
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Ten Minutes Later
Back at the crime scene, the investigation was progressing steadily. The women's restroom, once a private space, was now bustling with male officers, carefully combing through every detail.
Sergeant Mitchell, supervising the scene, grumbled, "Our department is full of capable people. Why do we need outside help, and from a college student at that? This is absurd. If a student could help solve cases, we might as well shut down the precinct."
"Sergeant, Captain Harris must have his reasons," a younger officer offered cautiously.
"Reasons? More like nonsense," Mitchell retorted with a snort.
Just then, the sound of polished leather shoes echoed through the corridor. Harris strode in, his sunglasses gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. Trailing behind him was a composed young man in his early twenties. His calm demeanor belied his age, exuding an air of quiet confidence.
The officers turned to look at him, curious about the mysterious "outsider." Mitchell scrutinized the young man—Jake Stone—with barely concealed disdain.
Forensic expert Dr. Robert Miller, dressed in a white coat, rose from where he had been examining the body. "Preliminary findings indicate the time of death was around midnight. The victim shows strangulation marks on the neck, pale complexion, and no signs of sexual assault. Cause of death appears to be mechanical asphyxiation. We'll need a full autopsy to confirm whether it was suicide or homicide."
Jake had slipped on gloves and was already examining the body closely.
"Hey, you can't—" Dr. Miller began to protest, but Harris raised a hand to stop him.
"Let him work," Harris said firmly.
"The victim's shoes show no damage, and there's no evidence of a struggle in the stall," Jake noted. "If this were a suicide, there would have been some sign of resistance."
"We've already established that," Dr. Miller replied curtly. He was skeptical of Jake's involvement, doubting what a college student could contribute to a police investigation.
"Furthermore," Miller continued, "the victim has a deep V-shaped ligature mark on her neck. This is consistent with a hanging suicide. If it were strangulation, the marks would form a complete circle, not a V. Additionally, the pale complexion suggests a lack of blood supply to the head caused by hanging. If it were homicide, we'd expect significant facial and neck congestion."
Dr. Miller's tone left no doubt—he believed it was a suicide. The further autopsy, in his opinion, was merely procedural.
"Wrong," Jake said firmly.
The room fell silent as Jake leaned closer to the body, inhaling sharply.
"Have you considered the possibility that the victim was anesthetized?" he asked, his voice calm but certain.
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