Chapter 23: Declining Credit

Henry got the state police on the line, and they rushed the samples off for testing, but Soren's death still had Henry fuming.

When Henry got back to the hospital, the vibe in the ward was heavy.

Marshall asked, "Soren's really gone?"

Henry didn't say a word, just stared at Marshall with those intense eyes. Olivia stayed quiet too, which pretty much confirmed it.

Marshall let out a sigh, "Guess that means I'm next in line."

Olivia couldn't hold back, "Marshall, it's not too late to come clean!"

Henry stayed silent. Marshall was sweating bullets, still freaked out from his close call.

Marshall asked, "If... if I spill, will it lighten my sentence?"

Henry replied in a low voice, "Absolutely."

Marshall sighed again and started talking, "When I was a kid, our village was dirt poor. I was still single at thirty because of my disability. Then folks started buying women from outside. The village turned into a trafficking hotspot. At its peak, we had over a hundred trafficked people!"

Olivia recorded everything with her voice recorder while William jotted down notes. Pinecrest Village had been deep into human trafficking for ages. By now, over five thousand people had been trafficked, with deals worth over a hundred million dollars. Some of the stuff Marshall revealed was downright brutal.

Back in Emerald City, it took Olivia three days just to sort through the recordings, leaving her brain feeling like mush.

A colleague called from outside, "Olivia, Mr. White wants to see you in his office!"

Without thinking much, Olivia headed straight to Benjamin's office. Seeing her, Benjamin beamed.

Benjamin said, "Olivia, you did a fantastic job with the Pinecrest Village case. Mr. Phillips has put you on the commendation list. Keep it up!"

Olivia shook her head. "Mr. White, I'm just here temporarily and won't be in Emerald City for long. Please give the recognition to my colleagues; they need it more than I do."

Benjamin fell silent. Back then, everyone wanted commendations to move from a small place like Emerald City to a bigger city. But Olivia turned it down.

There was another person in the department who didn't care about recognition either: Henry. With his skills, Henry could've made a big splash at the Silverlight City police department, but he chose to stay in Emerald City.

Benjamin said, "You guys are something else, not wanting credit when you deserve it. Olivia, your mom's always hoped you'd come back. If you don't take this chance, you might be stuck in Emerald City for a while!"

Olivia shook her head and smiled at Benjamin.

"Mr. White, I just think the environment here is great. I hope to stay a bit longer and learn from Mr. Phillips!" Olivia explained.

Benjamin asked, "Does he have things worth learning from?"

Olivia nodded. When she first arrived, she thought Henry was cold and distant. But after working on two cases, she realized Henry had tons of investigative experience. In dangerous situations, he always made sure his team was safe and took the lead himself. A leader like that was worth following.

"Absolutely, Mr. Phillips is very experienced. There's a lot to learn from him!" Olivia affirmed.

Benjamin nodded, feeling very pleased, and couldn't help but call Ivan.

Benjamin said, "Ivan, Olivia is really something. She just got another commendation, but she refuses to take credit and insists on giving it to others. You don't find many young people like her these days. Austin really had a good daughter!"

Mentioning Austin brought tears to Benjamin's eyes. For their old crew, Austin's death was a wound that never really healed.

Ivan replied, "I know she's amazing—determined and responsible! But Benjamin, Austin only had one daughter. We gotta look out for her!"

After leaving Benjamin's office, Olivia headed back to the Detective Unit. After mulling it over, she decided to drop by Henry's office.

Olivia said, "Mr. Phillips, can I come in?"

Henry replied, "Sure, come on in!"

Olivia pushed the door open and said, "Mr. Phillips, Mr. White just talked to me. He said you recommended me for a commendation. I turned it down, hoping it could go to another colleague!"

Henry looked at Olivia, surprised. This time, it was originally Henry and William who deserved the credit; it had nothing to do with Olivia. But Henry thought of Olivia's dedication and persistence in the case and gave the credit to her. He didn't expect her to decline it.

Henry said, "Are you sure? I heard from Mr. White that your mom has always hoped you'd work in Silverlight City. This is a great opportunity, Olivia. If you don't take it, you might be stuck in Emerald City for a few years!"

Olivia smiled at Henry's words. Benjamin had just said the same thing to her.

"Mr. Phillips, I'm sure. I'm still young, and there will be plenty of chances for experience. Besides, I want to stay. There's a lot to learn here, so I don't want to leave just yet!" Olivia explained.

After taking a deep breath, Henry curled his lips slightly. "Since it's your decision, I'll let Mr. White know about the new candidate!"

Olivia left the office happily. Watching her go, Henry felt a warmth in his heart. 'What a kind-hearted girl she is!' he thought.

Just as Olivia left the office, William rushed in.

William said, "Olivia, a woman from the neighborhood committee just reported a case. She said a house in their community is haunted and asked us to send someone to check it out! I have another case to handle. Can you go?"

Olivia agreed immediately, "Sure, no problem!" She grabbed her gear and hat and set off.

Odette Chambers, a retired worker from the Emerald City Steel Plant, reported the issue to the community committee. With nothing to do after retirement, she took up a job there. She led Olivia and another colleague, Zephyr Kim, to the steel plant's dormitory, explaining as they walked.

Odette explained, "This steel plant dormitory is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Emerald City. When the steel plant was thriving, it was the best place to live in the city. But in recent years, it's declined, and the plant is on the brink of bankruptcy."

As Odette spoke, she pointed out various residential buildings to Olivia and Zephyr.

Odette continued, "The house with the issue is in this building, on the fourth floor of Building 7. The owner is Alan Bennett, a machinist at the plant. It's just him, his wife, and their kid. We all thought someone was home because the lights were on every night. So, for the past six months, no one suspected anything. But about a month ago, a foul smell started coming from their hallway."

As Olivia and Zephyr reached the stairwell, they could already smell the odor. Olivia, with her keen sense of smell and forensic training, immediately became alert.

Standing at the door of apartment 401, Olivia observed that a layer of dust had settled on the door, indicating that no one had entered or exited for a long time. The rotting smell was coming from there.

Olivia asked, "Apart from the foul smell, is there anything else unusual?"

Odette nodded, "Yeah, the lights. They flicker on and off at odd hours, and sometimes you can hear strange noises, like whispers or footsteps, even when no one's supposed to be home."

Zephyr added, "Sounds like we might have more than just a smell to deal with. Let's get this door open and see what's going on."

Olivia nodded in agreement, "Alright, let's do this carefully. We don't know what we're walking into."

With a deep breath, Olivia and Zephyr prepared to enter the apartment, ready to uncover the mystery behind the haunted house.