Chapter 21
"Can you tell us more about it?"
Travis's voice was soft.
Orion sighed deeply.
"Over a year ago, Aurora went away for a month. When she came back, she was like a completely different person."
"She was like a zombie from a horror movie."
Orion's face twisted with painful memories. "She brought back a huge sum of money. Honestly, I've never seen that much money in my life."
"She told us to use it to pay off our debts. I refused."
"Who knows where that money came from? I may be a country bumpkin, but I know what's right and wrong."
Kian was recording every word Orion said with a voice recorder.
"That night, Aurora locked herself in her room. In the middle of the night, she was trembling and insisted on going out."
"Do you think I could let her? I told her if she dared to leave, she shouldn't bother coming back."
Orion's eyes were red, his voice shaking. "Her mom stood in front of the car, crying and begging her not to go."
Orion looked at Travis, gritting his teeth. "Who would have thought... she actually dared to start the car. That was her own mother!"
"She just drove straight into her!"
Travis and Kian remained silent.
No one wanted to witness such a scene—your own daughter running over her own mother.
Orion continued, "I helped my wife up, but she died on the way to the hospital."
Listening to Orion's story, Travis and Kian finally understood why he felt the way he did.
Aurora was in the throes of addiction at the time; she couldn't care about anything else.
"She never came back for her mom's memorial. People in our village laugh at me behind my back."
Orion wiped away a tear. "So, officers, as far as I'm concerned, I don't have such a daughter. Do whatever you want with Aurora."
"Do whatever you want with the body. I've told you everything I know. Just leave me alone."
It was a clear dismissal.
Travis and Kian didn't linger.
On the way back, Kian gripped the steering wheel, his face dark. He couldn't help but curse, "What a monster, running over her own mother."
"It's not about the person; it's about the drugs."
Travis's voice was low. "Investigate everyone Aurora was in contact with, including her boyfriend."
"Find out who got her into drugs."
"What about Aurora's body?"
"Let the team handle it."
Travis closed his eyes.
A few hours later, Travis and Kian were back at the station.
Travis's office was piled high with files, all related to Aurora.
Don't underestimate this woman; her social network was incredibly complex.
She interacted with all sorts of people.
Even old men in their sixties.
Travis lit a cigarette, looking through the files.
There were seven or eight transactions with Ethan's café every month.
The only remaining question was, who killed Aurora? And why?
The main task now was to find the motive.
Just then, Elaine called.
"We found the cause of Aurora's death."
Travis hurried to the autopsy room.
Elaine, in her lab coat and gloves, was staring blankly at Aurora's body.
Travis pushed the door open. "How did she die?"
Elaine pointed to Aurora's arm, which had numerous needle marks.
"One of the needle marks is fresh, indicating she injected something right before she died."
"But the actual cause of death is here."
Elaine lifted Aurora's shirt, revealing clear strangulation marks on her chest and neck.
"She engaged in some physical activity before she died. I suspect there was some form of abuse involved, combined with the drug use, leading to asphyxiation."
"There are also whip marks on her back."
Elaine laid out the autopsy photos in front of Travis.
"Test for DNA!"
Elaine shook her head. "The killer was thorough. There's no trace evidence left in Aurora's body."
Travis slammed the table in frustration, his eyes fixed on Aurora's body.
"How's the investigation on Aurora's father going? Any useful information?"
Travis recounted what had happened at Orion's house to Elaine.
Elaine's eyes widened in disbelief. Aurora had killed her own mother!
"I suggest you check with Jerry to see if he has any new findings."
Travis nodded, taking one last look at Aurora's body before leaving.
He headed to Jerry's office.
Jerry looked up, his eyes bloodshot.
"Come in, have a seat."
There was no small talk. Jerry immediately handed over all the files related to Aurora and Ethan's café.
"These are all the recent interactions and transactions involving the café."
"That place is less of a café and more of a drug den."
Jerry's voice was somber.
"I suspect Aurora was a party girl."
Travis looked at Jerry curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Think of it as a girl who accompanies people while they use drugs."
"It's a quick way to make money."
"I've gone through all the café's financial records."
"Aurora has been in this line of work for four years. The transactions between her and the café are likely their cut."
Travis put down the files. "What are you planning to do?"
Jerry ran a hand through his hair. "I'm stuck. Philip keeps pushing for the case to be closed. There's no way there's nothing fishy here."
"I applied for an arrest warrant, but it got denied due to lack of evidence."
Jerry offered Travis a cigarette, and they smoked in silence.
"I don't know much about criminal investigation. If you have any evidence, share it with me. Maybe I can find some leads."
Travis stubbed out his cigarette. "Got it. I'm leaving."
"I'm not seeing you off then."
Travis waved and left the narcotics division.
Looking at the sky outside, it seemed clear, but a storm was brewing.
In the interrogation room of the criminal investigation team.
Kian and Kelvin approached the table.
"Name!"
"Jesse Turner."
Kian glanced at the man. "What's your relationship with Aurora?"
"Nothing much. We used to date, but we broke up."
"Why did you break up?"
Jesse looked at the two officers. "Officer, that's my personal life. I don't have to tell you that, do I?"
"Just answer the questions. Why so much fuss?"
"She cheated on me. Why would I stay with her? To be a fool?" Jesse's tone was bitter.
"How did you meet Aurora?"
Jesse hesitated for a long time without speaking.
"Speak!"
Kian slammed the table, startling Jesse.
He finally spoke, "We met at work."