Robert and Ethan burst into the police station, skidding to a halt at the autopsy room door.
"Ryan?" Robert yelled.
Ryan popped out, looking puzzled. "Got a new body for me?"
Robert, breathless, asked, "If twins are identical, do they have the same DNA?"
Ryan nodded. "Yeah, their DNA is the same."
Robert pressed on. "So, is there any other way to tell them apart?"
Ryan replied, "We can use advanced techniques like STR profiling."
"Why are you asking this?" Ethan chimed in, though he had a hunch.
"Remember how Tony's body had 'Time's up' carved on it after he died?" Robert asked.
Ethan and Ryan nodded.
"But that might've been a setup to throw us off, make us think it was a revenge killing. That's why Sophia was led to the crime scene," Robert explained.
"We got it all wrong. This was never about revenge," Robert said, lowering his voice.
"Why are you so sure it's not about revenge on Sophia?" Ethan asked.
"Because Tony's genitals and fingers were cut off after he died. Those are the differences between Kurt and Tony."
Tony had been in fights and got arrested, so his fingerprints and DNA were on file. After he died, the police would compare his DNA with the database to confirm his identity.
But with his fingers gone, they had to rely on the wallet and passport found at the scene.
Normally, that would be enough, but Tony and Kurt were identical twins with the same DNA.
So, the body at Tony's place might not be Tony's.
Just then, Ethan's phone buzzed. He glanced at it and then looked up at Robert.
"Robert, the officer tailing Kurt just texted. He went to see his cousin's husband."
Ethan continued, "After that, he went straight to his dad's place. Then his cousin's husband drove towards Lyra's house."
Robert said, "Maybe we'll soon find out if the Kurt who's alive now is the real Kurt."
Ethan frowned, "But Robert, even we didn't think the dead guy might not be Tony. How did Sophia figure it out? Is she some kind of genius?"
Robert had a feeling Sophia was hiding something big.
He headed back to the interrogation room. Sitting down in front of Sophia, who had her head down, he said, "Sophia, why did you ask me that question earlier? I need the truth."
Sophia looked up, her eyes calm and piercing, like she could see right through him.
After a long pause, she finally spoke, "I lied about not seeing them after my mom was murdered."
She continued, "I saw them again ten years ago."
Sophia explained, "As adults, they still looked very similar in height, weight, and facial features. But their eyes told different stories. Tony had a violent temper. When he got mad, his eyes were fierce, like a wolf's. Kurt was sneaky. When he pretended to break up a fight, his eyes were cold, like a snake's. But the Kurt I saw yesterday at Starfish Apartments didn't have those snake eyes. So today, I provoked him at the hospital, and his eyes were as fierce as a wolf's. The eyes of the man who's alive are just like Tony's." Sophia raised an eyebrow, "Isn't that weird?"
"How do you know about DNA identification?" Ethan asked.
"Officer Davis," Sophia said calmly, "I'm a medical student. It's basic knowledge."
Robert watched Sophia closely. She seemed confident, almost glowing.
Just then, a knock on the door. A police officer stood there, "Officer Davis, Kurt's cousin's husband is here."
Since the evidence showed Sophia wasn't involved, Robert thanked her and told her she could leave.
But Sophia asked, "Officer Davis, can I wait in the lobby downstairs?"
"Do you want to see Kurt get arrested?" Robert asked.
As a victim's family member, it made sense.
Sophia nodded, "I want to fulfill my dad's dying wish. He was in pain but insisted on knowing if the twins had falsified their age to avoid legal consequences back then."
Robert nodded.
After Sophia left, Ryan rushed in with big news. "The testicular tissue examination shows the owner had azoospermia."