Chapter 208

Chapter 208

Dennis had been a detective for a long time and had developed a knack for reading people.

He glanced at the couple and then whispered to Zoey, "Do you know who they are?"

"Who?"

"They are Cecilia's parents."

Based on what she knew about Cecilia, Zoey took another look at the couple standing a short distance away.

She couldn't tell.

"How do you know?" She asked.

"It's simple. Cecilia's eyes are like her mom's, and the lower half of her face looks like her dad's."

Zoey genuinely praised him, "Dennis, that's impressive. You even know about facial features."

"Work long enough, and you pick it up too." Before Dennis could boast more about his skills, the woman noticed them approaching. She stood up and walked over to them, asking, "Are you the officers in charge of my daughter's case?"

Dennis nodded, "Yes, ma'am. Your daughter is?"

The woman replied, "Cecilia."

Cecilia's mom had a very dignified appearance, the kind that suggested she worked in a very serious environment. She gave off an air of meticulousness.

Dennis continued, "We're handling the case. Don't worry, ma'am. We'll catch the killer as soon as possible and give you some closure. I'm sorry for your loss."

The woman seemed much calmer than most people who had lost a child.

It was as if Cecilia wasn't her daughter at all.

There was no trace of sorrow. "Thank you. How is the investigation going?"

Before Dennis could answer, the man, who had been silent, suddenly stood up and impatiently interrupted, "Do you think the police are superheroes? It's been less than a day. How could they solve it so quickly?"

The woman shot an annoyed glance in the man's direction.

Her temple throbbed as she clenched her teeth.

Dennis looked at the man, "And you are?"

The man replied coldly, "The victim's father."

His response was as indifferent as Cecilia's mom's, showing no signs of grief, as if he were talking about a stranger.

From his response, Zoey deduced that the couple had probably been divorced for a while, with the daughter living with her mom. The father likely provided some financial support and had possibly remarried and had new children, perhaps a son, which might explain his coldness towards Cecilia.

In the minds of many men, daughters were expected to marry out someday.

This often led to a different kind of attachment to having a son.

The man's impatience was evident, "We've already identified the body. Can I leave now? If you need anything, contact me during the day. Don't call me at night!"

Zoey was used to fathers being indifferent towards their daughters. "Sign the paperwork as the coroner instructed, and you can go. We'll contact you if we need anything."

"Don't contact me. Talk to her mother." With that, the man left.

The woman watched him leave, taking a deep breath.

After a moment, she looked up and asked, "The coroner told me Cecilia died from poisoning. Have you found the killer?"

"We have a few suspects, but we need to investigate further," Dennis replied.

"Alright," The woman's eyes lowered, and she sighed, "I always thought that once kids went to college, they were adults. I couldn't give her much attention because of my job. After her father and I divorced, we both started new families. I failed as a mother."

Zoey, always blunt, said, "Now that Cecilia is dead, you must feel relieved, right?"

The woman was taken aback, "Relieved? That was my daughter! How can you use such a word to describe a mother?"

Zoey smirked, "Then how would you describe yourself? Can you answer one question? When was the last time you spoke to Cecilia?"

The woman looked guilty, and Zoey understood everything from her expression.

She smirked again and didn't ask further. Dennis stepped in with some polite words and sent the woman on her way.

Dennis took a deep breath, "I didn't expect Cecilia's situation to be so pitiful. Kids from broken homes like hers are more likely to go astray."

Zoey didn't respond. She went inside to get the report.

The cause of death was clearly stated. Potassium cyanide poisoning.

Dennis read from the report, "The venous blood is oxygen-rich, the body shows bright red lividity, mostly cherry red, with cyanosis on the face and lips. The stomach lining is extensively hemorrhaged, and cyanide ions were detected..."

Robert picked up the report and added, "It seems it was indeed cyanide poisoning. No other wounds on the body, just ingested."

"We tested the water bottles from the gym class. Only Cecilia's had a significant amount of potassium cyanide," Zoey said.

"Violette and Theodosia mentioned that Cecilia drank water before going to the restroom," Zoey noted.

"So, the killer poisoned her during that time?" Alexander asked.

Robert finished reading the report, "From the evidence we have, only the bottled water was poisoned."

Zoey had suspected the e-cigarette, but the report indicated the e-liquid was just regular.

Alexander asked, "Whose fingerprints were on the water bottle?"

Zoey found the name, "Nicolette..."

"Nicolette again. All the evidence seems to point to her," Dennis remarked.

Charles agreed, "I think it's her. Considering the things she's done, like putting acid and nails in places, poisoning doesn't surprise me. It feels like something she'd do."

Robert checked his watch; it was already midnight. "Alright, let's call it a night. We'll continue in the morning."

Zoey pulled out her phone, "Hold on, I'll message Nicolette on Facebook."

Robert gave her a look but didn't object.

Zoey, always direct, messaged: [We found your fingerprints on Cecilia's water bottle. Care to explain?]

She had barely sent the message when a call came through.

Zoey put it on speaker so the whole team could hear.

Nicolette's voice was frantic, "Zoey, I don't know about the fingerprints. I didn't touch Cecilia's water! I had my own! And she was always with her friends. How would I have had the chance to tamper with her water? It's not me. What's going on?"