The Promise Of Happiness

Chapter 9 Pulled Into A Hummer

The following afternoon, there was complete silence in the conference room. Everyone was at a loss.

John Williams, the police officer in charge of the case, began collecting the documents scattered on the table. “If there’s nothing else to add, then the meeting is over. For tonight, follow up on the name list of girls that have gone missing recently. We have to confirm her identity.”

Right when everyone was yawning and getting ready to get on with their work, someone in the corner slowly stood up.

“I have a question.”

Natalie had one hand in the pocket of her white coat, and there was an aura of total tranquility around her.

Her colleagues all turned to look at her in surprise and couldn’t help but begin to gossip.

“That’s a new face. I’ve never seen her before. Is she a new coroner?”

“Are all fresh graduates this bold nowadays? Even the older, experienced people here have nothing to add. What could this brat have to say?”

“I’d love to know what exactly she’s got on her mind.”

Effie and Brandon looked at each other and communicated through their expressions. They thought it was absurd that they were treating Natalie as some newbie. They were eager to witness Natalie give them a slap in the face.

and bent

by hand.

she spoke was firm. Furthermore, her gaze was sharp enough to

replied, “Hand it over to me. I’ll take a

you’ll do

autopsy report doesn’t just contain the victim’s time of death and DNA information. I’ve already stitched the corpses of the two female victims back together. Even though their faces are distorted beyond recognition, telltale signs on their body tell me they were married with a

of this, there are only three people on the name list who are possible candidates. When you take into account the victim’s age, that narrows it down to two—Lisa Moore and Jean Gray. You can get the family members of those two women to come in for a DNA test. The investigation department needs to work harder and find the third missing woman before something bad happens to her,” she continued to stress. “Whoever this criminal is, they make clean cuts. They don’t have a drop of sympathy in them, and they’re a serial killer as well—a typical sociopath. If we don’t hurry and take the chance to

placed the document in front of John, who

the truth, and it was impressive how she had narrowed down a list

to introduce myself to everyone because of this case, so I’ll do it now. I’m Natalie Nichols, specially-appointed

in the conference room burst

coroner would be some

mean we don’t have to search for every single

“She’s our saving grace!”

to say, so I’ll be taking my leave now. I hope all of you will continue putting

crept up

her colleagues watched

stunned them

she was only in

in the Major Crimes Unit who could match her level of observance. She had saved everyone many nights of intense