One Hundred and Twenty Eight

CHAPTER 128

Ace cleaned his bloodied hands at the sink. It had been ten minutes since Ace had scrubbed his palms with the laundry soap available there. His face had a cold expression, while he let out a long sigh and quickly turned around.

Ace's brown eyes that glinted through the sunlight from the cracks in the window were now looking at the corpse in front of him. The young man had just killed someone and left the body lying there.

"What should I do with that corpse?"

****

Nicholas turned off the engine of his car after arriving at the scene of Brittany's accident a few days ago. The police line was still in place. The large tree that was the target of the collision was still standing there, leaving remnants of damage on a few parts of its large trunk.

Alicia came down after Nicholas. Their eyes immediately swept around to see if there was anyone or anything they could use as evidence to corroborate Brittany's testimony. Brittany said that she didn't drive, but Kevin disagreed. There was a discrepancy there, and it would aggravate Brittany's sentence if she was found guilty.

"It's so quiet in here," Alicia muttered, as she scanned the surroundings. Chuckling, Alicia began to feel an underlying sense of hopelessness about Brittany's accident. "Can we find any evidence or witnesses to help Brittany?"

But Nicholas tried to calm Alicia's anxiety. "We can definitely help her. We'll find a way."

Nicholas then examined the large tree that had been hit by Kevin's car. He felt the surface of the tree trunk to check if there was any blood outside the car.

Nicholas' fingers traced the rough bark of the tree, his mind working very hard. As he examined the point of impact, something caught his eye-a small shard of glass stuck in the wood.

"Hey, look at this," Nicholas called out to Alicia, holding the glittering shard of glass between his fingers. "This might be a clue."

Alicia hurried over, her eyes widening as she examined the broken glass. "Could this be from the accident?"

"It's possible," Nicholas replied seriously. "If we can connect it to Kevin's car, it might support Brittany's claim."

Their attention turned to the ground around the tree, looking for more remains. Alicia spotted a torn piece of cloth caught on a branch, its color standing out against the greenery. "This could be from Kevin's clothes," Alicia suggested, holding it up for Nicholas to see. "If this really is Kevin's clothes, it means he got out of the driver's seat and switched Brittany's seat on purpose. Let's just secure this cloth."

"You may be right, but this could be very important," Nicholas agreed, carefully storing the cloth in the evidence bag.

As they combed the area, their hopes soared with each discovery-a faint skid mark, a shifting stone, a subtle but potential clue.

Nicholas and Alicia diligently piece together each piece, assembling a mosaic of evidence that could reveal the truth behind Brittany's accident. With each discovery, their resolve to help Brittany grows stronger.

"We found something," Alicia said, a hint of optimism in her voice.

Nicholas nodded, his gaze fixed on the details scattered around the scene. "There's more here than meets the eye. We'll find what we need."

Little do they know, the evidence they've gathered is just the tip of a much larger and more complicated puzzle-one that will take them down unexpected paths and challenge their beliefs about loyalty, deception, and the price paid to protect those they care about.

Their quest for the truth will uncover secrets far beyond Brittany's accident, sending ripples through their lives and the lives of those around them.

Alicia stood up, then realized that there were several houses down the street. She pointed to one of them and said, "That's the closest house. What if we go to check?"

"That's a good idea," Nicholas replied, agreeing with Alicia's suggestion.

The house Alicia had pointed out was a silent witness to the accident scene, located on a quiet street corner. Nicholas and Alicia exchanged glances, a silent agreement taking place between them as they walked towards the residence.

The door creaked slightly as Nicholas knocked, the anticipation growing as time passed. An elderly man, slightly stooped, opened the door, his eyes narrowed in the sunlight. He looked pale, but he was fine, he could even look at Nicholas clearly.

"Good afternoon, sir. We're investigating an accident that happened near here a few days ago. Did you see or hear anything unusual?" Nicholas asked politely.

The man's expression changed, a flash of realization flashed across his face. "Yes, I remember the commotion. A terrible thing, that. I didn't see much, just heard screeching and crashing. But it happened very fast, didn't it?"

"Did you see anyone leave the scene or act suspiciously?" Alicia asked, her eyes scanning the man's face for signs of doubt.

The man scratched his head, his memory seemingly struggling to recall the details. "I can't say, miss. But hang on, there's something strange. Mrs. Jenkins, across the street, said she saw the driver remove her friend from the passenger seat. I thought she was just rambling, but I couldn't check because I was busy with my children at home. You can check with Mrs. Jenkins, she might know something more important for you."

Nicholas and Alicia exchanged glances, a glimmer of hope appearing between them. "Thank you, sir. You were very helpful," Nicholas said gratefully. "Can we see that Mrs. Jenkins you told me about?"

"Sure, she's across the street. The house with the old red paint. She's usually busy cutting flower stalks in the garden. You can check for yourself."

Nicholas and Alicia hurried across the street, their anticipation rising with every step. As they approached the house with its fading red paint, they saw an elderly woman meticulously pruning the flowers in her garden.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Jenkins?" Nicholas called out politely, not wanting to startle her.

The woman turned her head, squinting in the sunlight. "Yes, that's me. How can I help you?"