Seventeen

Golden High, 11:30 am.

New york city police report.

James portman (L), 17 years old, was found lifeless in the main hallway of the Golden High dormitory at 10:00 am. The victim was pronounced dead as a result of a blocked blood vessel due to strangulation and bleeding from a stab wound to the victim's chest cavity.

Perpetrator: Not yet identified.

Motive: Premeditated murder due to personal grudge.

Elena Sanders (P), 17, was found lifeless in the Golden High cafeteria at 10:00 am. The victim was declared dead due to heart failure after drinking cyanide in her coffee.

Perpetrator: Not yet identified.

Motive: Premeditated murder due to personal grudge.

"Are you done?" Nicholas folded his arms across his chest and dropped his buttocks on the edge of the white table in the room.

Nicholas finally decided to postpone the interrogation about Elena's death for several reasons. First, he wanted to first confirm the external post-mortem and autopsy results from the forensic authorities regarding Elena's actual death. Second, he needed detailed information from Alicia who (coincidentally) served as his spy in the dormitory.

Nicholas' curious face disturbed Alicia. Alicia looked up, then looked at her interlocutor with a face that lacked expression.

"What are your conclusions regarding their deaths?"

"I think they died at the same time. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but they were found dead at the same time. I think the time of death is connected." Alicia's hand, adorned with a black suede bracelet, placed the sheets of paper on the table. She left them lying neatly on it. Alicia nodded confidently and looked at Nicholas. "Besides, they were friends at this school. Isn't that similarity obvious?"

"I heard that you were at the scene when Elena suddenly fell to her death." Nicholas rubbed his chin, then looked suspiciously at Alicia. He then pointed at Alicia who was sitting opposite him. "You saw something before the incident happened, didn't you?"

"Stop accusing me of something you're not sure of, Detective."

"It's not an accusation, it's a question."

Alicia rolled her eyes lazily. "But you sound like you're judging me."

"You were at the scene of the crime. Twice." Nicholas smiled with satisfaction. "Let's stop arguing and get back to our main topic today."

"You should be talking to your partner, not a high school student like me."

"Stop protesting, Miss Perth. Let's just get on with it."

While the wealthy old man Wilson Blake was busy answering thousands of questions from the media at the press conference table, Nicholas decided to borrow the CEO's room and the owner also allowed it on the basis of assisting the police investigation. Nicholas doesn't know himself! He was just taking advantage of the situation at this difficult time.

"So, did you see or hear anything that you think could lead to this case?"

Alicia tapped the surface of the table with her finger. She seemed to think for a moment, before her face turned slightly anxious. A small murmur escaped Alicia's mouth, before she said, "I heard them talking about the silver hairpins in the cafeteria," she said carefully. "They must have something to do with James. That hairpin is a major clue, and we haven't found it yet."

"Now you sound like my colleague at the police station, Alicia," Nicholas teased. Alicia just gave a lazy snigger.

Nicholas raised one eyebrow. "Alright, alright. I'm going to focus on this case now. You mean, Elena and her two friends who were also at the scene were talking about our missing evidence? The silver hairpin?" Alicia nodded her head. "That means Amanda and Selena know about the silver hairpin now too."

Alicia nodded confidently. "I heard that Elena wouldn't mind if James died either." She chuckled. "I strongly suspected her of James' murder at first. Her relationship with James didn't seem to be good, I think James also often hurt others with his words and attitude. It's only natural that he would have enemies eventually."

Nicholas crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his back against the chair. "But how can you be so sure, Alicia? We didn't know Elena, we didn't know James. They're both dead now, and only they know who they really are."

"I believe that because he..."

CRACK!

KRIETTT!

The sound of the door behind Alicia caught her attention. Someone had just opened it and pushed it. Who was the person who was so bold, opening the door without knocking first? Nicholas and Alicia suddenly turned their heads towards the source of the sound and found a man in a white varsity standing in front of the door. Whoever that person was, he seemed to be challenging Nicholas.

And when Ace's body came into view, Nicholas raised both eyebrows.

It was Ace who was now standing blocking the access door with a satisfied grin. He even looked casual, having unauthorizedly opened the room. His face was raised haughtily, while his hands were stuffed into his jacket pockets. He really was a troublemaker!

Nicholas reflexively got up from his chair and pointed at Ace angrily. "HEY! You can't just walk into this room! You should at least knock on the door to show your manners." Nicholas was really angry, while Alicia chose to keep her mouth shut rather than join in the conversation. The man who worked as a detective immediately blocked Ace from entering and tried to push him out with his own two hands. "Quick, get out! I have business with Alicia, you can't be here right now!"

Ace spluttered and there was a shoving match between them. "Come on, this is my father's room," she scolded. "Besides, I'm here to bring you information. So stop pushing me out."

Nicholas suddenly stopped his movements and squinted suspiciously. "Information?"

It wasn't just Nicholas, because Alicia, who had been relaxing in a chair and was only busy staring at the calendar on the table, now turned her gaze to Ace. Ace looked at Nicholas, then at Alicia in turn. Their eyes now met and Alicia could immediately guess that what Ace was saying was the truth.

"Yes, I have some important information for you," Ace ended.