Chapter 829 The Traces


    Marcel did not say anything while Easton held his breath.


    Rae said, "I''ll investigate it as soon as possible."


    Marcel nced at Rae. He frowned and remained silent.


    The group of people arrived at the dormitory building of Melody Knox again. They were allowed to go in


    after showing their identity documents to the administrator.


    Perhaps because of the death of Melody, the dormitory was quiet.


    When they knocked on the door, a tender girl opened it.


    Rae remembered her name was Sha Anthony. Rae had questioned her in the afternoon.


    Sha was stunned when she saw Rae. Then, she realized that three people were standing behind


    Rae. She took a step back, “Hi, madam.”


    Sha looked Marcel up and down, who was standing behind Rae. Marcel was such a handsome guy.


    Sha was colored slightly at the thought. She allowed them to go into the room and stood quietly with


    her head hanging.


    Marcel keenly swept around the room where four girls had been living here.


    Each of them had a loft bed. The mattress was on the top while theputer desk and cupboard were


    below it.


    Marcel knew which one was belonged to Melody when he saw it at a nce.


    Police officers had taken the belongings of Melody away for investigation, while the belongings of three


    other girls remained there.


    There was only Sha in the dormitory.


    Rae swept around the room and looked at Marcel. She did not dare to question without his utterance.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Marcel went straight to Melody''sputer desk. The desk was empty.


    He asked thoughtfully, “Where are the other people of your dorm?”


    “They...” Sha was about to talk but blushed in a sh.


    Rae could tell how shy the woman was. Rae thought that every woman would blush facing Marcel, a


    man who was good-looking and attractive.


    However, Captain Hopkins seemed to be unaware of it. Sha had reminded her of a memory. In


    those days, Marcel had driven many girls crazy when he went back to school, and Rae was one of


    them.


    Marcel was irresistibly handsome.


    Sha wanted to speak but said nothing. Marcel narrowed his eyes and looked at Sha up and down


    with a stern sight.


    “Why were you lying?” Marcel asked in a cold, deep voice with a firm tone that left people nowhere to


    hide.


    Sha raised her head and looked at Melody''s bed in a sh. She had tears in her eyes. She could not


    help but sob when Marcel keenly stared at her.


    “Alondra, Piper, and I were scared because of Melody’s death, but the university didn’t allow us to


    move to another dorm. So, two of them went to live off-campus, but I had no ce to go. I had


    promised Melody to keep the secret, so I didn''t mean to lie.”


    They were stunned after Sha spoke. She seemed to know more details.


    “What did you promise Melody?” Rae asked. She felt a little chagrined that she had not caught Sha


    lying during the earlier questioning.


    “I...” Sha pursed and whispered, “You have to keep it a secret. I don''t want someone to hum around


    after her ident.”


    “Don''t worry about it, tell us all that you know!”


    “I knew that Melody fell in love with a man who is much older than she is. She had moved out of the


    dorm and lived with the man, but I don''t know him. Perhaps Alondra knew about this since she was on


    the best of terms with Melody.”


    Marcel slightly frowned and smiled. His gaze became soft. He stared at Sha''s eyes and had caused


    her face to flush.


    Marcel remained silent and stared straight at Sha as if to test whether she spoke without reserve.


    Sha could not stand his look and wailed, “These were all I know, sir. I did not lie. I had always


    wanted to keep Melody''s secret, so I lied to madam this afternoon. Three of us knew that she


    cohabited with the man, and we promised her to conceal it. That’s all!”


    Marcel did not answer her.


    Sha raised her head and met his gaze. She trembled and reiterated, “I’m not lying this time!”


    Marcel lifted the corners of his mouth, and he looked graceful and attractive. He said in a deep,


    agreeable voice, “Don''t be afraid. It’s not like we don’t trust you.”


    “Really?” Sha’s eyes lit up after Marcel said he trusted her. She wiped her eyes with embarrassment


    and obediently stood by.


    Marcel looked at her again. After that, he searched every corner of Melody''s mattress,puter desk,


    and cupboard himself, and he discovered a trace.


    In thepartment of the mattress, there was a CD without any markings. Rae did not discover it


    earlier.


    Marcel took a nce at Sha casually once he took the CD, and she did not have any strange


    expression.


    Marcel issued an order to Rae and Easton in front of Sha, “Inform the counselor of Piper and


    Alondra to call them toe to the dorm. We''ve to find out something more about Melody!”


    After that, Marcel did not immediately leave the dormitory but waited for them toe.


    Piper came earlier by herself instead ofing with Alondra.


    She was stunned when she noticed Marcel. She blinked her eyes and looked at Rae, and said, “Is


    there anything else I can help you, madam?”


    Rae was surprised by her calm. Piper had always been calm, even when she knew that Melody died.


    Rae recalled the appearance of the three girls. Sha was a little middle-ss girl, and Piper was full


    of power. Alondra was calm as well when she heard the news that Melody died.


    Rae could not forbear to admire three of them. Were they frightened of staying in the dormitory, as


    Sha said?


    Rae calmly looked at Piper up and down, and she saw Marcel out the corner of her eyes. Marcel did


    not seem to have the intention to talk. Rae did not know if she would disrupt his n, but she


    questioned at this moment.


    “You told a lie this afternoon!” Rae cut to the chase, “I want to know why were you lying.”


    She questioned in front of Sha.


    “Piper,” Sha shouted.


    “Sha!” Rae interrupted her quickly and gave her a warning with eyes, “It''s not your turn!”


    Sha kept silent for a moment.


    Marcel was satisfied with Rae''s wit, and his eyes were resting on Sha''s face. He found that Sha


    was flushed with embarrassment and lowered her head since nobody allowed her to talk.


    “Are you talking about the matter of Melody moved out of the dorm and lived off-campus?” Piper


    blunted and moved to a seat. She sat down and said, “I was not lying. I''m not interested in talking


    about it since it was something rotten that would spoil her reputation.”


    “Is that so?” Rae did not believe in her.


    “Believe it or not!” Piper did not care about it. She looked at Marcel in an appreciative gaze and then


    asked Rae point-nk, “Hey, by the way, is the cool guy your colleague?”


    Rae was speechless. She wondered why every woman was interested in Marcel. Did she have to ask


    Marcel to hide his face in handling future cases?


    Rae ignored Piper and asked anything she wanted, “Why did you move out?”


    “The dorm was ominous!” Piper answered.


    People there were surprised by her answer.


    “Put frankly. I didn''t get along well with Melody. I was surprised by her death but not gloated. I thought


    that it was bad luck to live here after that. However, the university didn’t allow us to move to another


    dorm. So, I had to find my way,” Piper said at ease.


    They appraised her with eyes, but she did not care about them.


    “I knew that you woulde to the dorm again to investigate more. I should''ve said it out at that time


    but didn''t like to get involved. It was better to save trouble. That was all I know. I''m not lying this time!”


    Rae looked at Piper''s natural expression, and she wondered whether Piper told the truth this time.


    Marcel remained silent.


    Then, Alondra opened the door and entered the dorm along with the counselor.


    Three of the girls were stunned at the moment they saw the counselor.


    Rae and Marcel caught their slightest movement. Then, everyone looked at the counselor calmly.


    Rae looked in the direction where the counselor was. The counselor looked ordinary in a shirt, but his


    low-pitched luxurious cufflinks had caught the eyes.


    She was surprised that a counselor of SC Normal University would have such a pair of exquisite and


    luxurious cufflinks.


    The counselor was calm and unreadable in his eyes.


    Rae took a nce at the man in front of her and believed that he was by no means ordinary.


    He even looked genteel.


    “Hi, my name is Braeden Walls, and I’m the counselor of these girls,” Braeden walked over, but he did


    not reach out his hands to shake. He looked calm and at ease with a sorrowful appearance, “I''m sorry


    for the loss.”


    Braeden said in a humble and regretful tone.


    Marcel raised his eyebrows, and his gaze was unreadable. Marcel was handling a murder case of an


    adolescent girl expressionless. At this moment, his expression could not be more suitable. Indeed, he


    felt sorry for the girl.


    Marcel nodded when he met Braeden''s gaze, “Mr. Walls, thank you for your cooperation and


    understanding. We still have some questions to ask the girls.”


    “We will fully cooperate with the investigation,” Braeden not being polite.


    Marcel nced meaningfully at him, then turned around and asked Alondra, "You had provided us with


    false information this afternoon and had obstructed the investigation. What do you have to say about


    this?"


    Alondra was pale at these words, and others did so.


    Alondra would be subject to legal responsibility if she been to put thebel of obstructing the police


    investigation.


    "I didn''t mean to do it!" Alondra nced at Braeden to look for help before she spoke.


    Braeden calmly stood by and remained silent.


    Piper looked out through the window, and her eyes were full of emotion.


    Sha pursed and looked at Braeden out the corner of her eyes again.


    Rae thought that there was something fishy about this.