YEAP !! WE HIT THE 50 CHAPTER MARK
Thank you to everyone for following this book till now.
_________
Chapter 50. You promised me!
Theodore believed in his profiling methodology.
He didn't think the killer was someone who depended on luck to execute crimes.
The crime scene presenting this outcome had to have a logical explanation.
Considering that Helen Bennett, while capable of performing dissection, would have needed to simultaneously commit murder, eliminate fingerprints, forge communications, and misdirect witnesses, the timeline was simply too compressed.
Theodore suspected she might require an accomplice.
Or more precisely, the killer needed Helen Bennett as an accomplice.
She had been shadowing James Carter throughout the entire party and lacked sufficient opportunity to commit the crime independently.
She should have been serving as the killer's eyes and ears, helping pinpoint James Carter and Little Howard's locations to ensure they could be rapidly located when necessary.
With an accomplice's assistance, the killer's available time became abundant. He could have simply waited near the attic entrance, monitoring for the appropriate person to enter.
Having reached this conclusion, Theodore urgently wanted to conduct a follow-up interrogation of Helen Bennett.
On the return trip to the police station, the atmosphere in the vehicle felt distinctly uncomfortable.
Ricky and Keller kept exchanging meaningful glances with Bernie, silently asking what was happening with Theodore.
He had rushed silently to the crime scene, then returned just as quietly to request Helen Bennett's interrogation.
Bernie responded with mysterious head shakes and made an cryptic gesture.
This was a special communication signal created by the Felton Star News for their 'Psychic Twin Detectives' coverage.
The newspaper seemed to treat the 'Psychic Twin Detectives' as a serialized adventure novel, publishing four thousand words on the front page daily with relentless dedication.
Currently, this publication had cultivated a devoted readership base thanks to the 'Psychic Twin Detectives' series. Bernie was among their most loyal followers.
The Star News remained limited to West District circulation, so Ricky and Keller, both East District residents, naturally hadn't encountered it and couldn't interpret his gesture's meaning.
Bernie offered no explanation, maintaining his enigmatic expression.
Back at the police station, Helen Bennett had already been positioned in the interrogation room waiting.
She appeared accustomed to such situations and maintained a calm, composed demeanor.
This interrogation was again primarily conducted by Theodore, with Bernie providing support.
But unlike the previous day, both men sat silently without speaking.
Bernie didn't understand Theodore's strategy, but he cooperated fully, head bowed while transcribing fabricated quotations the Star News had attributed to the 'Psychic Twin Detectives' in his notebook.
Theodore, meanwhile, was sketching and planning in his own notebook, organizing how he would compile his case notes after the investigation concluded.
Helen Bennett dismissed their approach with obvious contempt, resting her head on the table to sleep.
Several minutes later, Ricky delivered Helen Bennett's file.
Theodore opened it and reviewed the contents, discovering this individual had quite an extensive record.
Truancy, excessive drinking, physical altercations, theft, assaulting police officers, obstructing law enforcement, all manner of infractions were documented.
No wonder she could remain so calm and composed.
Theodore slid the record to Bernie, who scanned through it while clicking his tongue disapprovingly.
She had only recently reached adulthood and already possessed such a substantial criminal history!
Given her family's social standing, her juvenile criminal records must have been sealed from public view.
The interrogation room door opened again, and Theodore was summoned outside.
Ricky informed him that patrol officers had verified the witnesses and residences Helen Bennett had provided the previous day, and the results had just arrived, she hadn't fabricated anything.
Theodore returned to the interrogation room, rapped on the table, caught her upward glance, and shared the news.
She adopted an 'I knew it' expression, rolled her eyes, stood up, and extended her handcuffed wrists forward.
"Can I leave now?"
Theodore shook his head and asked, "Who are you helping to conceal?"
Seeing her confusion, Theodore elaborated, "At Emily Grant's birthday party, who were you monitoring for?"
Helen Bennett rolled her eyes, sat back down, and returned her head to the table for more sleep.
Theodore ignored her dismissal and continued, "You were trailing James Carter the entire evening while keeping surveillance on Little Howard."
"You delivered the note to Little Howard, and you also caused James Carter to mistakenly believe Little Howard was confessing romantic feelings to Emily Grant in the attic."
Helen Bennett remained silent, head down on the table.
Theodore then asked, "Do you believe he'll protect you?"
"You should understand exactly what kind of person he is. He invested considerable time premeditating Teddy Santos's murder."
"He orchestrated everything flawlessly, so why would he leave a liability like you unresolved?"
Helen Bennett turned over but continued lying face down.
"Because you represent the backup plan after Little Howard, your function mirrors Little Howard's exactly."
"Now that we all recognize you're merely an accomplice, you've outlived your intended purpose. How do you think he'll handle you?"
Helen Bennett lifted her head from the table and asked, "Are you finished talking?"
"It's fine if you're not done, my family's attorney will arrive shortly. You can share the remainder with him."
She approached the door and began pounding vigorously, shouting outside, "Hey! You fat pig! Take me back! I want to return to sleep! It's too noisy in here! There are flies buzzing around constantly!"
Ricky looked questioningly at Theodore, then gestured, and two detectives stepped forward to escort her away.
Theodore walked through the crowd of curious onlookers and returned to the conference room.
Ricky closed the door, blocking out the inquisitive stares, and sat alongside Bernie and Keller, awaiting Theodore's explanation.
Whether his interrogation room statements had unsettled Helen Bennett remained unclear, but they had certainly shocked his colleagues.
Theodore explained his crime scene analysis, leaving Ricky and Keller partially convinced but still skeptical.
Just then, a detective knocked and entered, Helen Bennett's attorney had arrived.
The lawyer represented Felton's most prestigious law firm and was particularly familiar with East District operations.
After introductions, the attorney raised a fundamental question, what evidence existed?
He then stated that since no evidence was available, police could detain her for only eight additional hours maximum.
By then it would be after business hours, requiring the detectives to work overtime processing paperwork, so releasing her immediately would save everyone's time.
The lawyer also proposed reaching a verbal agreement with Helen Bennett, with her bail condition being house confinement during this period.
This arrangement would ensure police could locate her whenever necessary.
Bernie pointed out that Helen Bennett frequently ran away from home, making parental supervision impossible to guarantee.
The attorney smiled slightly. "After eight hours, this point still cannot be guaranteed, can it?"
Helen Bennett was ultimately released on bail and departed early.
Immediately after her departure, Councilor Santos arrived in obvious distress.
He grabbed Theodore's arm and demanded to know Helen Bennett's whereabouts.
Upon learning she'd been released on bail, the councilor, whom Keller had described as hot-tempered, resembled an enraged lion.
"You promised me you would apprehend the killer, Detective Dickson, you gave me your word! Now you've released her!"
Ricky stepped forward to intervene, only to be shoved aside. "Cullinan boy, this doesn't concern you!"
Bernie stepped forward, and Councilor Santos attempted the same maneuver, but couldn't budge him.
"You need to calm down," Bernie said in a low, steady voice.
"Get lost!"
Councilor Santos threw a punch at Bernie, but Bernie caught his wrist and reflexively counter-punched.
Amid everyone's shocked exclamations, Councilor Santos's nose was struck, blood spurting immediately.
_______________
Check out more than 65+ chapters right now? 🔥
👉 patreon.com/Mr UmU
https://www.patreon.com/Mr_UmU
Also, get access to 220+ bonus chapters across all my stories.
________ ____________
Want bonus chapters? Let's reach the goal together!
Goal: 200 – Remaining: 46 = 2 Bonus Chapter
📌 1 Power Stone on the Book Page = 100 on Chapter Pages!
!! VISIT the BOOK PAGE to donate your Power Stone.
We need ratings, so leave a review, everyone.