Beneath the Dome, Sin within Sins - Chapter 93 - The Investigation

I stepped forward and gently patted Bai Yue’s trembling shoulder. “Don’t worry, I will uncover the truth and clear your name.”

“Does that mean… you believe me?” Bai Yue looked at me eagerly, her voice tinged with excitement. “You believe I didn’t kill anyone, right?”

Seeing the hopeful expression on her face, I didn’t know how to respond. As her friend, I didn’t want to lie to her.

Finally, I watched the light in Bai Yue’s eyes gradually fade. “Don’t be so downhearted. I will help prove your innocence. But until the case is solved, you’re still a suspect-there’s no doubt about that. Do you understand?”

Bai Yue nodded, a faint, bitter smile forming on her lips. “Of course, I understand that. You’re a detective, after all. And I know, given the circumstances, I’m the most suspicious.”

“Exactly! So, to clear your name, you need to cooperate with me fully. Understand?”

“Cooperate?” Bai Yue looked up at me, her face filled with confusion. “So, you’re saying you believe I didn’t kill anyone?”

“No, this has nothing to do with whether or not I believe you. Even if I didn’t know you, if you were wrongfully accused, I would still help you.”

I said this earnestly, but Bai Yue saw that my reaction remained calm despite her efforts to persuade me. Switching gears, she said, “What do you want to know? I’ll do my best to tell you everything.”

“What was the victim’s name?”

“Song Sisi. She was my aunt and also the birthday star today, as well as the owner of this hotel.”

“When was the last time you saw the victim?”

“Actually, the only time I saw my aunt today was at breakfast. The rest of the day, I was at the mall looking for a gift for her. I only came back when the party was about to start.”

After hearing Bai Yue’s words, I nodded and then continued questioning her. “What’s the name of the mall you went to today?”

“It’s right across the street, in that big tower. Because of the rain over the past few days, it’s been crowded with tourists.”

“Is that so?” I nodded again. “Does your aunt have any enemies?”

“No, my aunt was always very kind to people.”

After hearing Bai Yue’s words, I fell silent for a while, unsure if I should ask what I really wanted to.

I wanted to better understand where Bai Yue was and what she was doing during the time her aunt was killed.

But I was worried this question might upset her.

Just as I was hesitating, Bai Yue said, “You’re not only curious about the things you’ve asked me, are you?”

Her words hit the mark, piercing through all my attempts at pretense. I smiled awkwardly and said, “I guess I’m not very good at hiding things, huh?”

“It’s okay. Whatever it is, just say it directly. I’m guessing what you really want to know is what happened around me the moment the spotlights went out, isn’t it?”

She couldn’t be more right. I smiled sheepishly and said, “It seems you’re pretty sharp.”

“Please, don’t misuse phrases like ‘sharp and intelligent’ like that.”

With a clever retort, Bai Yue began recounting what happened the moment the lights went out.

As it turned out, the whole thing about dimming and then turning the lights back on had been a planned surprise for her aunt.

The idea was for Bai Yue to push a birthday cake toward her aunt the moment the lights went out, and then the family would set off celebratory confetti once the cake reached Song Sisi.

What was meant to be a delightful surprise at the birthday party, however, turned into a horrifying tragedy. Song Sisi, a powerhouse of a woman, met her end at such a significant moment in her life. Her birthday, meant to be a day of joy, tragically became the day of her death. It wasn’t something anyone could simply dismiss or accept.

“But why did the cake turn into a dagger?”

“I don’t know,” Bai Yue said, shaking her head. She continued, “I was waiting in the dark as planned. But in the darkness, someone suddenly shoved me, and then something-something sharp-was pressed into my hand. It was a dagger. Before I could react, I was pushed out into the open. Then I felt something warm splatter onto my face. When the lights came back on, I saw…”

Bai Yue stopped speaking at that point, unable to go on. I understood what she was afraid of, so I chose not to press her further.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door of the lounge. When I opened it, I saw Su Mo standing there.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“The police department called,” Su Mo said. “They said the rain has severely damaged the road, and emergency repairs are underway. They probably won’t be able to come until tomorrow morning.”

Su Mo’s words instantly made my heart sink. Tomorrow morning? Who knows what could happen overnight? And if this turns out to be a serial murder case, then the situation could get much worse!

Thinking of this, I furrowed my brow slightly and asked, “Have you finished taking statements from everyone?”

“They all have alibis for the time of the murder. I also checked the surveillance around the hotel, and no one entered or left before or after the crime. This means the murderer is still inside the building. Based on my analysis, the primary suspects are the victim’s five family members and four acquaintances near the stage.”

Su Mo may be impulsive, but he’s thorough in his work. If he says this is the case, then there’s no doubt about it. Now, our task is to figure out who the murderer is before the police arrive. After all, the longer this drags on, the more advantages the murderer will have.

“Su Mo, why don’t you make a call to the local police and let them know we’ll take over the investigation here for now?”

If you’re going to take on a case outside your usual jurisdiction, you need prior permission from the local police. Otherwise, it could cause trouble if higher-ups hold you accountable later.

Su Mo nodded and went out to make the call. After a while, he pushed the door open and came back in. “They agreed. They said they happen to have a colleague who’s vacationing here and can assist us.”

“A colleague? On vacation?” I asked, my face full of disbelief.

Su Mo looked at me blankly. “What’s so strange about that?”

I couldn’t help but twitch the corners of my mouth at his words. Strange? How is this not strange?

A local police officer chooses to come here for a vacation in this dreary weather? Unless their brain isn’t working properly, I can’t see why anyone would find this a reasonable choice. Then again, Su Mo and I being here was purely accidental.

Seeing Su Mo’s bewildered expression, I decided not to bother explaining my thoughts. Instead, I changed the subject. “In that case, let’s quickly go find their colleague.”

I gave Bai Yue a few instructions, telling her to stay in the lounge for the time being and not wander off. Then Su Mo and I headed out together.

At this late hour, those unrelated to the case had already gone to rest. Meanwhile, the suspects were in the backstage lounge. As we walked past, I suddenly noticed a figure standing outside the police tape. They looked shifty, as if they were up to something…