Chapter 22

Alexander said, "Alright, be careful and shoot us a text when you get there."

Zoey didn't look back, just waved goodbye.

Alexander and Charles watched Zoey disappear before heading home.

Back at her dorm, Zoey crashed the moment she hit the bed.

She must've been wiped out because she slept like a log and even overslept the next morning.

The women's dorm was just a hop, skip, and a jump from the criminal investigation department. Plus, they could snag a free breakfast with an employee ID.

Zoey quickly got ready and headed to the police station. She planned to hit the cafeteria but realized she didn't have an employee ID.

The past few days, Robert had been her ticket in, but today she was early and didn't see anyone she knew.

What now? Her stomach growled. She was starving!

Zoey looked up at the clear blue sky, and then at the neatly trimmed bushes leading to the cafeteria. Her mood lifted a bit.

She thought about grabbing some snacks outside, but just as she was about to leave, she spotted a familiar figure-Alexander.

Alexander, holding a coffee, dressed casually and looked neat and clean. He walked leisurely, eyes glued to his phone.

Alexander glanced up and instantly saw Zoey.

"You're early today," he said.

"Yeah, I got up early," Zoey replied, surprisingly gentle compared to her usual self.

Her gentleness caught Alexander off guard-usually, she'd either give him a disdainful look or ignore him. What was up today?

While Alexander was still puzzled by Zoey's sudden change, she asked, "Had breakfast yet?"

For the first time, her eyes were on him without any hint of aggression.

Alexander paused but quickly caught on.

Considering Zoey's sudden friendliness, she probably wanted to eat but couldn't get into the cafeteria.

Though both were interns, Alexander was officially affiliated with the police station and had all the necessary credentials, unlike Zoey.

"No, I haven't," Alexander lied, but he didn't expose Zoey. He smiled and nodded towards the cafeteria, "Together?"

"Sure," Zoey said, looking satisfied.

Her eyes sparkled with a gentle smile.

Alexander couldn't help but chuckle. Who would've thought Zoey would ask for help?

Even though her way of asking was unique, Alexander figured this was Zoey's biggest concession.

They walked side by side into the cafeteria. After Alexander swiped his card, they found an empty seat.

Zoey ordered a ton of food, leaving Alexander stunned.

He instantly regretted sitting with her.

Zoey ate with gusto, finishing half the food in no time.

Alexander mentally gave her a thumbs up.

Zoey said, "By the way, when I was going through the case files this morning, I found..."

Alexander raised his hand to stop her, "Let's talk about the case later; finish your meal first."

Zoey rolled her eyes at him.

Soon, they finished their meal and headed back to the station.

Zoey had a great night's sleep and realized that getting enough rest really did wonders for her mind. She felt super alert now.

With her mind clear, she went over the case files again and found some stuff she missed before.

"Alexander," Zoey said, "I looked over the tables we made last night and noticed that Lawrence almost never left his house on weekends for three months."

Alexander had seen it too, but he had his own take on it. "Lawrence usually avoids people, so it's not surprising he doesn't go out to socialize," he said.

Zoey asked, "Not cleaning his house or taking out the trash for four days straight is normal too?"

That was just impossible. He had to eat at least twice a day.

Not going out meant he had to cook at home, and the kitchen trash would pile up in a few days.

Forgetting to take out the trash on Monday morning was one thing, but what about Tuesday?

Thinking this way, there had to be something off during this period!

Alexander started recalling the surveillance records he reviewed last night. Lawrence's trash disposal times were mostly on Wednesdays and Fridays. Thinking it over, he really hadn't taken out the trash on weekends or Mondays.

Even if he took out the trash on the previous Thursday, the next chance wouldn't be until the following Tuesday, leaving a four-day gap.

Lawrence, who was meticulous about preparing his own meals and loved cleanliness, would find it unbearable if his home was filled with the stench of three days' worth of kitchen trash.

It made sense that there was less trash on workdays. But according to Lawrence's trash bags, why was there less trash on weekends?

Alexander started to piece it together, "There are no surveillance cameras near the garbage collection station. We only saw him taking out the trash through other cameras, so this is a blind spot. Sometimes, missing some details is normal. But I believe a person's living habits don't change easily. The trash generated while staying at home on weekends should be much more than on workdays."

Zoey seriously continued his thought, "Unless... he took out the trash on one of the weekend days, which contradicts his habit of staying home. So, he must have gone out on weekends! He must go out in a way that we couldn't detect."

"The underground parking lot!" Alexander's tone had a hint of excitement, "The only place he could leave without leaving evidence on surveillance is there!"

"We've already looked into Lawrence's background. Even though he's a supermarket owner, the supermarket isn't big, and the profits aren't much. It's not enough for him to afford a car," Zoey thought for a moment and continued, "But we can't rule out the possibility that Lawrence has other ways to make money." She emphasized, "Stealing!"

Lawrence was very likely stealing someone else's car.

Zoey and Alexander almost thought of the same thing.

Thinking of this, Zoey and Alexander had already entered the police station. Zoey said, "Looks like we have more work today! We need to check all the vehicles that entered and exited on weekends since Lawrence moved in."

Alexander said, "Alright, I'll let Dennis and Charles know later."