When Sean walked out of the abandoned building, a drunk man on the corner came over. He stared into Sean's eyes: "Did you see the flames too? Did you see them too?"
Sean didn't want to talk, just walked straight - he was going to call the police.
The drunkard shouted behind him: "They... were burned to death in the fire! It was the big shots who caused it!
The drunk man raised the bottle and took a sip, "But I can only watch, there is nothing I can do!"
"There's no way..." the drunkard muttered, returning to his corner.
After receiving the call, correctional officers arrived quickly. Sean tried to stay calm as he told them, but Aaliyah's body kept flashing in his mind. Broken skin, swollen body...
"Why did this happen? Who did it? Why Aaliyah?" These angry, sad, and extremely confusing questions kept pouring out and forcibly took over his attention.
He expressed it very difficultly and paused several times. But the correctional officer and forensic doctor who had already seen the body listened to his story in silence.
"Sean, we all know, you go and take a rest." A senior correctional officer patted Sean on the back.
Sean felt that everything in front of him was a bit unreal. As he walked out of the gate, several more cars from the discipline center stopped, as if he didn't see them.
Standing on the street, Sean felt a little dizzy. She reached into her inner pocket to look for cigarettes, but after finding nothing, she remembered that Aaliyah had urged herself to quit smoking a year ago.
My sister's face flashed before my eyes again.
Seemingly sweating, Sean pulled his collar, which was already wet.
——
The correctional officer named Link who was in charge of the scene found Sean and drove him back to the Ninth Avenue Discipline Center.
He admired Sean's calmness and restraint and said in a low voice: "The forensic doctor has completed a preliminary examination. According to the condition of the body, it can be known that Aaliyah's death time was ten days ago."
Ten days ago? Sean then realized that Aaliyah had died shortly after sending her last telegram home.
"Do you know her social status? Does she know anyone of the opposite sex here? Has she made any enemies with others?"
In order to investigate, the correctional officer Link asked Sean many questions, and Sean told the truth what he knew.
But Sean knew the information wouldn't be helpful in the investigation into Aaliyah's death. Because until now, he didn't know anyone who would do such a thing to Aaliyah.
After the inquiry, Link said: "This is obviously a vicious crime. Aaliyah's body will need to be investigated and evidence collected at the autopsy for about a week, and then it can be cremated.
"You wait in New Testament City. I will inform you after the investigation on the body is completed."
Sean left the discipline center. He didn't know where to go, so he let himself wander around the streets.
His mind had never been so confused. The mystery of Arya's death remains unresolved, and the pent-up sadness, repressed anger and deep self-blame cannot be released.
"My kind-hearted sister, why do you want her to experience this?"
"Who is it and why are you doing this?!"
"If, if I could have come with her...this wouldn't have happened!"
The intense emotions blended together, as if they had turned into a monster, constantly gnawing at Sean's soul.
He even really felt some discomfort in his heart, so he had to stop and take a breath.
Then, Sean tried hard to force himself not to indulge in emotions, but to look forward and think forward.
“Next, we can only wait for the investigation by the discipline center.
“After the autopsy, I will take Arya’s ashes back to my hometown.
"After Aaliyah is buried, I will return to New York City. I will find the murderer and make him regret being born in this world!"
Sean struggled against the rising pain, his feet never stopping.
When Sean came out of his thoughts, he found that it was already dark. He had walked back to Ninth Avenue, and the neon sign of "Fog and Roses" was not far away.
Sean went directly back to the room and fell asleep.
——
There was a knock on the door, and the sun shone through from behind the floor-to-ceiling windows.
When Sean woke up, he was still feeling fine. Suddenly he remembered everything that had happened, and his emotions slowly fell into the ice cave.
After finishing breakfast, Sean suddenly thought of Miss Daisy: "She may not know what happened yet. Tell her as soon as possible to prevent her friends from wasting their efforts."
Sean tidied himself up a little and walked out of the room.
He planned to go to the front desk and ask where Miss Daisy was. As soon as he arrived in the lobby, he saw Miss Daisy wearing an emerald skirt walking over with a happy face: "Sean, how are you? Is there any news? "
Sean smiled as much as he could and said, "Actually, I have some news."
Miss Daisy seemed to be in a good mood: "I also have something to tell you. Let's go to my office."
Daisy turned around, her high heels clicking on the corridor, and led Sean to her office.
There is a delicate fragrance in the office, which makes people feel at ease.
The light was dim, and Daisy strode to the window and opened the curtains, letting in the early morning sunlight.
Daisy passed Sean: "Coffee or tea?"
"Coffee, no sugar. Thank you."
Daisy flicked the coffee pot with her fingers and felt it was slightly hot. She was very satisfied with the time the assistant took to brew the coffee. She filled the imported porcelain cup with the richly brewed coffee with a slightly raised corner of her mouth.
Seeing Daisy sitting lightly with her fingers, Sean felt a little envious: she didn't have to go through that...she didn't have to see her beloved family members suffer like that...
He envied almost everyone now.
Anger and sadness emerged uncontrollably. He breathed slowly, trying to calm down and divert his attention.
Daisy came over with two cups and saucers, and Sean stood up to take them for her and put the coffee on the glass coffee table in front of him.
"So," Daisy sat on the sofa opposite with an expectant expression, "What progress have you made?"
Sean was thinking about how much he should tell Daisy, and subconsciously said: "It's a long story. You just said you had something to tell me, what was it?"
Daisy smiled slightly mysteriously, stood up and said, "I believe Aaliyah will be found soon."
Sean was a little confused: Did Daisy's detective friend find a useful clue?
But, Aaliyah is dead, what use are those clues?
Out of politeness, Sean still wanted to see Daisy's harvest in person.
Daisy walked behind her desk, opened the drawer, and took out a file bag: "I asked my friends to find Aaliyah. Unexpectedly, they were lucky and found this quickly..."
While talking, Daisy came back, took out the contents of the document bag and handed them to Sean.
Those are some photos. Sean looked at the first photo, which seemed to be of an outdoor reception, with people chatting over cocktails on a beautifully manicured lawn.
Sean was about to ask what was so special about this photo when his eyes were caught by a face in the crowd. He has a round face that often makes people misjudge his age, with thick and long braids tied behind his head, and some indifferent eyes among strangers...
The girl in the photo looks very much like Aaliyah, almost exactly the same.
Sean looked at the next few pictures. They were all taken during the same time period and in the same place. What they have in common is that they all photographed a girl with a cold face wearing a black skirt and leather shoes. Next to her, there was a tall and thin middle-aged man wearing a flat top hat and a tuxedo.
"This girl," Sean pointed to the photo, "looks like Aaliyah."
"Yes!" Daisy turned to the same angle as Sean and looked at the photo seriously, "Aaliyah is a little beauty. After my friend saw her photo, he thought he had seen her somewhere, so he found this A few photos.”
Daisy was so close that Sean could smell the faint scent of perfume on her body.
Sean was sure that it was Aaliyah in the photo. Because not only the faces are exactly the same, but the long braid is rare.
This photo, though, cannot change the fact that Aaliyah is dead. But it may help to restore what happened to Aaliyah before she was killed, and thus find the murderer.
Sean nodded slightly, grateful from the bottom of his heart for Daisy's help. He felt it was time to tell Daisy the truth: "Daisy..."
Daisy continued: “With this photo, Aaliyah should be found soon.
"This photo was taken at Long Island Bill's banquet three days ago. If you ask around, you will definitely know Aaliyah's whereabouts!"
Sean was stunned.
Three days ago? Photo taken three days ago?
The voice of the correctional officer Link rang in Sean's mind: "...According to the condition of the body, it can be known that Aaliyah's death time was ten days ago."
Aaliyah died ten days ago, how could she appear at the banquet three days ago?
Sean's movements stopped and he stared blankly at Daisy's side face.
