CHAPTER EIGHT

Ava's eyes scanned the empty space, her frustration growing. She turned to Ryan and asked, "Is the autopsy result out?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, it is."

Ava's eyes lit up with anticipation. "Let's go and check."

The trio made their way to the hospital, eager to see if the autopsy report would yield any clues. As they arrived, Ava asked for the results,the doctors led her to an office,giving her the files,she quickly grabbed the file and began to scan it.

"Strangulation and poisoning," she muttered, her eyes widening. "This was a slow death. The killer must have wanted to make it look like something other than a gunshot wound."

Ethan's eyes met Ryan's, a fleeting glance that Ava didn't seem to notice.

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Ava quickly pulled out her phone and dialed the number of their department. "I'm will submit this result to the team," she said, waiting for someone to pick up.

After a brief moment, she began to speak into the phone. "Hello, this is Detective Ava. I need to submit the autopsy result for the latest Shadow Killer victim... Yes, it's confirmed. The cause of death was strangulation and poisoning... No, no signs of a struggle or any other injuries... Okay, I'll send the full report over. Thanks."

Ava hung up the phone and turned to Ryan and Ethan. "I've submitted the report. Let's get back to the office and start analyzing the evidence. Maybe we can find a connection between the victims."

As they drove back to the office, Ava's phone rang, breaking the silence. She answered, listened for a moment, and then said, "Oh, really? Okay, I'll be right there."

Ryan's curiosity was piqued. "What is it, Ava?" he asked.

Ava turned to Ryan and Ethan. "Drop me off here. I need to go."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

Ava hesitated for a moment before responding. "The victim has been identified. I need to go inform the family and ask them some questions."

Ethan's expression changed, and he said, "I'll come with you."

Ava's eyes narrowed. "No."

Ethan persisted. "I want to come with you."

Ava's voice took on a firm tone. "Look, Ethan, I'm your superior. I don't need you to come with me."

Ethan's face fell, but he said nothing more. Ryan pulled over, and Ava got out of the car. As soon as she closed the door, Ryan accelerated, leaving Ava standing on the side of the road.

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Ava walked up the path to the house, her eyes fixed on the address to confirm she was at the right place. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the difficult conversation ahead.

As she reached the door,she knocked,it swung open, and a middle-aged woman with a kind face and worried eyes stood before her.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked, her voice laced with concern.

Ava pulled out her badge and introduced herself. "Good afternoon, ma'am. I'm Detective Ava. I'm here concerning the death of your husband ,a victim."

The woman's eyes widened, and she stepped aside, allowing Ava to enter. "Please, come in. I'm lara, ben's wife."

Ava came in and met an officer,that also worked in the same station with her,they greeted each other.

Ava's expression softened as she entered the house, her eyes taking in the family photos on the walls. She knew this conversation would be difficult, but she was determined to get the information she needed to solve the case.

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The detective and the officer from the police station sat down with Sarah, trying to offer what comfort they could as they asked their questions.

"When did you last see your husband?" the detective asked gently.

Sarah's eyes welled up with tears as she replied, "It was three days ago. He left for work and never came back."

The officer nodded sympathetically. "Did you think your husband had offended anyone? Did he have any enemies that you know of?"

Sarah shook her head, her voice trembling. "No, my husband was a kind person. He didn't have any enemies that I know of. We don't know what happened...I don't know what happened."

The detective's expression turned thoughtful. "Can you tell us more about your husband's work? He worked at TM Corporation, didn't he?"

Sarah nodded, wiping away tears. "Yes, he did."

The officer leaned forward. "Do you have any children, Mrs...?"

"Lara," lara replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, I have two children. A boy and a girl. They're not here right now, my daughter is in school...my son is married,but they'll be coming here soon because of...because of their father's death."

The detective's expression softened. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Lara. We'll do everything we can to find out what happened to your husband."

Ava and the detective stepped outside, taking a break from the emotional interview with Lara Ben. Ava's frustration was palpable as she paced back and forth on the sidewalk.

The detective, noticing her agitation, approached her. "Hey, Ava, what's wrong?" he asked.

Ava stopped pacing and looked at him, her eyes flashing with frustration. "I'm just so frustrated," she exclaimed. "We're not getting any leads, any breaks in the case. It's like we're hitting a brick wall at every turn."

The detective nodded sympathetically. "I know how you feel, Ava. But we can't give up. We have to keep pushing forward, following every lead, no matter how small it seems."

Ava took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "You're right," she said. "I just feel like we're running out of time. The Shadow Killer is still out there, and we don't know when he'll strike again."

The detective's expression turned grim. "We'll get him, Ava. We just need to stay focused and keep working together."