Chapter 2: Reunion with an Old Friend

After leaving the abandoned factory, Irene drove to the town police station. The police station building was a slightly old - fashioned four - story building. The paint on the outer wall had peeled off in patches due to years of erosion. Some of the police cars at the entrance had scratches all over their bodies. In the gloomy sky, it exuded a sense of decline.

She entered the police station, and the familiar smell of disinfectant and ink greeted her. The police officer at the front desk nodded slightly to her. Irene walked straight to the second floor. Her adoptive father, Carl Black's office, was at the end of the corridor. The office door was half - open. She raised her hand and knocked on the door. After hearing the "come in" from inside, she pushed the door and entered.

Carl stood up from behind the desk piled with documents, a gratified smile on his face. He opened his arms, wanting to hug Irene. "Irene, you're finally back. You must have had a tough journey."

Irene gave a polite hug in return, and her eyes quickly scanned the office. The walls were covered with various awards and photos, documenting Carl's achievements in the town over the years. But in her eyes, these seemed a bit 刺眼 at the moment.

The two sat down on the sofa. Carl poured Irene a cup of coffee. The rising steam couldn't dispel the inexplicable chill in the room.

"Carl, this case is very tricky. I need your help," Irene said, holding the coffee cup with both hands and staring intently at Carl.

Carl nodded, his expression turning serious. "I'll fully cooperate with you, Irene. There have been too many strange things happening in this town recently. I also hope to bring the murderer to justice as soon as possible."

When discussing the details of the case, Carl's eyes would always dodge, either intentionally or unintentionally, and he seemed a bit hesitant when answering questions. The doubts in Irene's heart grew stronger. She remembered that when she was a child, Carl was always so steady and reliable. Every weekend, he would take her to the only hamburger store in the town, order two Big Mac sets, and the two of them would chat about the interesting things that happened in school while eating. But now, the familiar man in front of her made her feel extremely strange.

After leaving Carl's office, Irene decided to start with the internal files of the police station, investigating some cases Carl had handled in recent years, especially those related to the steel factory and the orphanage. She went to the archives room, which was filled with old filing cabinets. The air was filled with the smell of old paper.

During the search, Irene discovered some case records that had been deliberately concealed. The files of several child disappearance cases were seriously incomplete, and the occurrence times of these cases were closely related to some major events in the steel factory. Her heart started to beat faster involuntarily, and a sense of foreboding welled up in her heart. She became more and more convinced that Carl was intricately linked to this series of events.