Rachel Was Found

For the next three days, Jack and the other officers conducted a thorough search of David's house, but the results were still disappointing. The house remained in disarray. Despite their meticulous search through every corner, there was no substantial evidence—no new clues from the insurance policy, the loan documents, or the locked box. The officers also expanded their search to the surrounding area and questioned the neighbors, but there was still no new information. Rachel remained missing, and the mystery of the case remained unsolved.

Jack stood outside the house, looking up at the overcast sky, his mind heavy with anxiety. Every line of reasoning seemed to push him into a dead end, and yet he still couldn't find the solid evidence needed to convict David. Despite feeling closer to the truth, the truth itself remained shrouded in fog, just out of reach.

Jack let out a deep sigh, staring down at the dust on his shoes, his mood as heavy as the dark clouds above him.

Three days later, a phone call broke the silence.

"Detective, it's me. A body has been found up on a mountain on the outskirts of town," the officer on the other end said urgently, clearly indicating that the situation was critical.

Jack immediately straightened, gripping the phone tightly. "Have you confirmed the identity?"

"DNA comparison confirms it's Rachel Carter."

Jack's heart sank. Even though he had suspected this, the news still hit him with an overwhelming weight, as if the air had thickened around him. He didn't say anything more, quickly gathered his team, and headed to the scene.

When they arrived at the mountain, the area had already been cordoned off, with several officers surrounding the body, conducting a preliminary examination. The body had been abandoned in a desolate clearing, surrounded by withered grass and the occasional gust of cold wind. The ground was covered with dead branches and leaves, and the eerie silence of the environment made the whole scene feel unnaturally grim. Rachel's body was somewhat decayed, her skin purpled, but it was still possible to tell that she had once been a young, healthy girl. Jack stood by the body, his expression grim, his unease growing stronger.

The coroner began the autopsy work quickly, and within two hours, the preliminary results came in.

"Estimated time of death is five days ago," the coroner said in a low voice. "Cause of death was a blunt force blow to the back of the head, causing unconsciousness. Due to a lack of medical attention, she bled to death. Also, there are distinct strangulation marks around her neck, but they were not the fatal wound."

Jack bent down to examine the body. Sure enough, there was a faint mark on the neck, which matched the description Rachel had written in her diary. She had once mentioned that her father had choked her. Jack furrowed his brow. Although this matched her diary's content, a sense of unease still lingered. The strangulation marks weren't fatal. So, could the killer really be David?

Jack instructed the officers to take the body back to the station and continue searching for other clues at the scene. He then left for the station himself, preparing to deliver the news to David.