America: The Gear-Up Detective

Leila's unadorned face revealed a meaningful smile. "Really? You were so adamant when we broke up, you wouldn't even see me when I offered you a breakup hookup."

"Now you know how to thank me?"

Upon hearing this, Rhodes felt somewhat embarrassed.

When I first transmigrated here, I was unfamiliar with everything. After reviewing my memories, I learned that the original owner of this body was a high-quality scumbag who was involved in multiple relationships.

But that was the original body. The transmigrated self didn't have the ability to charm women. In addition, feeling severely depleted, he made a tough decision and sent a group message to break up with the woman.

After that, he disappeared from everyone's sight.

I forgot that one of his girlfriends was a colleague I saw all the time.

This whole thing has really gotten ugly.

Seeing Rhodes' constipated expression, Lyra glanced at the file folder in his hand and knew it was important, but she didn't want to let him off easily.

Lyra turned and left, leaving Rhodes with only her graceful back view.

Ignoring his embarrassment, Rod strode forward and placed the forensic report in his hand in front of Lyra, blocking her way.

Seeing this, Leila parted her rosy lips, which were coated with lip balm, and said, "What brings you here? I'm very busy."

Upon hearing this, Rod quickly explained, "I have a test report here. I suspect that the forensic doctor made a mistake during the autopsy."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"This has nothing to do with you, but it does concern Ms. Maya. She prepared this report; don't you want to see it?"

Rod knew some of Lyra's background, knowing that her college advisor was Maya, and that after graduation, she joined the Los Angeles Police Department's forensic science department on Maya's recommendation. Their relationship was that of mentor and friend.

Therefore, Leila would not stand idly by when she heard that there were problems with the reports issued by the Maya.

"Maya?"

Upon hearing this, Rod briefly shared his speculation with Lyra: "We discovered that the victim died from a gunshot wound, but the autopsy report did not mention that there was a bullet in his body."

There wasn't even any record of a bullet hitting the body, and the body has now been cremated.

So, I'd like you to take a look at this for me...

After a pause, Rhodes carefully selected his words, "Could you take a look at this autopsy report and see if there are any problems?"

Lyra glanced at Rod, clearly understanding the underlying meaning of his words.

Rhodes believes the autopsy report contains errors, which is tantamount to accusing the Maya of professional incompetence.

In the American police system, accusations against colleagues are considered quite serious.

Publicly questioning a colleague's competence is almost tantamount to pressing a "high-risk button" on one's career. This will not only trigger a formal internal investigation, but may also lead to pressure from the "Blue Wall of Silence" (the law of silence within the police force).

Police officers who become "whistleblowers" often face social isolation from their colleagues, and may even be labeled as "unreliable" and silenced within the police station.

Therefore, Rod found someone he "trusted" to handle this matter.

After all, Rhodes and Lyra know each other quite well. Lyra wouldn't target Rhodes based on a simple suspicion.

Of course, Rhodes wouldn't "tattle" unless absolutely necessary.

Lyra led Rod into the dissection room and locked the door from the inside.

"It's quiet here, and no one will come. Report this to me, and I'll take a look first."

Lai stretched out his hand, took the autopsy report, and began to carefully read through it.

Rhodes looked around the entire dissection room. This was the first time in his two lives that Rhodes had been to such a place, so he couldn't help but feel curious.

Contrary to expectations of a gloomy and terrifying environment, the dissection room was surprisingly well-lit.

The walls of the dissection room were uniformly painted a cool white. In the center of the room was a stainless steel dissection table covered with a white cloth. Judging from the undulating outline of the white cloth, it was clear that a dissected corpse was underneath.

Even beneath the white sheet that wasn't completely covered, under the bright light of the operating lamp, a pale, scratch-covered right foot was still visible.

Not far to the left, there is a cabinet containing various medicines and instruments, ranging from conventional scalpels, scissors, and hemostats to rib shears and bone saws for treating bones.

On a table not far away, there were many glass bottles filled with human tissues preserved in formaldehyde.

After reading this far, Rhodes stopped reading.

The visual impact is still too strong. Medicine is already torturous enough, but forensic medicine is even more difficult.

"What are you looking at? Want to lie down and try it out?" A voice suddenly came from behind.

Rod was startled, but quickly realized it was Lyra's prank. He turned to Lyra, feigning composure, and asked, "So, is there a problem with the report?"

Leila dropped her mischievous expression and became somewhat serious, saying in a deep voice:

"If you don't look closely, you really won't notice the problem."

"It was only after you told me that I deliberately looked for traces of a shooting, and that's how I discovered the clue."

After saying that, Leila turned to a page in the report and pointed to the heart photograph attached to it. "See this?"

In the photo, there is an inconspicuous hole on the right side of the heart that Leila is pointing to.

If Rhodes's eyesight hadn't been enhanced, he might not have been able to see that small hole.

"This should be the mark left by the bullet when it hit the body, near the heart."

The unexplained lacerations inside the deceased's body, as reported in the report, now appear to be penetrating wounds caused by a bullet passing through the body.

"Then why wasn't it discovered at the time?" Rod asked.

"Because the angle of entry was tricky, the penetration site was in the intestines, which is difficult to examine in detail. You would only see inexplicable internal bleeding symptoms, and it is even possible that because the external injury is not very clear, Maya deduced that it was a blunt force injury... which is not wrong."

This leads forensic investigations to focus on toxicology and cardiovascular diseases, and they don't even do detailed autopsies. So, didn't you initially suspect that he died suddenly?

"I was looking for answers when I discovered this trace..." Leila said with a slight sigh. No matter how many reasons there were, it was still Maya's mistake.

In retrospect, the forensic report photographs and the round hole in the wall form a clear chain of evidence.

Rhodes knew it was time to strike head-on!

However, the autopsy report must be changed before that, because the current report concludes that the injury was caused by "lacerations from an unidentified blunt force trauma".

To successfully close the case, the report's conclusion must be changed to "a penetrating wound caused by a gunshot," so that the chain of evidence presented in court is complete.

According to the regulations of the forensic department, only the forensic doctor responsible for the relevant examination is qualified to change the report.

This also means that Rod still needs to find Maya and talk to her face-to-face to clarify the mistakes in this matter.

However, the problem is that not everyone is as easy to talk to as Evan and Lyra.

What gives you the right to question the conclusions of my report when you're a detective who knows nothing?

Rod looked at Lyra.

Leila immediately understood the meaning behind that look and wished she could resolve the issue privately. "I'll help you contact Maya to amend the report."

Before Rod could even feel happy, Lyra continued, "However, you have to agree to one condition before I'll help you."

Rod knew that Lyra felt she had lost face in this meeting with her ex and was deliberately trying to regain some pride.

Rod ignored the ulterior motives and, disregarding their past pleasant relationship, reasoned that Lyra, being in the Department of Forensic Science, had to maintain that relationship.

Rhodes chuckled softly, "What are the conditions?"

"I haven't decided yet, I'll owe you for now. I'll let you know when I need it."

Watching Lyra turn and leave, Rod dialed Hank's number.

"Report complete, it's time for us to get started."