America: The Gear-Up Detective

A year later, the crime scene must have been destroyed, and much of the evidence has disappeared.

The difficulty of solving cases has increased dramatically.

"But no matter what, we still have to give it a try. Others can't solve the case, but I have the system's assistance, so I should at least understand the difficulty of the case first."

Rhodes composed himself and walked toward Evan.

"Hey, Evan. I'd like to know more about that case you guys were talking about."

Rod said bluntly, "These Americans simply don't understand if you try to beat around the bush."

"What's wrong? Do you have any thoughts about this case?"

Rhodes had initially thought that Evan would use his seniority to make sarcastic remarks to him.

After all, Evan has handled more cases than he has ever seen criminals. If he couldn't even get started with a case, how could a rookie like you possibly handle it?

Many "experienced" veteran detectives are particularly averse to having their cases interfered with.

If Evan were a petty person, he would have started to make things difficult for himself based on just one sentence from Rhodes.

But judging from Evan's attitude, he doesn't seem to be averse to learning about the case.

After hearing Rhodes' affirmative answer, Evan rummaged through a pile of documents beside him for a while.

Two minutes later, Evan handed Rhodes a thick file folder. "This is the case file."

"I personally compiled the case file. If you have any questions or clues, you can contact me directly."

Rod held the dossier, looked at Evan, and hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

"What's wrong? Is there something else?"

After thinking for a moment, Rhodes finally voiced his thoughts, "Evan, don't you mind?"

"What?"

"You resent me interfering in your case."

Evan looked at Rhodes, his wrinkles crinkling together, and a rare smile appeared on his face as he said:

"First, we're colleagues in the same team. If you can solve this case, I'll get a bonus too."

Secondly, it is precisely because I have handled so many cases and have so much experience that my thinking sometimes becomes rigid and I develop a path dependency. You young people often have novel ideas or look at a case from a perspective that I have never paid attention to before, which can also be considered an attempt.

Nothing is more important than solving the case; I don't want any murderer to get away with it.

When Evan said this, his smile faded, and a hint of sadness even appeared on his face.

The expression flashed by in an instant. If Rod hadn't just put on the "Love-Filled Glasses" that morning, which improved his dynamic vision, he would have doubted whether he was seeing things.

After a pause, Evan added in a slightly teasing tone:

"As for the end, I saw you sitting there all morning looking around, and you even had a silly grin on your face from time to time. I thought I'd give you something to do."

Are there any other questions?

Upon hearing the last reason, Rod's lips twitched involuntarily.

It's likely that Evan saw me testing the skill effects after I equipped the "Glasses of Love" that morning.

It was a little awkward, but not a big problem.

Rod took the thick, brick-like file back to his seat and began to read it.

Open the file folder.

The first page is about the investigation into the deceased's identity.

Name: Nathan Kramer

Age: 55 years old

Hair/Eye Color: Black/Gray

Spouse: Renée Kramer

...]

The second picture that catches the eye is a photo of a corpse wearing only shorts, with a cigarette in its left hand, lying face down on the floor.

Rod examined the body closely and found that apart from minor abrasions on the face, there were no other wounds on the surface of the body, at least not in the photographs.

There was no blood around the deceased.

Detective Evan's initial assessment that Nathan's death was a sudden death was not without reason. The room was locked from the inside, the doors and windows were closed, there were no signs of a struggle, and he appeared to have collapsed suddenly while smoking and watching TV, which fits the typical characteristics of sudden death.

However, the subsequent forensic report revealed a small laceration in Nathan's genital area, while the internal injuries were more severe and perplexing.

The laceration extended from the lower limb to the heart area. The forensic examiner concluded that the wound was most likely caused by a blunt force trauma.

However, the forensic examination did not provide a reason why Nathan's body was so clean.

Evan could only overturn the previous conclusion of sudden death, but he had no further clues to solve the case.

The third page contains the deceased's wife's information; the blonde woman in the photo matches the woman downstairs.

According to the unspoken rules of detective work, when a husband dies, the prime suspect is his spouse, Renee.

Rhodes flipped through the pages, and sure enough, what followed was Evan's major investigation into Renée Kramer.

After carefully reviewing the case file, Rhodes even used his newly acquired skill [Scan] to scan a copy, ensuring he had memorized its contents, before going downstairs to ask Renee, who had been temporarily restrained that morning for her excessive behavior, about the situation.

I first went to the detention room and looked around, but I couldn't find anyone.

Rod asked Dalton, the officer on duty at the front desk.

It turned out that Dalton was an acquaintance of Renee and knew about her situation, so he didn't take Renee directly to the detention room in the morning, but instead had her taken to the reception room.

This can also be considered another form of backdoor dealing.

The reception room on the first floor.

Because minors, even children, often enter the police station for various reasons, they usually stay in the reception room.

Therefore, the layout of the reception room is quite cozy, and it is also equipped with a lot of dolls and snacks.

Rod pushed open the door and entered. Renee was sitting on the sofa, her eyes red and swollen, her blonde hair disheveled and hanging down her back. She was holding a cup of cold coffee in her hands and looked very negative.

He wasn't wearing handcuffs, which Dalton must have unlocked.

Rod sat down on the sofa not far from Renee, first getting her a hot coffee to calm her down, before asking:

"Mrs. Kramer, I'd like to know more about your husband. Could you elaborate?"

Hearing Rhodes' question, a glimmer of light appeared in Renee's dim eyes. "Nathan, about Nathan, who are you?"

"I am a detective in the Murder and Robbery Division, and I am now in charge of reinvestigating the death of your husband, Nathan Kramer."

There are a few things I need to double-check.

"Okay, go ahead and ask. I know... Actually, I knew a long time ago and already told you. I don't know how else I can help."

Why do you insist that your husband couldn't have died suddenly?

Renee took a sip of coffee and said in a low voice, "I don't know, I just feel, I feel like he's always been here."

Rod, recalling the contents of the case file, asked, "According to our investigation, you've had two marriages? Can you tell me why you divorced?"

"We've known each other for a long time, probably when we were still in high school. We got together back then, and getting married was just a natural progression."

But after four years of marriage, everything felt different from when we were dating, and we ultimately chose to separate.

"So why did they remarry later?"

Renee unconsciously gripped the cup tighter, as if lost in fond memories, a smile on her face. "Sometimes, you only realize the true place some people hold in your heart when you're apart."

"Only after the divorce did we realize how deeply we loved each other and how impossible it was to sever ties between us, which is why we chose to remarry."

Rod could tell that Renee truly loved her husband.

Although Evan's file confirmed Renee's alibi, Rhodes still wanted to verify it himself to be at ease.

It now appears that Renee can be ruled out as a suspect.

For Rhodes, the case has officially entered the investigation phase.