“From Ashes to Hope) Chapter 21
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When Raina heard her own voice coming from the recording pen,
jolted as if struck by lightning. She closed her eyes tightly.
her body
After a moment, she opened her eyes again, her gaze burning with fury.“So
what if I said those things?” she snarled, “It was just a slip of the tongue. Don’t
think you can convict me with this. If you want to prove I did it, go find some
real evidence. Don’t try to scare me with a recording pen, I’m not easily
intimidated!”
The two police officers exchanged glances, their expressions serious,
communicating silently.
The lead officer calmly placed the recording pen into an evidence bag. “Ms.
Monroe, we will conduct a thorough investigation based on your statements.
However, please take a good look and remember these words on the wall,” he said,
gesturing towards the wall.
On the grayish–white wall, several large characters stood out:“Leniency for
confession, severity for resistance.”
Raina frowned slightly, her gaze lingering on those words for a moment
before she lowered her eyes, as if trying to avoid them, her thoughts unreadable.
“I’ve said everything I know, there’s nothing more to confess,” she said, her
voice subdued, replaced by an inscrutable calmness.
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As we left the detention center, I asked, “If there’s no concrete evidence, can
she still be convicted?
The officer nodded. “The current evidence is insufficient to prove she
planned and committed the crimes. But if she did it, there will be traces, and we
will find the evidence to prove it.”
I thanked the officers sincerely, my eyes filled with gratitude and hope, truly
wishing for a swift resolution to the case.
After thanking them, my thoughts turned to the hit–and–run case. I
wondered how Officer Lee’s investigation was progressing, if they had found
any new leads,
I eagerly pulled out my phone, my fingers gliding across the screen, and
dialed Officer Lee,
The phone rang only a few times before it was answered. Officer Lee’s calm
voice greeted me.
Unable to contain my anxiety, I blurted out, “Mr. Lee, is there any progress in
the case? Have you identified the person in the photograph?”
Officer Lee’s voice remained unhurried and steady.“Ms. Evans, we have
indeed discovered some clues during the investigation, but it’s not convenient to
disclose them at this time. There are certain procedures and other factors
involved, I hope you understand.”
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I gripped the phone tightly, taking a deep breath, trying to calm my anxious
heart.“Mr. Lee, I understand,” I said, forcing my voice to be even. “But can you at
least tell me who the person in the photo is? I really want to know,”
Officer Lee seemed to fall into a brief silence, as if carefully considering
what information he could reveal.
He then began to recount their investigation process.
They first scanned the photo using a high–resolution scanner and then
meticulously restored it.
After persistent efforts, the technicians discovered a tiny, almost
imperceptible, photo studio mark on the photo.
It was like finding a glimmer of hope in the darkness. The investigators
immediately followed this lead, conducting extensive inquiries and
investigations.
Their hard work paid off. They finally found an old photo studio.
However, time had passed, and the studio, weathered by the years, had long
since disappeared, leaving only faint traces.
But they didn’t give up. Based on the remaining archives, they sent people to
the former location of the studio for further investigation.
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Finally, they found a retired master photographer.
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Upon seeing the photo, some of his memories, buried by time, gradually
resurfaced.
He said these photos were taken when he was invited to a young woman’s
house. It was his first–time taking photos in a villa district, so the memory was
particularly vivid.
They then discovered that the young woman was from the Lincoln family in
Sea City, named Sophia Lincoln. Unfortunately, she had passed away five years
ago in an accident.
Sophia, over eight months pregnant, was on her way to a prenatal checkup
with her mother, their hearts filled with joy.
However, as they were crossing an intersection, a car suddenly sped towards
them from the opposite direction.
The car was traveling at high speed, showing no signs of braking, and
collided head–on with their vehicle.
After the accident, bystanders quickly called for an ambulance.
The ambulance arrived swiftly, and Sophia and her mother were rushed to a
nearby hospital.
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Sophia, who was closer to the point of impact, sustained severe injuries.
Despite the medical staff’s best efforts, they were unable to save her young life.
Fortunately, she had instinctively protected her abdomen during the
collision, and her unborn child miraculously survived.
Sophia’s mother’s condition was also critical, having suffered a severe head
injury,
After a long and tense surgery, she survived but fell into a deep coma,
becoming a vegetative state.
When the tragic news reached Sophia’s father, he was devastated.
Unable to accept the misfortune that had befallen his wife and daughter, he
suffered a stroke from the shock and grief.
From then on, he was bedridden, and their once happy and loving family
was shattered by this sudden tragedy.
story.
I sighed, deeply moved by Officer Lee’s recounting of this heartbreaking
Confused, I asked, “But what about the photograph? Why was it found at the
scene of the accident? And the girl in the photo looks so much like my daughter,
could there be some kind of family connection between her family and the
Millers?”
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Officer Lee pondered for a moment before replying, “We are currently
investigating that aspect as well. We’re also searching for the young beggar in the
city’s surveillance footage, but we haven’t found him yet. Based on our current
leads, there’s no evidence suggesting a familial connection between the Lincolns
and the Millers.”
He paused, gathering his thoughts. From what we’ve gathered, the Lincolns
and the Millers have business dealings. The Lincoln company is now managed by
Mr. Lincoln’s son–in–law, Felix Payne. And Sophia Lincoln’s son, Shawn
Lincoln, is also five years old this year.”
As I listened, a fleeting thought crossed my mind, too quickly for me to grasp.
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