A Cue for Happiness

The following afternoon, there was complete silence in the conference room. Everyone was at a loss.

John Williams, the police officer in charge of the case, began collecting the documents scattered on the table. “If there’s nothing else to add, then the meeting is over. For tonight, follow up on the name list of girls that have gone missing recently. We have to confirm her identity.”

Right when everyone was yawning and getting ready to get on with their work, someone in the corner slowly stood up.

“I have a question.”

Natalie had one hand in the pocket of her white coat, and there was an aura of total tranquility around her.

Her colleagues all turned to look at her in surprise and couldn’t help but begin to gossip.

“That’s a new face. I’ve never seen her before. Is she a new coroner?”

“Are all fresh graduates this bold nowadays? Even the older, experienced people here have nothing to add. What could this brat have to say?”

“I’d love to know what exactly she’s got on her mind.”

Effie and Brandon looked at each other and communicated through their expressions. They thought it was absurd that they were treating Natalie as some newbie. They were eager to witness Natalie give them a slap in the face.

Meanwhile, Natalie did not mind what anyone was saying at all. She walked over to John and bent over to pick up some scratch paper from the ground, which had a footprint on it.

“Besides the autopsy report, I also wrote some information down by hand. However, it seems that it’s been treated like trash,” she commented.

but every word she spoke was firm. Furthermore, her gaze was sharp enough to slice through one’s

felt rather awkward, but he replied, “Hand it over

pretty sure you’ll do the same thing again.” Natalie dusted off the dirt on the

of death and DNA information. I’ve already stitched the corpses of the two female victims back together. Even though their faces are distorted beyond recognition, telltale signs on their body tell me they were married with a good financial situation. They regularly received

a DNA test. The investigation department needs to work harder and find the third missing woman before something bad happens to her,” she continued to stress. “Whoever this criminal is, they make clean cuts. They don’t have a drop of sympathy in them, and

steadily placed the document in front of John, who quickly skimmed

had said was the truth, and it was impressive how she had narrowed down a list of

to everyone because of this case, so I’ll do it now. I’m Natalie Nichols, specially-appointed coroner of the Major Crimes

people in the conference room

be some forty-year-old

doesn’t that mean we don’t have to search for every single person on

“She’s our saving grace!”

so I’ll be taking my leave now. I hope all of you will continue putting

crept up

watched in

had stunned them

only in her twenties didn’t

could match her level of observance. She had saved

off her white coat