"What's your relationship with her?"

"We're friends.

She is the cheerleading captain, super hot. There's no one on campus who doesn't know her."

This was a black girl, dark-skinned, with a large bust, slim waist, and long legs; physically, she indeed had nothing to complain about, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Herman looked surprised, "Was she killed too?"

"That's right, she was killed in the academic building."

"Oh my God, Lev, Josie, they're both people I know, I can't believe they're all... It's really hard to accept in one night."

"Herman, you might also be a target for the gunman. Do you think you have anything in common with these victims?"

Herman checked the photo again, "No, I can't think of anything, I only knew Lev and Josie."

"Then what do you have in common with both of them?"

"Football, yes, Lev was a football player, and Josie was the cheerleading captain, I also like to watch football, that must be our connection." As he said this, it seemed like Herman remembered something,

"Right, speaking of football, it just reminded me of something that might be related to Josie's death."

Luke opened his notebook, ready to take notes, "Go ahead."

"Some time ago, about a month back, also during a football game, the cheerleaders performed during halftime.

After it ended, some idiot rushed up and hugged Josie.

The scene turned into chaos then, and Josie was terrified.

I heard that idiot often hassled Josie, it wasn't the first time."

"Do you know him?"

"No, he didn't seem like he was from our school, seemed like a pretty dangerous guy, I didn't really like him."

"Do you know his name?"

"Don't know."

"Physical characteristics? Or anything else you can remember?"

Herman thought hard, "Black guy, looked young, should be younger than twenty, I can't remember the rest."

Luke pressed, "Do you think there's a resemblance between the black guy who attacked Josie and the gunman who attacked you?"

Herman looked down, silent for a moment, "Now that you mention it, there does seem to be a similarity, and I've also remembered something else."

"What is it?"

"The gunman who attacked me, could he also be black?"

"Didn't you say the gunman was bundled up very tightly? How do you know?"

Herman made a pondering face, "I just vaguely remember, you can choose to believe it or not.

Because the situation was too chaotic, it happened in a flash, I really can't be sure."

"Tell us, we'll make our own judgment."

"When the gunman entered the music building, I think I saw him move his clown mask slightly, the ear that showed was black.

I genuinely want to help you find the gunman, but I'm not certain about my memory.

Because the situation then was really... terrifying.

My mind just froze."

"The clue you've provided is very important." Luke noted down this detail, the first clue regarding the gunman's race, "Anything else?"

"That's all."

Luke left a business card and stood up, "That's it for today's statement. If you think of any new clues, call me.

Also, keep your phone available 24 hours. The police might need to take another statement from you at any time."

"Why, what I've said this time is true, why do I need to give another statement?"

Luke explained, "During the investigation, the police may uncover new evidence at any time and will need to verify it promptly with related individuals, as standard practice."

"I understand, I am willing to cooperate with you."

"Don't lie to the police again."

"I promise I won't."

...

After that, Luke and his colleague returned to the detective bureau.

As soon as I entered the office, I heard the sound of sobbing.

"Matthew, what's going on?"

"The victim's family."

"Are Josie Alisa's parents here?"

Matthew sighed, "All the parents of the students who were victims are here. Captain Susan, Clint and I are in charge of receiving them, and I feel terrible..."

"I can understand," Luke's tone shifted. "Which room are Josie Alisa's parents in? I would like to ask them a few questions."

"The lounge."

Luke walked to the lounge door and gave a perfunctory knock before entering. Inside, a middle-aged Black couple was sitting.

"May I ask, are you Josie's parents?"

The middle-aged Black man replied with a hoarse voice, "We are."

"I am Detective Chief Luke, and I'm one of the officers investigating the shooting case," he explained.

"Have you caught the culprit?" Josie's mother asked.

"Not yet. We are tracking the suspect's clues. I'd like to ask you a few questions..."

"Sure, go ahead."

"Has Josie been acting out of the ordinary lately?"

Josie's father thought for a moment. "No, I haven't noticed."

"Has she received any threats or had any other sort of trouble?"

"Yes, someone assaulted Josie a while back."

"Where?"

Her father said, "At the football field, and also on her way home from school. That bad kid was following Josie."

Josie's mother looked surprised, "When did this happen? How come I didn't know?"

"Josie didn't want you to worry, so she wouldn't let me tell you."

"Oh my god, this is terrible. Why didn't you say something sooner? If we had reported it earlier, maybe this wouldn't have happened." Josie's mother choked up.

"I did report it, but the kid is underage and the police couldn't do much to him. He's just a punk."

Luke persisted, "Do you know his name?"

"Yes, I was there when the police asked. His name is Theodore Cain. I remember that bad kid. I warned him that if he dared to get near my daughter again, I would not be gentle with him."

Luke wrote down the name and said to the young Black officer at the side, "Have Matthew check this guy out."

After the young officer left, Luke continued with his questioning, "How exactly did Theodore Cain assault Josie? If he really broke the law, even if he's underage, the police will apprehend him."

Josie's father recalled, "The guy harassed Josie at the football field, forcibly hugged her, and scared her terribly.

Josie called me, and when I got to the scene, I wanted to call the police, but Josie had already let the kid go."

"Why?"

"I asked the same thing at the time.

My daughter is very kind. She knew the kid was drunk and wanted to give him a break. So she let him go.

I was quite heartened at the time, thinking that my daughter had grown up. But now, in retrospect... if we had called the police the first time, things might not have turned out like this."

"What about the second time?"

"Later, the kid followed my daughter again. Josie was terrified and called me.

I rushed over immediately, caught the bad kid, and called the police.

But this time, he didn't do anything extreme. He just said he liked Josie and wanted her to be his girlfriend.

The police gave him a warning and let him go," he explained.

Luke inquired, "Did he have a gun?"

"He didn't at the time."

"Knock, knock..."

There was a knock at the door.

Matthew entered with documents in hand and handed them to Luke, "I've found out about the kid. Take a look for yourself."

Luke reads through the documents. Theodore Cain is only nineteen this year, but he has a long history of theft, brawling, and drunk violations.

He's undoubtedly a bad kid.

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