On the other side of the soundproof glass, one of the officers who had worked acid-attack cases before couldn't hold back:
"Look, there's fault on both sides here. Why keep going after Curt Baxter over this?"
"Exactly. Is the kidnapper just stalling for time? There's only an hour and a half left before he kills her!"
Inside, Curt's face had drained to something almost translucent.
Captain Carter frowned slightly and pressed his earpiece to relay a message.
"The Forensics Unit just traced the kidnapper's location. It's… Professor Baxter's residence."
"I've already dispatched the Police Task Force to rescue Miss Barnes. All you need to do is keep the kidnapper talking."
Curt exhaled hard, something in his chest finally unclenching.
But the next moment, his pupils contracted sharply.
Because the kidnapper had just produced the real decisive evidence.
On camera, a bloodstained scrap of dress fabric appeared.
Floral print. The stitching was clearly amateur but neat.
"This was left at Millie Sullivan's death scene."
"I checked. The killer left fingerprints and blood on it."
The kidnapper's voice was hoarse, interrupted by a weary, dry cough. He took a sip of water before continuing.