Chapter 83: Motive for the Crime? I Don't Have One, But He Does! (5000 words)
Accompanied by the sound of a heavy object hitting concrete.
Senator Walker opened his eyes in extreme panic, and the moment he did, he released a bloodcurdling scream.
Because directly in front of him, a head with a significant portion of skull blown away was staring at him with hollow, lifeless eyes.
He could even clearly see the red and white brain matter still twitching involuntarily.
This horrifying scene made his stomach violently uncomfortable, but before he could vomit, he heard a suppressed gunshot, followed by a chill at the base of his skull, and then lost all consciousness.
David, having completed this execution, walked back behind the pillar and handed the Glock to Sarah for her to dispose of.
Then, while his limbs were still in peak physical condition, he skillfully climbed back into the hospital office along the exterior water pipe.
Sarah, standing where she was, looked at the gun in her hand, then at the corpses on the ground, completely unable to process what had just transpired.
David had told her to give him one second, and then he'd completely transformed as if possessed by another person, suddenly becoming a professional assassin.
After emerging from concealment with the weapon, he'd steadily pulled the trigger.
After four shots, only Terney's shouts could be heard around the Cadillac.
The moment Sarah peeked out, she witnessed David walking coldly toward Terney. Without any conversation, David directly aimed the gun at the back of Terney's head.
Then he deliberately waited until Terney turned and saw him before pulling the trigger. A bloody exit wound instantly appeared on Terney's forehead, and blood splattered from the back of his skull onto the polished Cadillac door.
The last remaining person, Senator Walker, held his head and kept saying he hadn't seen David's face, begging David to spare his life.
He'd even revealed the password to his offshore Cayman Islands account.
But David's expression remained utterly unmoved, and he shot the person who'd completely surrendered without any hesitation.
Sarah had never seen David like this before.
Precise, mechanical, efficient—a natural-born killer.
This thought suddenly flashed through Sarah's mind.
David's current performance was nothing like a terminal patient—he was clearly an assassin more skilled than she was!
But this was completely contrary to everything she knew.
The Machine couldn't interfere with the internal conditions of the human body. It might be able to give David a god's-eye view of situations.
But it absolutely couldn't give David a stable, functional body.
Therefore, there was only one explanation for this phenomenon: David wasn't sick! He was faking it!
But the scene from that night was still vivid in her memory. No matter how she'd tested him, his inability to perform was completely consistent with David's identity as a terminal patient.
The more Sarah thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Could there be a drug in this world similar to NZT that could temporarily suppress all illness symptoms and restore peak physical capability?
It must be something like that.
When faced with phenomena they couldn't understand, people either turned to mysticism or science.
Sarah clearly chose the latter.
Since a drug like NZT-48 existed, it was perfectly plausible for there to be some AMD compound or similar medication, right?
Sarah shook her head. Since she was now living with David, she had plenty of time to uncover his secrets.
The immediate priority was disposing of the weapon and quickly returning to the outpatient department to ensure this case went cold.
Soon, the sound of police sirens echoed through the hospital, and the entry of numerous detectives from the New Jersey State Police caused panic as people wondered what had occurred.
It wasn't long before gossiping nurses heard shocking news from the investigators.
Senator Walker, who'd just completed discharge procedures, had been shot dead in the hospital's underground parking garage.
Also killed with him were his chief of staff Raymond Terney and four private security contractors.
Everyone had been executed with almost no means of resistance.
It was evident the perpetrator was an exceptionally skilled assassin.
When he'd appeared, he'd decisively exploited everyone's surprise to shoot and kill the four bodyguards in rapid succession.
Then he'd approached Terney and Senator Walker, who were on the ground attempting to evade gunfire, and brutally executed them one by one.
Finally, after committing the murders, he'd calmly departed the scene.
Moreover, during the investigation, detectives discovered that surveillance cameras in the underground parking garage had been hacked and compromised.
Within the ten-to-fifteen-minute window of the incident, all footage was looping identical frames.
The critical issue was that the hospital's security guards hadn't noticed any abnormalities whatsoever.
Years of incident-free operations had transformed the surveillance room from four vigilant twenty-year-old security officers into two middle-aged men in their forties, and finally—due to Vogler's cost-efficiency initiatives—been replaced by a single elderly man in his early sixties.
In Vogler's words, cameras were for deterrence.
Nobody would dare commit crimes where cameras were present.
Two surveillance personnel were wasteful expenditure—better to replace them with one affordable senior citizen.
After all, if a camera was destroyed, there would be a conspicuous black spot on the display screen that even an elderly person could notice.
But in reality, how could one elderly man's vigilance compare to four young officers?
Additionally, the extended period of safety had completely relaxed the old man's attention.
Nowadays, the elderly security guard spent his shifts either watching Korean female streamers on AfreecaTV performing suggestive dances or browsing adult content on various websites to see if he could recapture his youth.
Under such circumstances, it was even less likely for him to notice anomalies.
So the detectives questioning him yielded essentially nothing.
Ultimately, investigators could only resort to comprehensive methodology—questioning everyone from nurses on the lower floors to Chief Administrator Cuddy at the top, conducting initial screening without exception.
Especially personnel in the Diagnostics Department who'd had contact with Senator Walker and Terney.
But they quickly discovered everyone had sufficient alibis.
Reviewing surveillance playback afterward, the hospital's internal camera system hadn't been overwritten by hackers.
Therefore, everyone's movements were clearly documented.
As for the Diagnostics Department personnel's activities, they were even more traceable.
House had been in Exam Room One watching General Hospital on his portable TV, and Cameron was working overtime in the laboratory attempting to prove her research value.
Chase and David were napping in the office.
Nobody had opportunity to commit the crime.
Everything seemed to have reached an investigative impasse.
David looked at Detective Joss Carter, whom he was meeting again, and smiled:
"If there's nothing else, may I leave?
As an intern, I still want to quickly familiarize myself with all hospital procedures and obtain my medical license."
Detective Carter waved her hand helplessly, indicating David could depart.
This was the second time she'd encountered this guy.
The last time she'd seen him was also because he'd been nearby when a major homicide occurred.
And this time, although David hadn't treated the killer, he'd treated the deceased.
Such coincidence made Detective Carter extremely suspicious.
But all evidence indicated David didn't have opportunity, and she hadn't identified any motive for David to assassinate a Senate candidate running for Mayor.
While Detective Carter was troubled by the dead-end investigation, an agitated heavy-set man approached—Edward Vogler.
He said with a grave expression:
"I have critical information to report..."
The so-called critical information was, naturally, about David.
Regardless of whether David was the killer, at minimum Detective Carter now had a motive.
After being warned his career would be destroyed, David harbored resentment and therefore killed them.
Although this reasoning was somewhat tenuous, it was sufficient for Carter to recall David for another round of questioning.
Her instincts kept insisting this David was definitely not straightforward.
So she needed to interrogate David again, attempting to find inconsistencies in details from identical questioning to prove David was lying!
David, who'd just left the temporary interrogation room moments earlier, was summoned back by a detective.
David frowned, not understanding why Detective Carter was fixated on him specifically.
After seeing the obese Vogler emerging with a smug expression, David understood everything.
This fat bastard was going to die soon.
So David smiled at Vogler—like someone smiling at satisfying prey.
Vogler, receiving this smile, startled, and the sagging flesh on his face trembled violently.
He didn't understand why, after seeing David's smile, he felt chills down his spine, feeling as terrified as if he'd been targeted by a venomous pit viper.
Then he immediately reacted.
He was actually afraid of a scrawny guy who was maybe a quarter his body mass?
This was a tremendous humiliation.
You're smiling? I can smile too!
Vogler displayed a sinister grin toward David, as if smugness was radiating from every pore.
As he passed by David, he didn't forget to say triumphantly:
"I've informed the detective about your conflict with Terney.
After you go in there, try confessing and receiving lenient treatment. New Jersey hasn't executed anyone in decades.
I hope you're the first, hehehe."
David narrowed his eyes and smiled:
"Is that so? Then I might have to disappoint you.
Because even if I die, you probably won't witness that moment."
Vogler's expression changed, and he glared fiercely at David with eyes nearly invisible due to facial fat, saying:
"Are you threatening me?"
"Ah? Am I? I don't think so. I'm just stating a fact.
If you don't believe me, you can go down to hell and ask Peter about it."
Hearing the name Peter, Vogler's pupils instantly constricted to pinpoints.
So Peter's death wasn't an accident after all?
No, wait—how would David know about his relationship with Peter?
This kid was bluffing him!
Realizing this, Vogler tried his best to control his facial expression, forcing a smile:
"Hmph, smart-mouthed punk. Let's see how long you keep smiling.
Go explain yourself to the detective!"
Then Vogler said nothing more and strode away from there.
When he reached the corridor, he suddenly realized his undershirt was completely soaked with sweat.
Feeling profoundly uneasy, he pondered extensively before pulling out his phone and requesting security reinforcement.
Although that guy might just be talking big, if Peter was genuinely killed by him, that would be terrifying.
Killing through manufactured coincidence—this was an assassin who used his brain.
Such killers were rare and exceptionally dangerous.
Like a venomous snake in shadows, they'd strike when you weren't paying attention, and death was certain!
On the other side, David sat across from Detective Carter again.
David said with feigned helplessness:
"Why did you call me back? I've already said everything relevant."
Detective Carter no longer strained to analyze David's facial expressions, because she'd found it completely useless.
Every word David spoke sounded genuinely authentic.
She simply changed her interrogation approach:
"Then why did you conceal your conflict with Terney?"
"Huh? Conflict? No.
Mr. Terney was very gracious to me. When I made a mistake, he was willing to overlook it. I'm grateful to him—I wouldn't have conflict with him."
Hearing David reframe from another perspective, Detective Carter was momentarily stunned. When considered that way, it sounded perfectly reasonable.
Terney hadn't chosen to punish David but generously forgave him. A normal person would be grateful, right?
David indeed wasn't wrong.
But why did she persistently feel something wasn't quite right?
"Never mind that. What do you know about him?"
Detective Carter suddenly produced a stack of blurry photographs. David immediately recognized the suited figure as John Reese.
These photos must have been taken before Robert McCall had even joined their team.
At that time, Reese should have been actively saving "irrelevant numbers" and frequently involved in gang-related shootouts. It was normal for some undercover detectives to capture him in photographs.
However, it seemed they'd only managed shots of his back.
This wasn't much threat to Reese.
David, instantly grasping the significance, immediately shook his head:
"Without a frontal shot, how would I know who he is? That physique is extremely common on the streets.
If I went to the gym for a few months, I'd have that build too."
Looking at David, who seemed impervious to interrogation, Detective Carter had a headache.
She had no substantial evidence, and even if she forcibly detained David, it would only be for twenty-four hours.
But for David, who possessed such remarkable psychological resilience, it would be completely useless.
She wasn't one of those corrupt detectives and wouldn't employ strong-arm tactics to force a suspect into revealing information.
So now she simply deactivated all recording and video equipment and said to David:
"Alright, I know you might be concerned about corruption within law enforcement.
Now I've turned everything off. Even if you reveal information here, they won't know.
But the information you provide will tremendously help us solve this case.
So tell me what you can, even if it's just a name.
If not, I won't prevent you from walking out that door."
David deliberately adopted a reluctant demeanor, then after considerable pause, said:
"Really?"
"Really."
"I suggest you investigate Edward Vogler, the board member of this hospital.
He has land that requires Terney's approval, but Terney wanted him to fund Senator Walker's successful election before approving it, so..."
David deliberately left the sentence incomplete for Detective Carter to extrapolate freely.
After all, slander was also a crime, wasn't it?
Detective Carter hadn't expected to hear Vogler's name from David's mouth.
Vogler had provided David's motive, but David had provided Vogler's motive.
And compared to each other, Vogler's motive was substantially stronger than David's.
Detective Carter's face showed an expression of realization.
Thinking this way, the investigative logic immediately opened up.
Vogler had actively pushed this intern David forward to muddy the waters.
This way, he could completely remove himself from investigative scrutiny.
After assassinating Terney, it was obvious Vogler would have methods to acquire that land.
Next, they just needed to verify whether Vogler's company had recently acquired any real estate.
This was fundamental case-solving logic: who was the ultimate beneficiary!
David clearly couldn't gain direct benefits from this situation.
Vogler was different.
Detective Carter, understanding the situation, immediately ordered twenty-four-hour surveillance on Vogler!
Hearing Carter's orders, David's expression remained completely unchanged.
It appeared that Vogler, currently under surveillance, was actually being protected.
But for killing through manufactured coincidence, such an environment was ideal for eliminating everyone's suspicion.
Otherwise, if Vogler—currently in the investigative spotlight—was assassinated, detective attention wouldn't leave this hospital, which would be quite inconvenient for David's operations.
As David stood and walked toward the door, Detective Carter seemed to remember something and suddenly asked:
"How did you, an intern, obtain this information?"
David smiled before pushing open the door:
"Walls have ears. The nurses who walk through every corridor and ward obviously know the most information.
And I happen to enjoy chatting with the nursing staff—that's how I learned this secret."
Detective Carter nodded and let David leave.
But afterward she still felt something wasn't quite right.
At first hearing, David's explanation was flawless, but David was too composed in her presence, as if everything had been rehearsed.
It was this indifferent expression that made Detective Carter persistently feel David was very unusual.
But she couldn't determine David's guilt based solely on someone's facial expression control.
Solving cases still required evidence.
Otherwise, wouldn't everyone with a poker face need to be arrested?
Detective Carter sighed softly. This kind of case with no leads could only find breakthrough with Vogler.
At this time, Vogler didn't know David had caused him considerable trouble.
Being monitored by detectives twenty-four hours daily had both advantages and disadvantages.
For Vogler, who had numerous illicit business operations, the disadvantages far outweighed advantages.
Moreover, just as he was preparing to order David's assassination through Continental channels, he received shocking intelligence.
David was actually a registered member of the Continental Hotel!
A Continental member wasn't someone at his level who could bypass the rules and issue bounties!
This made him vaguely realize Peter's death might genuinely be related to David.
Thinking deeper—could the deaths of Terney and Senator Walker also be connected to David?
Finally, recalling the smile David had shown him, it looked even more like someone eyeing a trophy.
What kind of person displayed such a smile?
It was the smile only hunters about to capture their prey would show!
Thinking of this, Vogler's forehead suddenly broke out in cold sweat, which he couldn't wipe away no matter how vigorously he rubbed with his handkerchief.
"No, no, calm down, calm down! Edward, you have to calm down!"
Vogler used all his willpower to steady himself.
Then, with trembling hands, he requested additional security reinforcement.
One bodyguard wasn't enough. He'd seen it—Terney had four bodyguards, and his own skills were exceptional, yet he'd still been killed like a dog.
He needed a dozen bodyguards! Twelve!
As for the person Vogler was so worried about, David was currently strolling toward the outpatient clinic.
He wanted to observe how House would diagnose Sarah, who'd fabricated symptoms.
"You say you can't get pregnant?
Alright, I understand.
When you go home, put on your sexiest lingerie, drink a bottle of whiskey..."
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