35-36

Chapter 35: Appraisal

“Can you tell me your purpose for coming to this town, sir?”

Although Amanda had already ruled Allen out as a suspect in her mind, she still needed to ask the necessary questions.

Looking at the young man in front of her, Amanda spoke up and inquired.

Her gaze passed through the partially open wooden door into the room, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“In fact, I’m here seeking inspiration.”

“Inspiration?”

Hearing Allen’s answer, Officer Robin raised an eyebrow.

“I’m a screenwriter and director,” Allen continued.

“If you’ve seen the movie The Blair Witch Project, you might recognize my name.”

“The Blair Witch Project?”

Hearing the name of the film, Amanda furrowed her brow. She turned to Robin with a questioning look.

Clearly, this officer wasn’t familiar with films.

Meeting Amanda’s gaze, Robin quickly leaned in and quietly explained, “It’s a popular horror movie lately, controversial for its promotional methods. Supposedly, even the Maryland Police Department has faced pressure because of its advertising.”

A connection between a horror movie and the Maryland police? That was beyond Amanda’s expectations.

Still, from Robin’s description, Amanda was nearly certain that Allen had no connection to Old Johnson’s death.

After all, a Hollywood figure and a solitary hunter in a remote Texas town had no apparent link.

Not even the basic elements of a crime chain could be formed.

“My apologies for disturbing you, sir.”

Seeing the confused look on Allen’s face, Amanda nodded politely.

“Enjoy the rest of your journey.”

“Could you tell me what’s happened, Officer?”

In response to Amanda’s courteous reaction, Allen curiously pressed further.

“A murder occurred in the forest near the town—a hunter was found dead in the woods.”

Old Johnson’s death had already spread through the town. Even if Amanda hadn’t mentioned it, Allen would likely hear about it soon, so she didn’t bother hiding the incident.

“That’s truly unfortunate.”

Allen’s reaction to the news was one of shock, just like any normal person.

“I was planning to explore the forest later.”

“Unfortunately, sir, you might need to adjust your plans a bit,” Amanda replied.

Because of the murder, Amanda didn’t linger long at the inn. After her brief inquiry, confirming Allen’s lack of involvement in Old Johnson’s death, she and Robin quickly moved on to pursue the next potential lead.

“Verify if the inn guests’ statements are true,” Amanda instructed.

Of course, Amanda wouldn’t ignore even the slightest possibility until the case was resolved.

Even Allen, who was nearly eliminated from the suspect list, wasn’t entirely off the hook.

“Actually, there’s no need to verify,” Robin replied.

He pulled out his phone and searched for The Blair Witch Project.  

Seeing the movie poster and the linked name of the director and screenwriter, Robin clicked on Alan Walker profile and showed Amanda the photo.

“There’s plenty of information about him online. It seems everything Mr. Allen said is true.”

“…”

Amanda glanced at the phone screen, then at Robin’s rugged face. Her expression was complicated.

“My girlfriend got me this—apparently, it’s a new smartphone. Maybe you should try one, boss.”

“I’ll pass. I’m used to simpler phones,” Amanda said, shaking her head firmly.

She had never been interested in fancy gadgets.

---

“Do you need anything else?”

At the door of room 404 in the inn, Allen spoke, noticing the bearded innkeeper still lingering.

The main characters had already left—why was a supporting character still hanging around?

“Are you really a movie director from Hollywood, sir?” The bearded man’s expression had shifted to one of enthusiasm.

“I believe I made that clear when speaking to the officers,” Allen replied, his attention momentarily drawn to the system screen displaying Amanda and Robin’s movements.

“This is the first time someone as famous as you has stayed at my inn. Would you mind leaving an autograph before you go?”

Distracted by the system’s unfolding script, Allen initially planned to brush off the request. But then, he seemed to think of something and redirected the conversation.

“It seems you’ve forgotten something, my friend.”

The bearded man froze for a moment, then followed Allen’s gaze to his empty hands. Finally, realization dawned.

“I’ll get it right away, sir!”

“Perhaps you could also prepare something off the menu,” Allen suggested, watching the man’s retreating figure.

The innkeeper’s expression fell, and after a moment of internal struggle, he gritted his teeth and agreed.

“Of course, sir.”

Watching the man scurry off, Allen nodded.

Meanwhile, the script within the system interface progressed to the next plot point.

---

“What does the autopsy report say?”

Leaving the next person of interest’s home, Amanda answered a call from the coroner handling Old Johnson’s body.

“The body had multiple abrasions, numerous fractured bones, and extensive internal bleeding. It was as if he’d been hit by a small car. But the fatal wound was the deep claw mark across his neck...”

“So the victim was killed by a wild animal?”

If that were the case, Amanda could close the investigation.

“That’s what’s puzzling,” the coroner replied, his tone filled with doubt.

“If it were a wild animal attack, the wounds wouldn’t look like this. I compared the marks to those left by predators, but they don’t match. In fact, the distribution of the wounds resembles...”

“Resembles what?”

“...as if they were made by human fingers clawing him.”

---

*(End of Chapter)*

*Chapter 36: The Missing Person Case*

"Scratch marks?!"

Texas, near the Devil’s River and a small border town.

Amanda listened closely to the description provided by the forensic expert.

For some reason, her mind immediately recalled the strand of hair they had previously found in the mouth of the hound.

"Do we have DNA results from the hair yet?"

"We’re working on it, but it might take some time. Honestly, I’m not very optimistic about the outcome," the forensic expert replied.

As Amanda continued her conversation with the forensic expert, a voice called from behind her.

"Boss..."

It was her subordinate, Robin, leaning out from the house and waving at her.

"We’ve got a lead!"

"According to the homeowner, there was a mysterious missing person case a few years ago. A young mother suddenly passed away in her home, and her infant daughter mysteriously disappeared shortly after. The child was never found. Over the years, people have claimed to have seen a figure resembling the missing girl in the forest, but no one has ever gotten a clear look."

"A mysterious missing person case... Maybe we should talk to the town sheriff about it," Amanda suggested, though she remained skeptical of Robin’s account.

She didn’t believe a little girl could have survived alone in the dangerous forest for years. However, it was at least a potential lead.

At this point, Amanda couldn’t confirm whether this old missing person case was connected to the recent death in the forest.

---

"A missing person case from years ago?"

At the town sheriff’s office.

The sheriff looked surprised as he heard about the case from one of his deputies. Adjusting his hat, he smacked his lips thoughtfully before slowly beginning to speak.

"This was a big deal back then. For a small town like ours, we’re usually only dealing with drunken brawls from biker gangs."

Frowning, the sheriff’s face took on a contemplative expression.

"I remember when it happened—I had just become the town sheriff. A woman moved here with her child, saying she came to this remote town because of health issues. But I always felt she was hiding something."

"She kept to herself after moving in. Even I only saw her occasionally at night when she took her daughter out for a walk. She never mingled with the townsfolk or talked to anyone. Despite her odd behavior, there wasn’t anything particularly alarming about her. Eventually, the town got used to her presence—until..."

"The woman’s death wasn’t discovered until days later. A neighbor noticed she hadn’t been seen for a while. While it wasn’t uncommon for her to stay inside, this time seemed unusually long. When we checked her house, we found her dead inside. Her baby was lying next to her body. But soon after, the girl mysteriously disappeared from the house."

The sheriff’s account carried a strange, unsettling tone, particularly regarding the girl’s disappearance.

"Could someone have taken her, or maybe..." Robin began to analyze.

"The mother’s death and the girl’s disappearance caused an uproar in the town. The highway patrol even sent officers to assist with the investigation, but nothing was ever found. It was as if the girl vanished into thin air. Because of this incident, some people moved away, but life eventually returned to normal, and the case faded into memory."

After sharing everything he knew with Amanda and Robin, the sheriff looked puzzled.

"So, what brings you two to take an interest in a case from years ago?"

"We’re exploring all possible connections to the current victim," Amanda replied with a shrug, exchanging a knowing glance with Robin.

---

"It seems there’s no connection between the missing person case and the recent death," Robin remarked with disappointment as they left the sheriff’s office.

"Have someone review the old case files. If the highway patrol investigated, they must have documented something," Amanda instructed, her brow furrowed.

"Understood," Robin replied, quickly dialing the highway patrol for assistance.

---

"Let me give you a little push,"

Room 404, a local inn.

Allen took a bite of authentic barbecue from the "John Charlie" restaurant as he stared at the system’s interface.

With a touch of impatience, he manipulated 50 [Plot Points], transmitting a crucial piece of information to Robin via a phone call.

---

"Boss!"

"We’ve got something!"

Robin was driving as they left the town. He relayed the information he’d just received from the highway patrol to Amanda, who sat beside him.

"The highway patrol responded to a report of an assault at a hospital in the city. A medical worker attacked a colleague. Before this incident, the attacker had transported a patient by ambulance—a patient found near Devil’s River Forest. The patient also had scratches resembling an animal attack."

"It seems that more people were attacked than just old Johnson in the forest," Robin concluded.

"But something Johnson did must have provoked the attacker, leading to his death," Amanda speculated, her expression growing more animated.

All these coincidences connected too neatly for her to dismiss the possibility of foul play.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Amanda mentally reviewed the leads they’d uncovered in town while muttering to herself.

She was eager to discover who—or what—was responsible for the attacks in the forest.

Driving toward the hospital, neither Amanda nor Robin noticed the speeding car heading in the opposite direction, passing them as it drove toward the town.

---