CHAPTER 512: CHAPTER 301_1

Dean was not a god.

His deductions were all based on a reasonable analysis of the available clues.

Previously, he had been almost certain that the principal was the one who killed the teacher, Toddy. The motive, he figured, was straightforward: the principal was involved with a female student. The righteous Toddy discovered this and was about to expose him, so he silenced her.

However, the unresponsive panel indicated to Dean that his reasoning was flawed.

The murderer was not the principal!

Police cars soon arrived at the scene. Given that the death occurred at a school and the victim was the principal of the town’s only high school, two vehicles and four officers had been dispatched.

The town didn’t have many police officers. Nellie, the young policewoman, and the police chief Dean had met before were among those who responded.

"FK! What the hell happened here!"

Upon seeing the principal with his neck twisted, the chief couldn’t help but swear.

With his neck twisted like that, the man was definitely dead.

In a short period, the normally peaceful town had seen two deaths, both involving school staff. This was undoubtedly major news for the town and had a profoundly negative impact.

As the town’s chief of police, he was under a lot of pressure!

Following the chief’s orders, Nellie and another young officer began questioning onlookers to identify the initial eyewitness. Meanwhile, the chief, accompanied by an older officer, headed upstairs to inspect the scene on the rooftop.

Nellie, along with her colleague, quickly learned what had happened.

According to the accounts of several eyewitnesses, the principal had committed suicide.

The principal had fallen just as afternoon classes were about to begin.

At that moment, numerous students and staff were preparing to enter the classroom building. Since the building was only six stories high, some people had spotted the principal even before he jumped.

The principal had been standing on the rooftop ledge, arms outstretched. Before eyewitnesses could even cry out, he leaped—headfirst, feet up—resulting in a swift death.

The fact that his body remained largely intact was a small mercy, all things considered.

The principal’s death is too strange, After recording the identification details of several eyewitnesses, Nellie couldn’t help but think to herself.

Detective Dean had just told her the principal might be connected to Teacher Toddy’s death. He’d also mentioned that when the principal learned they were questioning Selica, he had used anger to conceal his fear. And now, that very afternoon, the principal had committed suicide.

Even an idiot could tell something was amiss.

Nellie’s colleague, however, seemed relieved.

Noticing that the teachers had already herded the students back into the classroom building, he whispered to Nellie, "Good thing this wasn’t a murder. Otherwise, the mayor would definitely pressure our department to appease the students’ parents."

Their salaries and bonuses were provided by the town government.

Nellie’s colleague wasn’t concerned about someone dying; he cared more about whether his income would be affected.

Nellie glanced at her colleague with contempt.

She had chosen to become a police officer to protect her birthplace, not to be like these jaded colleagues who were only in it for the salary.

At nearly twenty-two, she still believed in justice.

If only Detective Dean were my colleague... Nellie thought with a pang of regret.

Suddenly, she remembered that she and Dean had split up: she was to investigate the principal and others, while Dean was to stake out the principal. In that case, he should have noticed the commotion and be nearby, right?

Nellie quickly scanned her surroundings and spotted Dean not far off. He was leaning against a load-bearing pillar in the corridor, arms crossed, head bowed, apparently lost in thought.

She quickly excused herself to her colleague and hurried over to the thoughtful Dean. "Detective Dean."

Dean looked up, his voice calm. "Nellie, what did the eyewitnesses say?"

He was currently only present as a detective, so he hadn’t approached to inquire about the situation before Nellie and her team arrived.

"Suicide!" Nellie reported, her expression grim. "Several students saw the principal jump from the rooftop himself. There was no one else around him at the time. He deliberately went headfirst. If his trajectory hadn’t been slightly off, we’d be looking at a corpse with its head burst open."

So he was determined to die, Dean mused, stroking his chin.

That would explain it.

Although he didn’t yet know the full story involving the principal, Selica, and Teacher Toddy, he now had a general understanding of what had transpired!

Noticing the look of realization on Dean’s face, Nellie couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Detective Dean, do you know something?"

Dean nodded. "Suicides are typically either impulsive acts, or the person feels they have no way out other than death. The principal’s case is clearly the latter. He wasn’t very old, earned a good income, held a respectable social position, and was well-regarded in town. On the surface, he had a happy family and was an object of envy for many. Do you know what circumstances would drive such a person to consider suicide?"

Nellie said uncertainly, "Threats? Did Selica threaten him?"

Dean shrugged noncommittally. "Your reasoning?"

Nellie pursed her lips and, mimicking Dean’s analytical approach, began her own deduction. "I always felt the relationship between the principal and the student, Selica, was somewhat abnormal. If we proceed from that assumption, then Teacher Toddy’s death also makes more sense. For instance, perhaps she discovered something between the principal and Selica and was planning to report it."