Chapter 4: The First Lead

Investigator Alex Thompson was reviewing the case files when her team called her into the briefing room. They had finally received the autopsy report and had some promising leads.

"The victim had a piece of paper clutched in her hand," the coroner reported. "It had a partial fingerprint on it."

Alex's eyes lit up. "That's our first real lead. Run the print and see if we get a match."

The team worked quickly, and soon they had a hit. The fingerprint belonged to a man named Michael Davis, a 35-year-old with a criminal record.

Alex's team tracked Michael down to a seedy motel on the outskirts of town. They approached cautiously, unsure what they might find.

As they entered the motel room, they found Michael pacing back and forth, his eyes darting nervously around the room.

"What do you want?" he growled, clearly agitated.

Alex flashed her badge. "We need to ask you some questions about Sarah Jenkins."

Michael's eyes widened, and he took a step back. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Alex smiled grimly. "Don't play dumb, Michael. We have your fingerprint at the crime scene. You were there that night."

Michael's expression changed from defiance to fear. "Okay, okay. I was there. But I didn't kill her!"

Alex's eyes narrowed. "Tell me what happened."

Michael took a deep breath before speaking. "I was at the park that night, but I was just a witness. I saw someone else running away from the scene."

Alex's ears perked up. "Who was it?"

Michael hesitated before speaking. "I don't know his name, but he was tall, with a scar on his cheek. He was lurking around the park all night."

Alex's mind raced. This was a new lead, and she was determined to follow it. Little did she know, the truth would lead her down a dangerous path.