North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws
Chapter 117 - 104: Reversal!_1

Chapter 117: Chapter 104: Reversal!_1

Eleven in the morning.

Dean, along with Harry, Robert, Holz, and others, drove several cars and arrived together at Harper Prison. Accompanying them was the footprint expert Holz had mentioned. He was Bob, a short, fifty-year-old man, a specially hired member of the Forensics Department, and also Holz’s father. Bob’s main job was as a hunter. He earned his living by taking clients deep into the forest during the hunting season to hunt wild animals.

Outside the prison.

BEEP. BEEP.

Harry had gotten smarter this time and simply honked the car horn.

Surprisingly, the one peering out from the upstairs window this time wasn’t the silly white prison guard, Earl, but their suspect, Carnif!

Upon seeing Dean and his group, Carnif was first taken aback, then frowned. "Today is not visitation day. Leave this place, or you’ll find out the consequences!"

"What consequences?" Dean chuckled. "Are you referring to you privately giving prisoners cell phones and means to contact the outside world, or are you talking about the fact that you accepted over one hundred thousand US Dollars from Durren?"

As he spoke, Dean’s hand rested on his open gun holster. The safety on the pistol was off. If Carnif made any move, Dean would shoot him through the holster within 0.1 seconds, killing him outright—a straightforward and convenient way to close the case!

To their surprise, Carnif merely smiled bitterly. "Alright, it seems you’ve found out. Damn it, I knew this day would come!"

To everyone’s astonishment, the young Black prison guard, who was in his twenties, ran downstairs and opened the main gate for them.

The group followed him into the office, completely bewildered.

Dean noticed that the other prison guard, Earl, was leaning against the watchtower, blatantly dozing off. He also saw that Carnif was wearing riding boots!

"Alright, buddy, I guess you already know why we’re here. Let’s be straightforward; we can make it more comfortable for you."

Harry actually had a fair amount of respect for this compatriot. Due to certain systemic reasons, family-oriented Black men were relatively rare in reality. He himself had grown up in a single-parent family.

Carnif’s demeanor was calm, his attitude frank. "I admit it. I did take Durren’s bribe. In exchange, I helped him falsify his prison conduct records and apply for parole. But is this also the responsibility of the Homicide and Robbery Division now?"

Harry’s face darkened. "Buddy, we don’t care about your bribery, nor are we interested in that so-called parole application you arranged. You know why we’re here!"

"It’s not about that?" Carnif was taken aback.

Dean had been observing his expression. Something seemed off.Carnif didn’t seem to be lying.

He glanced again at Carnif’s riding boots. This time, he truly sensed something was wrong!

With those thick-soled riding boots on, Carnif was just a little shorter than him. Dean’s own height barefoot was one meter eighty-eight, and one meter ninety-one with shoes. So, Carnif probably wasn’t the murderer!

Realizing this, Dean stopped Harry, who was about to speak, and looked directly at Holz and the others. "Don’t waste time. Take a cast of the footprints immediately!"

Although Carnif didn’t know what was happening, his dark face instantly turned grim when he recalled who Dean and the others were. These detectives from the Homicide and Robbery Division seemed to be interested only in murder cases! Murder and bribery were completely different matters, and the culpability was entirely different too!

Carnif, who was not stupid, realized this. He not only cooperated fully with Holz and the others but also mentioned he had two more pairs of riding boots at home.

While they were busy, Dean walked to the window and looked towards the prison’s internal watchtower.

Earl was quite something. He could even fall asleep leaning against the railing. The rifle slung loosely on his shoulder made him look just like one of those untrained puppet soldiers—not only lacking any deterrent effect but also looking rather comical.

Such a person should not have ordinarily raised Dean’s suspicions. But after realizing the thickness of the riding boots, Earl, who had initially seemed the least likely suspect, paradoxically became the prime one.

Earl didn’t like Carnif and knew that Carnif liked to wear riding boots.

The most critical point: Earl’s height, with riding boots on, would be just over one meter eighty.

After the cast of his foot was taken, Carnif approached Dean. "Can you tell me what exactly is happening?"

"Have you ever left your riding boots unattended in the prison?" Dean didn’t answer Carnif’s question, asking one of his own instead.

Carnif shook his head. "Never. I really like my riding boots. They make me look more full of Spirit, so I always wear them to and from work."

"Why is Earl on duty inside today?"

"Because after you all came last time, I switched places with him. That way, if anyone came again, I could at least try to handle it."

Until escape becomes impossible, people tend to cling to wishful thinking. Carnif was no exception.

"Does Earl normally come into contact with Durren?"

"Earl?" Carnif hesitated and shook his head. "He can’t intimidate those prisoners, so he usually stays at the front desk. Apart from roll call, he rarely goes to the cell block... No, wait!"

Suddenly, as if he remembered something, Carnif nodded. "Durren’s wife comes to see him every month, and each time she applies for a conjugal visit room. But our conjugal visit rooms here are all cluttered with miscellaneous items. For easier management, we usually let inmate couples use the office to satisfy their conjugal needs. So, that’s the only time Earl could come into contact with Durren!"

So that’s how it is...

Dean, recalling the black lace pantyhose hidden in Earl’s drawer, said thoughtfully, "I understand. After the analysis results are out, I’ll tell you the reason. Until then, please remain in an open area and avoid any actions that could be misunderstood."