The Captain I Married by Chance novel Chapter 419

Someone had jumped.

Her clothes were disheveled, covered in suggestive, dark bruises. She died instantly on impact. The scene was horrifically graphic.

Nathan arrived with his team and immediately found Nora.

"How is it?"

Nora let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding when she saw him.

"She's gone."

"Mall security is already pulling the surveillance footage. The crowd is being evacuated, but there are too many people around. Word is definitely already out."

Nathan signaled the officers behind him, and they quickly and efficiently set up a perimeter with police tape.

Valerie stood a short distance away, clutching her shopping bags. She had turned sideways, unable to look at the mangled body on the pavement.

Nora shot her a worried look, knowing she must be terrified, but she didn't have time to comfort her right now.

Catching Nora's gaze, Nathan gently patted her shoulder. "Take her back to the precinct first."

They weren't exactly direct witnesses, but they had watched the body fall. Valerie needed to sit down in a safe space and process the shock.

"Okay."

She had already done all she could here, and the autopsy would have to wait until the body was transported back to the morgue.

Nathan had brought the Forensics Division with him, so they didn't need her on the scene.

Heading back now would give her time to prep for the examination.

"I'll head back to the precinct."

Nathan nodded. After watching Nora and Valerie leave, he inspected the impact zone before leading his officers into the mall.

...

"Are you doing alright?"

Inside the Forensics Division breakroom, Nora handed Valerie a cup of warm water.

Valerie had stopped shaking, but her eyes were still hollow and unfocused.

"I'm fine..."

Her voice was weak, clearly still haunted by the gruesome image.

"If Michael's team has news, they tell DevoStan, and she relays it to the fans."

"And if the fans have requests, they go through her. She's been a dedicated mouthpiece for years, and the entire fanbase trusts her implicitly."

Valerie's expression darkened as she finished explaining. "Why are you asking about her all of a sudden?"

"Don't tell me the person who jumped..."

Nora gave a slow nod.

Valerie stood up, her face twisting in utter disbelief.

"Impossible!"

"How could it be her? Why on earth would she jump off a building?"

Nora didn't say a word.

She couldn't explain it either.

But the investigation confirmed it. The victim was the woman behind the username DevoStan. Her real name was Maisie Shaw.