My Evil Crown Prince-Chapter 104: The Alibi

"I don’t think she was threatened. When we talked to her, she was too relax. There was no hesitation in her voice." Keisha contradicted Josh’s opinion.

"How about we talk to her alone? Maybe it would be different." Bryan suggested.

Investigator Lee nodded. "Keisha, you’ll do it. Go to Golden Oak and talk to her again. We have to get something from her."

"Right away, sir."

In Golden Oak High School, Natalia Parker was on the rooftop laying on the floor. She was staring at the blue sky and letting the heat of the sun brushed through her skin.

"I’ve been looking for you. You skipped classes again." It was Elijah.

"Why do you care? You only think about that dead girl!"

"How many times do I have to tell you that she has a name!" Elijah yelled.

"Whatever, I don’t want to argue with you. I’m tired. Leave me alone." She said.

Elijah deeply sighed and forced himself not to get mad at his fiance.

"Fine. I just came here to ask you about the photo. Why did you do it?"

Natalia didn’t move. She was just staring at the sky, admiring the slow movement of the clouds.

"You already know the reason. Why would you ask a stupid question?"

"Natalia, you didn’t have to. I told you I have an alibi. I don’t need your help."

Natalia finally got up and glared at Elijah.

"Do you think they will believe you? Are you insane? If you told them your alibi, you’ll already be in jail."

Elijah clicked his tongue. "It has nothing to do with you. So stop protecting me."

"What did you just say? Nothing to do with me? I am your fiance! And you know that I love you. What I did was—"

"Oh, come on! What you did was not because of love. You did it for your sake. We both know that if my parents found out about what you did, they will never cancel the engagement. You want to show everyone that you are the only woman fit to be my wife."

"So, what’s the problem with that? You know very well that I will not back out. I don’t care if you love that girl. I am your fiance and I will be your wife!"

Keisha overhead Elijah and Natalia’s argument. Based from what she heard, Natalia knew about the photo and she did it because of Elijah.

After the couple’s argument, Elijah left in rage and Natalia laid on the floor again, sobbing.

"If you’re just going to yell at me, get lost!" Natalia sobbed when she heard some footsteps.

"I’m sorry to say that I am not your fiance, Lady Natalia."

The girl quickly stood up and was surprised to see the investigator walking toward her.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" Natalia asked.

"I just want to ask you a few questions."

"I already gave my statement yesterday. What more do you need?"

Keisha stood beside Natalia and titled her head up. "So peaceful, right? If only you could close your eyes and forget everything."

Natalia frowned. "You heard?"

"Not my intention. But yes. So, what about the photo?"

"I don’t know what you mean."

"No. I think you know. And stop making excuses because I heard your conversation."

Natalia chuckled. "It’s an argument. We never had a decent conversation."

Keisha felt sorry toward Natalia. From what she read, the girl was engaged to the son of the King of Flousia, but it wasn’t because of love. But she didn’t have the time to worry about the girl’s love problem. If not for the murder case, she would never talk to these royals.

"I just want an honest opinion from you. Who do you think has the courage to kill Benjamin?" Keisha asked.

Natalia chuckled. "Opinion? You say? It’s like asking me directly who killed Benjamin."

"Well, that’s what we’re trying to find out anyway."

The girl sighed. "Elijah wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s an introvert and was never good with people. He’s a bit weird because he said he could see and talk to Mireya."

"Mireya?" Keisha frowned.

"The girl from the portrait, remember? He drew every single one of those portraits in his room. Mireya is Caden’s little sister, but she was never born. Yet, he got a hundred drawings of her." Natalia took a deep breath as if she was hesitant to continue.

Then she let out a deep sigh and turned to the investigator. "The night before the 26th, we decided to just stay home. We were never that close, especially me who always felt like an outcast, but I was bored so I joined them. Lucas and Brie went out to buy snacks and drinks. I forgot to tell Brie to buy me some beer so I quickly ran outside to check if they were still at the parking lot. That’s when I saw Elijah. He left the house that night."

"Is that unusual?"

Natalia nodded. "As I said, he’s an introvert. He hates being outside. But that night he was rushing as if he was running away from someone. After an hour, Brie and Lucas came back. I checked Elijah in his room, but he wasn’t there."

"When did he return?"

"I don’t know. I fell asleep waiting for him. It was already morning when I woke up and he was already at home."

"Did you find him different that morning?"

Natalia nodded. "He was anxious especially when we found out about Benjamin’s murder."

"Did you confront him about the reason he left that night?"

"When Lucas told us about the investigation and that we might be considered as persons of interest, I asked Elijah if he had something to do with it. But he denied it. He said he went out to check on something, but he didn’t want to tell me."

Investigator Keisha frowned. "Why didn’t you say anything when we came to the mansion?"

"Do you think I will let Elijah be a murder suspect? He’s my fiance. He doesn’t love me, but I will never betray him."

"But you just told me."

Natalia chuckled. "Why do you think I told you?"

Investigator Keisha returned to the police station with new information. She told everything Natalia said to Investigator Lee.

"She said he has a solid alibi? But she didn’t know what it was?" The old man asked.

"Yes, sir. Elijah didn’t tell him."

Investigator Lee leaned his back on the swivel chair. He was taking deep sighs while looking at the photos of Lucas Wilson and his friends.

Investigators Keisha, Bryan and Josh glanced at each other as they watched their superior think.

The old man chuckled after a few minutes, making the three confused.

"They know who killed Benjamin, but they were all protecting that person."

Keisha was more confused. "Well, it wouldn’t be a surprise. They were all kind of related to each other. But Natalia Parker didn’t look like she knew the killer."

"It’s because she’s the only one who doesn’t know who it was. Lucas Wilson and the others don’t trust her, even her fiance. The night Elijah drove out of the house after Lucas and Aubrey Cross, he definitely went somewhere."

"And that’s what we’re going to find out?"

"Yes. Bryan, get all CCTV footage of the routes from Primrose to the city. As per Natalia Parker, Elijah drove a Ducati Testa Stretta motorcycle that night so I think it’s easier to find him."

"Right away, sir." Investigator Bryan said and quickly went out of the meeting room.

Investigator Lee tapped his fingers on the table while waiting for Bryan. They just needed the footage on the 26th of June. The night Lucas Wilson, Aubrey Cross and Elijah Hulls went out.

After two hours, Bryan returned. He came running and was panting when he entered the meeting room.

"Sir! I got it!" He shouted.

Keisha immediately took the USB device from Bryan to check it on her laptop.

"You did a great job, Bryan! You got the footage from the CCTV in front of Primrose, outside the cafe and the routes from Primrose to Northbay Prison."

"According to the receipt Lucas showed me, the transaction was made at around seven in the evening so let’s check the footage starting from six." Investigator Lee said.

The investigation team started checking all the CCTV footage outside Primrose. The compound was an exclusive area of the five wealthiest and most powerful families in the country. The cameras surrounding the place were owned by the Wilson Group and could never be accessed by just anyone even the police.

Having cameras outside Primrose was a great help to Investigator Lee and his team. All of them were hoping that they could get a lead from the CCTV footage around the city.

"Maybe we should check the footage earlier than six." Investigator Lee suggested.

Keisha frowned. "But we saw Elijah came out after ten minutes Lucas and Brie left Primrose."

"But it doesn’t prove anything. He left but we have no idea why he left and where he went." The old man answered.

"Oh, so he could just make an alibi that he followed Lucas and Brie. The footage from the cafe confirmed that he came and talked to Lucas."