Chapter 010: A Clue

It is precisely for this reason that Kirk requires Adrian's assistance, and furthermore, he needs the help of the NYPD; otherwise, relying solely on himself, even if the entire evidence database were completely opened without reservation, he would be unable to complete the entire screening alone

The woman quickly stepped back a few paces, her gaze still firmly fixed on Kirk, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly in a smile that revealed a hint of cunning, a series of laughter bubbling up from deep within her throat

Perhaps this yellow ribbon is a token, representing an event, a place, or a commemoration; the other five victims have also appeared, but they did not accept the token, or they accepted it and then discarded it, or it was simply lost among the evidence in the garbage pile and has not yet been found

In daily life, people come and go in a hurry, their footsteps hardly pausing. The homeless scattered throughout the corners of the subway are akin to the fixtures of trash bins and benches, making it difficult to draw attention.

How about this, two pieces?

In accordance with established practices, it is first necessary to cross-reference the characteristics or connections of the victims, thereby identifying commonalities, which are the reasons they became targets.

Interestingly, this commotion and chaos had no impact on the citizens coming in and out of the subway station, who continued to follow their routines, doing what they were supposed to do with the books, and hardly any of them could be seen stopping to take notice

If it were an exclusive clue or a significant secret, the homeless man should have been prepared to continue attempting extortion, even if unsuccessful it would not matter; the result is merely an ordinary yellow ribbon, which at least in the eyes of the homeless man, holds no value, and disappointment cannot be concealed.

Of course, the most important thing is that Kirk still has real matters to attend to.

However, among the seven victims, only the two of them are present, which does not constitute a commonality

Without hesitation, the homeless man provided the answer directly

The vagrant immediately faltered

This is merely one possibility

With large strides, Kirk made his way through the crowd, heading straight for the corner.

Her long golden hair flowed like a waterfall, completely concealing her proudly blooming face. The woman turned and swiftly dove into the surging crowd like a nimble antelope

Certainly, whether this clue can guide Kirk closer to the truth still requires further verification and investigation

Ahem. Excuse me, may I ask you a question

In other words, the investigation process must confront a vast and complex array of clues, which need to be sorted, confirmed, and examined one by one; this is a daunting and monumental task.

He noticed in the photographs of the investigation files that both victims, Seth Johnson and Isaiah Robinson, had this yellow ribbon on their wrists

It is easy to imagine how many people are needed for this

Because they are displaced and it is difficult to ascertain their whereabouts

Hey, wait, wait!

The shout, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, splashes a spray of water

However, the uncertainty surrounding the homeless individuals represents an unknown factor. Even if some similar pieces of evidence are found, it is impossible to ascertain whether they truly belong to the victim, and it is also impossible to determine whether they have a direct connection to the case

Just imagining it sends shivers down my spine

The possibilities are indeed countless

Kirk did not even have any plans to start; from the very beginning, he stood still and quietly watched the spectacle. As a result, those who fled in a panic appeared somewhat ... ...

Further refine the direction of the investigation based on keywords related to location, time, or individuals

As someone approached, the homeless man remained indifferent, not even lifting his eyelids, completely treating the other as if they were air. Even when the person squatted right in front of him, they still failed to attract his attention. He was engrossed in his own world, puffing away, thoroughly enjoying a cigarette after breakfast.

Wait and books and so on

The homeless man felt somewhat disappointed, as he did not expect that what Kirk was interested in was actually an inconspicuous yellow ribbon. His expression was unmasked, and he muttered a couple of words softly.

foolishness

Just as Kirk was about to stand up, the homeless man pounced on him like a hungry tiger, grabbing both of Kirk's hands and swiftly snatching away the one-dollar bill with lightning speed, shoving it into his collar in a flash. Then, he revealed a face full of ingratiating smiles, saying, "I am your exclusive possession; feel free to ask me anything, I have absolutely no secrets."

Then, a turn.

Meanwhile, Kirk could clearly sense the subtle commotion among the surrounding crowd, with different figures weaving into the throng. A quick glance revealed at least three of them. It appeared that this was likely a case of gang activity, but judging by their level of skill, they must have been operating in the subway station for some time.

Clearly, Kirk is overwhelmed and cannot attend to everyone by himself; however, they need not worry, as Kirk had no intention of pursuing them in the first place

Perhaps some evidence has followed them for many years; perhaps some items do not belong to them at all but are merely trash discarded by other vagrants; perhaps some clues have been lost along with their wandering... or perhaps after death, they were treated as garbage and picked up or thrown away by others and *illustrators*.

Then, before his eyes appeared a portrait of "George Washington"

This time, the homeless man noticed and finally lazily lifted his eyelids, casting a disdainful glance at Kirk, "One dollar? Are you trying to dismiss me like some kind of trash? I have dignity and pride, you know? I am not something you can summon and dismiss at will."

Moreover, because they almost live among piles of garbage, finding useful clues amidst the mountains of discarded items is akin to reaching for the heavens

Kirk pointed to a yellow ribbon on the right wrist of the homeless man and asked, "Where did you get this?"

The serial killer case is even more challenging

It seems that this is not a freshwater lake, but rather a vast ocean, and just a few stones are insufficient to stir up any waves

If it were not for the recent minor incident, Kirk would not have noticed the ordinary member among the seventy thousand homeless individuals in the corner, nor would he have paid attention to that particular small detail

The homeless man extended two pitch-black fingers, attempting to haggle.

Distributed at a shelter in Harlem yesterday

And that location is the site where the serial killer targets their prey

The greatest difficulty in the investigation of the homeless case and the collection of documentary evidence lies in the gathering and organization of evidence

Kirk did not hesitate for even a second and decisively refused, "No."

The bustling scene quickly returned to tranquility

In the crime scene photographs, Kirk remembers that both victims, Seth Johnson and Isaiah Robinson, had yellow ribbons on their wrists at the time of their deaths

Note

Why are you so impatient? Young people nowadays are all like this, lacking any patience, with one or two being extremely restless

Just a moment ago, in a hurried glance from a distance, Kirk was still somewhat uncertain and unable to make an accurate judgment; now, upon close observation, he can formally confirm.

However, the vagrant before us at least proves that the yellow ribbon is not just a piece of trash.

A low murmur arose, and that figure drew out a long ripple, gradually moving away

Today, Kirk saw a yellow ribbon on the third vagrant, and a conjecture arose in his mind

This

Do not? Yet Kirk was completely unfazed, pursing his lips and revealing a look of regret, as he pulled the banknote back with both hands.

The homeless man exhaled a long puff of cigarette smoke, his eyelids still drooping lazily, even too indifferent to glance over.