Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1136

Agnes Pritchard took a sip of her freshly squeezed juice and looked up, skepticism etched across her face. “Even though there's a possibility of truth in what you're saying, I still don't believe you, Valeria. This so-called 'new evidence' might just be something you've fabricated. Sure, Ms. Thomas could potentially pull off something like that, but...”

Valeria Thomas offered a wry smile. “I knew you wouldn't believe me at face value, which is why I went the extra mile to uncover some new evidence.”

Agnes fell silent, her gaze fixed on Valeria, clearly waiting for her to reveal this new piece of evidence.

Valeria handed Agnes a photograph. “I managed to obtain this from the forensic report. The chemist was found dead around 6 PM, lying in a pool of his own blood. His last call, made half an hour before his death, was to my father. This makes my father the prime suspect in his murder.”

Agnes, puzzled, inquired, “How does this prove anything?”

“The twist here is that the chemist died from a gunshot to the head, instant death. According to the coroner's report, he had been dead for at least two hours before his body was discovered. If he was already dead, how could there have been a call made to my father? It's clear someone orchestrated this, making the call post-mortem to frame my father. But they made a critical mistake by not aligning the chemist's actual time of death with the timing of the body’s discovery,” Valeria explained.

“Why haven't you taken this evidence to the police?” Agnes questioned.

“It's not as straightforward as you might think. A lot of the information I've gathered was through... let's say, not exactly legal means. It wouldn't hold up in court. Plus, crucial pieces of evidence have been mysteriously 'destroyed.' This only convinces me more that there's a puppet master behind the scenes, orchestrating everything, including the fabricated evidence previously used to accuse my father. Revealing what I've found would not only discredit me but could also put me in grave danger,” Valeria confessed.

It became apparent to Agnes that Valeria was an incredibly astute individual. Their thoughts on the matter were aligned. Even the justice system had its traitors. They could make anyone a scapegoat if they so desired.

“So, if you're at a dead end, what makes you think I can do anything?” Agnes remarked.

Valeria shared her findings, “I've been investigating the people close to my father. It turns out one of them has connections with someone from Albert’s Arms, a name that carries weight around here. They've been communicating exclusively through emails. I managed to hack in and scrape the surface, uncovering that this individual goes by 'Mr. X.' I'm at my wit's end, with little power to delve deeper into Albert’s Arms. However, Ms. Pritchard, given your unique position as Albert’s Arms' Miss Septima, if you were to follow this lead, I'm sure Mr. X would surface, and the truth would come to light.”

Mr. X? That was a name unfamiliar to Agnes.

“Why should I help you? I'm well aware of the dangers involved. You, his daughter, are hesitant to put yourself at risk for your father's sake, yet you seek an old foe to clear his name. Ms. Thomas, it seems you've forgotten how my father died. Regardless of whether your father was involved in drug trafficking or was framed, he played a role in my father's death. I would rather see Mr. Thomas rot in jail, so you've definitely come to the wrong person,” Agnes stated coldly.

With those final words, Agnes stood up. “Consider today's coffee on me, Ms. Thomas. I'm afraid I can't assist you with your request.”