14: Chapter 14 New Partner, Renee Ballard

427 Royal Street was an unremarkable three-story apartment building. The exterior walls were painted a pale yellow, and several pots of withered greenery hung from the wrought-iron balconies.

Shaun stood at the entrance, checking the note in his hand to confirm he was in the right place.

He pressed the doorbell.

He waited for half a minute, but there was no response.

He pressed it again.

Still no one.

Shaun checked the time; it was nine-thirty in the morning.

According to the information on the note, his new partner should have been at home waiting for him.

He was just about to press it a third time when a voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Who are you looking for?"

Shaun turned his head.

A woman was standing three paces behind him.

At first glance, what Shaun noticed was her stance: feet shoulder-width apart, center of gravity leaning slightly forward, one hand hanging at her side, and the other resting behind her waist.

It was a standard defensive posture from the police academy, ready to strike or draw a gun at any moment.

At second glance, he finally saw her appearance clearly.

She had an Asian face with deep features, slightly prominent cheekbones, and a sharp jawline.

Her black hair was cut short to her ears, with one side tucked behind an ear, revealing a small silver stud.

Her eyes were dark brown, and they were currently fixed on Shaun with a gaze devoid of any warmth.

She wore a dark blue windbreaker with the collar turned up and the zipper only halfway up, revealing a gray T-shirt underneath.

On her lower half were faded jeans tucked into a pair of short boots.

The whole person looked like she had just rushed back from somewhere, or was just about to rush off.

In Shaun's mind, the golden book flipped open automatically.

【New Character Unlocked: Renee Ballard】

【Source: Ballard】

On the pages of the book, a portrait was slowly emerging.

【Character Profile】

Name: Renee Ballard

Age: Thirty

Identity: Los Angeles Police Department Detective, temporarily reassigned to New Orleans

Status: Just off the plane, holds reservations about this mission

Danger Level: Medium (She isn't dangerous, but her judgment of people is extremely accurate)

Favorability: 5/100 (Purely out of professional courtesy)

Before Shaun had time to look closely, Ballard had already spoken.

"Are you Shaun?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, with a slight raspiness, like someone who spoke often but rarely drank water.

Shaun felt that Ballard wouldn't be easy to deal with, so he responded honestly, "That's me. Renee Ballard?"

"Yes."

Ballard walked over, passing Shaun without a moment's pause as she headed straight for the apartment door.

She pulled a key from her pocket, opened the door, and then turned back to say, "Come in."

Her tone sounded like a command.

Shaun followed her inside.

The first floor of the apartment was a small foyer with old tiles and a row of rusted mailboxes nailed to the wall.

Ballard didn't stop, heading straight upstairs.

Her pace was fast, each step landing firmly, her boots making dull thuds on the stairs.

On the third floor, at the end of the hallway, she opened a door.

Shaun followed her in.

This was a temporary residence, a standard small apartment.

The sofa was the safe gray kind provided by landlords, an unopened coffee machine sat on the coffee table, and a half-open suitcase stood in the corner, revealing several neatly folded clothes.

Ballard walked in, threw the keys on the coffee table, then turned around and looked at Shaun with her arms crossed.

"Sit."

Shaun sat down on the sofa.

Ballard didn't sit.

She just stood there, looking down at him from above.

Then she said, "Sheriff Brown called me and told me about your situation."

Shaun waited for her to continue.

"Joined three months ago, no prior bad record, above-average efficiency on calls, partner's evaluation: 'reliable but doesn't like to talk'."

She paused, then continued, "You were on a call yesterday afternoon at Robichaux Manor. This morning, another officer related to that manor died, and you were transferred to investigate this case."

Shaun knew that the more he said now, the more mistakes he'd make, so he just nodded.

Ballard stared at him, her gaze reminding Shaun of a metal detector, scanning him inch by inch, looking for any suspicious traces.

"Do you know what this suggests?"

Shaun continued to play dumb. "That I have bad luck?"

Ballard didn't smile.

There was no change in her expression; she just continued to stare at him and said coldly, "It suggests you might be an insider, or a suspect."

Is this a partner or an interrogation? Shaun thought.

Shaun was starting to get a bit annoyed, but he just spread his hands and said, "Anyway, I've said everything I need to say. I don't know anything."

Ballard stared at him for three seconds.

Then Ballard looked away, walked over to the suitcase, bent down to take out a folder, and said, "Fine. I'll believe you for now."

For now!

Shaun could hear the woman's distrust, but he maintained an indifferent face.

In any case, he wasn't willing to get involved; he'd just let them do as they pleased.

Ballard didn't seem to notice Shaun's dismissive expression and threw the folder directly onto the coffee table in front of him.

"White's information, scene photos, preliminary autopsy report, surveillance screenshots. Look through them first."

Shaun picked up the folder and opened it.

The first page was the scene photo he had seen that morning; White was lying in the alley, hands folded over his chest, his posture so peaceful he didn't look like a dead man.

Ballard walked to the window, her back to him, looking at the street outside.

Even though she wasn't looking at him, her voice drifted over. "I worked in Los Angeles for eight years and I've seen every kind of case. Shootings, stabbings, poisonings, accidents, suicides. But I've never seen this way of dying."

She turned her head, looked at Shaun, and continued, "No external injuries, no signs of a struggle, no signs of poisoning."

"It's just... he fell asleep and didn't wake up. The medical examiner's exact words were 'cause of death cannot be determined'."

Shaun flipped to the autopsy report page.

Indeed.

In the cause of death column, it was written: Pending.

Ballard said, "I've only seen this kind of death in one situation."

Shaun grew curious and asked, "What situation?"

Ballard looked at him and replied word for word, "Cardiac arrest, but without any physiological cause. As if someone... flipped a switch!"

Shaun's fingers tightened slightly.

He knew what that was.

That was the way a witch kills.

Madison could use telekinesis to strangle someone, Fiona could use magic to make a person's heart stop beating, and a voodoo witch could do it too!

No contact needed, no weapon needed, they didn't even need to be at the scene.

But he certainly couldn't tell this woman Ballard that!

So he asked again, "You think it's murder?"

Ballard stared at him for a long time.

Then she walked over, sat down opposite him, and said, "Shaun, I don't know what you're hiding, and I don't care."

"I just need you to promise me two things."

"First, take me to that manor. Second, don't get in my way!"