Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
He dared not call the little girl Dr. Bell, fearing it would give away her identity.
Clark was a bit taken aback. Why was Captain Allen more excited to see his sister than him?
“Bell, are you out for a day’s fun?” He finished speaking and then noticed the big shot standing next to Bell. He nearly choked. “Mr.
McMillian, you’re here too.”
“Hmm.” Romeo merely nodded, not showing much emotion.
“Bella, how did you know that the deceased has been dead for about six months?” Clark asked curiously.
“When a body has been in the water for more than three months, a white, wax-like substance forms on the surface, commonly known as adipocere.”
Mirabella’s eyes held a sense of calm and coolness. She continued, “For an adult body, it takes about half a year to form adipocere.
Considering the weather, we can roughly estimate the time.”
However, just determining the time of death was far from enough.
The police wanted to know the person’s height and age to compare with the missing person database and find clues.”Bella, how tall do you think he was?” Clark asked, standing next to his sister.
“About five foot three.’ Mirabella looked at the body in front of her and analyzed, “After maturity, a person’s height decreases by about 0.02 inches each year. Every 20 years, it decreases by about 0.47
inches. For adult males between the ages of 40 and 60, their height decreases by about 0.9 inches.
Between 60 and 69, their height is about 1.9 inches shorter than their peak height.”
Mirabella estimated the victim’s height based on the length of his long bones.
The people around her looked at her in awe, finding it hard to believe this girl who spoke so confidently and knowledgeably.
As for the deceased’s age.
Mirabella moved forward, took a pair of gloves from Captain Allen, put them on, and in front of everyone, picked up a skull.
The onlookers were stunned. Who was this girl who dared to even touch the skull.
The thing was, she seemed to know what she was doing.
Clark put on gloves, too, and came over to look at the skull. “You’re trying to find clues from the sagittal and coronal sutures?”
“Hmm.” Mirabella looked at the skull. “I think the deceased’s age should be between 35 and 40.”
Everyone was stunned. Even Captain Allen couldn’t help but ask, “How can you tell?”
“Look, this part of the skull is the sagittal suture. It starts to fuse at 22 and finishes at 35. This part is the occipital bone. The gap between it and the parietal bone looks lambdoid, which is the lambdoidsuture. It starts to fuse at 26 and finishes at 47. In addition, judging by his third molar, we can deduce that the deceased was between 35 and 40.”
Captain Allen and his team never expected they would get clues about the deceased’s age and height so quickly.
At that moment, Clark suggested, “You can extract DNA from the deceased’s rib and compare it with the DNA of the missing persons’ relatives. I believe you’ll find a match soon.”
“Thank you, thank you so much, Professor Clark and Ms. Bell!”
Captain Allen never thought this case would progress so smoothly today. He felt incredibly lucky to run into two experts.
Clark nodded, then added, “Also, there are no signs of struggle on his torso and limbs, which suggests he was killed by someone he knew. As for the victim, that waterlogged cell phone will give you the answer.”
“Thank you so much for the tip, Professor Clark.”
This clue was crucial for the police investigation. Captain Allen thanked them repeatedly, and only then did Mirabella and Clark remove their gloves, sterilize their hands, and leave the scene.
The crowd was buzzing with curiosity, their eyes darting to Mirabella.
“Could they be medical students specializing in forensics?”
They looked young and even somewhat couple-like.
“Are they a couple, perhaps?”
Upon hearing the word ‘couple’, Romeo glanced back at the crowd, a look that was enough to silence their whispers.
This stern-faced gentleman and the lady must be a couple.
The warning in his gaze was unmistakable.
Due to the murder case, the usual influx of tourists had lessened significantly. The trio found themselves alone, strolling along the glass pathway after taking the cable car up the mountain.
“Clark, it’s amusing that you’re scared of ghosts but not of corpses.”
Mirabella couldnt help but chuckle at the irony.
“Watch your words. Clark fears nothing! Last night was just an unexpected incident,’ Clark defended himself, trying to save face.
“And you, young as you are, seem to fear neither man nor beast.”
Her courage was truly unparalleled.
“She’s seen a lot and is accustomed to it,, Romeo added, unable to resist.He recalled her mentioning her experiences in the ‘triangular zone’, each terrifying event toughening her spirit, making her stronger.
Clark, oblivious to her past, assumed Romeo meant that Mirabella was wise beyond her years.
Nodding in agreement, Clark admitted he hadn’t come across anyone more exceptional than Mirabella.
Her nonchalance while In the living room.
Louisa, holding Mirabella’s hand, smiled warmly, “They seem to be getting along well.”
“They’ve been close since they were kids.” Celeste, with a tender smile on her face, gestured to Mirabella, “Bella, come sit next to me.”
Mirabella sat down, and Celeste brought out a gift, “When your mother told me you were coming back, we thought about what to get you. We heard that girls love this brand, so here’s a little something from us. Please accept it.”
“You’re too kind.” Mirabella saw the “QY” on the box, and she hadn’t expected this.
Louisa couldn’t help but chuckle, “Celeste, you don’t know, do you?
This brand was founded by Bella.”
Celeste’s hand froze in mid-air, “You’re saying QY was founded by Bella? So this necklace was designed by her, too?”
Celeste was taken aback by this coincidence.
Mirabella smiled lightly, “From now on, you will get a 30% discount on all QY purchases.”Celeste was floored by this amazing surprise, and her smile towards Mirabella grew even brighter.
Upstairs, Serena watched this scene, her nails digging into her palm.
She had just seen Crystal walking arm-in-arm with Mirabella in the garden, and now Celeste, handing gifts and chatting closely with Mirabella. In the past, she was the one who was the center of attention.
Just then, Clark returned, “It’s getting a bit chilly out. You guys continue chatting, and I have some work to take care of.”
“What kind of work could he possibly have so late.” Louisa mused, not knowing that he was Astronisia’s top hacker. She watched his retreating figure, then turned to Crystal, “Crystal, did this boy bother you?”
“No, Auntie. Clark is really nice, and we talked a lot.” Under Crystal’s curved brows, a pair of sparkling eyes were full of spirit, “Since Clark has work to do, we won’t bother you any longer. Bella, I’ll come play with you another day.”
“Sure.” Mirabella had a good impression of Crystal. She was straightforward and cheerful, unlike Serena, who was always roundabout.
handling a skull, her mental strength, and her medical expertise were unmatched.
“The living may lie, but the dead do not. Every part of a deceased body tells a truthful story,’ Mirabella shared, her tone serene.
“Speaking the truth for the departed is the shared goal of all forensic scientists. So, Clark, your profession is sacred and commendable.”
Mirabella’s praise took Clark by surprise. His career choice had been a frequent subject of his mother’s disapproval. He dealt with charred, decomposed, mutilated, and odorous bodies.His mother found it horrifying and dangerous, saying it was stressful and detrimental to one’s mental health.
Yet, providing closure for the deceased, comfort for their families, and justice for society was exactly what his job was about.
In their work, forensic scientists had to eliminate all distractions to unearth the singular truth for the deceased. Every deduction could impact the direction of the investigation. A tiny mistake could lead to a huge discrepancy.
Sometimes, the nightmarish scenes of his workday would invade his dreams.
“Do you think this field is good?” Clark asked.
Mirabella nodded. “Medical practitioners aim to save lives. While I save the living, you help the dead.
We both uphold justice in our own ways.”
For society, they quietly contributed their humble efforts.
Looking at Mirabella, Clark suddenly realized how much more outstanding she was compared to girls her age. If it were Serena, she would probably be hiding behind him, scared and eager to leave the scene.
But Bella, with her calm demeanor and professional knowledge, had helped the dead find justice.
“Romeo, see this? My sister is so accomplished. If you dare mistreat her in this lifetime, I will make sure you pay, he warned.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.