Two Hundred and fourty five

CHAPTER 245

"So... Ace is not proven to have killed my parents?"

Nicholas pursed his lips. It was a very difficult thing to say. He hated Ace so much. He wanted Ace to be involved in the murder of Alicia's parents so that Alicia would hate Ace too. But apparently, Ace did not kill Michelle and Edward.

One of Alicia's hands moved to touch Nicholas' coat. She shook it slowly, and said, "Nicholas, please tell me what you know. It's about my parents' deaths."

A sigh was heard from Nicholas. The man really couldn't be evasive anymore. "Ace was not involved in your parents' murder. Ace's nail samples don't match the DNA or fingerprints we found at your mother's house."

Alicia's face wore an expression that Nicholas couldn't guess. Alicia arched an eyebrow, looking confused and disappointed, but Nicholas could find relief there. Did Alicia still have feelings for Ace? A man from the past?

"You're... happy that Ace didn't kill your parents?"

Nicholas' question made Alicia flinch. She frowned and emphasized every sentence that came out of her mouth. "You... kept that information to yourself, because you thought I'd be happy if Ace wasn't involved in my parents' deaths?!"

"No, Alicia. I asked because I wanted to make sure-"

"Nicholas!" Alicia cut in with her loud voice, Nicholas gasped.

Alicia's gaze was very serious. She looked straight ahead, at Nicholas who now seemed to feel guilty for asking Alicia that question. "Ace and I are in the past. I thought you trusted me, Nick!"

"I believe you, Alicia. I just-"

"Just what?!" Alicia was furious. She grabbed her gray backpack and got out of the car.

Nicholas, who panicked when he saw Alicia get out of the car like that, immediately followed. He ran after Alicia and pulled her by the hand. While trying to turn her around, Nicholas exclaimed, "It's just a misunderstanding! Please listen to me first!"

"It's about my parents' death, Nick! You knew something, but you didn't tell me!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry for that. I apologize. I'm sorry to you, Alicia," Nicholas refused to let go of Alicia's hand, even though she tried to brush him off several times. "Please listen to me first, Alicia."

In one fell swoop, Alicia managed to break away from Nicholas. She folded her arms across her chest and looked angrily at Nicholas. "Now, explain everything! I want to hear everything you know."

"Alright," Nicholas' voice began to shrink, he looked around and finally asked for leniency. "What if we talk in the car? We have to get out of here anyway because people have gone home, Alicia."

Alicia said nothing, but she walked away from Nicholas. The girl got into the car and buckled up. Her face still looked upset, but she refrained from speaking.

After Nicholas returned, he started the car engine and drove the car away from the Star Corporation building. They went to Fast Coffee. This was the first time Nicholas had taken Alicia for coffee somewhere other than Uncle Chuck's shop.

The heating immediately greeted Alicia and Nicholas when they walked in. The atmosphere inside the coffee shop wasn't too crowded either. Maybe it was because it wasn't the weekend, and some of the staff at the police station were off for the weekend.

"Let's sit at that table!" Nicholas pointed to the table at the end, there was no one around.

A table where the two of them would be comfortable talking about personal matters. Alicia sat down immediately and Nicholas sat across from her. Nicholas picked up the menu book and handed it to Alicia. "They serve good coffee. Would you like to try one of them?"

Alicia accepted the menu book from Nicholas without saying anything. she was still angry, but tried to restrain herself. after a while, Alicia returned the book and said, "I'll have a hot cappuccino."

"Okay, two hot cappuccinos." Nicholas stood up from his chair and said, "I'll order. Just a moment."

Nicholas returned with both of their orders, he placed them on the table carefully. Nicholas felt guilty, he could feel the aura of anger from Alicia who had kept her mouth shut throughout their previous trip.

"Are you still angry?"

Alicia did not answer. She even pretended not to hear. Alicia was busy sipping the hot coffee in front of her and looking around in the other direction.

"Well, I'll tell you everything you don't know yet, Alicia."

After saying that, Alicia turned her gaze to Nicholas. Alicia raised one eyebrow. "So, you do keep a lot of secrets behind my back?"

"They are not secrets."

"Then, what is your purpose in keeping it a secret?"

Nicholas sighed, dealing with angry women was exhausting. Nicholas felt all wrong, but he tried to stay calm. While looking around, Nicholas also tried to start telling a story.

"I need more evidence, so I'm not telling you until I have it."

"But you know that Ace wasn't involved, right?"

Nicholas shrugged, he muttered. "The sample you provided doesn't match Ace's DNA, that's all. I was just withholding that information until I was absolutely sure. But after you said that Anna had access to your mother's house, maybe Ace wasn't involved in your mother's death after all. I'll put Anna's name on the list of suspects if we can prove that Anna really had access to Mrs. Michelle's house."

"All the CCTV footage has been burnt, Nick. We don't have any evidence." Alicia shrugged. "We only know about it from Christine and Felix. And that's just testimony that can't be verified."

Nicholas considered. He mumbled, then tried to make a suggestion. "That leaves us with two suspects in your mother's death. Between Ace and Anna, which of the two of them was involved in your mother's death? Because the case of Jason and Jill's death, as well as Jill's daughter, was a case that involved Ace. Ace killed them. But your parents? We still have to unravel this puzzle to the end."