Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan) novel Chapter 302

The officer glanced at the other officer, their eyes clearly communicating before she spoke. "We're not sure that this is Evan's shoe, but given the style and condition of the shoe, it doesn't seem like it would belong to an average kid."

Hearing this, I looked at the shoe again, my heart sinking even further.

The officer continued, "We have asked around and confirmed that this shoe is pretty pricey. And from the condition of the shoe, it seems like they're practically new. They shouldn't have been discarded, especially since we only found one of them!"

"Where did you find it?" I asked urgently.

"We found it on the outskirts of the west side of town, on the fringe of the borough. It's a bit remote, and the area is mostly inhabited by farming families. It doesn’t seem like their kids would wear such shoes! And there's something else..."

She then handed me another plastic bag and said, "We also found this."

I took a look and felt like I had been struck by lightning. My heart turned ice-cold, but I kept my composure as I examined the contents.

Inside the bag was a crumpled piece of paper, apparently soaked in rainwater, the writing barely visible.

The paper had clearly been torn and was only a quarter of its original size.

But coincidentally, I could vaguely make out the name 'Evan' and a series of numbers. I looked at the officers across from me, my eyes full of questions. "What is this...?"

"Can't you tell what it is?" The male officer asked.

I shook my head, feeling a sense of foreboding.

I was torn between revealing the truth and staying silent. As I was wrestling with this decision, the officer spoke again, "We only suspect that this might be Evan's shoe because we found this piece of paper. Given that you have seen the child, we asked you here to help us confirm if you've seen him wearing the shoe."

I looked at the officer and said honestly, "Actually, I am still quite unfamiliar with the child. I have only seen him a few times when picking up my own children from school. I've only had close contact with him once."

The officer immediately asked, "Can you describe in detail how you came into contact with him?"

Without hesitation, I said, "One time Marissa didn't come to pick him up from school. I was afraid he might get anxious or lost, so I held his hand and handed him over to his teacher. The other times, I only saw him from afar, so I really can't be sure if the shoe is his."

"Can you think carefully about the time you had close contact with him? Was he wearing the shoe?" The officer was persistent. "Ms. Wilburn, confirming the shoe is very important to us. It might help us find the child quickly."