Chapter 124

"Hey, did we bother you?" Cinda asked, confused. Her house was pretty far from the church. Could the crying really be that loud?

Cinda felt a bit embarrassed. "I'm really sorry about that. I'll go talk to him right away."

"It didn't really bother us. What's going on with your kid? He's been crying a lot."

Cinda sighed, feeling helpless. "My son is getting older, and he can't keep sharing a room with me. I wanted him to move into Faye's room, but he refused, saying Faye would be mad. I accidentally let it slip that Faye wasn't coming back, and he just kept asking questions and crying."

He was almost in middle school. He should understand what Cinda meant.

Everyone sighed at the family's misfortune, except for the cold-hearted Zoey, who was focused on something else. "Are you planning to throw away their stuff?"

"Some things we won't throw away. We'll keep them as mementos. Their clothes and books will stay and some other things will be buried with them."

"Can I take a look inside?"

"Of course." Cinda didn't understand why Zoey wanted to see the things for the burial, but she agreed.

The others followed Zoey into Cinda's house. It was so small that the room was crowded with everyone inside.

To avoid causing a scene, only Zoey and Alexander went in, while the others waited outside.

Alexander and Zoey had previously investigated Faye and Sadie's room. This time, it was noticeably emptier, with many things gone.

A cardboard box held some items, and Finn was lying on the bed, crying loudly.

Hearing someone enter, Finn thought it was Cinda. He looked up angrily but saw Zoey instead. He was about to say something but fell silent.

Zoey glanced at him and then turned her attention to the rest of the room.

Alexander, feeling sorry for Finn, tried to comfort him. "Don't cry. Crying at night isn't good for you. You'll get sick."

Zoey's eyes were drawn to the table. She scanned it but didn't find what she was looking for. Then she noticed a piggy bank. She reached for it.

Finn jumped off the bed. "What are you doing? Don't touch Faye's things!"

Zoey ignored him and continued examining the piggy bank.

She looked it over but couldn't find a way to open it.

Finally, she asked Alexander, "Is this thing only for saving money? Can't it be opened?"

Alexander glanced at it. "Some can be opened from the bottom. Others you have to break."

Zoey understood.

Alexander noticed her intense focus on the piggy bank and, seeing Finn crying like a sad puppy, asked quietly, "You're not planning to break it, are you?"

"You're right. I'm taking it."

Alexander was puzzled. "Why?"

Zoey replied, "To X-ray it."

Alexander was speechless.

"Are you really going to take it back?" He asked.

Zoey gave him a look. "Do you think X-raying it is impractical? Should I just break it instead?"

Alexander was at a loss for words.

Worried that Zoey's actions would upset Finn, Alexander tried to calm him down. "If you want to break it, do it outside, not in front of Finn."

"Alright." Zoey grabbed the piggy bank and headed out. Finn immediately jumped off the bed.

Even though he had accepted favors from Zoey before, he couldn't let her take Faye's things.

Finn, shorter than Zoey, stood firm. "You can't take Faye's things. She loved that piggy bank the best!"

Zoey looked at him. "I just want to see how much money is inside."

Finn thought for a moment and then said a number he considered astronomical. "A hundred dollars! There's at least that much in there, so don't touch it. You can't afford to replace it!"

Zoey pretended to be shocked and turned to Alexander. "Alexander, go to the store and get five hundred dollars for him."

Alexander was confused. "What?"

Finn was also confused.

Didn't she understand? He meant she couldn't take Faye's piggy bank.

He was determined to protect it. "You can't take Faye's things. No amount of money will make me let you take it."

Zoey's patience was wearing thin. She was getting annoyed. "How about a trade? You give me the piggy bank, and I'll give you five hundred dollars. You're getting four hundred dollars more. It's just money inside, not Faye."

Finn kept crying, his snot almost touching her.

Zoey couldn't take it anymore and signaled Alexander.

Afraid she might actually hit Finn, Alexander quickly intervened. "Finn, I'll give you five hundred dollars and buy you some treats. How about that? Just stop crying, and I'll get you whatever you want."

Zoey watched Alexander's smooth handling of the situation and thought to herself, 'What a softie.'

She took the piggy bank and left Faye's house.

Outside, people were chatting. When they saw Zoey with the piggy bank, Robert recognized it immediately.

He asked, "Why did you bring that out?"

"Does anyone have something to break it with?" Zoey said.

Everyone was momentarily surprised.

Then Dennis spoke up. "I have a knife." He pulled a folding fruit knife from his pocket and handed it to Zoey.

Robert looked at Dennis. "Carrying a weapon? Looking like a thug is bad enough. As cops, we shouldn't carry knives."

Dennis, who felt insulted, defended himself. "Officer Davis, it's just for peeling fruit! Look how small it is."

Charles, seeing Robert tease Dennis, joined in. "Officer Davis is right, Dennis. I don't believe you either."

Dennis glared at Charles, silently cursing him as a suck-up.

Zoey took the knife and placed the piggy bank on the ground.

She was about to break it but then paused, thinking of something.

She looked around and saw nothing useful.

Zoey waved at Alexander, who had just finished calming Finn. "Alexander, take off your jacket and lend it to me."

Alexander was curious. "What do you need my jacket for?"

Zoey gave him a look and pointed at the piggy bank. "Isn't it obvious? To cushion it."