The gap between abstract thought and practical action is vast, especially for someone so young. A 13-year-old like Martin is likely still in the "intellectual arrogance" phase, not the more dangerous "arrogance of judging others' life and death." He hasn't yet shown signs of transforming his inner thoughts into violent actions.
Arthur's deduction is based on the typical progression of a criminal mind. Even with murderers who have a perfect "breeding ground" for crime from past trauma, their behavior usually escalates gradually. They might start by harming small creatures like mice or insects, then move on to cats and dogs, and only then commit their first murder.
This process is often fueled by a toxic environment. But Martin's environment isn't bad. His family-related inferiority and the arrogance born from it couldn't have skipped so many steps in the process.
What's more, the entire murder plan was carried out in a very organized manner, something even seasoned killers can't master on their first try.
In short, there were two sudden "jumps" in the process, vaulting Martin to a new stage entirely, and Arthur believes he isn't the ringleader. He's being manipulated by someone else.
Hearing this, a part of Sarah's mind relaxed.
Even though Martin was now a suspect, at least in Arthur's eyes, the idea that he was incited to commit a heinous crime was easier to stomach than the idea that he acted entirely on his own, a demonstration of humanity's innate evil regardless of age.
Thinking this, Sarah couldn't help but feel skeptical.
"But... how do we find this third party? We have no clues. We have nothing but your speculations."
This was Arthur's biggest headache—evidence.
Without evidence, no matter how logical the speculation, it's just that.
In many cases, angry people criticize the police and the justice system for letting a "clearly guilty" culprit go. They even present all sorts of arguments and evidence gathered from various sources to make their criticism of the police even more fierce.
But do the police really lack talented people who can see all of this?
Of course not. There are many. But the things used as the basis for these arguments and deductions can only be considered supplementary to legally valid, concrete evidence.
No matter how convincing the reasoning, to actually put someone in jail, the police need evidence.
This was Arthur's predicament.
He could deduce the shape of the bloody hand. But without a fingerprint on the knife, the culprit is legally as clean as a blank sheet of paper.
Sarah also let out a deep sigh, slumping in her seat.
"If Martin has a cell phone, maybe we could try to get a warrant for an online investigation?"
Sarah suddenly remembered this.
She thought that if someone was manipulating Martin, they must have contacted him in some way, perhaps through social media. Through that, they could directly trace and pinpoint the suspect.
But Arthur shook his head.
"You're forgetting, Sarah, Martin is only a suspect based on my deduction. There's no real evidence against him. Plus, he's a minor, part of a group with strict privacy protections. This warrant won't be approved."
"Unless we can persuade Mrs. Brenda to be a bridge and help us check. But in this situation... that's not a sure thing at all."
"So we just have to leave it like this?"
Sarah couldn't help but feel suffocated.
With her short career, this was the first time she had to face a case like this. There was little evidence, and the number one suspect had already appeared, so they didn't have much time to investigate. Even the road ahead was hazy and unclear.
Frustration.
That's what she felt.
However, Arthur shook his head again.
"Of course not."
"But, we'll have to wait a little."
Hearing Arthur speak so mysteriously, Sarah couldn't help but be curious.