Chapter 56.2: Arrested and Brought to Justice
Time seemed to pass both slowly and quickly. Before they knew it, it was noon. Since elderly people often had sensitive stomachs and needed to keep to regular mealtimes, Jiang Xia persuaded Expert Chen to go have lunch with her first.
There was no denying it: the meal was completely tasteless. As soon as they finished eating, everyone returned to wait again.
Perhaps the heavens had seen how anxious they were getting and decided to give them a little comfort. They hadn’t been waiting long when Rong Zhenhai returned, escorting a young man with him.
The man wasn’t very old, looking to be around the same age as Jin Weitao, but he showed none of Jin Weitao’s nervousness or evasiveness. On the contrary, even with his hands restrained, he kept his back ramrod straight and his chin held high, arrogantly surveying the entire police station lobby.
He looked nothing like a suspect who had just been arrested. If anything, he looked more like a government official conducting an inspection.
Lao Wang, ever perceptive, immediately came forward with the ink pad and paper.
Rong Zhenhai cooperated as the man’s fingerprints were taken, then stepped aside and handed him over to a young police officer.
“Take him to the holding room for now.”
Rong Zhenhai felt completely at ease.
From the moment he’d seen this suspect, Yang Ruixiong, he had already concluded that there was a good chance they had caught the killer.
There was no other reason for it—the murderous aura emanating from this suspect was simply too strong.
Even ordinary people would feel somewhat intimidated when confronted by the police. Yet Yang Ruixiong wasn’t afraid in the slightest. If anything, there was even a hint of provocation in his attitude, and his eyes were exceptionally fierce.
There was an eighty-percent chance he’d got blood on his hands.
However, people like this usually refused to confess until they were confronted with undeniable evidence. Without solid evidence or testimony from his accomplices, getting anything out of him would be extremely difficult.
It would be better to lock him up for now and wait until his accomplices had been interrogated.
Chen Yongyi took the fingerprints Lao Wang had brought back. He studied them for nearly half a minute, then took the photograph from his pocket and compared the two before shaking his head.
“This suspect’s fingerprints aren’t the ones on the wall either.”
“That’s normal.”
Rong Zhenhai wasn’t surprised. “If he’d really taken off his gloves and touched the wall, he would’ve panicked when we took his fingerprints just now. Let’s wait a little longer. There are still two people who haven’t been caught.”
Jiang Xia furrowed her brows slightly and asked, “You didn’t find anything when you searched his home?”
“No. We did a quick search, but we didn’t find anything.”
Rong Zhenhai shook his head. “The tools used in the crime were either hidden or thrown away. There was no money either. According to the neighbors, their spending habits have been pretty normal these past few days.”
“He’s quite cautious.”
Jiang Xia furrowed her brows slightly, then quickly relaxed them.
If they weren’t cautious, they wouldn’t have been able to pull off such a major crime. Judging by their appearance, these two were highly suspicious. Now they were only missing a breakthrough. Once the others were brought in, they would have one.
With that thought, the group continued waiting.
After some more time passed, a detective who had spent half the day interrogating the suspect without getting a single answer finally emerged, his face dark with frustration.
“This suspect’s mouth is really something. I’ve questioned him for ages, and he won’t say a word. He hasn’t even tried to defend himself. All he keeps saying is that he doesn’t know anything. If he’s not hiding something, I’ll write my own name backward!”
Without hard evidence or a confession from the suspect, the case couldn’t be considered solved. Anyone would be anxious when they were this close to breaking a case but still missing that final piece. Rong Zhenhai could only offer some reassurance.
“That’s enough. We have evidence from the crime scene, and we’ve already caught some of them. Let’s wait until we’ve got everyone and then see what happens.”
There were only three people who were particularly close to Jin Weitao. Once they were all brought in, surely they could find some hard evidence.
With that thought, everyone continued waiting patiently.
Some time later, a motorcycle appeared in the distance outside the city police bureau. Its engine roared as it sped toward the entrance and came to a stop. A detective in a green police uniform quickly dismounted and ran inside, taking three steps at a time. Out of breath, he said:
“Captain Rong! Something’s happened. Suspect Chang Guangxin’s residence was empty. The neighbors said he disappeared two days ago. They have no idea where he went!”
“What?!”
The moment he heard this, Rong Zhenhai’s expression darkened.
“How come everyone else stayed put, but he ran?!”
Jiang Xia’s mood likewise plummeted in an instant.
Only someone with a guilty conscience would think about fleeing. There was a very good chance this guy was the one who had left the fingerprints. Without him, getting anything out of the others would be far more difficult.
Seriously! Why did he have to run two days ago of all times? If only she’d arrived two days earlier, how could she have let him get away!
“Give the witnesses a call and have them brought over.”
Jiang Xia said, “First, send the composite sketch to all the railway checkpoints and issue a wanted notice for Chang Guangxin.”
Rong Zhenhai slowly raised a hand. A thousand words gathered at the tip of his tongue. He wanted to curse, but in the end, he swallowed them all and let out a long sigh.
“Ah…”
He said, “Let’s do that for now.”
The sudden blow left everyone feeling somewhat dejected.
The detective who had just returned didn’t even go upstairs. He immediately pulled the telephone number he’d written down from his pocket, picked up the receiver at the service desk, and began pressing the buttons.
“Hello, Brother Tian…”
“I’ll go check on Jin Weitao again.”
Rong Zhenhai was starting to lose patience. He said, “This kid has been to the area around the victims’ home, so his psychological defenses should be easier to break through.”
With that, he called Lao Wang over and entered the interrogation room again.
Chen Yongyi also quickly adjusted his mindset.
Cases going up and down like this were incredibly common. There were plenty of times when everyone thought they were following a lead that would catch the culprit, or even believed they had already caught the suspect, only for the investigation to hit a dead end. After experiencing enough of those situations, anyone had to learn to accept reality.
“This looks like it’ll take some time. A few days at the shortest, perhaps several months at the longest.”
Chen Yongyi sighed. “It’s a shame I’m not good at interrogation. Otherwise, I could at least contribute something.”
Interrogation was a skill in its own right, and Jiang Xia wasn’t good at it either. She helplessly spread her hands.
“Neither am I.”
As they spoke, the detective who had finished the call at the service desk came running over.
“Comrade Jiang, I finished the call. Brother Tian said he’ll bring them over right away.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Xia nodded slightly. “We’ll draw the sketches in the reception room when they get here.”
Since they had to wait for the witnesses anyway, Jiang Xia didn’t go upstairs. She continued waiting in the lobby.
Before long, another vehicle pulled up outside—a three-wheeled motorcycle of the kind that hadn’t been seen much for decades, the sort that Japanese soldiers were always shown riding in anti-Japanese war dramas. Four local police officers on bicycles followed behind it.
You really didn’t see this kind of vehicle very often.
Jiang Xia couldn’t help taking a few extra looks.
The detective got off the motorcycle and brought down the young suspect, whose hands had been bound behind his back. Someone immediately followed to help, while two local police officers escorted a young woman in a long dress. She was crying and protesting her innocence.
“You’ve got the wrong person! I don’t know him…”
“Enough. If you don’t know him, then why was he at your house?”
One of the local officers snorted. “You two aren’t married, yet you’re living together and even sleeping in the same bed. Clearly you’re carrying on an improper relationship. There’s no point arguing!”
As they spoke, the suspect was brought over.
He looked even more nervous and weak than Jin Weitao, his legs practically floating beneath him as he walked. But his mouth seemed to be just as stubborn.
“Expert Chen.”
Having someone help hold the suspect in place, the detective explained to Chen Yongyi, “This is Feng Youqiang, one of Jin Weitao’s friends who regularly hung out with him. Not only was this guy’s whereabouts unknown on the night of July 3, but despite having little income, he was pretty generous with his spending. Just a week ago, he bought his mistress a ready-made dacron long dress—the one she’s wearing now. I hear it cost several dozen yuan.”
Huh?!
This guy seemed to have even more obvious weak points than the previous two. He should be much easier to interrogate.
Jiang Xia was almost tempted to call Captain Rong over directly.
But they should go through the proper procedure first.
Jiang Xia reached out and took the ink pad from Expert Chen.
For some reason, she had a feeling that this might be the person who had left the fingerprints on the wall.
And perhaps it wasn’t just a feeling. Compared with the other two suspects, Feng Youqiang clearly had poorer self-control. Someone like him was also more likely to let his guard down while committing a crime, thereby leaving behind a clue.
But a guess was ultimately just a guess. Whether it was actually true could only be determined by checking.
Holding the ink pad, Jiang Xia walked directly toward Feng Youqiang.
Feng Youqiang still had his head lowered.
When he heard someone approaching, he instinctively looked up. The moment he saw the ink pad in Jiang Xia’s hand, his expression changed dramatically, and he subconsciously took a step backward.
If you haven’t done anything, why are you backing away?
Chen Yongyi only kept an eye on the suspect from the corner of his eye, but the moment he saw him retreat, his entire demeanor instantly sharpened. He reached out and slapped the detective who was speaking beside him on the shoulder, urging him sharply:
“Quick! Get his fingerprints!”
The detective froze for a moment, then immediately understood. He took the sheet of paper from Chen Yongyi’s hand and rushed over.
Feng Youqiang began struggling. He kept trying to back away until his back hit the wall, refusing to let anyone touch his hands no matter what.
It was definitely him!
What an unexpected turn of events!
“Xiao Li, get over here and help!”
The detective called someone over and immediately forced Feng Youqiang to the ground. Jiang Xia stepped forward and pressed each of his right-hand fingers onto the paper.
“Expert Chen.”
As soon as she finished, Jiang Xia handed the paper to Chen Yongyi, who had come over.
“See if it’s him?”
Though phrased as a question, Jiang Xia’s tone was extremely certain.
Chen Yongyi had already pulled the photograph from his pocket. He examined the fingerprints carefully for three or four minutes before saying outright:
“The prints on the bathroom wall were left by him!”
The decisive piece of evidence had finally appeared, and the case could basically be considered solved. There was inevitably a touch more excitement in Chen Yongyi’s voice.
He stared at Feng Youqiang, who collapsed like a pile of mud the moment the result was announced, and snorted.
“You know what you left behind, don’t you? You’re the only one in your group whose fingerprints were found. If you confess honestly, you may still be able to receive leniency. You might even be able to keep your life. But if you refuse to talk, you’ll be the one facing the firing squad while the others get away and live comfortably!”
The expression on Feng Youqiang’s face changed rapidly, as though he were weighing the pros and cons.
After a moment, he made up his mind and said, “They forced me to kill! I only st*bbed one child to death!”
What did he mean, “only st*bbed one child to death”?
A surge of anger rose in Chen Yongyi’s chest. He couldn’t bring himself to question him any further, so he waved a hand.
“Take him to the interrogation room and let Captain Rong handle him.”
The detective immediately hauled Feng Youqiang to his feet. Unable to stand properly, Feng Youqiang was half-dragged into the interrogation room.
Only a few seconds after they entered, a furious roar rang out from inside.
“I’ll f*cking kill you, Feng Youqiang! You coward! You’re useless at getting anything done and damn good at screwing everything up!”
Even harsher curses came from inside.
Jiang Xia casually dug a finger in her ear. For some reason, it sounded almost like music to her.
The gang was turning on itself. Next would come the mutual betrayals. Maybe they’d even find out where the runaway, Chang Guangxin, had gone.
Still, they couldn’t rely entirely on these people to confess.
When Detective Lao Tian arrived with his men, Jiang Xia sat in the meeting room and drew a portrait based on the man’s description.
The witness was Chang Guangxin’s neighbor. He had known the man for more than three months and was very familiar with him, so his description was fairly accurate. And after the example of Jin Weitao, Jiang Xia didn’t bother holding back with the portrait this time. She went all out and finished it in twenty minutes.
The local police officers who had brought Feng Youqiang in hadn’t left either. They were quite curious about who had drawn the portrait. They’d spent the entire morning guessing that the bureau must have invited some kind of expert from somewhere. They hadn’t expected the artist to be so young, and the curiosity was practically eating them alive.
Some secretly carried the portrait over to the interrogation-room door and peered through the glass to see whether Jin Weitao really looked like that. Others returned and stood on tiptoe outside the meeting room, trying to sneak a look at Jiang Xia’s sketchbook.
“All right.”
After finishing the drawing and confirming once again with the neighbor that there were no errors, Jiang Xia tore off the portrait.
Lu Yixing took out a confidentiality form and, with a serious expression, explained to the neighbor that he was strictly forbidden from leaking the portrait. He then had the man sign it.
Seeing the two of them doing this, the detectives and local officers who had been quietly waiting outside finally crowded into the room. They stared at the portrait and clicked their tongues in amazement.
“My goodness, it’s practically a photograph.”
“I’ve seen this kid before. I think his nickname was Slippery Guts or something. He was slippery as an eel. If I remember correctly, we caught him pickpocketing once and locked him up for more than a month!”
“Right, right. That’s why I was wondering why I hadn’t seen him around lately.”
…
…
Amid the discussion, a young local police officer came over and stood beside Jiang Xia. He tried hard to find something to talk about.
“Comrade, you’re really good at drawing portraits. This looks incredibly accurate.”
Jiang Xia looked up at him.
“If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”
“Haha, actually, there is something.”
The young local police officer gave an awkward laugh. Scratching his head sheepishly, he said, “Two children in our jurisdiction have gone missing recently. Their parents are frantic, but they can’t find them anywhere. I was hoping you could draw portraits of the children for them. Maybe they could use the portraits to find them…”
“Children have gone missing?”
The words immediately put Jiang Xia on alert. She pressed him at once, “How old are the missing children? Did anyone see what the kidnapper looked like?”
“Funny enough, both children are only six years old.”
The young officer continued, “But they were both playing outside, and the adults weren’t keeping an eye on them. Nobody saw what the kidnapper looked like. One of the children did say that the person walked with a limp, though, like a cripple.”
A cripple!
The shattered tibia that had been cracked open and its marrow sucked out instantly flashed through Jiang Xia’s mind. Her heart gave a sudden jolt.
So it really was about replenishing the body with something of the same kind!
“Don’t say anything else for now. Come with me to see Chief Xu!”
Jiang Xia shot to her feet, grabbed the young officer by the shoulder of his uniform, and dragged him straight outside.