It was still dark, and at some point when Director Lu woke up, he heard the phone ringing in the outhouse.
jingle bell -
jingle bell -
He knew who it was calling.
As if he had repeated it a thousand times, he rolled over and got out of bed, stepping on the cold floor tiles with his old and swollen bare feet. Outside the window was the roaring black wind of the twelfth lunar month, whistling whistling, covering up his almost silent footsteps; he pushed open the door and heard a long screeching sound from the door shaft that lacked lubrication in the bedroom.
jingle bell -
jingle bell -
The phone glowed red in the dark, blinking and blinking.
He stood in front of the jumping red dot, stared at the telephone, and felt that his fat body seemed to melt into the winter night and turn into a cold and empty vapor.
"You take it," he heard a sharp, sharp voice say, "take it—"
jingle bell -
jingle bell -
With a click, Bureau Lu picked up the receiver.
Just like an old tape recorder was clicked and the play button was pressed, the tape began to swirl, and it was repeated a thousand times, and there were shouts that sounded like weeping and laughing over the phone, and countless sharp hooks scrambled into the ear holes, digging desperately. His eardrums:
"I'm sorry for them, I'm sorry for Jiang Ting, Lao Lu—"
"I killed him, I killed them, Lao Lu—"
Bureau Lu stood in front of the phone, he wanted to say something, but his throat seemed to be blocked. He heard a snake-like movement behind him, the icy breath getting closer and closer, and then a rotten hand rested on his loose and fat shoulders, and the cry on the phone suddenly cleared up. Clear Chu appeared behind the ear:
"Why put a flag on me?"
Director Lu stared at the front, and when he released his hand, the microphone fell to the ground like a dying head after being hanged.
"Didn't I tell you?"
"I told you specifically?"
"Why put a flag on me? Why? Why—"
Don't look back, he thought, don't look back. But the irresistible force in the dark forced him to turn his neck inch by inch, and saw the bloody purple face clinging to his back, its purple lips were still opening and closing, and he let out a mournful cry:
"Why did you put a flag on me—"
"what!"
Ju Lu suddenly woke up, his chest heaving violently, and he couldn't tell whether he was in a dream or in reality in an instant.
Jingle bell - the office is empty, the phone on the desk is still ringing unrelentingly, and the caller ID is Secretary Zhang.
"..." Bureau Lu answered the phone, his voice hoarse and indistinguishable: "Hello?"
"Hey Bureau Lu, Deputy Qin needs to ask for your opinion and confirmation for some routine reports within the detachment, is that ok?"
The chubby and heavy old director closed his eyes and felt that his eardrums were still buzzing, and the cold sweat had soaked through the hurdle vest under his white shirt. After more than ten seconds, he finally tried his best to stabilize his breathing, his heartbeat was still beating in his throat, and there was a faint needle-like pain in his chest.
"Yes." Lu Ju finally said steadily, "Let Qin Chuan come in."
He clicked and hung up.
·
"Room 301, Block A, Building 701, Botaoyuan Community," Yan Yan slammed the car door backhand, blocked the sunlight with his hand, looked up at the gray residential building, narrowed his eyes and said, "This place where Yue Guangping lives is not good. land."
The old-fashioned residential building has only six floors, and the balconies above three floors are all open. When you look up, you can see colorful sheets and quilts, shorts and diapers, flowers, birds, fish and insects, and cardboard boxes. The air-conditioning case of each household is hung on the outside of the wall, the rainwater has rusted the air-conditioning bracket, and there are several yellow rust stains neatly hanging under the balcony of each household.
The taxi slid away, Jiang Ting stepped forward, and also looked up at the balcony of 301, which was particularly eye-catching because it was empty.
Yan Yan turned his head and asked Qi Sihao, "Yue Guangping has been dead for almost three years, hasn't this house been sold yet?"
Qi Sihao has been a little nervous these past two days. He wears masks, sunglasses, and baseball caps wherever he goes. Hearing this, he nodded and gave a vague "uh".
"No one lives there? It's empty?"
"Yue Guangping has no relatives here." Jiang Ting answered his question, "His hometown is not in Gongzhou, and his wife passed away very early. It is said that he cannot give birth, so he has no children. Usually there is an elderly nanny at home. It was his old family, who had gone back to the countryside to take his grandson some time before his accident."
Yan Yan said casually: "Fuck, this is really enough..."
He wanted to say that it was really lonely, but after thinking about it, it is always bad to talk about people who have passed away, so he swallowed the words and patted Jiang Ting on the shoulder with a smile:
"Come on, go up."
The corridor was narrow and full of debris, and the rusty iron door of Room 301 had a seal on it. Yan Yan stabbed and tore the seal twice, motioning to Qi Sihao who was holding the key: "Open the door."
The key was stolen from the Gongzhou Municipal Bureau's file box and temporarily assigned. Qi Sihao had no choice but to go up and open the door. With a screeching sound, the iron door and the wooden door opened in turn, and the nightmarish living room three years ago reappeared in front of Jiang Ting—but this time there was no dead body on the ground, only the technical detective drew it with white chalk. a human figure.
"cough cough..."
Floating ash is flying, the light is dim, and the furniture is all dusty in the still years. Yan Yan took the lead in getting into the door and stood in the middle of the living room. Although it was spacious, it was obviously decorated in the style of the 1990s.
No wonder Jiang Ting chose to trust Yue Guangping and explained all his secrets to him.
Judging from this standard of living, Yue Guangping is obviously an old man living alone who lives solely on wages, allowances, festival expenses, heating bills, etc. Compared with ordinary people, his economic conditions should be considered extremely superior, but he is still far from being a "rich person".
"Your technical detective work is rough enough," Yan Yan suddenly discovered something, and finally he could return Jiang Ting's mocking words to Jianning to Gongzhou, and turned to ask Qi Sihao, "Why is this scene here? It's so clean that it doesn't even have a physical evidence mark, and it's all removed?"
Qi Sihao finally took off his sunglasses indoors and looked at him embarrassedly: "But, this is not the scene."
Yan Yan was stunned for a moment, and then reacted.
"Vice Mayor Yue's death has always been described as a heart attack, so..."
Since it was a heart attack, there was no need to even investigate. Drawing a human figure was already considered as an inquest and technical investigation was more responsible.
Wearing gloves, Jiang Ting slowly knelt on the ground, fixedly looking at the human figure outlined by the white chalk under his feet, reaching out and gently stroking the ground, as if he was stroking the corpse of the old vice mayor who couldn't rest. His hair was already a bit long, and his bangs covered his eyes. From Yan Yan's angle from top to bottom, he couldn't see the shimmering light in his eyes.
"He's lying here on his back like this." Jiang Ting said lightly, "He has a cyanotic face, blue lips, and vomit around him... He stared straight ahead, and he didn't close his eyes until the end."
Yan Yan squatted down, "You told me that Yue Guangping was wearing a sweater and long pants when he died?"
Jiang Ting nodded silently.
—In that kind of panic and nervousness, he can still notice the details on the surface of the corpse, not so much because of Jiang Ting’s strong psychological qualities, but because of his professional instinct as a criminal investigation expert.
"Do you remember any other details?" Yan Yan asked hopelessly.
"Not much." Jiang Ting gave a weary and wry smile, "I was in very bad physical condition at the time, plus the sudden change, I heard the siren again... In order not to leave footprints and fingerprints, I didn't even enter the threshold."
He paused for a while, suddenly remembered something, pointed to the foot of the coffee table in front of the sofa: "By the way, there was an overturned ashtray on the ground at that time."
-ashtray
"Could it be that someone used an ashtray as a murder weapon?" Yan Yan asked suspiciously, "But the appearance of the corpse is obviously poisoned."
"I don't know. It may be that the coffee table was knocked crooked, and the ashtray slipped off the table and fell to the ground; it may also be picked up by the murderer of passion and used as a murder weapon, and then thrown on the ground casually. These two give the surface of the ashtray. The resulting traces are completely different, but I only glanced at it from a distance and couldn't tell the difference."
Yan Yan nodded and thought, and suddenly said: "It is also possible that the murderer just cleaned out the cigarette butts with his own DNA from the ashtray."
Jiang Ting frowned.
"A thin old man wearing long trousers will not look very good. Even if he meets a guest at home, the possibility that the visitor is a woman is very small. If it is replaced by a close male acquaintance, the two will sit on the sofa and talk While smoking, it almost makes sense." Speaking of which, Yan Yan looked up at Jiang Zing, then turned to Qi Sihao, and raised his chin: "Do you know that Yue Guangping has a very close male acquaintance?"
Qi Sihao was at a loss.
"Not as far as I know." Jiang Ting suddenly paused, seeming a little weird, and then said slowly, "Unless there is someone..."
Yan Yan asked, "Who?"
"… I."
They looked at each other for a moment, Yan Xun stood up and slapped his thigh: "This joke is not only not funny, but I also don't believe it."
Jiang Ting exhaled bitterly.
"Come into the inner room and have a look," Yan Yan pulled Jiang Ting up with his arms, as if nothing had happened, and even patted his butt: "boxes, cabinets, wardrobes, drawers, any paper with words, for hospitality. tea cups—maybe find a few bits and pieces of clues."
However, it turned out that Yan Yan was thinking too much. After Yue Guangping's accident, his house must have been swept away for a round, not to mention sensitive items such as diaries, notes, and notes, and not even any newspapers, magazines and books left.
This is a house with four bedrooms and one living room. It is divided into a master bedroom, a study room, a tea room and a nanny bedroom. There is a tape recorder at the head of the bedroom, and there are several boxes of old tapes that are not known how many years old. Yan Yan put the tapes in the tape recorder and tried them one by one. Most of them were completely damaged and could no longer be listened to. Only one or two cassettes could be turned around, but they were just ordinary old tapes without any message left.
But it's also - Yan Yan thought in the melodious and sweet "When will you come again".
This kind of audio and video products can still be left in the hands of the K of Spades. It must have been checked again. The reason why it was not packaged and taken away should be that there is a tape recorder on the scene. It looks strange.
Yan Yan stood up from the bed, looked around the master bedroom, and opened the large wardrobe against the wall.
Yue Guangping's wardrobe is similar to that of any elderly police officer, with dark blue police uniforms, white shirts, two or three belts stamped with police badges, and several blue and gray scarves distributed by the public security system. Tailor-made suits and coats for formal occasions.
There are cufflinks, tie clips, watch shakers and other items in the small drawer inside the wardrobe. Yan Yan opened the watch shaker and saw that there was a Rolex without calendar black water ghost, a Tudor steel watch, and a watch that was obviously worn every day and had the most wear and tear. leather strap Longines with steel face.
Yan Xun didn't know what it was like, and after a long breath, she gently put the watch shaker back in the drawer.
There is nothing in the wardrobe, and the elderly wear the most hurdle white vests under their shirts. Yan Yan had given up any hope, and flipped through it, suddenly caught a glimpse of something, "Huh?"
—A yellow dust bag hangs in the deepest part of the wardrobe.
Unzip the dust bag and inside is a brand new trench coat.
"Jiang Ting!" Yan Yan said loudly: "Jiang Ting! Come and see!"
Jiang Ting was looking through the study, the cuffs of his shirt were rolled up on his elbows, and when he heard the words, he walked into the master bedroom: "What's wrong?—This is..."
Yan Yan threw his clothes and dust bag onto the bed.
It was a Burberry black men's trench coat with a fresh white shirt, tie, belt and black trousers, all matching the brand's complete set. As if anticipating something, Yan Yan turned around and dug out from the bottom of the wardrobe. As expected, he took out a brand new shoe box. When he opened it, there were men's formal leather shoes, which exuded the unique smell of good leather.
"..." Jiang Ting bent down to look at the size of the clothes and said, "Yue Guangping can't wear size 52, it's too big."
"These shoes are size 42. The pairs of leather shoes he put at the door are size 40. They are also bigger in comparison. He didn't wear the whole set." Yan Yan took off the dust bag and motioned to Jiang Zing: "Look, this trench coat has leather trims on the back collar and cuffs. It is an upgraded version of his classic style. The price should be in the early 20,000 range. With shirts, trousers, ties, belts, and shoes, the whole set is estimated to be 30,000 yuan. Five up and down, far exceeding the consumption level of Yue Guangping."
Jiang Ting folded his arms, "I can only see that this outfit is very new..."
"Yes, and the design style is relatively young. It is more suitable between the ages of 20 and 40. The old man Yue Guangping is too abrupt."
Both of them looked at the thick dust bag on the bed, and neither of them said anything for a while.
"—Is he planning to buy it as a gift?" Yan Yan took a breath and said suddenly.
Jiang Ting raised his eyes: "Who?"
Indeed, at the level of the deputy mayor, if you send it further up, gifts and cash are already too simple and rude means to be on the table. Besides, if you really want to give a gift, it won't be so neat, and the price tag and packaging of the clothes and trousers are also removed, as if they are afraid of adding trouble to the recipient of unpacking.
"Can't you see?" Yan Yan asked curiously.
Jiang Ting shrugged blankly.
"Isn't it obvious," Yan Yan gestured, "a full set of formal clothes, both inside and outside, the colors and styles were obviously carefully selected, the expensive ones were bought, and ties and shoes were also given... An elderly man gave this as a gift, Speculation in the way of normal people's thinking, I can only think of one situation."
Jiang Ting: "?"
"Father."
Jiang Ting was stunned.
"My son has just come of age, has just graduated, or has just entered the society and is preparing to develop his career. As a parent, he prepares a full set of high-end formal clothes for him, and entrusts him with encouragement and wishes. This is a very normal way of thinking. Of course, it can also be replaced by a nephew, nephew or son-in-law. This is the same as the mother taking out the jewelry at the bottom of the press box for her daughter before she gets married." Yan Yan didn't turn his head for a while, and smiled: "Why don't you even think about this..."
Then his words came to an abrupt end.
The room was suffocatingly quiet.
Three seconds later, Yan Yan smiled nonchalantly: "Do you really think that Yue Guangping has relatives such as nephews and nephews?"
Jiang Ting didn't speak, only the sound of quiet breathing was heard, and Yan Yan didn't dare to look back at his face.
"Well... this is the first time I know this." Jiang Ting said slowly after a long while, "I will remember when your nephew or nephew graduates from college in the future."
A scorching emotion surged through my heart, and my internal organs were slightly shivered by ironing, and even my breath brought a strange shiver.
"...Okay," Yan Yan tried his best to make his voice sound natural and smooth, as if nothing had happened, and smiled: "Then we both have to remember."
"That's a good wish." Jiang Ting smiled slightly and said, "But I really don't know that Yue Guangping has any nephews and nephews in Gongzhou. If it is a younger generation of a comrade-in-arms or a relative from his hometown, then I can't say it... But There must be someone who knows Yue Guangping's relationships very well."
Yan Yan couldn't help but ask, "Who?"
Jiang Ting said, "The nanny he went back to his hometown."
·
The old nanny, Xi Hanxiang, was called Auntie Xi among the neighbors. Jiang Ting had only met him a few times when he visited the leader's house during the holidays. He knew that this aunt was probably in her 60s and was a distant relative of Yue Guangping's hometown.
Said to be relatives, in fact, the villagers are eight hundred miles away, and Xi Hanxiang has worked in Yue Guangping's house for about eight or nine years. Yue Guangping's wife passed away early, and he hasn't remarried for so many years. According to Jiang Ting's usual observation, he and Aunt Xi, who is as strong and loud as a black-faced door god, should be a normal employer, and there is no relationship between an empty nester and an old nanny. story.
But after all, he has been a live-in nanny for so many years. If anyone in this world knows more about Yue Guangping's kinship, it is indeed only Xi Hanxiang.
When he left Yue Guangping's house, Yan Yan took a photo of the formal suit, then sorted it out and put it back in the dust bag, and hung it back in the deepest part of the closet.
Jiang Ting went downstairs first and called for a car, Yan Yan closed the wardrobe door, stared at the handle of the cabinet door that had been peeled off due to years of use, and exhaled, thinking: I haven't given Jiang Ting a gift yet.
With Jiang Ting's current state of mind, his needs for material things are very weak. Yan Yan thought about it, but he never thought that he had paid special attention to anything. The only ones who showed obvious love were those Pu'er tea cakes.
What a perfect thermos cup—Yan Yan thought about it, and there were mixed emotions that were both sweet and sour in her heart.
"When everything is settled, Jiang Ting will be able to appear in front of everyone in a righteous manner, and I will definitely prepare him from head to toe." Yan Yan thought: "Although I know too little about him, I don't know much about him. I can’t tell what he likes to eat and do, and I don’t know what material, style and color he likes to wear, but when the time comes, you can slowly inquire, and you can always inquire clearly.”
He thought so, only to hear Qi Sihao poking his head in and asking, "How is it, can we go?"
"Oh." Yan Yan turned around and asked casually, "Where's Team Jiang?"
Qi Sihao shrank his head, put on his sunglasses and mask again nervously, and said vaguely, "It's downstairs, I've already got into the car."
Yan Yan nodded and went out with Qi Sihao, watching him lock the door as it was.
"I'm going home later, and my wife is already asking." As long as Qi Sihao was outside, he would keep looking around, always worried that someone might rush out of the road and stab him at any time: "I have to deal with it. My wife, get a change of clothes and be out in ten minutes—can you wait for me in the car? Don't leave me out there alone."
Yan Yan sighed: "Okay."
Only then did Qi Sihao feel relieved, and specially emphasized: "My home is not far away, it's in the neighborhood of this neighborhood, and it's on the way to the hotel."
Yan Yan nodded and suddenly remembered something: "Where does Captain Jiang live?"
"what?"
Yan Yan suddenly became interested, thinking that he knew nothing about Jiang Ting's life in Gongzhou before, so he asked, "You Jiang team still live in the police dormitory, right? Has he bought a house?"
"You suddenly asked this..." Qi Sihao was stunned for a while, scratching his chin: "I really don't know. Team Jiang works seven days a week and doesn't participate in group activities during holidays, let alone invite people home for dinner or something. No one should know where he lives."
At this time, they had reached the exit of the community, and Jiang Ting was facing them, standing beside the taxi.
"Okay," Yan Yan ordered casually, "then go back to the police and help me take a look."
Then he couldn't help but quicken his pace to meet Jiang Zing.