Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The sun is out.

    Bo Jinyan asks Fu Ziyu what’s their current location.

    Fu Ziyu: “We have nearly reached the toll station."

    "Ah." He takes off his sleep mask, sits up and look at Jian Yao, "You finally got your wish, for me to do a briefing outside a tolling station.” 

    Jian Yao remembers the last investigation.  He refused to brief to the police over the phone. 

    “The curse of the tolling station......" She mumbles.

    -

    Bo Jinyan starts:

    "In the past six months, Wang Wan Wei was controlled by drug addiction.

    Her diary mentioned about ‘wrong steps’. It’s probably something to do with sex or drugs, or both.  She said she ‘couldn’t resist fate’, so someone had some information about her that she didn’t want to be made public.  I suspect it’s nude photos or sex videos.  

    The person who is controlling her could only be one of these three: Shen Dan Wei, Pei Ze or Qian Yu Wen. It’s not Manager Lin, as she tried every way she could to get her transferred or dismissed.  If she wanted to play a game of cat and mouse, she wouldn’t try to push her away.

It’s not Zhou Qin.  He was not interested in developing a relationship with a young pretty girl.  Besides he devotes all his time to his son.  There’s no time for him to train up a sex slave.   

    All the staffs from Customer 3 division are very well paid.  So this person’s dominance is not about money, but purely to satisfy his/her desires.  This person is experienced when it comes to taking drugs and fooling around.  Shen Dan Wei, Pei Ze and Qian Yu Wen all meet these criterias.   Although Qian Yu Wen is a homosexual, we cannot rule out the possibility of him being a bisexual, so he is still one of the suspects.”  

    Jian Yao is quiet. Under the guise of these well dressed and professional looking colleagues are souls that are dark and ugly.  To use such dirty tactics on a young woman.  It’s hideous.  No wonder Bo Jinyan warned her not to have any physical contact with them. 

    Bo Jinyan continues:

    “Manager Lin knew what’s going on but chose to keep quiet.  Wang Wan Wei’s diary mentioned that everything seemed to go wrong suddenly.  Who else has the power to incite the crowd against her within the division? However, for Manager Lin to hate Wang Wan Wei so much, she might have done something to offend manager Lin.  Perhaps Wang Wan Wei  accidentally came across her misdemeanour (for example, accounting fraud).  So Manager Lin is very eager to get rid of her.  But according to the diary, Wang Wan Wei didn’t seem to be aware of it.  I will get the private detective to check out her financial status and private life.  

  The most important element in any murder is motive. Wang Wan Wei was trying to break free from the person’s control.  That angered the killer. It was pouring with rain on the night of the murder.  The murderer must have returned to the room with muddy shoes or wet clothes.  And two hours is a long time to be away from the room.  Yet, no one admitted they ever leave their rooms.  Therefore, the roommate must be covering up for him/her, making that person an accomplice."

    ———

  The Orange Hill Resort is located on a recently developed tourist attractions to the south of B City.   The developer is a company owned by Yin Ziqi.

   This is also the crime scene. 

    The resort is built along a gentle hillside.  There are five residences scattered amongst the trees.  All the dwellings has the same layout - brown house with a hay roof, stone steps leading to the front door, a small courtyard at the back, surround by circle of green shrubs and flowers.       

    The villa is not open to the public as it’s still under renovations.  A few company staffs have come for their annual retreats, like Customer 3 Division.  But because it’s not taking in outsiders, there’s no security on duty on the night of the murder. CCTV is not in operation.

   No one has stayed at the resort since Wang Wan Wei’s death.  

    Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao walks  into the first room, where Wang Wan Wei stayed.  The place looks tidy.  There are no signs to suggest there’s been a murder there.

    From the backyard, it’s less than 100m to the front door of Zhou Qin’s residence.   Pei Ze and  Qian Yu Wen stayed in the third residence.  From their lounge, they could see Zhou Qin’s backyard clearly. 

    Mai Chen and Lin Yu Xuan’s residences were on either side of these three residences.   

    So, the two pairs of suspects’ residences were the furthest from Wang Wan Wei’s place.   But with the heavy rain, it would have been hard for anyone to hear what’s happening outside of their residences. 

    —-

   When they walk out of Lin Yu Xuan’s residence, the team of security guards which Bo Jinyan has arranged to come and help with finding evidence has arrived.  Under Bo Jinyan’s instructions, they start digging in certain parts of the courtyards. 

    —-

    Florescence testings came back negative.  There’s no evidence of blood in any of the rooms. Bo Jinyan filled several large boxes with the soil his men dug up, and sent them for analysis.  The results should come back in a few days.   

    Yin Ziqi's assistant looks at the holes in the once nicely landscaped courtyards: “Should we fill the pits?

    To which Bo Jinyan answers: “Is that necessary?  I will return all the dirt to you once the analysis is done."

    -

    For the next few days, Jian Yao has a lot of free time as they are waiting for the forensic results.  She takes out some management manuals and business data.  After all, she plans to go back to her original position when the investigation is over.  But her brain keeps thinking about the case.  What she used to enjoy doing now seems  boring and not as meaningful.    

Is this what happened to Bo Jinyan?  That he slowly walked into a different world, and found it so interesting that he didn’t want to leave?  

 ———

    Pei Ze seems to be interested in her.  He finds excuses to be around her all the time.  But he’s has not asked her out on a date…. yet. 

    Jian Yao hopes that day never comes. 

   Friday night.  Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are in a Japanese restaurant.  They are just starting dinner when Pei Ze calls. 

    Jian Yao sees the  caller ID on her phone, and shows Bo Jinyan: “It's Pei Ze.”

    Bo Jinyan: “Take it."

    Pei Ze:  "Jian Yao,  the rest of the team are coming to my house on Sunday for dinner.  Zhou Qin is bringing his son too.  You have to join us.”   

    Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan.

    Bo Jinyan: “Go!” He is moving his mouth but there’s no actual sound coming out from him.

    Jian Yao hesitates.

    She covers the mic of her mobile with her hand and whispers to Bo Jinyan: “Will it be too dangerous?”  

    Bo Jinyan gives her a haughty look, as if she’s raised a very stupid question.

    “Would I throw you in the lion’s den and not protect you?" He whispers.

    Jian Yao picks up the phone: “OK.  What time?  Can you give me your address?"

    -

    It’s close to midnight. Jian Yao has brought half her wardrobe to Bo Jinyan’s house.  They are trying to find something suitable for her to wear for Sunday’s dinner.  

    “What should I wear?"

   Bo Jinyan takes a look at the clothes she brought.   Just as Jian Yao thought he’d give her some advice, he says: “You want me to imagine how you would look in these clothes?  Sorry, I am not very good at that.  Get change and show me.”  

    The first set is a white T-shirt with beige pants.  Bo Jinyan is sitting in the sofa.  He is holding a book in one hand, and a coffee in the other.  When she walks out, he looks up for a few seconds, then goes back to his book. ”No,” He said :”Next.” 

Summer clothes use softer fabrics.  It’s not easy to hide a pinhole camera and listening device without looking conspicuous.  She tries on another five sets.  Bo Jinyan will occasionally ask her to turn around, and look if there’s a good place to attach a listening device. 

    They finally settle on a strip blue pinstripe cotton dress.  The button like black circular pinhole camera is fixed on the V-shaped collar.  And further down, a listening device hidden inside a silver brooch.

    Next is to fit the ear piece, which obviously needs to go into one of her ears. 

    Jian Yao is sitting on a stool.  Bo Jinyan kneels down facing her.  His hand is holding the small piece of electronic device.  Jian Yao can feel his soft fingertips touch her ears.  It’s a little numb, a little hot and a little itchy.

He’s so close to her.  She knows her face is starting to get red: ”Are you done yet?"

    "No." He looks at her: “Can’t seem to fit it in with my fingers."

    Jian Yao takes the mini communicators from his hand: “Let me try.”  She carefully slots it into her right ear.  

“Will it fall?” She asks

  Bo Jinyan:  "Yes, so keep your head movements small tomorrow."

   Jian Yao: "...... alright.”

    -

    The next day, Bo Jinyan was out for the whole day.  He didn’t want Jian Yao to go with him.  On Sunday afternoon, Jian Yao gets changed into the dress they’ve decided on.  She goes to Bo Jinyan’s apartment.  

    She is still nervous: “I’ll be leaving soon.  Are you sure I’m going to be okay?” When she asked him earlier what are his plans for protecting her, he just asked her to trust him, and that It’s not something she needs to worry about.

    Bo Jinyan smiles: "Take it easy, they are not going to kill you today."

  -  Gee.. thanks for the reassurance. 

    Jian Yao takes a taxi to Pei Ze’s apartment.  She speaks softly: "I am there” 

    "Ah, I know." Bo Jinyan’s deep melodious voice is coming through her right ear.  Jian Yao thought he is seeing through the camera, and then she hears him say: “I’m right behind you.”

    Jian Yao turns around and sees a familiar black Lexus - It’s Fu Ziyu’s car, parking on the side of the road.  Then slowly, a dark window is lowered down, a man puts out his hand and waves upward.  He is motioning her to go.  .

    Jian Yao suddenly laughs.

   Is that his arrangement?  To follow her here? 

    But knowing he’s nearby gives her the courage.  She lifts her head and walks into the apartment building.