Chapter 9: 'R'

*Xin Lei*

I was dumbfounded.

Seriously, there was no love in his tone. Jun was only six years old.

"Answer some questions, and you can play with Cocoa." Bai Li said.

"Arf!" Cocoa agreed.

I twitched my brow. A bribe.

But it seemed to work.

Jun got out of Fu Biyu's embrace and went near Bai Li. Bai Li felt the boy's presence and held his hands in his.

Fu Biyu looked at me doubtfully.

I nodded, and she understood.

Bai Li asked, "Were you in your sister's group with her?"

Fu Jun looked here and there as if thinking something. "Yes…"

I thought about it. They are siblings, so it wasn't strange to be together.

"Were you always beside her?"

"Yes."

"Where did you go with your sister? What places?"

Once again, it seemed like Fu Jun was thinking.

"I saw pandas, zebras, giraffes, and a big, big park. There were many big trees. There was also an ocean!"

I think by ocean he meant a small lake. I had heard about Natural Park. It's like a forest in itself but with many attractions for children, nice lodging places for resting and a good relaxing atmosphere. It had a lake at its center for boating.

Bai Li asked, "Did you go to any place where you got separated from your friends?"

He frantically shook his head. "No."

"When was the last time you saw your sister?"

He darted his gaze at the right. "I don't remember…"

Bai Li stared at the boy. Even if he couldn't see, I thought that he could still see right through him.

I tugged him. Bai Li let go of the boy.

I could have used sign language to ask Fu Biyu, but then Bai Li wouldn't know what I asked, so I typed. "When did you contact my father?"

*Duan Deming*, ---

I saw Tian Song coming back from attending his call. I grinned, "Have you got a girlfriend? I see you are getting quite a few calls frequently."

Tian Song said, "Case, Duan Deming."

I pouted.

The cleaner already gave his testimony. We talked to some nearby shop owners.

One vehemently said, "Everything is legal here!"

I rolled my eyes. He was a small liquor shop's owner.

Dude, nobody was accusing you of it either. Seriously they always imagined everything for the worse when they saw the police.

"You know a woman was found dead, right? Did you see anybody hanging around that alley with a big bag or some sort of a sack? Around early morning?"

"No, I open my shop at ten."

The woman was found at 9.20 am.

"Any suspicious person? Maybe yesterday? Maybe he was aimlessly walking in front of it?"

"No."

Tian Song asked. "Think carefully."

"I'm sure." He sounded confident.

We talked to some other shop owners, but the result was the same. Nobody had seen anything.

Soon, the forensics team arrived, and we left them to do their job to find any evidence.

Tian Song said to the junior officer, Peng Bao. "Check her call records and send me the photos of the body."

I nodded. "Alright, guess I will check the CCTV and her route from when she entered the unknown car in Andingzhen."

I sat back in the car with Tian Song.

"Until all the records and evidence arrives, why don't grab some lunch? I'm damn hungry."

"I have some work." Song said.

Not again.

"Come on-"

Once again, his phone rang, and I thought this other person was really an enemy of our friendship. I tried to see this damn person who was calling him, but Song quickly moved his phone away.

I sighed.

The only thing I managed to see was that the name started from 'R.'

*Xin Lei*, ---

Fu residence.

Fu Biyu said, "Immediately after, Ting was arrested. We had heard of Xin Nianzu. He is a famous defense lawyer. I met him and told him everything about the case I knew. He told us that he would take up our case. I think he was investigating as well. But, suddenly, we lost contact. And now three days later, it's the preliminary hearing. What will we do without him?" She was sobbing.

I felt utterly sad. Dad will never abandon a case once he takes charge of it. Now, I was getting more anxious.

Bai Li asked, "What are the cops saying about Fu Meili?"

"They are continuing with their search, but they haven't found any clue about her whereabouts. My poor daughter...What state must she be in? It's been seven days now. She is only eight. Please save her...My Meili..." She was choking in between her sobs. Perhaps, she didn't want to worry Fu Jun.

"Since how long are you not able to contact Xin Nianzu?"

Fu Biyu said, "For about five days, I think."

Almost about the same time when I returned from my trip.

Bai Li nodded and got up. "Thank you for your time."

She asked, "Will everything be alright?"

Bai Li paused for a while and said, "We will try our best. Don't talk to any strangers about this case."

She nodded.

Cocoa came to his side after playing with Fu Jun. The boy looked unhappy.

As we came out, I typed. "The police found a bloody knife in Fu Ting's room. But why would he harm Fu Meili? He is her father."

Bai Li shook his head. "There are many cases where the father has sexually assaulted or beat his own daughter. So, whenever a case like this comes where a little girl is kidnapped or hurt, the first suspicion is usually towards the father."

I anxiously typed. "So, is Fu Meili really hurt?"

He said, "Can't say. That's why we have to be quick. Also, that boy is hiding something."