Chapter 43

“What do you think?” An Yan asked.

Jian Yao stared at Ke Ai from behind the one-way glass. “Honestly, she looks as if she really doesn’t know anything. If it turns out that her entire reaction was all a show, then this woman is indeed highly skilled and very much to be feared.”

——

“After you returned to China, when did you get in touch with Ke Qian?” Fang Qing asked.

Ke Ai’s eyes dimmed briefly. After a moment of recollection, she replied, “After I came back, I took a month to settle in. I went to my old hometown and located my grandfather’s old house. He was not there, so I asked the neighbours and got his contact details from them. When I discovered he was also in Beijing, I was ecstatic.”

Fang Qing asked, “What was his reaction at the time?”

A bleak smile hovered around Ke Ai’s mouth. “He was very happy, we were both really happy. Even though we didn’t express our feelings overtly, we both knew it.”

“Why did you conceal the interactions between the both of you from other people?” Bo Jinyan asked.

“I actually didn’t mind, but Ke Qian didn’t want it to be known,” replied Ke Ai. “He said, people wouldn’t understand how children separated from each other at a young age would feel upon being reunited. He said that no one around him would understand. I respected his feelings, and wanted to do what I could to help him.”

Fang Qing asked, “Why did you give Ke Qian the money? It was no small amount.”

“My adoptive parents’ economic situation is fairly comfortable. They also agreed to give the money to Ke Qian. I wanted to . . . help him realise his dream, but I never imagined . . .”

“Where were you between 12 and 2 a.m. on the 17th of this month, and between 1 and 3 a.m. on the 20th? What were you doing?”

Ke Ai raised her head. “So late . . . I must have been asleep. Why are you asking this question?”

Bo Jinyan said, in an unhurried manner, “On the evening of the 17th, two of the people involved in the conspiracy to murder Ke Qian were killed by poison; the poison was ****. On the evening of the 20th, another of the main conspirators was killed at home. If we don’t stop him, the murderer will continue to kill.”

Ke Ai was stunned.

The changes in her expression were very distinct and subtle.

At first, there was shock, then doubt. Following that came deep thought, a flash of sudden understanding, bitter laughter, then mourning.

“It was him?” she asked dumbly. “So, when he said he was going to do something that should not be done, making malicious people pay the price . . . someplace where I could not see him . . .” She once again covered her face with her hands, and her tears flowed freely.

Grief, intense grief which could not be suppressed. Even with one look, one could clearly feel her sorrow.

Bo Jinyan handed her a tissue.

“Don’t cry, we are also sorry about all the pain he suffered.”

Ke Ai looked at him through her tears and said, “Thank you.”

Fang Qing continued, “Ke Qian lost a lot of blood at his home. The forensic doctor concluded that it was impossible for him to be alive. However, we have two eyewitnesses who saw another person looking remarkably like Ke Qian at the scene of the crime of the murdered animation studio members. This is why we asked you to come with us to the police station today.”

Ke Ai was blank for a while, then comprehension dawned. “So . . . you guys suspect me? That’s impossible! How could it be me? Although Ke Qian has talked about them, I don’t even know what they look like . . . It’s Ke Qian. He didn’t die; he’s not dead.”

From the tone of her final words, it was difficult to tell if she was happy, or sad.

Fang Qing and Bo Jinyan exchanged glances. Bo Jinyan said, “All right, Miss Ke Ai, today, our conversation ends here. However, I need to remind you of something important – at the moment, Ke Qian can only be classified as ‘missing’, so we cannot rule him out as a suspect in these murder cases. But, at the same time, we are also unable to exclude you from the list of suspects. Because the two of you are so similar in appearance, eyewitnesses can’t distinguish between you. So, I think that you will not be able to return to the States next week as you planned, but will have to stay in China to help in the investigation, until the truth comes to light*.”

*T/N 水落石出 (shui luo shi chu) – lit. until the water recedes and the rocks are revealed.

Ke Ai was silent for a moment before saying, “Ok, I understand.”

——

The members of the Special Cases Unit regrouped once again in the conference room.

Fang Qing smacked his lips several times and said, “It’s watertight*.”

*T/N 滴水不漏 (di shui bu lou) – lit. not one drop of water can leak out

He was naturally referring to Ke Ai.

Bo Jinyan smiled briefly before saying, “Looking at the current situation, every clue points to her.”

Everyone remained silent.

This was as clear as daylight.

“However . . .” Bo Jinyan’s words took a sharp turn. “From the perspective of behavioural analysis, Ke Ai is not the murderer.”

An Yan and Fang Qing were both dumbfounded, while Jian Yao looked at him thoughtfully. Bo Jinyan said, “After the murderer found out about how Jiang Xueran and the others conspired to kill someone that night, he planned his revenge carefully, waiting half a year to carry it out. His methods were cruel and reckless.

Although Ke Ai suffered family tragedy and separation at a young age, she grew up in a healthy adoptive family. Her character is robust, optimistic, self-confident and kind-hearted. Where her interpersonal relationships are concerned, she is rational and welcoming of all. Furthermore, she has a pretty good future: work, family, love.

The person in this murder case exhibits a totally different personality from Ke Ai. Despairing, vicious, full of hatred, staking everything for just one shot. It’s not only revenge on Ke Qian’s murderer, but revenge on life. If you look at Ke Ai’s life, the nurturing she’s received and her character, if she knew the facts and had sufficient evidence to convict the murderers, she would definitely not lack the common sense to report them to the police. She would never have destroyed her own future and ruined her life by using such methods to take revenge.

Therefore, the murderer is not Ke Ai. Even though I don’t have any concrete evidence, the behavioural analysis has already told us this.”

Jian Yao nodded. After meeting Ke Ai today, she too felt  this aspect was weird.. Killing someone is not an easy task. It can still be done if one kills on impulse, in the spur of the moment. However, to endure silently for half a year before killing people in a frenzy, this is the work of someone who is extreme in character, and who is at a dead end. On the other hand, Ke Ai has exhibited a peaceful and rational character on all fronts. She would not have chosen to personally kill others to resolve this problem.

Fang Qing, however, frowned. “But, right now, Ke Ai is the only suspect. Jinyan, you’ve spoken before of the importance of behavioural analysis, and I recognise that. However, when the evidence-based logic conflicts with your behavioural analysis . . . I’m sorry, but I believe in the evidence, and I believe in the facts I can see with my own eyes. We can’t be sure that she’s putting on a show right now, misleading us into thinking that Ke Qian is not dead and is the murderer.”

In response, Bo Jinyan said, “Her reaction in the interrogation room today could have been faked, but there is no way for her to fake her past, her life, her friends and her family. Ke Ai is in line with my behavioural analysis of her.”

Fang Qing’s eyes widened, and he exclaimed, “But the forensic expert extracted Ke Qian’s DNA from the scene of the crime! The DNA of fraternal twins is different! Furthermore, the forensic expert concluded that it was impossible for someone to still be alive after losing so much blood!”

Bo Jinyan said, “The bloodstains at the crime scene had been washed over by someone many times and were no longer reliable. The doctor’s conclusion was based on an estimate of the amount of blood lost. As for Ke Qian’s DNA being extracted, as well as bloodstains that could be tested, how do you know that it wasn’t because someone deliberately left those at the scene of the crime?”

After a moment’s surprise, Fang Qing’s expression turned crabby, and he said sarcastically, “What you’re saying is also only a possibility. If the murderer is not Ke Ai, then who do you say it is?”

Bo Jinyan also smiled briefly. Instead of answering, with a cold and indifferent expression, he asked in reply, “Are you sure that what you’ve seen with your own eyes is the truth?”