Chapter 43: hi? do you want to team up?

43 hi? do you want to team up?

-How is it possible? "I just got a call from the police station," Jonathan said in disbelief. "There must be an error," the operator said. If you have been following the news, you should have seen the order issued by our police department. Semanuick, twenty-six, of heavy build, approximately six feet tall, resident of Los Angeles, suspected of homicide. He fled today to our San Diego. We discovered someone with strikingly similar characteristics to Semanuick on city surveillance, and footage showed that you were the last person to contact him, Mr. Jonathan. We need his help to provide clues. Jonathan insisted:

-I got the call earlier! If he wasn't from the police station, who made the call? The number displayed the area code followed by the emergency number.

Jonathan surreptitiously activated his phone's recording feature while talking, took a screenshot of the incoming call screen, and sent it to his social media account with "friends only" visibility. Then, he switched his phone to speaker mode, found an unused elderly-friendly mobile phone on his bedside table, and charged it.

The elderly phone was not equipped with a SIM card and could not connect to the Internet, which suited Jonathan's needs. It only required his camera and recording functions. He took a photo of the incoming call screen on his smartphone and then activated the senior phone's recording function, placing it nearby to record. Jonathan needed two copies of the incoming call screen photo: a screenshot and a photo. Similarly, he had two copies of the call recording, one on his smartphone and another on the elderly phone that couldn't access the internet.

Jonathan said seriously:

-The previous call was very suspicious... I swear I received a call from the police station. Anti-fra propaganda warns that some scammers may use technology to alter the number displayed on incoming calls. I fear I am dealing with a scammer. If you are a police officer, please give me your badge number.

It was a reasonable request, and generally when citizens make this type of request, police officers provide their badge numbers, since this information is public. The operator paused briefly and provided a series of digits.

Jonathan asked:

-Is the Semanuick you mentioned the same person I ran into on Broadway this morning? Is he a murderer?

- We can't be completely sure, but the physical characteristics are very similar. "We need relevant clues to help our investigation," the operator responded. "One detail. Jonathan noticed a detail. The first male operator had given a definitive answer when Jonathan asked if the killer was the person he had encountered. However, the was that Semanuick was wearing a hat that firmly hid his face, and without a clear frontal field of vision, his identity was doubtful. Still, the male operator was completely sure that the man was indeed the suspect, which was abnormal and unprofessional.

-I watched the news today and suspected that the person I followed was Semanuick, but it seemed too much of a coincidence. "A murderer would hardly go to a crowded place... If only I had known, I would have followed him," Jonathan continued languidly, delaying time and causing the operator to say more. Perhaps finding Jonathan's ramblings excessive, the operator got to the point:

-We need you to provide the suspect's address when he left. In which direction did he head?

Jonathan knew that it would be difficult to get more information from the tone of his voice:

-Ah, I never thought that I would meet a murderer by chance.,, In that case, I will personally visit the police station to provideiues, he said. I know it's a significant matter and I w feel reassured unless I go.

The operator subtly fell silent for a second and then said politely:

-Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

After the call ended, Jonathan reviewed immediately the post he had sent to his social media account.

He grabbed his phone, put on his shoes, and headed straight to the police station. police. By the time he finished selectively reporting and explaining the situation to the police, it was already afternoon.

As the young police officer took his statement, he muttered:

-this is indeed very strange, with evidence of an invasion of hackers. I suggest you get a new phone...

-It's too expensive; "I'm really poor," Jonathan lamented.

-Well, I still recommend changing it. His phone is too insecure and he could expose a lot of information. What happens if your social media and payment passwords are exposed? -said the vouno policeman-. We couldn't find the license plate number on the recording of him; the person who called you is not a police officer... Also, we don't usually call directly from the emergency phone number when handling cases.

-Really?-Jonathan asked.

-People who haven't experienced this may not understand it, but it depends on the situation. 911 is a dedicated command center number, but it can also be an area code plus 911. However, the most authentic approach is to use landlines or ordinary mobile numbers," the young police officer explained. Be careful next time, don't be fooled. If you encounter a wanted criminal, We usually visit the scene in person or ask the witness to go to the police station. Of course, if witnesses and informants request confidentiality, we can record the call, conduct telephone interviews, and write down clues...

Jonathan finally understood:

-I see... Thank you.

-Go home; "It's raining a lot outside and be careful on the road," said the young policeman. It's good to be aware of fraud prevention; keep it up.

-I don't think scammers can get anything out of me; "I'm poor as rats and there's no chance of being fooled," Jonathan said sadly. If the person I followed before was really a murderer, would I be considered to have provided significant clues?

Could I get a reward?

-If the case is solved, there will be a reward, but usually not if it remains unsolved," the young police officer responded.

As he left, Jonathan expressed his best wishes:

-I hope the case is solved soon.

Outside, the rain fell relentlessly. Jonathan opened his umbrella and walked into the downpour, fighting his way through the flooded streets to get back home. As soon as he entered the building and closed his umbrella, his phone vibrated with a new message

-Hello? The world is too dangerous. Do you want to team up?

Three seconds later, another message arrived.

-I'm the person who called you earlier. I have no bad intentions.