Afternoon.
City Public Security Bureau.
The investigation had made new progress. The fingerprints and DNA from the skin fragments under the fingernails were concrete evidence. Liu Taibo and Xu Dabing were escorted to the interrogation rooms for questioning. No one suspects Dong Xuebing now, and they were the main suspects in this case. What’s lacking is witnesses and motives.
The interrogation rooms.
The Public Security Bureau officers looked at Li Taibo sternly. “Team Leader Li, why did you go to Liu Yan Restaurant this afternoon?”
Li Taibo replied. “The Discipline Inspection Deputy Director Luo had invited me to lunch.”
Another officer asked. “Did you leave the private room during that period?”
“No.” Li Taibo replied. “I did not even leave for the bathroom.”
That Officer continued. “Other than Xu Dabing, who can prove that you had not left the room when the incident happened?”
Li Taibo clenched his teeth and replied. “Luo Haiting can be my witness. We were drinking together.” He still had not given up hope, and he knew he had not pushed Wan Sizhao off the building. He can prove his innocence if he gets a witness. “Wan Sizhao and I were close, and many people know about it. Why should I kill him? This is a false accusation! You all should question Dong Xuebing! He is the only one who has a motive! Qu Yunxuan is his cousin, and she jumped out of the window after she got drunk. He pinned the blame on Wan Sizhao and me! He did this! He must have left those fingerprints and DNA samples to frame us! Xu Dabing had testified that he saw Dong Xuebing when the incident happened! Dong Xuebing must have fabricated the evidence!”
The adjacent interrogation room.
The Public Security Bureau officers were not so nice to Xu Dabing. One of the officers hit the table. “Your fingerprints are found on the victim! Tell us the truth!”
Xu Dabing shouted. “This has nothing to do with me! I did not kill anyone!”
The officers were furious. “Then how do you explain your fingerprints and the victim’s DNA under your fingernails?!”
Xu Dabing scratched his head in frustration. “I don’t know! I don’t know what happened! Someone is trying to frame me!”
“Why would someone try to frame you?” The Officer said. “Also, how did that person frame you?! Huh? Don’t tell me you don’t even know you had scratched the victim?!”
Xu Dabing shouted. “It must be Dong Xuebing! This was all planned by him!”
“How did Director Dong set you up?! Hold your hand and scratch Wan Sizhao?!”
“It must be him. He was also at the scene when it happened! I saw him!”
Xu Dabing was unsure if it was Dong Xuebing, and he did not see the latter when the incident happened. He did not even see Dong Xuebing ten minutes before the incident, but Li Taibo and he had agreed to say this. He knew he could not tell the truth and must stick to his lies. This way, they could bring Dong Xuebing down, and he could escape scot-free. He was not concerned about who the killer was and only wanted Dong Xuebing to take the blame.
An office in the Public Security Bureau.
Dong Xuebing was sitting opposite two Public Security Bureau Officers. Cao Hai and the other leaders left after they learned about fingerprints and DNA evidence.
“Director Dong.” The Officer said. “Team Leader and Xu Dabing insisted you planted the evidence to frame them. What do you have to say?”
Dong Xuebing smiled. “What else did they say?”
The Officer hesitated and said. “Xu Dabing said he saw you one minute before the incident.”
Dong Xuebing laughed out of anger. “Are you sure Xu Dabing said this?”
The Officer nodded. “They say your claim of being at the Discipline Inspection at 12.40 pm is false and should be investigated.”
Dong Xuebing understood why Li Taibo brought Xu Dabing to the Public Security Bureau. They were planning to give false statements and fabricate evidence against him. They planned to use all despicable means against him, like what happened to Yunxuan. If they can continue to lie in this situation, they will dare to do worse things in the future. Taking those rape cases in the past, these two should be sentenced to death twice!
Dong Xuebing calmly replied. “You all can go ahead to investigate, but I suggest you all not divert in the wrong direction. Both suspects were identified with the evidence, and it would be too much if you all continued investigating me. You all should gather more evidence against them.”
The Officer quickly explained. “Director Dong, that’s not what we meant. We are just telling you what they said. We have called for the witnesses at the scene over.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “I still have another suggestion, and I am unsure if you all are interested.”
The Officer replied. “Please say it.”
Dong Xuebing replied. “Li Taibo and Xu Dabing’s words cannot be trusted. You all had worked with Li Taibo, and I don’t believe you all had not heard of rumors about him. Wan Sizhao was involved in several rape cases, and almost all of them were handled by Li Taibo. All the cases were closed without any conclusion. Our Discipline Inspection also received several complaints against Wan Sizhao. I might not be sure about the previous cases, but I know about Qu Yunxuan’s case. Xu Dabing had testified for Wan Sizhao. He claimed Wan Sizhao had left the restaurant when she jumped out of the window, and Li Taibo claimed my cousin smelled alcohol. That’s why Wan Sizhao was acquitted of attempted rape. Can you all see the connections between them?”
The two Officers exchanged looks with serious expressions.
Dong Xuebing continued. “Li Taibo and Wan Sizhao were close, and that’s what people see. However, I suspect they have some dealings between them. Li Taibo and Xu Dabing had testified for Wan Sizhao, and their deals went wrong. Li Taibo and Xu Dabing had no choice but to silence Wan Sizhao. Of course, this is my deduction for their murder motive. It’s your job to conduct the investigation, and I am only giving a suggestion. I believe you all will find out that Li Taibo and Xu Dabing are giving false statements to frame me, and they have no credibility. I suggest you all reinvestigate the previous cases, including my cousin’s case. I am not saying this as the cousin of a victim. This is my view as a Discipline Inspection staff. I hope you all will find out the truth behind Qu Yunxuan’s case. Wan Sizhao might be dead, but the cases must be investigated thoroughly. We must not let the people down.”
The Officer wrote everything in his notebook. “I will put up a request to my higher-ups.”
Since Li Taibo and Xu Dabing still wanted to pin everything on Dong Xuebing, he would not hold back.
A chance was given to you all, and you all did not cherish it.
Another interrogation room in the Public Security Bureau.
Luo Haiting was called to the Public Security Bureau to record her statement.
This interrogation room was different. It had a one-sided glass, and people in the next room could watch and hear the interrogation. The Public Security Bureau Chief Cao Hai and other Public Security Bureau Leaders were sitting in the next room, watching Luo Haiting’s interview.
An officer asked. “Director Luo, were you having lunch with Li Taibo before the incident?”
“Yes.” Luo Haiting was afraid Dong Xuebing was related to the incident and was mindful of her answers.
The Officer continued. “Did you notice anything weird during your lunch with Team Leader Li and Boss Xu?”
Luo Haiting thought for a while. “No. But Team Leader Li and Boss Xu seemed close and had known each other for some time.”
The Officer asked. “Where were you when the incident happened?”
“I was on the fourth floor of the restaurant?”
“With Team Leader Li and Boss Xu?”
“No. I left for the bathroom before it happened, and I could not remember the time. I heard a scream two minutes after I entered and rushed out to see what had happened.”
“Where were Team Leader Li and Boss Xu when you came out of the bathroom?”
“They are in Room 28. The private room where the incident happened.”
“Oh, only the both of them?”
“They were with some detectives. I was the last to arrive.”
A few minutes later.
Another witness entered the room.
“Are you a waitress in Liu Yang Restaurant?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see Luo Haiting entering the bathroom before the incident?”
“I don’t know who Luo Haiting is. It was a woman.”
“Look at this. Is it the woman in this picture?”
“Yes. It’s her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. The hand soap dispenser was empty, and she asked me to bring a bottle to the toilet. I heard someone scream outside when I was about to get the hand soap.”
“Alright. Thanks for assisting with the investigation.”
The last witnesses were the detectives from the Investigation Team.
“Were you all having lunch at Liu Yang Restaurant during the incident?”
“Yes. Team Leader Li had called us over to have lunch. He said he was paying.”
“Why did he treat you all to lunch? Why did he pick that place?”
“I don’t know. He sounded as if something might happen from his tone. We did not see him when we ate, and we heard he was having lunch with a Discipline Inspection Leader.”
“Did you all go to Room 28 when the incident happened?”
“Yes.”
“Were you all the first ones there?”
“Team Leader Li and the restaurant’s boss were in the room when we reached. We should be the second group of people to enter the room.”
“Is there anyone else?”
“No. Only the two of them.”
“Did they enter the room before or after the scream?”
“I don’t know.”
The detectives knew the Public Security Bureau Leaders were watching them behind the one-way glass and didn’t dare to lie.
The Public Security Bureau Leaders were looking terrible as they exchanged looks.
Luo Haiting stated that she was not in the private room. The few detectives also said Li Taibo and Xu Dabing were in the room before them. This means there’s a two to three minutes gap, and no one knew what Li Taibo and Xu Dabing did inside the room.
Now, they got both witnesses and evidence.
