Chapter 426: The Cloak of Lies
When the police arrived at the hotel, Luo Zuyu was drinking with some industry friends and Ji Xingyao. Lin Qiupu barged in, flashing an arrest warrant, “Mr. Luo, you’re coming with us.”
Luo Zuyu, holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a cigar in the other, sneered from the couch, “Officer, another tea session? Can’t we talk here?” He laughed and explained to his friends, “I crashed into a barrier the other day. The cops won’t let it go.”
Everyone at the table laughed with him. The police watched coldly. Lin Dongxue said, “Look closely, this is an arrest warrant. We suspect you’re involved in the murder of a fangirl.”
“A fangirl? I never sleep with fans, unless they’re as pretty as you,” Luo Zuyu glanced at Lin Dongxue with a smirk.
“Zuyu!” Ji Xingyao cautioned, then addressed the others, “There must be some misunderstanding. Sorry, I’ll call you later.”
Everyone sensibly left. As soon as the door closed, Luo Zuyu’s demeanor changed. He stood up and shouted at Lin Qiupu, “Haven’t you had enough? Following me around all day, don’t you have real work to do? My time is valuable! Do you think I earn as little as you?”
Lin Qiupu gestured for the officers to handcuff him. Luo Zuyu snatched the warrant, leaped over the couch, tore it into pieces, and threw it into the fish tank, laughing, “Gone. What will you do now?”
“Are you resisting arrest?” Lin Qiupu growled.
“Go ahead, arrest me. If you push me, I’ll jump out the window. Let’s see who takes responsibility for that!” Luo Zuyu, emboldened by alcohol, moved towards the window, but two officers grabbed him. He shouted, “Let go, you idiots, or I’ll sue you!”
The police watched his antics coldly. Ji Xingyao said, “I’ll call a lawyer now. No questioning until they arrive.”
“Whatever! Take him away!” Lin Qiupu ordered.
The convoy of police cars drove him to the station. As they arrived, Ji Xingyao reminded Luo Zuyu, “Say nothing until the lawyer gets here.”
“Don’t worry, sis. I’ll be out in no time,” Luo Zuyu grinned.
Watching him being escorted in, Chen Shi said to Lin Dongxue, “He’s pretty arrogant.”
“He’s drunk. So annoying,” Lin Dongxue replied.
Lin Qiupu said, “He’s here. The interrogation is up to you now. I have other matters… Can you handle it?”
“Eighty percent sure,” Chen Shi replied.
Luo Zuyu was thrown into the interrogation room, causing a ruckus. Ji Xingyao made calls outside while Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue calmly drank tea in the office. Xu Xiaodong rushed in, “The lawyer’s here!”
“Let’s go!” Chen Shi said decisively.
It was the same lawyer as before. Chen Shi had researched him; he was the most expensive private lawyer in town. Once seated, Chen Shi asked, “Sober now?”
Luo Zuyu lounged in his chair, sneering, “Get on with it. I need to rest.”
Lin Dongxue slammed the table, “Watch your mouth! This isn’t a joke.”
“Officer, please don’t intimidate my client,” the lawyer reminded.
Chen Shi signaled Lin Dongxue to stay calm. Let him be arrogant; by tonight, he won’t be. Chen Shi said, “You previously stated you were on a date with your company’s actress Su Xiaowei near Yansha Plaza on the night of July 14th.”
The lawyer answered for him, “This question has been asked and answered.”
“I’d like to confirm it again. What time did the date start?”
Luo Zuyu motioned for the lawyer to stay silent and said slowly, “I picked her up at seven.”
“What was she wearing?”
“A blue Armani dress, a black coat, carrying a brown Gucci bag.”
“You complimented her outfit?”
“Yes, I said it suited her.”
“What did she say?”
“She said I looked handsome too.”
“And then?”
“I asked if she wanted to eat. She said she had already eaten and wanted to go for a drive.”
“Then what?”
“We talked about filming. She’s shooting a new movie, ‘Eagle 1944,’ an anti-Japanese drama.”
“She asked if you wanted a cameo?”
“Yes, I said I was busy with my new album.”
Chen Shi smiled, holding up a paper, “Interesting. Everything you just said is written here, word for word!”
Luo Zuyu looked like he had been slapped. The lawyer said, “Is that evidence?”
“We got this from Su Xiaowei. It has both her and Ji Xingyao’s fingerprints. Plus, we have her testimony confirming she was elsewhere on the 14th. The date is a fabrication. How do you explain that?”
The lawyer glanced at the paper, visibly worried, and conferred with Luo Zuyu.
Lin Dongxue threw another bombshell, “The paparazzi photos posted online were taken on the night of the 15th. We have multiple eyewitnesses and physical evidence. Your alibi is entirely fabricated! If you’re innocent, why fake an alibi the day after the murder?”
Luo Zuyu gripped his hands tightly. The lawyer said, “You understand my client is a public figure. Sometimes, public figures need to fabricate for appearances. It’s normal.”
“Do you think that explanation will hold in court?”
The lawyer hesitated, then said, “A lack of an alibi doesn’t prove he committed the crime. These are unrelated. On July 14th, I didn’t have an alibi either. Are you accusing me? My client feared being misunderstood by the police, hence the alibi. As a public figure, such accusations are damaging.”
“Mr. Liu, are you a lawyer or a debate team champion? Even in debate, you don’t argue like this. You’ve handled numerous criminal cases. Tell me, the murder scene was his room, the body disposed of by him and Ji Xingyao, plus hotel surveillance. How will the court judge? I forgot to mention the surveillance. If his alibi doesn’t stand, who left the room at 11 PM?”
Luo Zuyu clenched his teeth. The lawyer whispered to him and then said, “Excuse us for a moment.”
He hurried out to find Ji Xingyao. Lin Dongxue smiled, whispering, “The lawyer’s floundering, looking for a new defense.”
“Whatever. They can’t claim Luo Zuyu is mentally ill,” Chen Shi said.
The interrogation room fell silent. Chen Shi stared at Luo Zuyu, who was visibly nervous, his leg shaking. The cloak of lies was finally unraveling, revealing his true nature.