Chapter 274: Delivery Girl Xiao Gu

Chen Shi asked, “Are you saying Miss Jiang ate here?”

“Yeah, do you know that policewoman?”

“Yes, she’s in charge of this case.”

The head chef looked starstruck. “No way! Can you tell her I have a clue?”

“What clue do you have?”

“I overheard what she and that woman were talking about last night!” The head chef said confidently.

Chen Shi smiled, “Doesn’t she know that better than you?”

“True…” The head chef deflated and went back to making sushi.

Chen Shi called Peng Sijue and asked if the victim’s phone was turned on. Peng Sijue said, “Yes, it’s full of messages and calls to Miss Jiang.”

“Check if the recent contacts include this number…” Chen Shi read out the delivery phone number from the wall.

A moment later, Peng Sijue replied, “Yes, it was called at noon.”

“Thanks. Don’t eat yet; I’ll treat you to Japanese food later.”

Chen Shi hung up and said, “You guys do have a clue.”

“Really?” The head chef was excited.

“The victim ordered delivery from your place yesterday at noon. Do you remember?”

“I don’t, but Xiao Gu might.”

“Who is Xiao Gu?”

“She’s another waitress. She handles all the deliveries. Tall and sturdy, a real tough girl.”

The waitress reminded, “Don’t say that in front of her, or she’ll beat you up.”

The head chef chuckled, “Just saying it privately!”

Chen Shi asked, “Where is she?”

“Still out on delivery. She’ll be back soon… Officer, the victim ordered from us? Can we get on the news?”

“Maybe!” Chen Shi smiled.

The head chef was thrilled, “Great, our little place will be on the news. I’ll make you some extra salmon sushi!”

“Thanks!”

After a while, the head chef said Xiao Gu was back. Chen Shi turned to see a robust girl riding a red electric scooter and wearing a red helmet. She parked at the entrance, walked in, and took a big sip from her water cup, wiping her mouth carelessly.

The head chef coughed, “Xiao Gu, this officer has some questions for you.”

“Yesterday at noon, did you deliver to Ma Jianjun?”

Xiao Gu looked blank and didn’t speak.

“It was to Unit 3, Room 102.”

Xiao Gu shook her head.

“His phone has your delivery number. It was called yesterday at noon.”

Xiao Gu still shook her head. The head chef translated, “Xiao Gu means she doesn’t remember. We deliver dozens of orders a day. She can’t remember them all… Officer, Xiao Gu is shy and doesn’t talk much.”

Chen Shi took out his phone and showed a photo of the victim, “Do you recognize him?”

Xiao Gu nodded.

“Did you notice anything unusual when you saw him at noon?”

Xiao Gu shook her head.

“Thanks. If I have more questions, I’ll come back. You’re open these days, right?” Chen Shi asked the head chef.

The head chef nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, we only close during the New Year. Please help promote us.”

Chen Shi laughed, “What’s the point of capitalizing on this?”

Chen Shi returned to the office with the sushi takeout. The others were on lunch break, and Peng Sijue was reading alone. Chen Shi set the takeout down, “A small discovery. There’s a Japanese restaurant near the community that delivered to the victim. I bought some sushi while I was there.”

Chen Shi squeezed some wasabi and soy sauce onto the lid. Peng Sijue picked up a piece and tasted it, “Not bad, quite authentic.”

“I don’t get what’s so good about Japanese food. It’s just rice with raw fish.”

“It’s convenient!”

“If you like it, I can buy some salmon and make it myself.”

“Why would I go to your place?”

“I can deliver it.”

“No need. Don’t try to curry favor with me.”

“Your EQ is so low, eating my food and still speaking rudely!” Chen Shi shoved a piece of sushi into Peng Sijue’s mouth.

Peng Sijue glared at him but still swallowed it.

Just then, Lin Dongxue and Xu Xiaodong returned. Xu Xiaodong’s eyes lit up, “Fancy lunch, sushi?” He picked up a piece.

Peng Sijue threw down his chopsticks, “I’m done. Bacteria contamination.”

Xu Xiaodong said innocently, “Captain Peng, I didn’t mean to. Sushi is meant to be grabbed.” He picked up another piece, “Wow, is this real fish roe?”

“No way it’s real fish roe, that’s too expensive!” Lin Dongxue said, “Hey, they sell cherry blossom rolls too?”

Chen Shi said, “I bought it from the place you and Miss Jiang ate at last night.”

“You’re impressive, tracing it there.”

“How is Miss Jiang?”

“She’s okay. She found out about her boyfriend’s death this morning and isn’t too upset. I asked about the key. Miss Jiang said that key opens the door. She showed me her keychain, which has only three keys: car key, father’s house key, and this key. They look different, so there’s no mix-up.”

Lin Dongxue wanted to try the sushi. Chen Shi handed her his chopsticks, and she picked up a cherry blossom roll.

“Could someone have swapped the keys?” Chen Shi asked.

“Swapped?” Lin Dongxue swallowed the sushi, “No way. Her keys were always with her… Wait, we left our bags at the Japanese restaurant. When we went back to get them, a particularly strong waitress handed them to us.”

“That waitress? I remember her. She’s also the one who delivered to the victim at noon.”

“Wow, that’s quite a coincidence!”

“Is it just a coincidence or something more? Let’s wait for the lock comparison results.”

Peng Sijue received a call and said, “Let’s go to the garage.”

The four of them went to the underground garage. The tech team had borrowed a fixture and a cutting machine. Due to sparks and noise, they operated in the garage.

After Peng Sijue nodded, the technician with safety goggles started cutting. With sharp metal cutting sounds and sparks flying, Lin Dongxue found the noise too piercing and covered her ears.

Chen Shi said, “Open your mouth.”

Lin Dongxue couldn’t hear and the garage was filled with deafening cutting sounds. Chen Shi reached out and pulled her chin down.

Thinking he was teasing, Lin Dongxue playfully snapped at his fingers, making Chen Shi quickly withdraw his hand.

Xu Xiaodong, who saw this, kept making heart gestures nearby, but no one paid attention.

The lock was finally cut open. After the cut surface cooled down, Peng Sijue compared the victim’s key, “This one fits.”

Then he compared Miss Jiang’s key, “This one obviously doesn’t.”

Chen Shi said, “Two possibilities: Miss Jiang gave the wrong key, or the key was swapped.”

Lin Dongxue said, “If it was swapped, it could only have happened when our bags were at the Japanese restaurant. Should we go back?”