Chapter 40: Differences in Opinion

In the room, there was a large box that Lin Qiupu immediately noticed. He put on gloves and examined its corners, saying, “Does this box look familiar to you?”

“You mean the indentations found at the scene?” Chen Shi responded.

Lin Qiupu opened the box, revealing some clothes. Underneath the clothes, there was a bottle of unknown pills, a wrench, a bundle of rope, a pair of work gloves, over a thousand yuan in cash, and several pornographic magazines.

While Lin Qiupu was inspecting the box, Chen Shi opened the bedside table, finding condoms and some pornographic cards typically found in hotels.

“I told you there were prostitutes here,” Chen Shi said.

Lin Qiupu ignored him and looked out the window, calling out, “Come here!”

“What’s up?”

“This place is just two kilometers from the body dump site. Combined with the evidence we’ve found, it’s almost certain that the headless female corpse was the work of the fugitive Jia.”

Chen Shi shook his head, “”

“Leading the task force astray?” Lin Qiupu almost laughed in anger, “Don’t think you’re an expert just because you got lucky solving a couple of cases.”

“Qualifications!” Chen Shi reminded him.

Lin Qiupu thought, this guy loves to meddle and always finds reasons to get involved. Since he couldn’t stop him, he might as well let him investigate. This time, Lin Qiupu was confident that Chen Shi was on the wrong track.

“Alright, I allow you to assist in the investigation.”

“No, I want to investigate independently, but I need two people from your team…”

“Not my sister!”

“Lin Dongxue and Xu Xiaodong. I’m familiar with them. Any credit will go to them and, of course, to you as the team leader.”

“I said not my sister!”

“Ask her yourself if she wants to earn some credit with me or do peripheral work in the task force.”

Lin Qiupu gritted his teeth in frustration. Chen Shi smiled at him. After some thought, Lin Qiupu said, “Three conditions: First, the three of you must act together; second, share all information, no hiding; third, if the task force needs personnel for an emergency, the task force takes priority.”

“Deal!” Chen Shi extended his hand.

“Who wants to shake hands with you?”

“A gesture of cooperation.” Chen Shi smiled.

Reluctantly, Lin Qiupu shook his hand.

Just then, they heard a door being broken down upstairs and someone shouting, “Get dressed and come out!”

The two walked into the hallway. Police officers had arrived to arrest the prostitutes. A man and woman were dragged out of a room, crouching shamefully in the corner. An officer recognized Lin Qiupu and approached, “Captain Lin, thanks for the tip.”

“No problem. By the way, we’re investigating a criminal case. Keep these prostitutes detained. Our team will need them later.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep them all under control.”

“Don’t let anyone slip away,” Chen Shi added.

“And who is this?” the officer asked, not recognizing Chen Shi.

“I’m his friend,” Chen Shi said.

Lin Qiupu glared at him. Chen Shi’s identity was hard to explain, so Lin Qiupu said, “He’s a friend assisting with the case. Just call him Old Chen.”

The officers got busy. Lin Qiupu said, “Help me move the stuff out.”

The two thoroughly searched the room, not missing any details, even taking the garbage bags. They packed all the miscellaneous evidence into Chen Shi’s trunk. As they drove off, Xu Xiaodong called Lin Qiupu urgently, “Captain Lin, the fugitive…”

“What happened!?”

“His surgery and hospital fees amount to over forty thousand yuan. I don’t have that much money on me, and I can’t leave the hospital now!”

Lin Qiupu sighed with relief, “Can you stop with the dramatic pauses? How is he now?”

“He’s in the ICU, still unconscious.”

“I’m heading back to the station. I’ll wire the money to you shortly. How many officers are with you?”

“Me, Xiao Li, and some local police officers.”

“Stay there tonight. I’ll assign someone else to monitor the hospital…”

Chen Shi gestured to himself, indicating that Xu Xiaodong was now under his jurisdiction. Lin Qiupu understood, “Wait, you come back tomorrow morning. I’ll have another task for you, and I’ll send someone else to the hospital.”