Chapter 417: Arrest Me
After watching the footage, Chen Shi didn’t start questioning immediately. Instead, he smiled and said, “Let’s watch another segment of the footage.”
Luo Zuyu was slightly shocked. Did this cop lose his mind? Why would he show something that was detrimental to their case?
After viewing all the surveillance footage, Chen Shi explained, “The footage shows that around 8 PM, a man in a red T-shirt and a woman took the elevator to your room. At 11 PM, the man in the red T-shirt left alone and went into the stairwell. Meanwhile, a man in a black hoodie entered the stairwell from the first floor, went up to the 22nd floor, and entered your room, while the man in the red T-shirt left the building.”
The lawyer interjected, “Officer, I need to remind you of a detail…”
Chen Shi gestured for him to stop, “I know. You’re going to say that the paparazzi photos show Luo Zuyu wearing a black hoodie, so you believe the man who entered the hotel at 11 PM is Luo Zuyu.”
“Exactly, Officer,” the lawyer responded.
“But the footage is blurry and doesn’t clearly show faces. There’s another possibility: the man in the red T-shirt who left at 11 PM was Luo Zuyu. The man in the black hoodie was someone else. They exchanged clothes in the stairwell. Luo Zuyu returned to his room in the black hoodie, and the other person left the building in the red T-shirt. Is that possible?”
“This is coercion!” The lawyer stood up, agitated.
“Is it? This is just a hypothesis. I’m asking if it’s possible. Is it possible or not?”
The lawyer glanced at Luo Zuyu and said boldly, “Absolutely not!”
“You’re saying there isn’t even a one in a million chance?”
“Not even one in a million.”
Chen Shi clapped his hands, “Shameless.”
“I warn you, don’t insult me…”
“Whatever! Sue me if you want…” Chen Shi said nonchalantly. “So, we’ll consider the first possibility as fact. I’ve examined the stairwell; there’s no place to hide. This means that when Luo Zuyu went up the stairs that night, he must have encountered the murderer. Is that right, Mr. Luo?”
Luo Zuyu raised an eyebrow, “Yes!”
“Did you see his face?”
“Officer, use some common sense. I’m a celebrity! Coming back from a date, I wouldn’t want to be recognized. If I encountered a stranger in the stairwell, I’d keep my head down.”
“So, you didn’t see him?”
“Not at all!”
“And you weren’t in the hotel around 10 PM, correct?”
“Obviously!”
“The footage shows that at 10 PM, your manager entered your room. Since you weren’t there, who was? The victim and the suspect? Your manager was in the same room as the suspect? Do you think that’s possible?”
“Anything’s possible.”
“Oh, I get it. Your manager didn’t see anything, so he didn’t know.”
Luo Zuyu began to panic, sensing this could be a trap, but the cop’s reasoning seemed sound. If the manager had seen the suspect, he wouldn’t have stayed in the room.
“I’m talking to you!” Chen Shi demanded.
The lawyer loudly said, “Stop yelling. My client can’t answer that because he wasn’t there.”
“We decide what questions to ask. As a suspect, you’re obliged to answer.”
The lawyer bit his lip and whispered to Luo Zuyu.
Chen Shi continued, “From the footage, your manager was indeed with the suspect and likely saw the body.”
Chen Shi produced a piece of paper and a small vial, “We found vomit in a vase near the bathroom. DNA tests confirm it’s from your manager, meaning he saw the body in the bathroom, vomited, and stayed until you returned.”
Cold sweat broke out on Luo Zuyu. Damn, the room had been cleaned thoroughly, but they missed this detail.
The lawyer argued, “Your reasoning is flawed. Vomiting doesn’t mean he saw a body. Maybe he was drunk.”
“There was no alcohol in the vomit.”
“Then he had a stomach issue… Vomiting doesn’t mean he saw a body!”
Chen Shi smirked, “Why would a well-paid professional vomit in a vase outside the bathroom instead of inside?”
“Maybe he didn’t make it in time.”
“Fine. Let’s say he vomited for unknown reasons and didn’t leave the room. Here’s a photo of your room…” Chen Shi displayed a picture. “There’s nowhere to hide besides the wardrobe and bathroom. Before you returned and before the suspect left, your manager was in the room. How did the suspect leave under your manager’s watch?”
Luo Zuyu clutched his arm tightly and suddenly thought of an excuse, “He fell asleep.”
The lawyer eagerly nodded, “Yes, yes. He vomited and felt unwell, so he slept. It makes sense!”
“Fine. We’ll test if your manager was sick.” Chen Shi noted on his paper.
Lin Qiupu listened intently. Chen Shi’s strategy of retreating to advance was effective. The other side’s rhythm was disrupted, revealing more flaws.
Chen Shi said, “Let’s discuss the second possibility…”
The lawyer protested loudly, “There’s no second possibility! My client has a clear alibi. Can he be in two places at once?”
“A clear alibi? Where’s the evidence?”
“Check Weibo. Are you blind?” Luo Zuyu snapped, impatient.
“Yes, I’m blind. I can’t see. I need the original photos with timestamps…”
“Who are you to demand that?” Luo Zuyu shouted.
“If you can’t provide original photos, your alibi is worthless!”
“Because I’m Luo Zuyu. Even my farts are rainbows. Who the hell are you to question me?” Luo Zuyu stood up, eyes bulging, teeth grinding.
“Stop it…” The lawyer tried to calm him, but Luo Zuyu punched him in the face. The lawyer’s glasses hung awkwardly, and his nose bled.
“What are you doing? Sit down!” Lin Qiupu commanded.
Luo Zuyu burst into a string of curses, spitting everywhere. Chen Shi couldn’t understand a word. The situation spiraled out of control until Ji Xingyao stormed in, “Zuyu! Sit down.”
Luo Zuyu stared at her, regaining his senses, and slowly sat down.
Lin Qiupu looked at Ji Xingyao, flanked by a few officers who sheepishly explained, “Captain Lin, we couldn’t stop her.”
“Who let you in?”
Ji Xingyao raised her hands, “Stop questioning him. He knows nothing about what happened. I’ll take his place.”
“Take his place? Did you commit a crime?” Chen Shi asked.
“I did…” Ji Xingyao said. “Desecration of a corpse. Please arrest me.”