Chapter 505: Suspect Zhang Jinlei
When Lin Qiupu heard about the forcible summons, he hurried from his office to find Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue relaxing with herbal tea in the conference room.
“Do we have a lead?” Lin Qiupu asked incredulously.
“Yes!” Chen Shi replied.
“Yes what? Do you have any evidence?”
“No direct evidence, which is why we need to bring him in.”
“You’re acting recklessly again. Remember last time we had to release the suspect because we had nothing on him?”
“We’ve hit a dead end with our current investigation. To break through, we need to confront him directly. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”
Lin Qiupu glanced at his watch. “The bank closes at six, and it’s three now.”
“Need to withdraw some money?” Chen Shi joked.
“No, his father will definitely bring a lawyer after six. If you want to get anything done, do it quickly!”
Chen Shi smiled. “Don’t worry. Zhang Jinlei won’t call his parents. He’s stubborn and proud. Push him a bit, and he might confess everything himself.”
“Let’s hope this isn’t just your wishful thinking.”
The sound of police sirens blared outside. Chen Shi said to Lin Dongxue, “You interrogate Xiao Ran. I’ll handle Zhang Jinlei. Captain Lin, care to back me up?”
Lin Qiupu reluctantly agreed.
Chen Shi and Lin Qiupu waited in the interrogation room. Zhang Jinlei was soon brought in, his eyes dark and brooding as he glanced at them. Chen Shi greeted him, “Mr. Zhang, we meet again.”
“Why am I here?” Zhang Jinlei demanded.
“We just have a few questions.”
“I’ve already told you everything.”
“Relax, this is just a summons, not an arrest. See, no handcuffs.”
Zhang Jinlei frowned. “Fine, ask away.”
“On the night of August 13th, six years ago, around 8 PM, you met Yan Qilin near Wuyi Road. Did you arrange the meeting, or did she?”
“She asked to meet me. She said she had something to tell me.”
“Had you seen each other before that?”
“We hadn’t met for a while because of the heat. We only communicated via phone.”
“Our investigation into Yan Qilin’s communication records shows that you frequently called her from late July to early August, but she hardly ever called you. Did you notice she was avoiding you?”
Zhang Jinlei’s eyes widened. “Her English was poor, so she was using the break to study. That’s why she rarely called.”
“Yan Qilin was the first victim. The police investigated thoroughly back then. She wasn’t attending any tutoring sessions. There were no English study materials found among her belongings.”
“She lied to me? Then it must have been something at home.”
“Here’s the truth. She was spending that time with Yue Chao.”
Zhang Jinlei suddenly exploded. “You’re lying! She wouldn’t be with that thug! Was she avoiding me because… because she was seeing someone else?”
“It’s true. Yue Chao has photos of their dates.”
Zhang Jinlei looked like he’d been struck by lightning. He was shocked, then shook his head vigorously. “I don’t believe it. Let me see!”
“Why are you telling him this?” Lin Qiupu whispered.
Chen Shi gave him a look, signaling not to interrupt. He was testing whether Zhang Jinlei knew about this. Judging by his reaction, he didn’t.
When Yan Qilin died, Zhang Jinlei still believed she loved him and had no idea about his parents’ underhanded attempts to separate them.
“I didn’t keep the photos because they weren’t important.”
“How is that not important!” Zhang Jinlei looked like an enraged lion. “She hid the fact she was with that thug… Are you lying to me? Why would you lie? You cops are all out to get me!”
“Calm down.”
“I’m going to find Yue Chao right now!” Zhang Jinlei stood up and tried to leave, only to be blocked by officers outside. He roared, “Move!”
“Restrain him!” Lin Qiupu ordered.
The officers forced Zhang Jinlei back into the interrogation chair and handcuffed him. He screamed, “Why? I’m going to sue you! Let me call that bastard, now!”
“The police have the right to use force if citizens don’t cooperate with summons.” Lin Qiupu stated.
“Exactly!” Chen Shi added. “Second question, where were you on the night of August 7th?”
“I was drinking at the bar.”
“You were indeed at the bar from 9 PM to midnight, ordered a whole bottle of Red Label, and drank it all. What about before 9 PM?”
Realizing something, Zhang Jinlei suddenly calmed down and replied, “I was at home.”
“Anyone to verify that? Was Xiao Ran home?”
“She… she went out. No one can verify it. I worked all day and was resting at home.”
“So, no alibi?”
“I was at home! Why would I need an alibi? And what’s this alibi for?”
“Where were you on the night of August 6th at 10 PM?”
“Out for a walk.”
That was the time of the second body dump and when someone was caught on camera tampering with surveillance. Chen Shi asked, “Anyone to verify that?”
“No.”
“Where did you go?”
“From… does it matter?”
“It could determine whether you leave here or not. Does it matter?”
“This is ridiculous. Do I need an alibi for every place I go? You can’t solve the case and are pinning it on me? Cops are all scum, scum!”
Lin Qiupu knocked on the table to remind him to stay focused. Chen Shi said, “Ranting won’t help. Answer the question. Where were you at 10 PM on August 6th?”
“I was… at home!”
“Just now you said you were out for a walk.”
“I said I was at home. Are you deaf?”
Chen Shi smirked coldly. Lin Qiupu called Lin Dongxue and asked her to question Xiao Ran in the other interrogation room. After hanging up, he said, “Your roommate says you weren’t home. Where were you?”
Sweating profusely, Zhang Jinlei lowered his head. “I left the neighborhood and went to the nearby mall…”
“Think carefully. We can contact local police to check the surveillance.”
“I passed by the mall entrance. I didn’t go in. I… I walked around Jian She Road.”
“Fine, we’ll check now.”
“No, no, I went to… went to…”
“Can’t make up more lies?” Chen Shi held up a paper with a surveillance image. “Let me tell you. You went to Lin’an Road and tampered with a supermarket’s surveillance camera to prepare for the body dump the next day.”
Hearing “body dump,” Zhang Jinlei swallowed hard, his eyes wide with fear.