Chapter 181
Kidnapping cases usually have a golden 72 hours.
The kidnappers would usually maintain the life of the meat ticket until they had achieved their goal.
Starvation and freezing and such were relatively unlikely, but beatings and abuse were hard to avoid completely.
The longer they are tied up, the less patience the kidnapper will have and the more violent they will become.
The kidnapped person will likewise be under tremendous psychological pressure and will be more likely to lose his reasoning and enrage the criminals.
Once the kidnapper loses his patience, he may tear the ticket.
Minors are less tolerant than adults, and are prone to crying and screaming in unfamiliar and frightening situations.
The possibility of angering the kidnappers is also greater. It’s not easy to last three days.
It’s definitely going to be overtime tonight.
The threatening e-mail was given to the Technical Division to track down.
Luke started looking at the surveillance video of the Kalea neighborhood.
Judging from the blood found at the scene, the time of the crime was probably between nine and twelve p.m. Luke also focused on lining up vehicles during this time period.
It was impossible for two large living people to disappear into thin air, and the kidnappers needed transportation to take them away.
Checking the surveillance was a boring job.
Luke used to dislike checking surveillance, but that had changed since he started practicing his powers of observation.
Time flies when people are doing something they enjoy.
Luke utilized this mentality and consciously used it as an opportunity to exercise his observation skills while checking the surveillance.
It was somewhat similar to the feeling of people coming to find fault.
Although it seemed a bit self-defeating, it still had some effect.
Human psychology was powerful, and under the self-psychological suggestion, Luke found himself not so repulsed by checking the surveillance.
“Snap!” With a sound, Luke hit the space bar.
The screen image was fixed, a white Toyota sedan appeared in the picture, license plate number 7qeb332, and the time was eleven thirty-five at night.
Luke partially zoomed in on the video, and from the surveillance he could see what the driver looked like.
A middle-aged Asian woman – Amy Ma.
There was no one in the passenger side of the car, and the back row could not be seen.
But from the looks of it, Amy Ma drove off during the time of the murder, and she was a suspect.
Luke called Matthew over and pointed to the computer screen, “Amy Ma drove off in her white Toyota during the time period of the crime, can we continue the trace?”
“Sure, but it may take some time.”
“It’s worth it, this lead is important.”
“As you wish, Lieutenant Luke.” Matthew finished, as if remembering something else, “I just found out another piece of information about this car.
The current registered address of this white Toyota is the Kalea neighborhood, but I checked the previous information again and found that the previous registered address was changed.
The original registered address was, 102 Binney Street Boa Community.
I hope this clue is useful to you.”
Luke nodded, “I’ll verify it.”
After six o’clock in the evening, Luke left the Detective Bureau with Blackie.
Getting into the car, Blackie started it up while asking, “Where are we going?”
Luke replied, “First, we’re going to get something to eat, and then we’re going to check out the car’s original registered address, and maybe we’ll find some clues about Amy Ma.”
“Good idea, I had a burger for lunch and was counting on this evening meal.” Black gulped, “What do you want to eat?”
“Tacos.” In fact, Luke didn’t have much of a choice, now that the case was so urgent and everyone was working overtime, it was already good that the two could come out to eat, so naturally, he had to choose something quick and convenient.
Blackie said while driving, “To be honest, learning that Betty may have been kidnapped, I also feel a little uncomfortable in my heart, I am also considered to be accustomed to seeing life and death, but as soon as I see a child in trouble, my heart is still very difficult.”
Luke lit a cigarette, “You’re right, that’s why we’re working overtime.”
“There’s been so much going on lately, I haven’t seen Jayden in a while, I’d like to go see him when I have a break.” Black sighed, thinking of Julian and then Jayden’s unreliable mom.
He was really kind of worried about the kid.
Luke took a drag on his cigarette, “Go ahead, if you need help with money, I can help.
Don’t bother me with the rest.”
Blacky “……”
Blacky was just about to say thank you for Jayden when he heard the second half of the sentence and swallowed it back.
Luke’s reaction …… How can I put it? Very Luke.
Powerful and afraid of trouble.
However, Luke was able to say it so bluntly, and obviously didn’t treat him as an outsider.
Blackie responded, “I know.”
Luke was curious, “Have you and Julian been in contact?”
“No, I’m still young and have a great forest ahead of me, I’ll forget about her.” Blackie said in a mock lighthearted manner, waving the fingers of his right hand, “Man, let me have a smoke too.”
“No, you dead pervert.” Luke frowned, he didn’t have the habit of smoking the same cigarette as others.
“I’m not a pervert, I just want a smoke while I’m driving.”
“Don’t think about it, just drive.”
The two ate a simple meal at a Mexican restaurant, which only took them a total of ten minutes, and continued driving to the registered address of Amy Horse Motors.
102 Binney Street in the Boa neighborhood.
This was most likely Amy Ma’s residence, considering that she could be both a victim and a suspect.
Instead of parking in front of the home, Luke parked in a slightly farther location to avoid spooking the suspect.
The two walked to residence 102.
It was a bungalow, not too large, and the yard lawn hadn’t been mowed in a long time.
Luke walked over to the window and looked in and found no sign of anyone.
Luke then went to the door and knocked, “Knock knock.”
Still no movement.
Luke pointed to the lock, “Can you open it?”
Blackie took a look, “Shouldn’t be a problem.”
Blackie took off the key chain and drummed for a while: “Click” the door opened.
Xiao Hei showed a proud look: “You know what?
My mom said I was smart since I was a kid, and there’s nothing I can’t learn if I want to.”
Luke nodded, “I used to hear my parents’ well-intentioned lies when I was a kid too, so don’t take it too much to heart.”
Blackie: “……”
Luke pulls out his pistol and the two enter the house one after the other.
“Click ……” Luke turned on the wall sconce.
The living room was a bit messy, there were a lot of clutter, Luke touched the coffee table, there was already a thick layer of dust.
The house was small, a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, and the two men quickly searched it, finding no one suspicious.
There was a picture of Amy Ma placed in the house, it seemed that the two had found the right place, this should be her residence.
The two then searched the room carefully.
Black opened the closet and took out a trinket from it, “What’s this? It looks a bit like a hat, is it made of silver?”
Luke took it and looked at it, “Miao silverware, using a variety of techniques such as pressing, sparing, engraving, and cradling, often needing to go through one or two dozen processes before it can be made.”
Xiao Hei marveled, “It’s so beautiful, I like it.
In the future, I will also send …… my future girlfriend a piece.”
“It’s good that you’re happy.”
“Knock knock ……” A knock on the door suddenly sounded outside.
Luke and Blackie both froze.
Luke signaled Blackie to step aside while he then looked out the cat’s eye and saw two men wearing IRS uniforms emblazoned with the IRS.
Luke opened the door to the room.
A Latina woman with large breasts lifted her jacket and flashed her badge, “We’re with the IRS, I’m Investigator Shakira.”
Luke looked closely, “What can I do for you guys?”
“Is Amy Ma here?”
“No.”
“What’s your relationship with her?”
Luke shook his head, “No relationship.”
Shakira shook her head, “Do you expect me to believe that? The fact that you live in the house she rents, the same dark hair, the same black eyes, symbolizes that you share the same blood.”
Luke laughed, “Aren’t you being a little arbitrary.”
“OK, so tell me? Where is she? And what is your relationship?”
Luke spread his hands, “Why would I tell you guys that, I don’t even know what you’re doing here?”
“We’ve found out that Amy Ma is suspected of tax evasion and leakage, and the amount of money involved is not small and the period is long. If once convicted, she will probably be sentenced to prison.
If you have financial dealings with her, then you’d better be careful.”
Luke said again, “Like I said, I have no relationship with her and I don’t know where she is?”
“Then why were you in the house she rented?”
“How did you find out that she rented this house?”
Shakira stared at Luke as if something didn’t feel right, “Who the hell are you?”
Luke lifted his jacket as well, revealing the badge inside, “LAPD.”
Shakira slapped her forehead and sighed, “What department are you with?”
Black came over and said, “We’re with the Robbery Murder Division, I’m Detective Marcus and this is Lieutenant Luke.
Nice to meet you, beautiful.” After saying that, Blacky reached out and tried to offer a handshake.
Shakira ignored him and looked at Luke, “You’re in charge here.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Did you just deliberately set me up?”
“No, I said I’m not related to Amy Ma and I don’t know where she is, and I was telling the truth. You’re the one who’s stubbornly assuming that because we’re both of Asian ancestry, there must be a kinship.”
Shakira spread her hands, “It does seem easy to misunderstand when you open the door and just stand here.”
Luke said, “That only means you’re not observant enough.”
Shakira sneered, “Congratulations, you’ve managed to provoke me.”
“That wasn’t my intention, I was just telling the truth.”
Black interjected, “Guys, are you here to argue? We’re supposed to be working together and sharing information.
Our two departments are the most powerful in L.A. Neither Amy Ma, nor Jack Ma is a thing.”
Luke stepped aside and made an inviting gesture, “Come in so we can talk.”
The other party was able to find this place, so they must have found out some clues, and it might help in solving the case.
Shakira walked in with her black male colleague, searched the room, and said lightly to Luke, “We IRS seldom cooperate with other departments.”
It wasn’t arrogance that made Shakira say this, but it came from the bottom line of the IRS.
The IRS was powerful, with its own independent armed and law enforcement powers, and very well equipped.
Luke said, “If it were a normal situation, we at LAPD wouldn’t want to work with other departments.
But the problem right now is that Amy Ma is involved in a kidnapping case, and it’s likely that she’s also a victim of kidnapping.
If she’s dead, it’s going to be hard to find out more about her tax situation.”
Shakira said, “She has to pay taxes just the same even if she’s dead.”