Chapter 375

“Captain Li, I originally didn’t want to say these words, a lot of people think of cheating when they hear of a hitchhiking couple, but the boss really isn’t that kind of messed up person.” Sun Xing glanced at the body on the ground, his eyes glowing red.

“Our boss is 43 years old, he’s been over here for 11 years, he’s been working over here alone all these years and has never returned to his country once, his child was only 7 years old when he came here, and now he’s 18 years old.

It’s not easy for him to live these eleven years.”

Luke asked, “Why don’t you go back to your country? He has a record in the country?”

Sun Xing froze for a moment and said helplessly, “It’s not that he doesn’t want to go back to his country, but before that, because he didn’t have an identity, once he was discovered by the immigration authorities, he would just be deported back.

It was only three years ago that he obtained a green card through a lawyer, and the lawyer’s fees alone cost him a large sum of money.

Since then he changed his mind, he didn’t want to go back to China, he wanted to bring his wife and children abroad, but it wasn’t easy, he needed money.

Later, he took over the restaurant, thinking to earn more money to bring his wife and children over for reunion.

But said simple, do it difficult, the restaurant business is not doing well in the past two years, he even refused to hire a chef, his own in the kitchen desperately dry ……

I have seen it all in my eyes and know how difficult it is for him.

As for the partner couple, that is no way is, he was alone in foreign countries for more than ten years, there is no relatives, no friends, lonely and unsupported, long time whether the body, or the mind need to find a companion.

How many eleven years are there in life?”

Speaking of this, Sun Xing revealed a look of supplication, “Captain Li, can you do me a favor, don’t react to my situation with the immigration bureau ……”

“You don’t have an identity either?”

“Yes.” Sun Xing lowered his head, “I’ve been over here for almost six years, and it’s getting harder and harder to get a green card, so I’m also hiring a lawyer to figure out what to do ……”

“In these six years, you have not returned to the country?”

“No, I can’t go back without an identity, and once I’m caught, I’ll be deported directly.”

“You also want to continue to simmer like the dead?”

“I ……

I lost money doing business in China, my wife almost divorced me, I had no choice but to come out, the child was only two years old at that time, and is now in elementary school.

Originally thought of doing four or five years, pay off the debt, save some money and go home.

Last year, I had the intention to go home, but my family is not willing to let me go back, they think it is easy to make money abroad, can earn a few more years is a few years ……”

Sun Xing face is full of helplessness: “I now do not want to take the identity of the day, do a day to day, which day was arrested, directly deported back, airfare money are saved.”

Luke “……”

Reporting to the Immigration Bureau is detrimental, Luke is lazy to do, asked, “What is Chen Hui’s husband’s name?”

“I’m not sure about this, after his husband came over, Chen Hui resigned within a few days.”

“Does Chen Hui’s husband have an identity?”

Sun Xing said, “The policy is different from one year to the next, we were all on tourist visas then, and when we arrived, we just ran away and worked black jobs.

The policy seems to be different in these two years, her husband seems to be running a labor visa, but there is a time limit.

Anyway, it’s better than our time.

When the labor visa expires and he doesn’t want to leave, he can just as easily run off and work black jobs.”

Luke has some understanding of these situations, in fact, working in a restaurant is very hard, many Americans do not want to do it, the government also turns a blind eye, as long as no one reports it, the Immigration Bureau is also lazy to care.

Luke asked, “Do you have a partner?”

“Wife at home pulling children is not easy, I originally did not think to find, last year I want to go home, my wife and family are not willing to ……

I also can not see the head, in a fit of anger to find a hitchhiker.

This is the only way to live like a person.

In fact, not only do we find abroad, some stay in the domestic family members also find, turn a blind eye to it.

All live to this point, care so much why.”

Luke advised, “The domestic development is also good now, the income is also high, it is better to go back to the country early to develop.”

“You are right, I also think so.

But my family doesn’t agree, in their words, it’s true that the big cities in China have high incomes, but those are people with skills and high education.

People like me, who never even went to college, are at the bottom of the ladder everywhere, it’s better to earn more over here.”

Luke also stopped persuading and asked, “Do you know where Chen Hui lives?”

“Know.”

Zhi Bai Wei Restaurant.

This restaurant was two blocks away from Chinatown, mainly focusing on Zhejiang cuisine, with the signature dishes being Dongpo Pork and Divine Duck.

At this time, it was already past eleven o’clock.

The restaurant had already started to fill up with people.

A black car parked in front of the restaurant, Luke and Jackson stepped out of the car, glanced at the picture of the restaurant, and walked into the restaurant.

“Welcome.” A waitress welcomed the two into the restaurant.

The woman, who appeared to be nearly forty years old with a well-proportioned body, placed a menu in front of Luke, “What would you two like to eat?”

Luke glanced at the woman, it was the Chen Hui he was looking for, seeing that the other party’s face did not look different, Luke was not in a hurry, it was already noon, so he just ate and talked.

Luke looked at the menu, ordered a Dongpo pork, fire heel fairy duck, stewed spring bamboo shoots, popped cuttlefish rolls, and the main dish of crispy pancakes.

Because there were few guests, the food was served quickly.

Jackson looked at the dishes that were served, ”Captain, are these all Chinese dishes? I’ve never really eaten it before.”

“China has many cuisines, it’s normal that you haven’t eaten them before, try them.”

It wasn’t that Jackson hadn’t eaten Chinese food before, it was just that the ones he had eaten were modified Chinese food, with mostly sweet and sour mouths.

Because they were still thinking about investigating the case, the two people ate quickly, but in ten minutes, a meal was finished.

Overall the taste was not bad, Luke was most satisfied with the Dongpo pork and shortcake, especially the shortcake, which he hadn’t eaten for a long time.

After the meal, Luke called the waiter over to settle the bill.

After the bill was settled, Luke looked at the waiter and asked, “What’s your name?”

The waitress looked at Luke, although she had just chatted for a few moments, she could hear from Luke’s skillful and well-spoken Chinese that it should be of Chinese descent, “My surname is Chen, called Chen Hui.

Sir, are you still satisfied with your meal?”

“Quite good.” Luke changed his words and asked, “Do you know Ma Jiehui?”

“Yes, he was my previous boss, you ate at his restaurant?”

“Ma Jiehui is dead.”

“Dead!

How can that be?

I saw …… him a few days ago,” Chen Hui revealed a surprised look and asked back, “Who are you people?”

Luke flashed his badge, “I’m Luke Lee, Captain of Squadron 1 of the Robbery and Murder Division, and his case is now under my investigation.”

Chen Hui looked at the police badge and gulped, still seeming a bit disbelieving, “How can he be dead? It can’t be.”

“If you don’t believe me, I can take you to the store to take a look.”

“I’ll go with you.” Chen Hui’s eyes were red as she turned around and ran outside the restaurant.

Afterward, the two Luke’s drove her back to Yu Xiang Restaurant.

The car was parked in front of the restaurant, Chen Hui looked at the restaurant through the car window and saw the police officers surrounding the restaurant, her heart was already convinced, and two lines of tears slipped from her eyes, “Why is this happening? The other day was fine? Didn’t they say everyone should be fine? How come they’re dead.”

Luke handed her a packet of tissues, “Ms. Chen, please also express your condolences.”

Chen Hui wiped her tears and choked, “Captain Li, who harmed Old Ma?”

“We are also investigating, I heard that you dated Ma Jiehui?”

Chen Hui hesitated and whispered, “Yes.”

“How long have you been dating Ma Jiehui?”

“It’s been three or four years.”

“Since you’ve known each other for so long, you should know him well.”

“I …… wasn’t sure what was going on, it was so sudden.

Besides, we’ve separated.”

“Why did you guys separate?”

Chen Hui said perfunctorily, “Personal reasons.”

Luke tried, “I heard that your husband just came to Los Angeles for a reunion?”

Chen Hui opened her mouth and swallowed back the words.

Luke continued, “Does your husband know about your relationship?”

Chen Hui seemed to know that she couldn’t avoid it, so she could only answer stiffly, “No. I don’t know.

Old Ma’s death has nothing to do with my husband.”

“I also don’t think it has much to do with it, I invited you here today because I want to understand Ma Jiehui’s situation, and secondly, I want to rule out your husband’s suspicion.”

“Captain Li, you have checked the wrong person, this matter really has nothing to do with my husband.”

“I believe that, that’s why I’m looking for you, not your husband.”

Chen Hui’s face changed slightly and she took a deep breath, “You guys don’t look for my husband, he really doesn’t know anything, please, don’t look for him.”

“I will inquire a few questions, as long as you answer truthfully, there is no need for me to find your husband again.”

“You ask.”

“When did your husband come to Los Angeles?”

“Exactly half a month today.”

Luke took out the photo of the first victim, Yoshimi Hashimoto: “Do you recognize her?”

Chen Hui took a closer look, “No.”

“Last night, between nine and twelve, where was your husband?”

“At home, with me.”

“Did he ever leave your sight?”

“No.”

“Did he know about your relationship with Majestic?”

“No, and I couldn’t possibly let him know.

Majestic moved into the store before he came.

And I resigned from the restaurant.

The two of them didn’t cross paths, and my husband doesn’t know anything.”

Chen Hui spoke sincerely, and Luke didn’t see any traces of lying on her face.

In Luke’s opinion, Chen Hui’s husband might have a motive to commit the crime, but the suspicion was indeed low.

From the existing situation, Hashimoto Yoshimi’s murder and Ma Jiehui’s murder were most likely committed by the same murderer, and as Chen Hui’s husband had just come to Los Angeles, he had the motive to kill Ma Jiehui, but had no reason to kill Hashimoto Yoshimi.

What’s more, he came to L.A. to work for money, not to kill people.

There was a more important reason why Luke had asked Chen Hui to give a statement, she was the ‘hitchhiking couple’ of the deceased Ma Jiehui.

The two had been living together for three or four years, and apart from a marriage license, there was no difference between them and an ordinary couple.

Sun Xing in the end is just an employee, Ma Jiehui can not tell him everything, but Chen Hui is different, the two slept in the same bed, is Ma Jiehui’s closest people, but also the most understanding of him.

From Chen Hui’s statement, Chen Hui’s husband should have an alibi, can be ruled out for the time being.

“What do you think about the murder of Ma Jiehui?”

“I heard that he lived in a restaurant, could it be that someone robbed the restaurant and killed him.”

Luke said, “It doesn’t look like a robbery, more like a revenge killing.”

“A vendetta?

Old Ma has always put peace and harmony on his lips and is polite to everyone, I can’t think of anyone who would kill him.”

Luke said, “I heard that a burglary happened in Yu Xiang Restaurant some time ago, do you know about this?”

“Knew.”

“At that time, did Ma Jiehui have any reaction?”

“He was furious.”

“Did he call the police?”

“No.”

“Why didn’t you call the police?”

Chen Hui sighed lightly, “He didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, or the idea of making peace ……”

Luke heard the implication, “He knew who the thief was?”

“Did guess.”

“Who is it?”

“Less than a hundred meters away from Yu Xiang Restaurant, there is another restaurant called ‘Shu Du Cuisine’, which is also a restaurant that focuses on Szechuan cuisine, and because of the proximity of the two restaurants, the similarity of the dishes, and the similarity of the flavors, there has always been a competitive relationship.

The owner of that ‘Shu Du Cuisine Restaurant’ often looks for trouble with Old Ma, and Old Ma suspects that the theft of the restaurant was his doing.”

Luke felt that this would be a bit taken for granted, even if there was a competitive relationship with each other, it didn’t necessarily mean it was the thief, “Is there any proof?”

“There wasn’t much cash in the restaurant, just about two hundred dollars, mainly some ingredients for making Sichuan cuisine were stolen, mace, peppercorns, dried chili peppers, edamame beans, tangerine peel, cardamom ……

If it was an ordinary thief, he wouldn’t even miss these spices, it’s clear that he doesn’t want the restaurant to do business.”

“Since Ma Jiehui guessed the suspect, why didn’t he tell the police?”

“He is a nature that is afraid of trouble, there is no evidence in his hands, and he felt that the police came and the other party did not recognize it, and in turn intensified the conflict, and the store’s business was even more unable to do business.

I also advised him to call the police at that time, but he was tenacious and just wouldn’t listen.”

“How do you know it must be ‘Shu Du Cuisine Restaurant’? Other Chinese restaurants can use these spices just as well.”

“Old Ma and ‘Shudu Cuisine Restaurant’ have been in conflict for two or three years.

The business of ‘Shudu Cuisine’ has not been as good as Old Ma’s Yu Xiang Restaurant, and the owner of ‘Shudu Cuisine’ even went to Old Ma’s store to poach a waitress, and the two almost got into a fight because of this.

The owner of ‘Shudu Cuisine Restaurant’ is not good at doing business, and does some crooked and unethical things.” Chen Hui gritted her teeth in anger.

Luke asked, “What is the name of the owner of ‘Shudu Cuisine’?”

“Chen Jianxin.”

“What was the name of the employee who was poached?”

“Song Bo.”

Luke jotted down in his book, “Do you think Ma Jiehui’s death is related to them?”

Chen Hui instantly deflated, “To say that stealing and destroying the restaurant’s business, 80% of the time they did it, but to say that killing ……

I don’t think it’s possible ……

Everyone is doing business, there’s no need to bring people to death.”

If it is only because of the restaurant business, it is true that it is not to kill people ……

Thinking that after Ma Jiehui got his green card, he still didn’t return to the country, Luke asked, “Does Ma Jiehui have a record in the country?”