Chapter 387

Superintendent Henry said, “We received a tip from an informant that the suspect of the red Honda might be living here.

Since I couldn’t determine the authenticity of the tip, I personally brought someone here to check it out.

Since Captain Lee also tracked the case here by investigating the case, the two corroborate each other, the clue should be true.”

Luke smiled, and didn’t bother to mention anything about the deceased partner Timo Jensen’s possible concealment of the clue, it was a muddled account.

“Superintendent Henry, how did the deceased, Jens Haurage, fare at the station? What are your thoughts on his death?”

Henry Joseph sighed, “Jens Hauraige was a very good police officer, took his work seriously, had a lot of experience, and had a good relationship with his colleagues, I feel very sorry for his death.”

Luke pressed, “Did he offend anyone at work?”

Henry Joseph glanced at Luke, “Captain Lee, you are also a police officer, you should know very well how it is possible to do our job and not offend anyone?”

Luke said, “Among the criminals that Jens Haurage apprehended were there any who had a clear tendency to retaliate? Or anyone recently released from prison?”

Henry Joseph thought for a moment, “That’s something I’d have to check to find out.”

“Then I’ll wait for your news.” Luke handed the other man a business card and looked out at the front of the house, “Got Salma Gonzalez yet?”

Henry Joseph shook his head, “There’s no one in the house.”

Luke nodded and then walked into the house to check it out, he entered the living room and saw Timo Jensen who was searching the house.

Luke ignored the other man and searched himself.

The house was a gray-roofed bungalow with two bedrooms and two baths, the house was a bit of a mess, especially the dining room and living room with some leftover food.

The clothes and supplies in the house were also both male and female, so there should be a couple living here.

Shortly after, the tech team also arrived at the scene to survey the house for any clues that might be left behind.

However, Luke didn’t have much hope for this, as there had been a lot of patrols entering just now, and even if some clues had been left behind, they were likely to have been destroyed.

Although no suspects were found, this time it wasn’t all for naught, at least Luke figured out the identity of the female suspect, Salma Gonzalez.

This woman was likely the only person who had seen the killer.

If she could be found, the investigation of the case might break new ground ……

Police then began an investigation based on Salma Gonzalez’s identity.

Salma Gonzalez is of Mexican descent and her father also lives in Los Angeles.

The following morning.

Luke brought Salma Gonzalez’s father to the Robbery-Murder Division to give a statement.

Salma Gonzalez’s father is not very old, looks as long as forty-something, it is the time of the year, hands have calluses, skin is a little dark.

Luke made a brief introduction and invited the other party into the conference room to talk.

Luke asked, “Is Salma Gonzalez your daughter?”

“Yes, my name is Santu Gonzalez.”

Luke pulled out a screenshot of the deceased Jens Haurage’s law enforcement recorder, “Is that her?”

Santu Gonzalez picked up the screenshot photo and his hands shook a little, “Yes, what happened to my daughter? Why are you guys investigating her?”

Luke didn’t answer directly and asked instead, “How is your father-daughter relationship?”

“Pretty good.”

“Have you been in touch lately?”

“Yes, she called me two days ago when it was fine ……”

“Do you know why we invited you here?”

“Didn’t you say that my daughter was involved in a criminal case and asked me to come and assist in the investigation?

Where is my daughter now? Can I meet her?”

“We are also looking for your daughter, Salma Gonzalez, and we suspect she may be in danger now.”

Santu Gonzalez looked anxious, “What danger is she in? You guys hurry up and go save her.”

“We also want to go save her, but we don’t know where she is now? Nor do we know the identity of the suspect who was with her, so we invited you over just to find out something about her.”

“What exactly happened? My daughter has always been obedient, how could she be involved in a criminal case, can you guys make things clear so I know how I should help you.” Santu Gonzalez twisted his hands together, his face a bit stony.

Luke stared at the other party, he could sense that the other party was a bit wary, as if he didn’t completely believe his words, and didn’t rule out the fact that he had been in contact with Salma Gonzalez.

Luke gave a brief introduction of the case.

Santu Gonzalez’s face changed drastically after listening, “The one who was killed was a police officer?”

“Yes.”

Santu Gonzalez realized the seriousness of the problem and took a deep breath, “Captain Li, I know my daughter, she may be a bit capricious, but by no means is she a criminal, and it is impossible for her to be involved in murdering a police officer.”

Luke smoothly said, “We have also learned about Salma’s situation, and to be honest, I don’t believe that she is involved in plotting against the police either.

But the problem now is that we can’t find her, and as long as she doesn’t show up and make things clear for a day, there’s no way to prove her innocence.

We asked you to come here today to find out where she is.”

Santu Gonzalez looked at Luke with a slightly mixed expression.

Luke felt that he should know something about the situation, or at least have some reservations, and advised, “I once investigated a kidnapping case, and the one who was kidnapped was a woman around twenty years old, her name was Milly, she was still in college, both her parents were in the financial industry, and her family was in a very good position.

One night, Milly went to a friend’s house to finish, did not return at the agreed time, just when her parents were going out to look for received a blackmail call.

The kidnapper wanted them to demand 100,000 dollars in cash.

Millie’s parents are terrified and they have a disagreement, with Millie’s mother wanting to give the money for peace;

Millie’s father was worried that the kidnappers would tear the ticket after receiving the money and wanted to call the police.

In the end, Millie’s mother convinced her husband, and the two of them first delivered the ransom according to the kidnapper’s request.

Then the problem came, the kidnappers didn’t release Millie as agreed.”

At this point, Luke asked, “Mr. Gonzalez, if you were Milly’s father, what would you do?”

Santu Gonzalez didn’t hesitate, “I would call the police.”

Luke nodded and continued, “Seeing that his daughter was not released, Milly’s father also chose to call the police.

The police investigated and realized that this was not an ordinary kidnapping case, but more like a fraud case.

Millie had a boyfriend during her college years, and the two spent a lot of money and owed a lot of credit cards, the two were in a terrible financial situation and desperately needed a sum of money to pay off their debts.

The police speculated that this was most likely a self-directed kidnapping.

But then, the case developed beyond police expectations, Millie’s parents received another blackmail phone call, let them continue to prepare 200,000 U.S. dollars in ransom.

Millie’s parents, in order to stall for time for the police to find Millie’s hiding place as soon as possible, did not immediately agree to the kidnapper’s request, and deliberately stalled for time on the phone.

Early the next morning, Millie’s parents received a package, inside the package there is a bloody ear, after Millie’s parents confirmed that the ear is likely to be the kidnapped person Millie.

This time, not only Millie’s parents panicked, but the police made a mistake in their judgment.”

Luke observed Santu Gonzalez’s expression and continued, “After the police’s investigation, they eventually found the location where the hostage was hidden, and only Millie’s boyfriend was found, and Millie had already been killed and buried.

It was only after interrogation that we realized that the kidnapping case started out the same as what the police had expected, and it was indeed Millie who had directed a farce with her boyfriend in order to cheat her parents out of their money.

But after the first ransom was received, things changed.

Millie wanted to call it quits, but his boyfriend thought the ransom came too easily and wanted to continue blackmailing Millie’s parents.

Millie disagrees and a confrontation ensues, turning the fake kidnapping into a real one.

The boyfriend missed and killed Millie.”

Santu Gonzalez showed a worried look and seemed to have substituted the case, he knew how bad it was to raise a willful daughter and the helplessness of being a parent.

Luke continued, “Mr. Gonzalez, your daughter has no priors, but the man with your daughter has a long list of priors, and the red Honda he was driving was stolen.

Assuming, hypothetically, that your daughter had nothing to do with the murder of the police officer, she should have taken the initiative to call the police and explain the situation to them.

But she didn’t do that.

I guess there are two possibilities. The first possibility is that your daughter was involved in the murder of the policeman and she didn’t dare to call the police.

The second possibility, she wanted to call the police and explain the situation to the police, but her accomplice has a criminal record and did not agree to her doing so, possibly restricting her personal freedom or even threatening her safety.”

Luke finished and asked rhetorically, “Mr. Gonzalez, with your knowledge of your daughter, which do you think should be the case?”

If Luke had asked directly from the beginning, Santu Gonzalez would not have empathized much.

But Luke’s recounting of Millie’s kidnapping had automatically brought Santu Gonzalez into the role of Millie’s parents, and he felt that his daughter wouldn’t have done anything illegal, and at best, she wanted to do something confusing like Millie did, and she might now be in the same danger as Millie.

“My daughter is innocent, she must have tried to call the police but was coerced by an accomplice with a criminal record.” Santu Gonzalez sounded certain.

Luke smoothly said, “Then Salma Gonzalez’s situation is now dangerous, we must rescue her as soon as possible, do you know where she is now?”

Santu Gonzalez shook his head, “I really don’t know.

My daughter’s cell phone is not working right now either.”

Luke said so much to get Santu Gonzalez to cooperate voluntarily and dig out more valuable clues from him, “Your daughter’s companion is driving a red Honda, do you know his identity?”

“It would be my daughter’s boyfriend, Carlton Platas.”

Luke took down the man’s name and continued, “Mr. Gonzalez, your daughter’s situation is dangerous right now, she needs to be found as soon as possible for that to happen, so think for yourself, where might they be hiding?”

Santu Gonzalez thought for a moment and said, “I …… have an RV.

During the holidays will drive the RV to go out to play, that is a second hand RV, although not big, but the basic facilities are complete, in the wild can also survive also for a period of time.

Before Christmas, my daughter took the RV.”

Luke asked, “What was the license plate number?”

Outside of Los Angeles.

Near Highway 1, in a desolate wooded area.

It was an old RV with grayish-white paint that looked like it had been repainted itself.

A canopy was propped up on the side of the car, with a small table and kettle underneath.

Through the windows you could see shadows shifting inside, followed by the sound of a man and a woman conversing.

Both were of Mexican descent and didn’t look very old, both in their early twenties.

The man of Mexican descent was not tall, looked a little thin, wrinkled his eyebrows, and his face was a little cloudy.

The Chicano woman, who looked a little like Santu Gonzalez, said, “Carlton, that cop is dead, we have to do something.”

“I told you, I didn’t kill the man, don’t make trouble.”

The Chicano woman said, “Just because we didn’t kill him, it’s all the more reason we should set the record straight.”

Carlton looked a little agitated, “Make it clear?

How do you want to make it clear?

Don’t be ridiculous, there’s no way to make it clear.

If those cops can’t catch the killer, they’ll definitely use us as scapegoats.”

The Chicano woman said, “It wasn’t you or me who shot him, so what is there to say that can’t be made clear?”

Carlton grunted, “You think you’re safe if you don’t shoot.

What if the police think we’re in cahoots with the killer?

What if they think we’re in league with the killer and press for information on his whereabouts?

It’s not as simple as you think.

My dad is the best example, he didn’t kill anyone either, he was taken by the police and never came back ……” Carlton sighed, “Salma, I don’t want to end up like my dad, that would be stupid.”

Salma asked rhetorically, “Then we can’t just keep hiding?”

Carlton said, “Don’t worry, I’ve already made arrangements.

If the police can catch the murderer, they won’t arrest us again.

If the police can’t catch the murderer, we’ll run away to another state.

Either way, it’s better than going out now.

If the police catch us now, we will definitely be interrogated as murderers.”

Salma stared at the other man with a hint of skepticism in her features.

Carlton was a little inexplicably annoyed, and was about to say something when there was a slight rattle outside: “Rustle ……”

Carlton glanced out the window and didn’t notice anything unusual, he felt a little stuffy in the house and wanted some air, “I’ll go out and take a look.”

Salma didn’t say anything, like she was holding her breath.

Carlton held out his right hand, “Give me the car keys.”

Salma asked back, “Why?”

“I’m afraid you’ll do something stupid, give it to me.”

Salma’s eyes reddened and hesitated, but she took the car keys out of her pocket and handed them to him.

Carlton’s face softened, “I’m doing this for your own good, you’ll understand later.”

Carlton put the car keys into his pocket and exited the RV, looking around for a moment while walking over to a large tree, squatting and sitting underneath it, grabbing a handful of leaves out of his pocket and rolling them up in a rectangular piece of paper ……

“Rustle ……”

There was another rustling sound.

Carlton jerked his head up and looked around, his right hand feeling for his backside.

“LAPD!”

“Freeze!”

“Hands up.”

There was a shout from all around them, and a few heavily armed officers popped up not far away.

Carlton was dumbfounded, and the leaves in his hand fell apart.

At the same time, Luke rushed into the RV with his men.

“LAPD!”

“Hands over your head!”

Salma threw her hands up in the air, “Sir, I’m unarmed.”

Salma didn’t resist, but still had her hands cuffed and searched.

Salma looked a little mixed, looking a little nervous and relieved, “How did you find me?”

Luke didn’t answer and sat down across from Salma and questioned, “Why did you kill a cop?”

Salma’s face went ‘swish’ white, remembering what Carlton had just said, with some mixed emotions, some trepidation, and more worry.

“I didn’t kill the cop, I had nothing to do with that cop’s death.”

“Then why did you run?”

“I …… saw the dead man at that time, some fear, so I fled there.”

“Then why didn’t you call the police afterward?”

“Carlton wouldn’t let me call the police.” Salma glanced at Luke, “He said that the police wouldn’t believe my words and would arrest me as a murderer.

Sir, I didn’t kill a cop, please you must believe me.”

Luke said, “I looked at the law enforcement recorder and I know you didn’t kill the cop.

Do you recognize the killer?”

Salma sighed in relief and shook her head, “No.”

“Then why did he kill the cop when you were arrested?”

“I don’t know, I really didn’t know her.”

Luke pressed, “The killer was a woman?”

“Yes, she was a woman.”

“You saw what she looked like?”

“I didn’t dare look at first, I heard her footsteps leaving before I turned my head and saw her back, I think it was a woman.”

Luke said, “Did you hear her voice?”

“She didn’t speak, killed and left.”

“Describe her physical features.”

“She was medium-sized, wearing a black jacket over it, dark jeans underneath, black shoes, I can’t remember the exact style.”

“Did she have anything else with her?”

“I think she was wearing a backpack, like a black one, can’t remember the exact style.”

“What about hair?”

“Her hair was a little curly, I think she was black.”