Chapter 90
Chuan Yu Restaurant.
Just after eleven o’clock, there were still not many guests in the restaurant.
A middle-aged woman was bending over to wipe the table, and seeing someone walk into the store, she turned her head to look over, “Welcome to …… Officer Luke, what brings you here?”
“Ms. Wang, we are looking for you to understand something.”
“Please sit down, I’ll go and pour you a cup of tea.”
Luke picked a table and sat down, “No need to get busy, we just had a bellyful of soy milk.”
Wang Huifang sat across from Luke, “Officer Luke, how is the investigation of Ms. Riley’s case going?”
“It’s still under investigation, I came over today to ask a few questions about the case.”
“Okay, go ahead and ask.”
Luke glanced toward the back of the restaurant and asked a question on the subject, “You didn’t take a few days off before you started working again either.”
“This is a restaurant owned by my son-in-law, usually my daughter and son-in-law take care of it, I have nothing to do at home, so I come to help. It’s just a laborious life, can’t be idle.”
Luke nodded and turned on the law enforcement recorder, “Ms. Wang, do you have a pistol?”
Wang Huifang shook her head, “Gun? No, what would I use that for?”
“Don’t be in a hurry to answer, you are thinking hard, have you ever bought a gun?”
“Buying a gun, I …… “Wang Huifang froze for a moment, as if she remembered something, her tone was a bit flustered, “Right, I did buy a gun, but it wasn’t mine, it was Ms. Laili who asked me to buy it. ”
“Where is the gun?
“I don’t know, I really don’t know.
One day I was cooking at Ms. Riley’s house and she asked me to help her buy a gun. I was a little puzzled as to why she didn’t buy it herself and asked me to buy it for her.
She said she was not comfortable buying a gun in her own capacity because of her job.
I was also a bit worried at the time, so I didn’t agree.” Wang Huifang sighed, revealing a remorseful look, “Later, another incident happened, Ms. Riley’s house was attacked by a gunman, and the glass was broken.
It was old and scary.
Ms. Riley once again offered to let me help buy a gun for self-defense, and said she would give me ten thousand dollars for the purchase.
I agreed.
I bought the gun and gave it directly to her, and I never saw it again.
Did anything happen to that gun?”
Luke said truthfully, “That gun killed someone and is now a murder weapon. You, as the owner of the gun, are also responsible.
“What? Murdered someone.” Wang Huifang was shivering with fear, her voice trembling, “It’s none of my business ah, that gun was really given to Ms. Riley. I only saw it that one time and never touched it after that.
It’s really none of my business.”
Hearing the commotion outside, a couple in their thirties walked out of the back kitchen.
“Mom, what’s wrong? What happened?”
Luke flashed his badge, “LAPD, we’re taking Ms. Wang’s statement, please excuse yourselves.”
“My mom just went to that house as a nanny and had nothing to do with Ms. Riley’s death.” Wang Huifang’s daughter defended.
“Regardless of whether there is a relationship or not, we have to make a statement according to the rules, understand?”
“Okay, we’ll recuse ourselves.” Wang Huifang’s daughter and son-in-law returned to the back kitchen.
“Ms. Wang, can anyone testify that you gave the gun to Ms. Riley?”
“There was no one else at the time, just the two of us.” Wang Huifang seemed to be afraid that Luke wouldn’t believe her and added, “What I said is true, someone shot at her house. I bought the gun for her out of fear for her. Otherwise, what would I use that for. I’m an old woman with no money or power, and I don’t need it.”
“When did you say someone shot at Ms. Riley’s house?”
“Early January of this year, within a few days I bought a gun for her, or my son-in-law accompanied me, what do I know about guns.”
David stood up and went outside to make a phone call.
Luke continued his inquiry, “Where were you between eleven and two o’clock the night before last?”
“Officer Luke, Ms. Riley’s death really has nothing to do with me, if I were the murderer I would have run away a long time ago and wouldn’t have been in the process of going to her house, much less calling the police, I’m really innocent.”
“Precisely because you are innocent, it is all the more necessary to make a statement, not to make things clear, not to record it, but in the future, it will be unfavorable to you.”
Wang Huifang reacted and nodded, “You’re right, I’ll make a statement.
I was sleeping at home the night before last. My daughter and son-in-law can both testify.
I left the house at 7:20 a.m. and arrived at Ms. Laili’s house at 7:50 a.m. You all know what happened afterwards.
Ms. Riley was long dead by then, and I couldn’t have killed anyone.”
David came over and whispered, “Matthew checked.
On that day, January 7th, Riley Hare’s house was indeed attacked by a gunman. The person who attacked her house is called Bowen Cano, opposes the gun ban, and is a radical member of the militia organization.”
Luke recused Huifang Wang again and called out Huifang Wang’s daughter and son-in-law for questioning, both of whom testified that Huifang Wang had not left the house the night before.
Luke admonishes Wang Huifang not to leave the city limits and to be on call 24 hours a day, and leaves the restaurant.
Speey’s Convenience Store.
A white man waddled out of the convenience store, carrying a plastic bag in his left hand and a bottle of beer in his right hand, taking small steps, shaking his head, and taking two steps and a sip.
Oncoming two tall men blocked the front.
One of them, a dark-haired man, laughed, “Hey, Bowen.”
The white man froze, looked at Luke and then at David, threw the bag he was carrying at the two men, turned and ran.
“I’ll get the car.” David dropped the words and ran back to the car.
“FUCK!” was all Luke could do to fling himself forward in pursuit.
Two men and a car launched into a highway chase.
Luke was in good physical condition, but the militia organization was no slouch, and the two men chased and ran for two streets.
David followed in his car as well, and in turn was the easiest one.
Of course, this does not mean that driving is easy, if the technique is not good and inexperienced, it is easy to be thrown off and lost.
After a few hundred more meters, Bowen Cano couldn’t run anymore and slowed down.
Luke made a flying leap and pinned him down, “Bowen, congratulations you’re under arrest for assaulting a police officer.”
“No, I didn’t assault a police officer.”
“Something in your bag hit me, it hurts, I’m thinking about getting a disability test.”
“Come on, it was nothing more than instant noodles and sandwiches in there, how could it hurt you. Put away that trick you planted. I haven’t committed any crime and you have no right to arrest me.”
“I have the right.” Luke’s tone was sure, “You’re a probation officer, you’re averting your eyes and sneaking around, and as a police officer you have the right to question you.
Running away is even more of a sign that you have a problem, and the police can legally search you.”
“I’m just going to a convenience store to buy some instant noodles, you assholes don’t even need a reason to try to arrest someone.”
David got out of the car and walked over, “You’re quite the runner for a guy, it’s a shame you’re not going to the Olympics.”
Bowen questioned, “What the hell do you guys want?”
Luke lifted him up, put his face against the wall and searched him, “Whoa …… look at this.”
A black pistol was recovered from Bowen and David held it in his hand and played with it, “Stoeger STR-9S, 4.17 inch long threaded barrel, standard capacity 20 rounds.
You’re on probation and you dare to carry a gun on the street, a blatant violation of the probation ban, we have the right to arrest you.
Double jeopardy, wait for jail time.”
“Hey, you guys can’t do this to me, I didn’t mess with you.”
David said, “You broke the law, we are arresting you according to the law, if you feel wronged you can talk to the judge.”
Bowen Cano begged for mercy, “What good does this do you guys? How about we talk about it? What is it that you want? I’ll just do what I’m told.”
Luke pushed him into the car, “Riley Hare, I don’t suppose you’re a stranger?”
Bowen Kano sighed, “I knew it would be.”
“So you admit to killing her?”
“No, how could I have killed her when I was restricted from getting within 100 yards of her. I didn’t know until I watched the news.”
“Even if you didn’t do it, it could have been done by someone you know, like one of your like-minded people, or maybe even your accomplice. After all, how can a militia organization not have guns?”
“You’ve got it all wrong, I have no grudge against Riley Hare, there are no like-minded people, and I know nothing about her death.”
David pulled out his cell phone, “If you won’t talk, I’ll have to contact your supervising officer.”
“Hey, hey, STOP! don’t call.”
“WHY?”
“I’ll tell you, tell you all.” Bowen Cano said helplessly, “Do you guys suspect me of killing Riley Hare because of what happened when I shot up her house in early January.”
“You have a motive, you have a history, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t suspect you.”
Bowen Cano hesitated for a moment, “That’s not true.”
“What do you mean?”
“My attack on Riley Hare’s house was fake, someone hired me to do it, I don’t even hate Riley Hare or want to hurt her, it was all an act. I already knew there was no one in the house.”
“Who hired you?”
“Riley Hare’s negro chauffeur, who gave me two hundred thousand dollars.”
“Bardman Pool?”
“Yes, that’s him.”