007: Riddled with Doubts

Qindao Sub-bureau, Interrogation Room.

Chen Jun sat in the interrogation chair, dark circles under his eyes, visibly uneasy.

Han Bin and Li Hui were still in charge of the interrogation, a video camera positioned on the table.

"Chen Jun, after spending a night in the detention center, have you recalled any new clues?" Han Bin asked.

"I haven't done anything. That night, June eighteenth, I was really at home," Chen Jun replied.

"Where were you on the night of June seventeenth?" Han Bin pressed.

Chen Jun paused, shook his head. "I can't remember."

"If you want to clear your name, you need to cooperate with our investigation," Li Hui said.

"Let me think..." Chen Jun muttered, recalling for a moment. "That night, I..."

His voice grew quieter and quieter, the latter part barely audible.

"Chen Jun, at a time like this, you’re still hemming and hawing. Do you want to spend the next life in prison?" Han Bin scolded.

"No, no, I'll talk." Chen Jun swallowed hard. "On the night of June seventeenth, I went to get my hair done."

"Get your hair done? A man like you—" Halfway through, Li Hui realized, "You went to see Miss Jasmine?"

"I think so," Chen Jun said.

"Think carefully. I want a definite answer," Han Bin demanded.

"Yes, I went to that kind of place," Chen Jun admitted.

"That kind of place—you even know it's embarrassing?" Li Hui pressed.

"I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have gone there, but I really didn't force anyone, really didn't," Chen Jun cried.

"Address."

"It's at the Silver City Foot Spa on Huiyuan Road."

"What’s the name of the woman who did your hair?" Han Bin asked.

"Jasmine."

"Full name?"

"I don’t know. It was my first time there, just knew her as Jasmine."

"If you want to clear your name, think carefully. The more clues you provide, the more accurate our investigation," Han Bin said.

"Yes, yes."

...

Leaving the interrogation room.

Li Hui couldn’t help but ask, "Bin, do you really believe he’s innocent?"

"First, his reaction is not like that of a murderer. Second, besides Chen Jun’s genetic material, there is no evidence linking him to the case. No tools or suspicious items were found in his home," Han Bin explained.

"The crime happened on June eighteenth. Why ask about his whereabouts on the seventeenth?" Li Hui questioned.

"It's still unclear. We need to visit the Silver City Foot Spa first," Han Bin stroked his chin; everything was still just conjecture.

"This foot spa is involved in vice. Should we call the public security team?" Li Hui asked.

"Better to contact the local police station," Han Bin replied.

Huiyuan Road fell under the jurisdiction of Guang'an Police Station, whose chief was Han Weidong.

Han Bin made a call, briefly described the situation, and Han Weidong assigned several officers to assist them that night at the Silver City Foot Spa.

If you want to catch someone red-handed, going during the day is pointless.

...

Midnight. Silver City Foot Spa.

Several officers entered first, controlled the staff, and managed to catch them in the act.

Han Bin and Li Hui were detectives; vice raids were not their responsibility.

Inside the spa, Han Bin greeted the leading officer, "Brother Cui, thank you all for your hard work."

Cui Hao, captain at Guang'an Police Station, led this raid.

"Bin, no need for thanks. It's our duty," Cui Hao replied.

Han Bin glanced at the men and women squatting on the floor. "Who is Jasmine?"

"I am," a woman answered softly.

"Stand up."

"Officer, I just got here. First time working," Jasmine was young, barely in her twenties, heavy makeup masking her true age, which might be even younger.

"We’re from the criminal investigation team. We need you to assist with a case," Han Bin said.

"Detectives? I haven’t committed any crime," Jasmine recoiled, surprised.

"Do you know him?" Li Hui showed her a photograph.

"This... I..."

"We’re detectives, not vice squad. But if you dare hide evidence, you’ll be charged twice," Han Bin warned.

"I remember him," Jasmine said.

"You only glanced at him. How can you be sure?" Han Bin pressed.

"He was very quick," Jasmine replied.

"Explain?"

"From entering to leaving the room, it was less than five minutes," Jasmine said.

"Pfft..." Li Hui laughed. "That fast?"

"That’s why I remember him so well," Jasmine blushed.

"Who’s the manager here?" Han Bin asked.

"I am," a man with a tattoo on his arm replied.

"Is there surveillance inside the rooms?" Han Bin asked.

"No, only at the front and back doors," the tattooed man answered.

"Pull up the footage from June seventeenth and eighteenth," Han Bin commanded.

"Alright," the tattooed man complied.

Moments later, he brought up footage from the night of June seventeenth, and sure enough, Chen Jun appeared on camera.

It confirmed he had indeed visited the foot spa.

"Bin, only the footage from the seventeenth. What good is that?" Li Hui asked.

Han Bin ignored him and pressed, "Where do you throw your trash?"

"There’s a bin out back. We toss it there; someone cleans it the next day," the tattooed man replied.

"Does the back door camera cover it?"

"Yes."

"Pull it up."

The tattooed man queued up the back door footage. Nothing unusual on the night of June seventeenth.

At three AM on June eighteenth, someone exited the back door and tossed several garbage bags into the bin.

At five AM, a man entered the alley, approached the bin, reached in, then left quickly.

"Stop," Han Bin pointed at the screen. "Li Hui, what do you think this guy was doing?"

"Probably dumping trash," Li Hui said.

"Look closely—he’s wearing gloves," Han Bin pointed out.

"He’s collecting something?" Li Hui suddenly realized. "I get it. You think he took Chen Jun’s white genetic material from the bin."

"It’s just my conjecture; no evidence yet," Han Bin replied.

Li Hui moved the mouse, watched the footage several more times. "This guy with the gloves, picking something from the bin—I feel like I’ve seen him before."

"Where?"

"Got it. On the surveillance from Central Park. He appeared during the time of the crime, but never returned there, so we haven’t identified him yet," Li Hui said.

Han Bin scrutinized the footage. Indeed, the man looked familiar.

"If this person took Chen Jun’s genetic material and was at the crime scene, isn’t that a bit too coincidental?" Han Bin mused.

"You suspect he’s the real suspect in this case?" Li Hui asked.

"Let’s head back to the bureau, see if we can clarify the footage," Han Bin said.

"Bin, it’s already past midnight. The forensics team is long gone. Even if you bring the footage back, no one will process it," Li Hui tapped his watch.

Han Bin smiled wryly. "All right, we’ll wait until tomorrow."