Wang Wenjing was agitated, seemingly not hearing what Mr. Zhao had said. The old lady gave her a glass of water and kept patting her back, which seed to calm her down.
"Now, can you answer my colleague’s questions?"
Wang Wenjing nodded and then whispered,
"My boyfriend’s na is Chen Chunxi, he’s the sa age as , and works at China Railway Third Bureau Fourth Company. I called him yesterday morning, and he ca to pick up. He brought my mom ho, then took to the hospital, but on the way, he got a call from the construction site about an urgent matter, so he dropped off at the hospital and he went to handle the issue. He only ca back to pick up after he finished at noon."
Zhou Ning fell silent; he had called Chen Chunxi at 7:18, who then picked up Wang Wenjing and her mother to take them to the hospital, and they arrived after eight, during the heavy morning rush hour.
However, the traffic accident in Jingkou District happened at 7:55. Dongtai District is roughly 60 minutes away from Jingkou District by car during the rush hour around eight, which ant that Wang Wenjing and Chen Chunxi’s suspicion lessened instantly, it all depended on whether the hospital surveillance matched their story now.
"Which hospital?"
"The Ergency Departnt at Central Hospital."
At this point, Wang Wenjing struggled to sit up, and retrieved a radiograph envelope from the bedside, which bore the logo of Central Hospital. She promptly took out the X-rays and related materials from inside.
Zhou Ning stood up and looked through them. It was indeed a series of diagnostics from yesterday morning; all the tis were docunted and couldn’t be faked. He glanced at the X-ray which showed a bone fracture that wasn’t very prominent, but the swelling pattern was sowhat strange. He compared the frontal and side views but didn’t say anything.
When he looked at Xu Dayuan, he saw that Xu had already sent a text ssage to Mr. Zeng, the content was almost identical to his own suspicions, asking Mr. Zeng to check yesterday’s ergency departnt surveillance at Central Hospital, and also to see if Wang Wenjing had been treated there and what the doctor’s diagnosis was.
Zhou Ning didn’t move; Mr. He was at Central Hospital, but he had just started working there. When he was staying at Zhou Ning’s, he had complained that it took thirty minutes to drive from his ho to Central Hospital because the traffic was too heavy.
Wang Wenjing’s residential complex was almost parallel to Zhou Ning’s ho, and about the sa distance to Central Hospital. Wang Wenjing had an accident while taking her child to school, and then returned to pick up her mother before going to the hospital. Why didn’t she choose the nearest hospital?
Zhou Ning directly asked,
"Your ho is close to both the staff hospital of Qindao University and the municipal hospital. Why did you go to the distant Central Hospital instead?"
Wang Wenjing’s face showed difficulty, and she handed her dical insurance card to Zhou Ning.
"My dical insurance and social security are both in Rizhao, as it’s considered out-of-town insurance. I can only go to the contracted hospital for treatnt, and at that ti, I had signed up with Central Hospital."
This answer was almost faultless.
"What’s your child’s na? Where does she go to school?"
"My daughter’s na is Wang ngng. Her dad’s surna is also Wang. After I divorced in 2000, I moved to Qindao with my child and my mother. ngng is a junior at Qindao No. 102 Middle School."
Xu Dayuan glanced at the file, and indeed the location was within Qindao No. 102 Middle School’s boundaries. He closed the folder and motioned to Mr. Zhao, who discreetly turned off the law enforcent recorder.
"We’ve understood the situation that we need to know, but we need to take a sample of your blood and nail clippings, and then we’ll need your contact information. Of course, that of your boyfriend Chen Chunxi as well. Later, we will confirm all the ti periods you’ve ntioned."
Wang Wenjing nodded and hesitated for a mont before asking,
"May I ask, did sothing happen to Zhang Guanglei?"
"He died in a traffic accident, it happened yesterday morning."
Wang Wenjing covered her mouth as if trying to control her emotions.
Zhou Ning approached to draw Wang Wenjing’s blood, and using the edge of the tweezers, he scraped along the crevices of her fingernails. Observing her long nails, he offered to clip them.
"Do you want to do it, or will you?"
Wang Wenjing didn’t beat about the bush, and raised her hand for Zhou Ning to carefully clip off the nails on the thumbs and index fingers of both hands. Afterwards, he placed them in an evidence bag and labeled them.
After Zhou Ning finished, Xu Dayuan and the others stood up. As Zhou Ning turned to leave, he suddenly asked,
"Do you know if Zhang Guanglei had any health issues, or if he suffered from any illnesses?"
Wang Wenjing paused, confusion clear on her face as she looked up, shaking her head slightly.
"I’ve never heard him ntion anything wrong with his health. Did he have a sudden illness causing the accident, or was he injured by soone?"
Xu Dayuan waved his hand.
"The case is still under investigation, and we can’t disclose the details here. If you think of anything regarding Zhang Guanglei, like any significant friends, enemies, or even debt disputes, feel free to call us."
With that, he was the first to leave the room, and the old lady escorted them out, rubbing her hands together, obviously hesitant to say more.
Mr. Zhao was attentive, closing the master bedroom door after helping them. He glanced at the old lady and comforted her,
"Auntie, don’t worry, your daughter’s leg will heal with ti."
The old lady gave Mr. Zhao a grateful but distant smile, evidently her worries lay elsewhere. As the group made their exit, she hurriedly closed the door, her urgency showing she didn’t want to delay a mont longer.
Xu Dayuan paused, and seeing that Mr. Zhao was about to speak, he shook his head slightly, pulling the agents along to the elevator. They didn’t exhale until they were inside.
"I’ll have soone keep watch over this place."
Zhou Ning glanced at Xu Dayuan, this arrangent wasn’t unexpected. Now with no other leads, an ex-wife, an ex-girlfriend, mom not in the province, and no close friends to speak of, keeping an eye on them was the safest bet.
Mr. Zhao kept shaking his head, after such a big fuss, Mr. Zhao’s head was now throbbing.
"The more I look, the more confused I beco. I can’t make heads or tails of what complicated relationships lie here. It seems like there’s a strong connection, yet when pieced together, there’s no connection at all. The timing of Wang Wenjing’s injury is too coincidental as well. Zhou Xiaozhou, won’t you ask Mr. He? While Mr. Zeng and others review the surveillance footage as a matter of procedure, it’s reassuring to ask our own people in the ergency departnt."
Zhou Ning nodded. By now, the elevator had reached the first floor, and so detectives were waiting for them downstairs. The Honda had been loaded onto a truck, ready to be transported away. A young officer ca over with a smile. His na was Bai Ruixin.
"Xu Da, the car’s been loaded up. Should we et up with Mrs. Liu?"
Xu Dayuan nodded.
"I saw it, no need to find Liu Yufei. You guys go and check on soone, Chen Chunxi from China Railway Third Bureau Fourth Company. I want his information, and also his whereabouts for the last 24 hours. Where has he been? Who has seen him? It’s best if there’s surveillance footage, got it?"
Bai Ruixin nodded with a grin and called over so people before leaving.
Mr. Zhao grimaced off to the side and edged closer to take the keys from Xu Dayuan’s hand.
"Since reaching the city bureau, Xu Da has llowed out a lot. If I dared to talk to him like that at the vehicle loading site like now, he would have told straight: ’I’m not blind, just do what needs to be done!’"
Xu Dayuan lifted his leg and delivered a sharp kick to Mr. Zhao’s butt, leaving Mr. Zhao with a face full of grievance.
"Why hit people?"
Zhou Ning struggled to hold back his laughter.
"That’s what you get for having a smart mouth. You know better, yet still say it. Enough chatter, let’s drive back."
Mr. Zhao was taken aback.
"Go back?"
"We’re not going to the Central Hospital?"
"You want to see Mr. He?"
"Don’t want to."
Xu Dayuan gave him a look and raised his foot as if to kick again, but Mr. Zhao had learned his lesson and promptly dodged it.
The three of them got into the car, and this ti Mr. Zhao didn’t waste any words, driving off straight away. Zhou Ning dialed He Shancun’s number, and it rang five tis before being answered.
"What is it?"
"Why so curt? Who upset you?"
"Cut it out, I’m busy right now. If it’s important, speak up. If not, I have things to do!"
Zhou Ning rubbed his nose and switched the call to speakerphone.
"I’m with Xu Da. We’ve got a case involving a female suspect nad Wang Wenjing, forty years old. She was taken to the hospital because of a car accident yesterday morning. I’ve seen her X-rays: minor ligant tear and slight fibular fracture.
Xu Da has sent people to check the surveillance. I wanted to know who attended to her in the ergency room and if they rember her condition when she arrived. Additionally, who was with her during the visit, and if they saw what car she traveled in?"
He Shancun hesitated for a mont before yelling on the other end of the phone:
"Zhou Xiaozhou, am I your surveillance system? Or one that’s on standby 24/7? We’re swamped here, constantly on our feet. You want surveillance, I’ll have soone fetch it for you. I can also ask the attending doctor for you, but to check what car she ca in as well?"
Zhou Ning rubbed his nose, realizing he was truly putting He Shancun on the spot, and quickly tried to soothe him.
"Don’t rush it, just asking. It’s better if you know, but no worries if you don’t. I know you’re busy, isn’t it because I’m familiar with Central Hospital and have friends there, would I be an idiot not to ask?"
He Shancun humd twice without answering, but footsteps could be heard on the other end, along with a constant broadcast paging Mr. He Shancun to ergency room one upon hearing the call.
Monts later, He Shancun’s voice ca through as he called for a Doctor Chen Yuge, briefly repeating Zhou Ning’s words, then handed the phone to Chen Xuege, and shouted into the receiver:
"Zhou Xiaozhou, you talk to Doctor Chen. He attended to that patient yesterday morning. Recall as much as you can, and don’t hassle my staff."
"Don’t worry! Hello Doctor Chen, I’m forensic doctor Zhou Ning!"
"Hello, forensic doctor Zhou, I was told by Mr. He about the patient nad Wang Wenjing. I rember her. When she entered the ergency room, I happened to be standing at the counter setting up my phone, and I glanced at her. She got out of a black sedan, looked like an old Santana, but I don’t rember the license plate.
She ca in around eight o’clock. Just give a mont to check the ergency records; we use electronic records now... found it, she registered for ergency care at 7:50 am, accompanied by an elderly woman.
That elderly woman seed to be Wang Wenjing’s mother, incessantly muttering sothing by her side. It wasn’t concern about her injuries, but repeating so phrase over and over. It was so irritating that I couldn’t help but rember the patient. I even tried to console the old lady at the ti."
Xu Dayuan paused and looked at Zhou Ning, who leaned closer to the phone and hastily asked:
"Take your ti, Doctor Chen. What was the old lady advising her about? Rember as much as you can, even if it seems irrelevant."
User Comments
0 comments from readers