Chapter 38 An Interview With the Dead

That night, we had dinner at a lakeside restaurant. Mr. Liu treated us to a meal of barbeque fish, followed by a trip to the karaoke. With Lin Feng's little disciple's class rescheduled to the evening, we had fun until about four or five when Mr. Liu invited us to a game of mahjong, which we declined. It was already a little more than five when we got back to the center. But there was another visitor that night whose arrival we hardly expect: it was the superintendent that I encountered that morning at the haunted farm. Only this time, he came in civilian clothing. I ushered him in and made him tea. As I slipped him a cigarette, he asked if we could meet up for coffee that night. The man was here for help, but he could not dare openly ask. "You can speak freely here. Everyone here is family, including..." I said, gesturing to both Lin Feng and Yuan Chongxi, "My friends here. We're like brothers. Rest assured that what you say today will not be repeated elsewhere!" He nipped at his cigarette between his lips and breathed hard before saying finally, "I'll admit to you, this is the first case that I'm leading since graduating from the academy. You could imagine the brimming confidence of a fresh graduate, waiting to take on the world. So I was this morning when I received the assignment to investigate this case. Like a new fledgling eager to spread his wings, hopeful that this case would spark a successful career until the unsightly fracas happened this morning. That policewoman did not drink tea and she was not aware of the reason the tea was prepared beforehand. She was actually the forensic doctor assigned to the case. What happened this morning not only frightened our entire team, the doctor was so terribly terrified that I fear she might want a change of career! Later in the afternoon, another forensic doctor was dispatched to the scene but from his findings, I'm certain that there's nothing more than what we gleaned from the scene. The remains are close to forty years old! We have no clue as to where the murderer is now! At this rate, this case will remain unsolved, perhaps even forever. But this is my first case, and I wish to see it to closure. From the way you cured the female forensic doctor this morning, I was guessing if you might have a way to solve the case. But I cannot enlist your help as a police officer. You can imagine the scrutiny and repercussions that would follow if word of this gets out! But can you help me, with ways that seem more conventional or discreet? Maybe some methods to extract more clues? I'm willing to pay. The man who had commissioned you for your services, I'm willing to pay the same amount as long as you can help me."