Captain Yan had already sent people to investigate the women. The couriers were too hasty to remember any specific details about their appearances. They only recalled that the women were quite attractive, but couldn't provide any further descriptions. We couldn't even be sure if the couriers were describing the same person or different women.
Captain Yan and I analyzed the situation in his office.
"Do the origins of the first four packages have any common points?" I asked seriously.
"I've had people check. There's nothing special. The only commonality is that they all originated within our province. So, we can be sure the perpetrator is in our province," Captain Yan replied, although the last part was stating the obvious.
I didn't blame him for it. He had led the rescue of my mother during the kidnapping and had arranged protection for her. I had a favorable impression of him.
I asked another question, "Have you checked the handwriting on the shipping labels? Was it filled out by the perpetrator or by the courier?"
If the perpetrator filled it out, we could analyze their handwriting to infer their education level and even some personality traits. For instance, angular handwriting might indicate determination and toughness, while round handwriting could indicate honesty and friendliness. Small handwriting might suggest an introverted personality, and large handwriting might suggest extroversion or even arrogance. Those who prefer simplified characters might be more careless...
Handwriting not only reflects the writer's character but also their mood when writing. Most importantly, I wanted to see if any of the handwriting matched the letter I had received. The letter's handwriting suggested it was from a man with a heavy hand and bold strokes. However, the couriers said the packages were from women, which confused me.
Unfortunately, Captain Yan's response was disappointing, "The handwriting on the shipping labels varies. The addresses were all filled out by the couriers, and the phone numbers provided were all invalid."
"Do any of the pickup locations have surveillance cameras?" I asked.
"Damn it, don't get me started. The couriers can't even remember where they picked up the packages," Captain Yan cursed. "They only remember a pretty woman. They were probably too dazzled by her looks to pay attention to anything else."
Captain Yan was as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof, clearly taking this case seriously.
After discussing the matter further, I returned home to inform my mother before heading to my original unit to report in.
I knew this dismemberment case was likely connected to the enemies we had made in Baiqu County, similar to the previous kidnapping of my mother. However, since the public security bureau had taken over this case, I knew it wouldn't be my responsibility.
I was still concerned about the case in Baiqu County. After spending a month in the capital, I wondered how the investigation was progressing and whether there were any new developments.
Despite the time that had passed, I didn't believe the case could be solved so quickly.
To my shock, when I returned to the cold case unit, I received stunning news.
Since our team leader, Zhao Mingzhu, was still in the capital for treatment, I reported directly to our group leader.
The group leader asked about the condition of our team members in the capital. We had been under strict quarantine, with no contact with the outside world, so even our group leader didn't know the details.
I recounted the situation as best as I could, "Leader, I don't know the specifics about Team Leader Zhao, Ge Lao, or Sister Zhang. We were treated separately. I heard they're improving, but when I asked the experts how they were doing and when they'd return, they only told me to focus on my own recovery and didn't say much else."
Our cold case unit was highly respected within the province, but in the capital, even our group leader wouldn't command much attention. There's a saying, "You don't realize how small your position is until you go to Beijing," and it's quite true.
"Did they tell you what kind of virus you were infected with?" the group leader asked.
"I asked, but they didn't say. The medical staff never mentioned it. I tried to eavesdrop, but I didn't hear anything about the virus," I replied.
"Never mind. I knew they wouldn't tell you," the group leader waved it off. "Get back to work."
I didn't leave immediately. Instead, I asked, "Should I return to Baiqu County? Who's in charge there now?"
"Why go back? The case is closed..." the group leader's words left me stunned. I quickly asked, "Leader, how could the case be closed so quickly? Have all the doubts been resolved?"
"What doubts?" The group leader's expression turned stern. "The case is straightforward. Li Dapeng's family is responsible for the murders of the villagers. They paid Officer Li to infiltrate our system and act as a shield. Li Dapeng's sister was also involved. Their goal was the land around Guojia Village and Lianhua Village. They used the rumors of ghosts to scare people into selling their land cheaply."
"But wasn't it said that the land acquisition was not yet confirmed? How did they know it would be acquired? And where did they get the money to buy so much land? Something doesn't add up," I probed.
"The mastermind behind it all is the real estate investor," the group leader replied coldly. "We've confirmed that his company was on the verge of bankruptcy. He planned to buy the land cheaply and sell it for a profit. But his company collapsed before he could secure the land, and he fled abroad. We're pursuing him through Interpol."
"This doesn't make sense... Leader, the Guojia Village case must be connected to the plague in Lianhua Village 35 years ago," I said, voicing my biggest concern.
"What connection? That was just a normal plague!" The group leader's tone grew harsh. He then dropped another bombshell, "The case is closed. Li Dapeng is in custody awaiting trial. Li Xia was released due to insufficient evidence."
"What?" I exclaimed, almost dropping my jaw. "Li Xia was clearly working with Li Dapeng to harm us! That alone should be enough to convict her!"
"Can you provide evidence? There wasn't enough to indict her, and she hired a top lawyer. What can you do?" the group leader said impatiently.
It was clear he was losing patience with me, but I asked, "What about Lao Wang? Was he captured?"
"Stop worrying about it! Lao Wang is still being pursued," the group leader said, raising his voice. "Your mother's case is being handled by the public security bureau. You just got back from the hospital, take a few days off to rest. We'll call you when there's work to do. I have a meeting."
With that, the group leader grabbed a stack of files and left the office. Since he was gone, I couldn't stay. I followed him out, asking about Zhao Lingtian. He said there was still no news and that search efforts continued in Lianhua Village. After a few more questions, he stopped responding altogether.
Feeling dejected, I left the unit and walked home, lost in thought about the Baiqu County case. Although the group leader said it was closed, I felt it was resolved too hastily. The issues in Lianhua Village weren't addressed, and the true motives behind the Guojia Village murders remained unclear.
And then there was Li Xia...
Suddenly, I froze, recalling the woman who sent the five packages.
"Could Li Xia be behind the packages?" It seemed plausible. Each package arrived three days apart, giving her enough time to change locations.
Li Xia, a college sophomore, was quite pretty. More importantly, we had a grudge, fitting a vengeful mindset.
But I was curious about one thing: Li Xia only had her brother, who had died. Who hired her lawyer?
With this thought, I decided to find out more from the lawyer. I went straight to Captain Yan.
When I shared my idea, Captain Yan was thrilled. He had been trying to locate the lawyer, who had been out of the province on a case and just returned today. He was about to leave to meet her and suggested I join him, adding, "The lawyer is a beautiful, unmarried woman, just like you. You two might get along."
So, we headed to a high-end residential area in the city center to meet the lawyer.
Our goal was not romance but solving the Baiqu County case, which had become my personal mission. Even if the authorities closed the case, I was determined to uncover the truth.