met free Chapter 1267 The Corpse in the Parking Lot
Chapter 1267 The Corpse in the Parking Lot
Li Baocun took a sip of hot water, calmed himself down, and said, "I patrol the B2 level every night at 10 pm, and today was no exception. When I got to the innermost corner, I saw someone lying on the ground. At first, I thought he was asleep. I called him twice but he didn't respond. I touched him and realized something was wrong, so I quickly called the police."
"When you found the body, were there any unusual vehicles around? For example, were the doors open, the windows broken, or were there any unfamiliar vehicles parked there?" Xiao Wang pressed, afraid of missing any crucial details.
“The vehicles all looked normal,” Li Baocun said, his brow furrowed as he tried to recall. “I remember the black sedan at the corner; the windows were closed and the doors were locked, as was the white SUV next to it. I didn’t see anything unusual. But when I patrolled to the B1 level, I thought I heard footsteps on the B2 level. I didn’t pay attention at the time, assuming it was just an employee coming down to get something. Now that I think about it, it might have been the suspect!”
"Could you tell me which direction the footsteps came from? And around what time did you hear them?" Xiao Wang asked quickly, his pen scribbling rapidly on the paper.
Li Baocun thought for a moment and said, "Around 9:40, I was on the B1 floor near the elevator entrance when I heard 'thump-thump' footsteps coming from the B2 floor. It sounded like someone was running, heading towards the elevator from around the corner. I even called out 'Who's there?' towards the B2 floor, but I didn't get a response. When I went down, I didn't see anyone. Now that I think about it, that person was definitely suspicious!"
"When was the last time you saw a living person on level B2? Did you notice any strangers or vehicles entering the parking lot?" Xiao Wang continued to press, trying to uncover more clues.
“The last time I saw a living person was around 9:30,” Li Baocun replied. “It was an employee of the company upstairs named Zhang Lei. He often works overtime until very late. I even said goodbye to him when he drove away. As for strangers and vehicles, I didn’t see any tonight. There are registrations at the entrance of the parking lot. Outside vehicles have to register their license plates and contact information. Employee vehicles have access cards, so there shouldn’t be any strangers coming in.”
Just then, Xiao Yang's voice came from B2: "Team Leader Wang, come here for a second, we've made a new discovery!" Xiao Wang settled Li Baocun and quickly went to B2. Xiao Yang pointed to the ground next to the body: "We found a business card in the deceased's coat pocket. It read 'Chen Feng, Project Manager, Science and Technology Innovation Company, 15th Floor, Oriental Building,' and a cell phone, which was dead and switched off; it probably belonged to the deceased. Also, we found a silver lighter on the ground behind the fire escape door. There were no obvious fingerprints on it, but the brand matched the cigarette butt, so it might have been left by the suspect."
Xiao Sun added, "We also checked the parking lot's surveillance footage. The camera at the corner of B2 level broke down last month and hasn't been repaired yet. It only shows the elevator entrance and the main entrance, and we haven't captured the suspect's image yet. However, the elevator entrance footage shows that around 9:45 a.m., a person wearing a black hoodie went up from the B2 level elevator to the 1st floor and then walked out of the building. Because they were wearing a hat and a mask, we couldn't see their face clearly, but we could see that they were about 170 centimeters tall and of medium build."
Li Ming walked to the investigation site and looked at the preliminary investigation results: "Based on the initial assessment, the underground parking lot is not the primary crime scene. The body was moved here from elsewhere, and the fire escape may have been the suspect's route in and out. Judging from the traces at the scene, the suspect is about 170 centimeters tall, wearing size 41 leather shoes, and smoking 'Chunghwa' cigarettes. He may have access to the Oriental Building, or he may be very familiar with the parking lot environment, knowing that the surveillance camera at the corner was broken. The deceased's identity is preliminarily speculated to be Chen Feng, but further verification is needed. After charging your phone, check if there is any important information. We need to visit the company on the business card tomorrow."
He turned to Xiao Wang: "Confirm with Li Baocun again whether the person in the black hoodie who walked out of the building around 9:45 could be Zhang Lei, or another employee he knows? Also, contact the science and technology company to confirm whether Chen Feng is at work, whether he came to work overtime today, and whether any of his colleagues know where he is."
Xiao Wang returned to the security room and continued to inquire: "Mr. Li, around 9:45, did you see a person wearing a black hoodie and a mask walk out of the building? Could it be an employee you know, like Zhang Lei?"
Li Baocun shook his head and said definitively, "It wasn't Zhang Lei! Zhang Lei was wearing a blue jacket, and he left at 9:30. The person in the hoodie didn't come out until 9:45. I thought it was strange at the time, wondering why someone would be dressed so warmly at that hour. Now that I think about it, he must have something to hide!"
This information gave Xiao Wang a jolt. He immediately instructed his team to record the characteristics of the person wearing the black hoodie and send the information to the surrounding police stations to assist in the investigation. At the same time, he contacted the person in charge of the science and technology company to confirm Chen Feng's identity and current situation.
At 11 p.m., the investigation in the underground parking lot continued. Xiao Yang and Xiao Sun expanded their search area around the body, trying to find more clues; Xiao Wang checked the parking lot's registration records in the security room, checking recent vehicles and people entering the premises. Li Ming stood by the cordon, observing everything before him. He knew that the investigation into this murder case in the office building's underground parking lot had only just begun. Was the deceased Chen Feng? Why did the suspect kill him? Were the dark red marks in the fire escape bloodstains? Who was the person in the black hoodie? These questions needed to be answered by examining the traces at the scene and conducting further investigations. But he firmly believed that with meticulous investigation and patient screening, the truth would eventually be revealed, and justice would prevail.
When they received Li Ming's order to expand the investigation area, Xiao Yang and Xiao Sun had just finished organizing the evidence from the initial investigation of the underground parking lot. Carrying investigation bags full of tools, the two returned to level B2 and began a thorough search of a 50-meter radius around the corner where the body was found. The underground parking lot's lighting was still flickering, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The smell of car exhaust mingled with the odor of investigation reagents, creating a somewhat oppressive atmosphere.
"Let's start by checking from where the body is, towards the elevator entrance. We've only checked the area around the body so far. The elevator entrance is the main escape route the suspect might take; we might find some traces there." Xiao Yang turned on the high-intensity search light, the beam penetrating the dim environment and landing on the gray floor tiles. Xiao Sun, holding a probe, carefully brushed away the dust from the gaps between the car seats and the corners, taking extra care with every step, afraid of destroying any possible clues.
After walking about 20 meters, Xiao Sun's probe suddenly stopped. He squatted down and gently brushed away the dust in the cracks between the paving stones with tweezers, revealing a faint mark.