Free Web NovelChapter 60: Chapter 60: The Murder Weapon_1
Zhou Ning walked over, and upon seeing the three people clearly, Shen Guanlin’s face was full of anger.
"It’s you, what’s with the police, to control a citizen like this? What crime have I committed for you to restrict my freedom like this? Give me an explanation!"
Zhou Ning stepped forward and ripped off the isolation gown that was blocking his chest to reveal three healing scratch marks on the right side of his neck. If one looked closely, they would notice that the scabs had started to fall off, and in a few days, these marks would probably disappear as well.
Zhou Ning felt a surge of relief in his heart and looked up at Shen Guanlin.
"Resisting is pointless now. We were lucky to find a male DNA in the victim’s wound. If it matches your DNA, it will be conclusive evidence."
Shen Guanlin was momentarily stunned and his struggle ceased as Xu Dayuan handcuffed him.
"Fine, spend the ride thinking it over. It will be in your best interest to confess sooner. Additionally, I can tell you that your son has already been taken to the criminal police unit."
Shen Guanlin’s eyes were as sharp as knives as he glared at Xu Dayuan, his face already showing signs of panic.
"My son has nothing to do with this. Don’t use that to threaten me. I’ll confess, but let him go immediately."
Mr. Zhao snickered, his chubby face moving closer.
With immense consideration, he draped a white coat over Shen Guanlin’s hands to cover the shiny handcuffs.
"Enough with that. Deciding what to do is our police work. If it wasn’t for not wanting to embarrass the Eighth Hospital, do you think we would still be here wasting our breath with you?"
Shen Guanlin didn’t speak further. Xu Dayuan grabbed his arm and directly signaled the head nurse of the operating room to open the door. Shen Guanlin stared at the head nurse as Mr. Zhao prodded him.
"Don’t look at people like that. Rest assured, while I can’t guarantee anything else, this is a place you won’t be returning to."
The head nurse of the operating room shook his head and looked at Shen Guanlin.
"No worries, I’m not afraid. Confess properly, Mr. Shen. It’s good for you that you’re leaving. You won’t be troubling the young nurses in the operating room anymore. Being jailed is a good thing; at least you’re alive. Take the chance to reform."
On hearing this, Zhou Ning looked towards the head nurse, realizing they all knew some of Shen Guanlin’s misdeeds. They held back because of his position, and even if they spoke up, it would be of no use since many young people have different pursuits.
Xu Dayuan pushed Shen Guanlin slightly.
"Let’s go back to the station and talk. If you’re not ashamed, go ahead and shout."
The door opened, and the group walked out as many people looked their way. Shen Guanlin didn’t dare to waste any more words and quickly walked towards the exit of the Eighth Hospital. When encountering people he knew, he did his best to lower his head. Going out dressed in operating room attire in such cold weather was too conspicuous.
...
Upon arriving at the criminal police unit.
Another police car stopped, and He Chunyang jumped down from it, unable to hide the smile on his face. He was holding an evidence bag with a plastic bag inside it. From the wrapping, one could tell it was a wrench.
Zhou Ning’s eyes lit up, and he hurried over.
"Did you find the murder weapon?"
He Chunyang grinned widely, very pleased with Zhou Ning’s response.
"It’s not just found. The person who dumped the murder weapon is an idiot. It was wrapped in several layers of plastic bags, the kind used by hospitals for medical waste. The waterproofing is really good. Doctor Zhou, I’ll leave this to you. I saw bloodstains on it."
Zhou Ning took it, and at that moment, Xu Dayuan also dragged Shen Guanlin out of the vehicle. Several police officers rushed over and grabbed Shen Guanlin. He seemed very surprised that the police had found the murder weapon, staring intensely at the bag in Zhou Ning’s hands.
Xu Dayuan patted Shen Guanlin’s shoulder with an expression of utter contentment on his face.
"Stop looking, you’ll know the result soon. Hurry and take him to the interrogation room. Interrogate him separately from Shen Weijie. Doctor Zhou, please work quickly. This test result should be out fast, right?"
Zhou Ning nodded vigorously.
"The Eighth Hospital can do it. I will give you the results in two hours."
Upon hearing this, Xu Dayuan gestured with his hand. The police officers pressed Shen Guanlin into the building. He seemed so shocked by what he heard that he stumbled, almost losing his slippers, but the officer at his side immediately propped him up. The group’s silhouettes vanished at the entrance of the first floor.
"Mr. He, that’s impressive. How far was the murder weapon from where the body was found?"
"About a hundred meters to the south, also by the east bank, about twenty meters from the shoreline. I reckon he didn’t see clearly in the dark and intended to throw it further away. Instead, it skewed, and we found it after searching for three hours."
Zhou Ning frowned slightly. Someone who could dispose of a body wouldn’t do so in such a hurry. Zhou Ning swung his arms, both left and right, and his doubts deepened.
"Doctor Zhou, what are you thinking?"
"The victim had traces of fluorescent paint on his right shoulder from being stepped on, and judging by the shape, I believe it’s from a right foot. Although the strike was delivered with both hands, the wound on the back of the head is slightly to the left, which, combined with the stepping pattern, is a motion more typical for someone who is left-handed."
"According to what you said, the weapon was found to the south of where the body was dumped, close to the shore, which is characteristic of a right-handed person throwing objects. Like when we throw something forward with both hands; it tends to veer right when thrown by the left hand and left when thrown by the right hand."
Xu Dayuan understood and after pondering for a moment, looked up and said,
"Are you suggesting that the person who killed and the one who disposed of the body are two different people? Then we should test the father and son later to see whether they are left or right-handed."
"Yes, at least the person who threw the weapon is not the same as the one who struck the victim on the head."
Xu Dayuan kicked Mr. Zhao in the foot, and Mr. Zhao looked confused.
"What did I do? Why are you hitting people now?"
He Chunyang couldn’t help but laugh, his face visibly relaxing as he moved closer.
"Xu Da is frustrated with you for not being more astute with trace evidence. You’d better buckle down and learn."
Mr. Zhao didn’t dare to talk back, and as Xu Dayuan had already taken He Chunyang and the others to the interrogation room, Zhou Ning coughed.
"Alright, don’t be gloomy now. Hurry up and move the stuff upstairs. I need to collect blood samples for testing and search for fingerprints for comparison—there’s plenty to do. You don’t want to stay here moping, do you?"
Mr. Zhao grinned and scurried off to retrieve items from the trunk. There were many things found in Shen Weijie’s car, so Zhou Ning, with evidence bags in hand, returned to the office.
He tossed the clothes aside and quickly donned gloves, carefully opening the evidence bag and pouring its contents onto a stainless steel countertop. Water flowed out everywhere.
Mr. Zhao had already followed him in, set down what he was carrying, and conscientiously put on gloves to take a closer look.
"Do these waters need to be sampled?"
Zhou Ning shook his head. Finding bloodstains and fingerprints was the priority right now. This water was the same as what had been sampled from the reservoir; it wasn’t necessary to keep it.
"Help me dry it with paper, then get a blow dryer. Don’t set the temperature too high, and dry the plastic bag I cut open. Afterward, see if you can find any fingerprints on it. Oh, and call Mr. Liu and ask him if Shen Weijie’s fingerprints have arrived."
Mr. Zhao’s face twisted into a grimace. Zhou Ning had given him a lot of tasks in one breath, but he didn’t dare protest. After wiping off the water, he dialed the number, holding the phone between his shoulder and ear, he spoke with Mr. Liu while plugging in the blow dryer. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Zhou Ning’s hands moved deftly with the knife, slicing open the outer layer of plastic. His heartbeat quickened with excitement as he spread the material apart, revealing a wrench with dried blood on it.
He carefully took out the wrench and wiped the bloodstains with a wet cotton swab, taking three swabs at once. Then, he dusted powder over the handle of the wrench, back and forth, and fingerprints began to emerge with the sweeping.
Using electrostatic paper to lift the prints, Zhou Ning quickly entered them into the system. Only then did he turn to Mr. Zhao.
"Are you done there?"
"Don’t rush me—I’ve just dried it off. There are bite marks on this tape. Could we really be this lucky?"
"Cut it out and save a sample, but first look for fingerprints. Are there any on the tape?"
Mr. Zhao grinned.
"There are several, come on, I’ll cut them out for you. These are super clear."
Zhou Ning leaned in for a look, and indeed, there were fingerprints.
"Has Mr. Liu not arrived yet?"
No sooner had he spoken than the forensic office door was pushed open, and Mr. Liu ran in, drenched in sweat, holding two fingerprint cards and two vials of blood, which he presented to Zhou Ning.
"Doctor Zhou, here are the fingerprints and blood samples from Shen Weijie and Shen Guanlin."
Zhou Ning took the cards and went to the computer to enter the numbers and begin the comparison. The computer screen flickered with fingerprints until the machine beeped, signaling the comparison had stopped and results were displayed.
Checking against the previously entered settings, Zhou Ning noted down in his notebook: four fingerprints from Shen Guanlin on the wrench, three from Shen Weijie, and two unknown fingerprints. On the outer layer of the packaging tape, all three were Shen Weijie’s fingerprints.
Four fingerprints from Shen Weijie were also found on the tape wrapping the license plate.
Zhou Ning exhaled deeply. Now all that was left was to wait for news from Xu Dayuan’s side. Identifying who was left-handed would determine who the real perpetrator was.
"Quickly take the blood samples to the lab at the Eighth Hospital, and these two tape samples, along with three blood samples, to the municipal police lab for a DNA comparison with the unknown male DNA."
Mr. Zhao scratched his head.
"Wait a minute, I’m a bit confused now. Who exactly is the murderer?"
