The Brain Science Case 9

Chapter 9: Paranoid Delusions – 9

“This is the first case I’ve handled since I came back.” Her eyes were as clear as ever. “I want to see what he looks like with my own eyes, no matter what.”

“You’ll see him when we bring him in!”

“I can help with the arrest.” Yingli gripped her arm tightly and smiled. “Weren’t you skeptical of my skills? Why not see for yourself?”

“But…”

“If Teacher Tang wants to come, let her,” Fang Zijun made the decision for Zhou Jinglin. “She was instrumental in identifying the suspect this time. One more person is one more pair of hands! Jinglin, you take your own car, and take a radio!” He tossed another handset to her.

“Ch-Chief!” she called after Fang Zijun, but he had already rushed out of the office with the other team members.

Turning back to face that baby face, she shoved the handset into Yingli’s hand. “If you want to go, you’d better watch out for yourself. I’m not your bodyguard!”

“I know!”

Sirens blared as one patrol car after another sped out of the station.

Zhou Jinglin ran to a corner of the parking lot, to a small white car.

“A Honda K6? Are you into cars?”

“Nope. I just like that it’s fuel-efficient and nimble.”

As usual, Yingli was wearing a lace dress and high heels. “How tall are you, anyway?” Though her frame was slender, her legs were surprisingly long. The passenger seat seemed to be instantly filled by her.

“One seventy-five. One eighty with shoes. You?”

“One seventy-two, a little shorter than you.” Zhou Jinglin started the engine and put on her radio earpiece. “Stay safe.”

Yingli’s response was to quietly fasten her seatbelt.

She had clearly heard the address broadcast from the station and quickly set the GPS.

“Where are you heading first?”

“We’re going to his house. Senior Big Head’s team is heading to the studio.”

“Then taking Xinsheng will be faster. Turn right up ahead.”

“Are you a Tianlong-ren (a slang term for a native of Taipei)?”

“I guess so. I don’t have many strengths, but I do have a particularly good memory.” Yingli pushed up her glasses. “I have that to thank for my PhD.”

“Are you showing off?” Zhou Jinglin chuckled. Seeing the traffic light ahead turn yellow, she shifted into third gear to rev the engine, then shifted back to fourth after entering the turn and slammed on the accelerator.

“Can you slow down a bit?” Yingli’s expression was a little stiff. “I’m worried about getting into an accident during the pursuit.”

So she does know fear! “I heard someone was eager to see the suspect’s face. I’m just trying to help her make that wish come true!” She pursed her lips and stared hard at the road ahead. “Hold on tight!”

The suspect’s home was in an old neighborhood of single-family houses.

They weren’t the first to arrive; some colleagues were already knocking on the door. “Chief, has the search warrant come through yet?”

‘Almost! Is the bastard home?’

Zhou Jinglin looked around. “I don’t see the car!”

Soon after, Lu Tingfeng’s team reported that Su Yijie had the day off. The studio manager was completely bewildered as to why the police were suddenly there.

“Today is August nineteenth. It’s only been two days,” Yingli said quietly, their eyes meeting. “He must have gone out to hunt for new prey.”

New… prey! “Chief! We’re going to drive around and look for him!” Zhou Jinglin did a sharp U-turn.

‘Go ahead and search!’ He also instructed one team to remain at the house and studio, while the other officers fanned out to search the streets, also contacting the local precincts for assistance.

This was a true large-scale manhunt.

Although the police would catch him eventually, he could strike again at any moment.

Yingli’s words, “new prey,” stuck in her mind. There absolutely could not be another innocent girl harmed.

“Not many people drive that old car anymore. It should stand out on the street…” The problem was, she had to find it.

“Watch out, red light!” With a sudden brake, Yingli gripped the door handle. “You focus on driving, I’ll look!”

“Can’t you try to think where he might go?” She slammed her hand on the steering wheel and grabbed Yingli excitedly.

“Huh?”

“You said it, right? To completely become the killer!” After a deep breath, she said in a suppressed voice, “If that’s the case, then predict where he would go!”

Based on investigative experience, detectives would radiate out from the killer’s home in a circle or a fan shape, trying to map out a general area where the suspect was most likely to operate based on the distribution of previous crime scenes.

However, Yingli also had to consider the suspect’s current psychological state.

The first crime scene, closest to his home, was the place the killer was most familiar with.

The second location was near his workplace.

The third was in a bustling area, which could be seen as him “challenging” himself with a more difficult abduction.

But after two days of deliberately suppressed media coverage, in order to win back the media’s attention, he would likely try to strike again.

And the boldest crime would be committed in the place where he felt most confident.

Feeling the immense pressure coming from Zhou Jinglin, Yingli sighed softly. “I’ll say this first, this is almost pure intuition.”

“Just say it!”

Finally, in Zhou Jinglin’s eyes, she found a glimmer of trust.

“Let’s check the riverside park.”

**

Partly cloudy. If he wanted to take pictures, the light today was a little lacking.

He parked the car on the side of the road and got out to observe the group of children.

There were many kids riding bikes and playing. One little girl was playing in the sand by herself. She probably had a parent with her, maybe chatting nearby.

But the point was, she was alone right now.

Suppressing his excitement, he raised his camera and took a few shots from a distance.

The girl was fair and cute. Although she was a bit young, she would probably be easier to lure away. Except for the third one, who had willingly gone with him, he had had to use violence on the first two.

“Hi, little sister. Are you playing all by yourself?” He clicked the shutter a few more times. “You’re so cute! How old are you?”

“E-Eight…” She looked a little nervous. “M-Mommy said I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”

Her speech was a little unclear, but she was very cute. “Uncle isn’t a bad person. I’m just taking a few pictures.” He held up the camera. “Playing all alone? Do you like lollipops?”

She nodded. “Here you go. Come on, you’re such a good girl.”

The girl held out her hand, and he slowly approached. “You’re such a good girl. What’s your name?”

“G-Ge Ru…”

“Get away from her!” A strange, stern voice suddenly cut in.

Zhou Jinglin arrived on the scene like the wind. “Su Yijie! You murderer!”

His heart sank. He dropped the lollipop and grabbed the girl by the neck. She cried out in pain as he pulled her back, facing the two women running toward him.

“Let her go!” She drew her gun and aimed. “Or I’ll shoot!”

“You won’t shoot! You won’t dare!” He held the camera to the girl’s head. “Don’t come any closer! Believe it or not, I’ll smash her head in!”

“You depraved scum!” Her finger was on the trigger, her voice turning cold. “I’ll say it one more time. Let. Her. Go.”

He didn’t relax his grip at all, instead tightening it around the girl’s neck.

“Hey! You won’t smash it.”