novel-bin Chapter 65 Investigation in Progress
Chapter 65 Investigation in Progress
A few minutes earlier, the coroner knocked on the door of the room where Luo Qiu was being interrogated, and the news he brought was just in time.
"Detective Luo Qiu, at this point I can only detect that the deceased took painkillers before his death, but the dose was not enough to cause death. As for the coffee stains left on the mug, I can only detect unidentified substances. Based on the preliminary color reaction, it is not a common food or beverage residue."
"In summary, I tend to believe that Mr. Derek died from the interaction of painkillers and some unknown substance. Based on the description of death, the unknown substance is most likely a sleeping aid. Of course, the truth will only be known after Mr. Derek is taken back to the Bureau of Investigation for further autopsy."
It's good that the cause of death can be roughly determined.
To get a definitive result, an autopsy is needed at the investigation bureau, requiring various instruments and methods, which will take at least a day. This is a very good thing.
At this point, Derek's death is quite obvious.
The painkillers were likely taken by Derek himself. Several testimonies mentioned that Derek's eyes were bloodshot, which could be due to insufficient rest, but given the involvement of painkillers, this characteristic could also serve as evidence.
Sleep aids were likely used by the perpetrator in a drastic act, such as mixing powder into Derek's coffee.
Only three people are suspected of using this method of crime. In addition, considering that the side effects of using sleep aids and painkillers together are quite obscure, and are likely only known to people who have used such drugs, this can also greatly help in identifying the target.
But Luo Qiu did not pursue this path.
(Please remember the website 20 ...
Interrogating Mr. Carter is easy, but what if he reveals something extraordinary or inside during the interrogation? How will that end?
Now, all that's needed is to confirm that Mr. Carter did all this. Afterward, he might be able to reconstruct the process of the ruby and pocket watch being switched through piecemeal investigations, confirming nothing amiss, before interrogating Mr. Carter. Or perhaps he could anticipate some reaction from Mr. Carter? Or maybe he could share these clues with Mr. Hammond.
Although Hammond said he was in charge of the case, Leap is not a small company and they should have their own style of doing things.
……
Upon arriving at Carter's office and pushing open the door, one finds the furnishings simple yet tidy.
Next to the entrance, against the wall, stands a metal cabinet. The cabinet is locked and contains some odds and ends of Langke, tickets, and a few important keys.
Two meters directly opposite the doorway was a dark-colored desk. On the desk were a mug, a small alarm clock, and a Bible, but nothing else.
Looking further inside, there was a chair and a trash can behind the desk, with some crumpled paper inside.
Smith went straight for the trash can after entering.
He flipped through the paper, took out the three crumpled pieces, unfolded them, glanced at them, then put them back in their original state and discarded them.
"These are the ticket revenue records, but the ticket revenue was taken away yesterday, so these are obviously useless."
After rummaging through the trash can, Smith opened the desk drawer.
There weren't many things in the drawer: a few pens, a stack of white paper, a small bottle of ink, and a key—the key was used to open the metal cabinet. The rest of the items were normal.
Seeing this, Smith was extremely disappointed.
"Senior, it seems there's nothing to be found here. If he really took some jewelry, he should have already taken it outside the exhibition hall. He has the key."
"Yeah?"
Luo Qiu spoke calmly, seemingly unconcerned about the results of Smith's search and neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his judgment.
His gaze remained fixed on the table ever since he entered the room.
"Smith, have you ever considered the real reason why the police were called more than ten times in one night?"
"Yes……"
This reminder prompted Smith to turn his attention to the desk.
A mug? It's half full of coffee residue, so it shouldn't be related to that.
The Bible? It seems like just an ordinary book, and even if its contents are great enough, Smith doesn't think it can do much for modern technology.
Alarm clock……
I picked up the small alarm clock and examined it closely. There were no foreign objects on the surface, and the hour hand under the glass pointed in the direction of X.
It's almost 10 a.m., which matches the current time.
However, when Smith flipped the alarm clock over, he discovered some clues.
The screws used for fixing here have surprisingly shiny Phillips head slots, which contrast sharply with the slightly rusty screws as a whole.
"Someone recently took this alarm clock apart? But that proves... it's wind-up, he used a wind-up mechanism!"
Smith had a flash of inspiration and figured out the key:
"Take the mainspring out of the alarm clock and use it for timing. When the mainspring reaches its end, it works with some kind of mechanism to make a sound, which can trigger the alarm. Moreover, this thing is small enough that as long as it is hidden in an inconspicuous corner, the inspectors will not notice it at all."
"Senior, if we had this, the theft of the jewelry would make sense."
"Yes, that makes sense."
Luo Qiu nodded, but his mind was racing with analysis.
First, if it can be determined that the alarm was triggered by mechanical means, then Carter's plan can be moved forward a little.
Carter said the repairman was brought in on the seventh day after the exhibition opened, so at least on the sixth day after the exhibition opened, he was already frantically testing the waters with these mechanical methods.
With more alarms being reported and patrol officers being overwhelmed, oversights are inevitable. He can use these opportunities to take advantage of the gaps in the patrol schedule and replace the jewelry. This way, he can carry out the operation alone.
So, Derek's accident was unexpected?
Analyzing Carter's personality, it's unlikely he would team up with a complete stranger. Furthermore, considering his physical condition—over forty years old—it's not impossible that his actions might reveal inconsistencies, leading to his being discovered.
So, Derek suddenly discovered Carter's actions, and as a result, he was murdered by Carter while negotiating with him in front of the coffee machine.
However, the scenario of an operation last night, being threatened last night, or plotting a murder last night is highly unlikely.
Edmund said Derek had been silent for some time, and Caspian also said that Derek suddenly asked him to go on patrol six days ago...
These details suggest that Derek may have known what Carter was doing for a long time.
Moreover, he should have asked to join immediately after discovering these things.
In other words, Carter likely began planning the frequent police calls around the 17th, and was discovered and blackmailed by Derek no later than the 21st. After five days of collaboration, Carter finally realized yesterday evening, the 26th, that Derek's ambitions were too great, or that some of Derek's plans were too outrageous, leaving him no choice but to plot his murder.
However, even with this explanation, some details are full of flaws.
For example, the counterfeit rubies and pocket watches had such obvious flaws that someone of Carter's character couldn't possibly have ignored them. Did Mr. Moran use some kind of witchcraft?
Furthermore, why choose the last day? If Mr. Hammond had chosen to collect the jewelry on the day the exhibition ended (the 26th), wouldn't all these plans have been in vain?
After much thought, Luo Qiu still couldn't find a solution.
However, the reasons for these problems cannot be found by collecting things on site.
……