Chapter 656: Chapter 654: The Old Path (14)_1 Chapter 656: Chapter 654: The Old Path (14)_1 Squeak~
The speeding car came to a stop with a firm press of the foot, and Fu Qian quickly braced himself with his hand.
“What happened?”
Facing the cold gaze of Chief Jones, Fu Qian’s smile did not wane.
“I am merely deducing according to your way of thinking.”
“Although I don’t know why that person is so reluctant to reveal their identity, there’s no doubt they have been active.”
“The Laxik you’re looking for, who exactly is he… What’s the real purpose behind your search for him?”
Chief Jones stared at Fu Qian intently for a moment, then finally asked with a cold face.
“I’ve already answered that question before. I’m acting on someone else’s behalf; I don’t personally know him. I only know that I might encounter him here.”
“In this regard, our interests align, so I have no reason to conceal anything from you.”
“However, if you consider him a candidate for a hitman, I can only say that it does sound somewhat reasonable.”
“An outsider who moves about unseen, acting recklessly, comes here with some unknown purpose. Due to a shortage in funds after receiving a fine, he casually takes on some side jobs.”
“It’s just unfortunate that there’s been a little mishap, forcing him to dispose of any witnesses, and even his employer got killed in the end.”
“Without a doubt, this character is cold-blooded, cruel, and regards human life as worthless, not to mention coming from a poor family background; otherwise, the story wouldn’t be quite as plausible.”
…
Chief Jones didn’t speak. In the next moment, he forcefully turned the steering wheel, making a 180-degree turn, and floored the gas pedal.
It’s said that what the police hate the most is not cunning and vicious criminals, but unpredictable lunatics.
And clearly, his analysis, along with Fu Qian’s deductions, had drawn a picture of such a character who possessed both attributes.
Such a character was wandering through this tranquil little town.
And so far, he had caused the disappearance of at least three people.
Perhaps he didn’t care much for his nephew Lei, but it was clear that he was starting to worry about his wife.
…
Not long afterward, in the familiar courtyard, Chief Jones returned driving at a speed several times faster, the piercing sound of his brakes betraying the driver’s emotions.
Seemingly aware of his own overreaction, Chief Jones gripped the steering wheel, took a moment to regulate his breathing, and then opened the door and stepped out, quickly heading into the house.
But before he could get closer, the door was already opened from the inside, and his wife, Mrs. Mary, looked out with a puzzled face.
“Why are you back so soon?”
Mrs. Mary looked at her husband, bewildered, but Chief Jones quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Where are the three of them?”
Ignoring his wife’s question, Chief Jones glanced past her.
“After eating something, they all went off to rest. Are you looking for them for something?”
Mrs. Mary was even more puzzled at this point.
“They all seemed a bit tired; they might already be asleep by now.”
As Mrs. Mary spoke, the sound of someone coming down the stairs echoed just in time.
Soon Fran appeared with light footsteps, politely greeting Chief Jones.
Being accommodated in the local police chief’s house seemed to have significantly calmed her nerves.
She had hurried down upon hearing the sound, probably hoping that Chief Jones’s swift return meant good news.
Chief Jones responded with a slight nod, only to see Lei also coming down the stairs behind Fran.
Compared to Fran, his expression was much more complicated.
After Lei had come down, no further footsteps followed.
“Kateman might have fallen asleep; should I go wake him?”
Fran asked instinctively.
However, before she could finish her sentence, Lei’s face changed dramatically, and he rushed upstairs in a hurry.
His exaggerated reaction immediately stirred up a tense atmosphere.
Fran’s face changed instantly, and Chief Jones took a deep breath, immediately following him upstairs.
“What’s wrong?”
Fran, her face pale, asked Fu Qian quietly.
“There’s been another disappearance.”
Fu Qian explained offhandedly, as he followed along with Fran and Mrs. Mary.
Another person had gone missing…
Mary obviously understood why her husband looked so pale.
Of course, when she arrived on the second floor, she quickly noticed that her husband’s complexion had grown even worse.
This is…
Meanwhile, Chief Jones and Lei were standing at the doorway of a room, looking stunned.
Fu Qian approached and saw that the tidy little room’s window was wide open, and it was completely empty.
“This is Kateman’s room…”
Fran’s voice sounded extremely hoarse, and her face had lost all color.
It was no wonder her mental fortitude was lacking. In a place that was supposed to be absolutely safe, a companion had vanished without a trace, and the mental impact was indeed substantial.
“It looks like some personal belongings are missing.”
Fu Qian stepped inside, taking a quick look around.
Kateman’s room was situated in a corner of the house, and the window opened to a fence. With such a location, sneaking in and out would be quite convenient.
“What in the world is going on here?”
Mrs. Mary also seemed quite shocked, disbelief written all over her face.
“I was downstairs the whole time, I didn’t see him come down.”
“Maybe he slipped out on his own.”
Chief Jones turned around, patted his wife’s shoulder to comfort her slightly, and then looked at Fran.
“Fran, why don’t you go downstairs with Auntie and rest a bit.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it still carried a certain authority.
Already panicking, Fran subconsciously did as told, stepping forward to help Mrs. Mary down.
…
Once he was sure the two had gone downstairs, Chief Jones stepped forward and closed the door behind him.
“What exactly did you see yesterday?”
The next moment he fiercely grabbed Lei’s collar, pushed him against the wall, and pulled out a gun from his waist, pressing it against Lei’s head, his tone ice-cold.
“I am not interested in giving any of you guys psychological consolation, nor do I care if you have some unspeakable fears.”
“Now answer me, what exactly did you see on the way back from shopping yesterday?”
…
With a gun to his head, and his collar tightly grasped, Lei’s glasses were askew.
Clearly, Chief Jones’s actions had taken him by complete surprise.
“I don’t understand what you mean, what is going on here?”
Lei, careful not to struggle, said subconsciously.
While speaking, he caught a glimpse of Fu Qian from the corner of his eye, and Lei’s nerves were rattled by his nonchalant demeanor.
The next moment, his expression suddenly became fierce, and he growled in a low voice.
“Are you talking nonsense?”
“No.”
Fu Qian shook his head, almost instantly dismissing Lei’s guess without any explanation.
“I–”
With his collar held firmly, Lei looked like he was almost suffocating.
Regardless, he clearly didn’t dare to make any sudden moves under the gun, and for the moment he was just trying to breathe and looked earnestly at his uncle.
“I… really didn’t see anything.”