Diary of a Criminal Investigator-Chapter 304: Investigating the Surveillance Footage

Chapter 304: Chapter 304: Investigating the Surveillance Footage

Every time Zhou Yang’s father withdrew cash from his bank card, he then handed it over to Zhou Yang.

As to why he didn’t just transfer the money, perhaps it’s the loving hearts of parents everywhere.

Because of his studies, Zhou Yang’s relationship with his parents had been very strained since middle school. After attending a vocational high school, he barely went home except maybe once every two weeks.

After graduation, he didn’t find any decent work and just mingled with some idlers in society.

Lu Chuan continued: "According to his parents, Zhou Yang wouldn’t return home for one or two months at a time. In the middle of each month, when they got their salaries, he would only call his mother to ask for money."

"A year ago, in order to see Zhou Yang, his parents stopped transferring money to him, but instead gave him cash every month."

"This way, the old couple could at least see him once a month."

"Three nights ago, the night before Zhou Yang was killed, he happened to meet his parents and took over 3,000 yuan from them."

"However, we did not find any cash on the victim’s body."

"So, could the murder have been for this 3,000 yuan?"

"Of course, this possibility is actually not very high, but what if the murderer acted on impulse?"

After Lu Chuan finished speaking, no one said anything.

It’s not that what Lu Chuan said was necessarily right, but there is indeed such a possibility.

The key point is, although Lu Chuan is not a frontline detective, he is indeed skilled in technology.

So, when he speaks now, it carries a certain weight.

Qin Yong listened and nodded.

There are no traces of the 1,000 yuan plus in Zhou Yang’s bank account being withdrawn, so robbery and murder don’t seem to make sense here.

However, as Lu Chuan mentioned, he should have had 3,000 yuan in cash from his parents on him at that time.

Moreover, no cash was found on the body.

This provides some possibility for Lu Chuan’s hypothesis.

Of course, the cash could have been washed away by the river, after all, the phone wasn’t found either.

"So, Lu Chuan’s speculation does have some merit and is something everyone didn’t think of just now."

"Zhang Hui, you need to follow up on this and see if there’s any finding."

"Yes!"

Even though Lu Chuan’s guess makes sense, the other people’s guesses also make sense.

Qin Yong cannot put all his energy into Lu Chuan’s speculation.

Having Zhang Hui assist with the investigation is already the limit.

"Okay, today’s meeting ends here. Everyone continue to follow your own leads and try to find new clues!"

In solving a case, when there are no major leads, it’s up to the task force members to think for themselves.

Investigate any directions they think might be possible.

A few people might be wrong in their directions, but among a dozen, there’s likely to be one who is right.

After all, a suspect is still a person, and people only have so many thoughts.

They certainly can’t kill someone and then run off to Mars.

After the meeting.

"Lu Chuan, let’s go, let’s take a drive."

Zhang Hui yawned and beckoned Lu Chuan to come along.

"Alright, Brother Hui, you tell me where to go, I’ll drive, you can take a nap."

"Just head to Haizhou International Apartments, walk past the entrance, and there’s a Half Past Eight Supermarket. Let’s head there."

Lu Chuan nodded and said nothing, starting the car and driving leisurely away.

In recent days, colleagues in the operations team have been very tired, but Lu Chuan has been doing much better. Aside from being busy on the first day, he hasn’t had much to do subsequently.

Though he hasn’t returned home much, at least he’s managed to get enough sleep.

The reason why Lu Chuan didn’t go home is another story.

When there’s a homicide, even the office staff don’t go home, let alone someone involved in a Crime Scene Investigation.

Forensic Doctor Shen has stayed at the headquarters for two nights.

Old Yang and Old Bai didn’t go back either.

In the system, sometimes this is how it is; even when there’s nothing to do, you have to act like there is.

Conversely, those with something on their minds have to pretend like nothing’s amiss.

The mix of truth and falsehood is hard for anyone to see through.

Whoever can understand should be discreet, not broadcasting what they know everywhere, as it would enable them to rise rapidly through the ranks.

So, to make Zhang Hui sleep more comfortably, Lu Chuan took his car for the drive.

The car moved slowly, but being a luxury car, no one honked at them.

Fifty minutes later, they arrived about 500 meters ahead of the entrance on the left-hand side of the Haizhou International Apartments at the Half Past Eight Supermarket.

Yawn!

With a long yawn and a big stretch, Zhang Hui had a brief nap and felt much better.

His foggy mind cleared up significantly, and he regained the spirit of Sherlock Holmes.

"A Cayenne is a Cayenne; it’s indeed comfortable to sit in."

"Brother Hui, is this the place?"

Zhang Hui nodded: "The day Zhou Yang’s father and mother gave him the money, it was right outside this supermarket."

"This Half Past Eight Supermarket is a chain, so it surely has surveillance cameras. Let’s go inside to see if we can find anything."

The supermarket clerk had already noticed the Cayenne parked at the entrance.

After all, such luxury cars always attract attention.

"Hello, we are the police, and we need to retrieve your store’s surveillance footage. Please cooperate with us."

"Oh, hello officers."

The store attendant was quite young, probably in their twenties, and upon seeing the credentials, almost stood to attention.

"The computer to view the surveillance is in the storeroom. Let me take you there."

In the country, very few citizens refuse to cooperate with the police.

If they do, they’re not good people.

The young man was very chatty: "Officers, is there a case?"

Right now, the outside world only knows about Zhou Yang’s case as a drowning, not a murder.

Otherwise, given the proximity, and the young man running a supermarket, he would have already known.

Of course, even so, he seemed to know something.

"In the past few days, quite a few people from Haizhou International Apartments came to buy things from me, saying something happened and investigations are ongoing."

"Are you here to check the footage? Did someone really die over there?"

"Don’t ask too much; let’s watch the video first."

"Alright, which day do you want to see?"

"No problem, just show me how to operate it, and I’ll handle it."

"Sure, it’s simple. Set the time range, move the mouse...here’s for fast forward...pause..."

"Alright, wait at the entrance for us."

"Okay, I’ll head out now."

It was Lu Chuan’s first time completely following through with a visit and investigation to retrieve a video. He previously didn’t know this was how the process worked.

Zhang Hui had already rested a bit in the car and was now full of spirit.

"Every time Zhou Yang asked for money from home, the meeting place was different."

"His father and mother didn’t even know that he had rented a place at Haizhou International Apartments."

"As for the time... it should be around 6 p.m. three days ago..."

Soon, Zhang Hui found the video capturing Zhou Yang’s father giving him money.

The two of them were right at the entrance of the supermarket, and the video was able to capture their images.