Attending ex-girlfriend's wedding, arresting the groom's officer on the spot

“The suspect hid a suitcase here,” Wang Shuai said, shining a searchlight on the ground. “The wiping marks are rectangular, about 80 centimeters long and 40 centimeters wide, which matches the size of the suitcase in the surveillance footage.” The fiber analysis on the ground showed that it was blue polyester, which was exactly the same as what Yang Lin and his team found. “The suitcase may have contained tools or clothing used in the crime. After processing, the suitcase was hidden here, or it may have already been moved out of the community.”

During a visit to the residents of Unit 2, Building 3, Ms. Wang from Room 201 provided crucial information. “I did hear noises on the stairs on the afternoon of September 10th,” she said, bringing out a slice of watermelon. “It sounded like someone was dragging something heavy, making a thumping sound. At first, I thought it was the renovation team moving materials.” She pointed to the corner of the stairs. “Right there, I opened the door and peeked out. A man in a black jacket was coming down the stairs. When he saw me open the door, he quickly turned around, and I didn’t get a good look at his face.”

The surveillance footage matched the residents' testimonies, further solidifying Wang Shuai's suspicion that the man was a prime suspect. "He hid his suitcase on September 9th, retrieved his weapon on the afternoon of September 10th, scouted the area near the water tank, and entered the building through the fire escape to commit the crime," he drew a timeline on the whiteboard. "After the crime, he disposed of the weapon and suitcase, and left through the main entrance; the entire process was meticulously planned." The technical department reported that the DNA on the cigarette butt did not match the criminal record database, but it did match the DNA found in wiping marks in the underground parking garage, further confirming the man's suspicion.

Just then, Xiao Zhang made an unexpected discovery at the lost and found in the community. "On the morning of September 11th, a cleaner found a silver suitcase and left it at the lost and found, but no one claimed it," Xiao Zhang said as he carried the suitcase back. There was a clear dent on the suitcase, "exactly the same as the one in the surveillance footage!" Wang Shuai put on gloves and opened the suitcase. Inside were only a few changes of clothes, toiletries, and a business trip logbook. There were no tools for the crime, but the fibers of the clothes were blue polyester, exactly the same as those found at the scene.

“The suitcase was discarded by the suspect,” Wang Shuai flipped through his business trip logbook. The first page read “Li Baohua” and the company name “Shengda Trading Co., Ltd.” “We’ve found this person’s identity!” He immediately contacted Shengda Trading Co., Ltd. The company’s human resources department confirmed that there was indeed a person named Li Baohua, who was the company’s sales manager. He had been on a business trip to the city from September 9th to 12th, but the company had not arranged for him to visit customers in Anju Community.

“He went to the community without permission during his business trip, even made a false registration, and hid his suitcase,” Wang Shuai’s finger traced across the notebook. “There’s definitely something wrong.” He asked the police to retrieve Li Baohua’s household registration information. The middle-aged man in the photo looked exactly like the suspect in the surveillance footage. He was 180 centimeters tall, which matched the previously estimated height range. His household registration was in a neighboring county of the city. He had a motorcycle driver’s license, and the registered vehicle was an old red motorcycle—the same model as the tire tracks outside the wall.

“The chain of evidence is becoming increasingly complete,” Wang Shuai convened an emergency meeting. “Li Baohua, male, 42 years old, sales manager of Shengda Trading Co., Ltd., owns a motorcycle, his height and build match the suspect, he was present at the scene during the time of the incident, and engaged in suspicious activities such as false registration and hiding a suitcase. The fabric fibers of his clothing match those at the scene, making him a prime suspect.” He ordered: “Contact Li Baohua immediately to verify his specific whereabouts during his business trip, especially his activities between 3 pm and 4 pm on September 10.”

Contacting Li Baohua was not smooth; his phone was switched off, and his company said he had taken leave after his business trip and was currently resting at home. Wang Shuai led the police officers to Li Baohua's registered residence in Xingfu Community in a neighboring county. When they knocked on the door of room 302, the middle-aged man from the surveillance footage opened the door, wearing home clothes and with his left hand wrapped in gauze.

"Officer? You wanted to see me?" Li Baohua's eyes were a little flustered. He stepped aside to let them into the house. On the coffee table in the living room were some local specialties he had brought back from his business trip. Wang Shuai noticed the silver suitcase in the corner. It was the same one from the surveillance footage. The dents and scratches on the suitcase matched those at the lost and found. "What did you do in Anju Community from September 9th to 12th?" Wang Shuai's gaze fell on the suitcase.

Li Baohua's face turned pale instantly. He rubbed his injured left hand and explained, "I...I went to see a friend. She lives in Building 3. I couldn't contact her afterward, so I left." When asked about the false registration and hiding the suitcase, he stammered and couldn't speak, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Wang Shuai showed him a screenshot from the surveillance footage: "On the afternoon of September 10th, you lingered near the water tank and even entered the fire escape. What was in your suitcase?"

Silence filled the living room, the wall clock ticking away. Li Baohua suddenly pulled out his business trip certificate and high-speed rail ticket from the drawer: "I really was on a business trip. I arrived in the city on September 9th, and the company arranged for me to stay in a hotel downtown. I returned on September 12th. I did go to Anju Community on the afternoon of September 10th because... because my ex-wife lives there, and I wanted to find her to remarry, but I was afraid she wouldn't see me, so I registered falsely."

Wang Shuai noticed the bandage on his left hand: "How did you get hurt?" Li Baohua unwrapped the bandage, revealing a fresh scratch on his index finger: "I accidentally cut myself on the iron gate in the stairwell of Anju Community on the afternoon of September 10th. It bled, so I wiped it with a towel from my suitcase. I was afraid my ex-wife would see it and worry, so I threw the towel in the underground parking garage and temporarily hid the suitcase there. Later, I forgot to take it back, and a cleaner found it and turned it in to the lost and found."

To verify Li Baohua's statement, Wang Shuai contacted his ex-wife, Ms. Zhang, who did indeed live in Unit 2, Building 3. "Li Baohua did come to see me on September 10th," Ms. Zhang said on the phone, "but I didn't see him. We've long since broken up. He had an injury on his left hand, saying he accidentally cut it on the way here. He was carrying a suitcase and said he was on a business trip and just stopped by." Hotel surveillance footage also confirmed that Li Baohua stayed at the hotel every night from September 9th to 12th. He went out at 2 PM on September 10th and returned at 5 PM, a timeframe that matched his trip to Anju Community.

The most crucial alibi came from Shengda Trading Co., Ltd. "From 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM on September 11th, Li Baohua was attending an online meeting of the company," the HR department provided meeting minutes. "There is video evidence; his face was visible throughout the meeting, making it impossible for him to have been in the Anju residential area to commit the crime." The meeting video showed that Li Baohua was indeed in a meeting, his left hand wrapped in gauze, consistent with the time of his injury.

The fiber test results for the clothing in the suitcase also came back. Although they matched the blue polyester found at the scene, the composition was different. Li Baohua's clothing was a cotton-polyester blend, while the clothing found at the scene was pure polyester. "It could be a coincidence; blue polyester is very common," the technical department's reply further reduced suspicion. "The DNA from the cigarette butt and the underground parking garage doesn't match Li Baohua's, so they can be ruled out." (End of Chapter)