1960: My uncle is the FBI Director

Chapter 179: Just Disrespect?
Bernie asked him:

"Didn't you see Alan Brennan?"

Henry Crawford paused for a moment, then shook his head:

"I do not know."

"The smoke was so thick that I felt like I was about to choke to death and I couldn't see anything."

"I thought I was going to die there."

Bernie, Billy Hawke, and Detective O'Malley exchanged glances.

Bernie then asked, "Won't Alan Brennan fix your pipes?"

Henry Crawford seemed to be getting old, and his reactions always seemed a beat slow.

He paused for a moment before shaking his head:
"I don't want to bother him all the time."

"He took such good care of me."

Bernie neither confirmed nor denied this, but instead asked a different question:

"You live upstairs from Alan Brennan. He has a barking dog named Rex, you know?"

Henry Crawford nodded:
"It's so noisy that no one in the building can sleep."

“I talked to Allen about it, not because of me, but because I felt it might not be a good idea. It would disturb other people’s rest.”

"Allen tried several methods, but he couldn't control the dog."

"He was also worried that the dog would disturb my rest, and said he wanted to kill it."

"I stopped him."

"Tommy really likes that dog, and he'll be very sad if we kill it."

He paused, then smiled:

"Besides, even without that dog, I wouldn't get more than a few hours of sleep at night."

"Whether it's there or not, it doesn't make much of a difference to me."

Bernie stared at his legs and asked him:
"Can you stand up?"

Henry Crawford patted his legs, braced himself on his arms in the wheelchair, and slowly and shakily stood up.

He remained standing, stubbornly staring at Bernie for a long time before finally sitting back down.

Bernie asked a few more questions, interspersed with questions from Detective O'Malley.

Henry Crawford was very cooperative.

Bernie looked at Theodore.

Theodore said directly:

"You don't like that German Shepherd named Rex."

"You're looking for the dead not because of anyone else, but because it's making so much noise that you can't get any rest."

He spoke with great certainty:

"The deceased couldn't solve its incessant barking problem, which makes you feel disrespected."

Henry Crawford shook his head, somewhat annoyed:

"I don't know what nonsense you're talking about."

"I don't get much sleep anyway, so I don't care about that dog at all."

"Besides, their family has always taken care of me. Even if I can't sleep because of that dog's noise, I won't let it ruin our relationship."

Theodore looked at him and asked, "So what are you planning to do?"

Henry Crawford was somewhat annoyed: "What do you mean, 'what to do'?"

Theodore added seriously, "What are you going to do if Rex keeps you awake?"

Henry Crawford's lips moved, and he coughed repeatedly.

It lasted for about a minute, and his face turned red, looking rather frightening.

Theodore continued to stare at him, waiting for his answer.

Henry Crawford took out a handkerchief and wiped the foam from the corner of his mouth:

“I’ll just tell him directly.”

Theodore: "What if he can't handle it?"

“Many people in the apartment must have told him, but Rex kept barking and the deceased was helpless.”

Henry Crawford fell silent.

Theodore continued:

"You think the deceased couldn't solve Rex's incessant barking problem, which is disrespectful to you."

"You are very angry."

"This makes you feel that the deceased's care for you is a given."

"If the deceased's dog kept you awake, he should take care of you as compensation."

"You might also feel that the deceased did not take good enough care of you."

“You may even harbor resentment because the deceased did not receive the level of care you expected.”

Henry Crawford's eyes widened, and he retorted loudly:

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

"How could I possibly think that way!"

"Who do you think I am!"

Theodore answered calmly:

"A witness who may have seen the victim being attacked."

Henry Crawford choked, then, realizing what was happening, angrily pointed to the door:

"go out!"

"Get out of my house!"

"Get out!"

Theodore corrected him: "This apartment building is not owned by you; it is not your house."

Henry Crawford was truly aroused; his chest heaved violently, he gasped for breath, and his cloudy eyes were fixed on Theodore.

Theodore was about to speak when Bernie stopped him.

Bernie was worried that if Theodore continued, Henry Crawford would die of anger right there.

The group of four was evicted from the apartment.

Although Theodore is right, the apartment is not owned by Henry Crawford, and he still has the right to evict them.

As they went downstairs, they all fell silent.

As Billy Hawke walked out of the apartment building, he couldn't help but ask:
"Boss, how do you know he's lying?"

Detective O'Malley reminded him:

"Henry may not be lying."

As he said this, he looked at Theodore.

He did not agree with Theodore's statement.

Henry Crawford and Alan Brennan were like father and son, and he was more inclined to believe that Henry Crawford was simply angry because he felt humiliated.

Theodore glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, and asked:

Did you get any rest last night?

Detective O'Malley nodded and thanked Theodore for his concern.

Theodore shook his head: "You may not have rested enough and need more time to recover."

After he finished speaking, he answered Billy Hawke's question:

"Landlord Walter Reed mentioned that every resident in the apartment building had complained to him about Rex's barking problem."

"Given Henry Crawford's relationship with the deceased, there was absolutely no need to go to Walter Reed, an 'outsider,' for any problem."

"Just like his answer suggested, he should have gone directly to the deceased to discuss a solution."

"They probably discussed it, and the result was bad, which is why he had to go to Walter Reed."

Theodore pointed to the apartment behind him:

"Henry Crawford was a man with a strong sense of self-respect, and he wanted to be respected."

He nodded to Detective Bernie and Detective O'Malley:

"When you show him respect, he is happy to cooperate with you and answer your questions."

“I asked him questions directly, which made him feel disrespected, so he was very resistant to answering my questions.”

Bernie and Detective O'Malley both looked at Theodore with strange expressions.

Theodore looked at them with some confusion.

He sensed something was off about the two of them.

After a brief pause, he continued his analysis:
“After he raised the issue, the deceased was unable to deal with Rex’s barking properly, which made him feel disrespected.”

"Their relationship was actually based on Henry Crawford's feelings."

“When he feels respected, he shows his kind and gentle side; when he feels disrespected, he becomes like he just did.” Bernie blinked, thinking that Henry Crawford’s behavior just now was more than just a lack of respect.

He asked Theodore, "So what do we do now?"

Should we take him back to the police station for questioning?

Theodore shook his head:

"That will only make him feel disrespected, and he will be even less willing to speak up."

Detective O'Malley looked up and asked:
Did Henry really see Allen get knocked unconscious?

Theodore nodded:
"Very likely."

Detective O'Malley questioned, "But he said he and Robert Hayes were in the room the whole time."

"Robert Hayes also proved that he was not lying."

"They saw nothing."

Theodore stared at him for a while:

"Then we should go and meet this repairman."

Robert Hayes, a 40-year-old maintenance worker, is a night shift worker who is single and lives a relatively frugal life.

He has worked as a plumber, dock assembler, electrician, hotel doorman... many jobs.

Robert Hayes never stayed in any job for long.

The main reason is that he is dishonest and has a habit of petty theft.

This current night shift worker job was arranged with the help of Ed Warren from the apartment complex.

Detective O'Malley located Robert Hayes' new apartment at the address provided.

However, no one was in the apartment.

I asked the apartment manager and found out that Robert Hayes had just been evicted from the apartment yesterday.

The reason was that someone in the apartment had worked with him before and recognized him.

Apartment residents don't want a thief neighbor.

Detective O'Malley questioned the apartment manager:
Do you know where he moved to?

The apartment manager shook his head and pointed to a large area outside:

"It couldn't be here, over there, or over there, or over there..."

“I know the managers of these locations, and I called them yesterday to inform them.”

He asked Detective O'Malley curiously:

"Are you here to arrest him? What did he steal?"

The police usually don't get involved in petty theft unless it involves someone important.

Detective O'Malley ignored him and turned to look at Theodore.

Billy Hawke reminded everyone, "Wasn't this job something Ed Warren helped him find?"

“Ed Warren should be able to find him.”

Detective O'Malley quickly found Ed Warren's address.

Ed Warren is 45 years old and has worked in the factory for nearly 20 years, making him a very senior worker.

Because he works night shifts year after year, his lifestyle is almost completely reversed from that of a normal person.

Although they all lived in the same apartment, they seemed to be from completely different worlds.

Most of the people in the apartment were not familiar with him.

Even the universally loved Alan Brennan only spoke to him a few times.

No one knows how Robert Hayes hooked up with him and got him to help him find a job.

When Theodore and his team found Ed Warren, he was sleeping.

Ed Warren, who was woken up, was visibly unhappy.

He was wearing only shorts, and his short, stocky body completely blocked the doorway.

He wasn't even going to let Theodore and his group through the door.

Detective O'Malley asked him:
Do you know Robert Hayes' new address?

Ed Warren shook his head:
"How could I possibly know?"

Bernie pulled Detective O'Malley aside and went to negotiate.

I don't know what the two of them were whispering about at the door.

A few minutes later, Ed Warren's attitude changed.

He promised that if he ran into Robert Hayes on his way to work that evening, he would ask him for help.

Detective O'Malley suddenly asked him:
Have you ever had a conflict with Allen?

Ed Warren, who was about to close the door, paused and glanced at Detective O'Malley.

Detective O'Malley met his gaze with a serious expression.

Ed Warren shook his head.

Detective O'Malley immediately pressed for answers:
"Because of Rex?"

"The German Shepherd that Allen owns."

"That dog barks all day long."

“But you work the night shift and need to rest during the day.”

Won't it disturb your rest?

Ed Warren paused for a moment, then nodded:

"Alan is a good man, but he has a damn dog!"

"That damn dog keeps barking, making it impossible for anyone in the building to get any rest."

Detective O'Malley narrowed his eyes:
"Have you gone to see Allen?"

Ed Warren held up three fingers:
"Of course! Of course I went to see him! At least three times!"

"He always agrees readily, but that damn dog still keeps barking."

He also said that I was being too sensitive and that I was deliberately picking a fight.

Theodore, like a keen listener, suddenly interjected, "What did you reply to him?"

Detective O'Malley and Ed Warren both looked at him.

Theodore remained unmoved, watching Ed Warren with curiosity.

Ed Warren clenched his fist:
“I told him he had to shut that beast up, or I would help him.”

A brief silence fell over the corridor.

Detective O'Malley asked in a deep voice:
"Is that all? You didn't fight?"

Ed Warren gave him a cold laugh:

"Do you think we're two little girls who just spit and talk tough?"

“I punched him, and he punched me back.”

“We were going to fight again, but his son ran away.”

He shrugged and said, "I'm leaving now."

"Am I supposed to beat him up in front of his son?"

Theodore looked Ed Warren up and down, comparing him to Alan Brennan in the photograph, then shook his head.

He felt that if the two of them really fought, Alan Brennan could ride on Ed Warren and beat him however he wanted.

Detective O'Malley stared at Ed Warren, as if trying to discern the truth from the falsehood.

Ed Warren, his muscles tense, looked up and met Detective O'Malley's gaze.

The two looked like they were about to start fighting at any moment.

Theodore then began comparing Detective O'Malley to Ed Warren.

He felt that Ed Warren still didn't have a good chance of winning.

Bernie stepped between the two, separating them.

He changed the subject and asked about the fire scene.

Ed Warren glanced at Detective O'Malley:

"I had just washed my face and was about to go to work when I opened the door and saw thick smoke everywhere outside."

"I knew there was a fire, so I quickly packed valuables like the radio into my bag."

"Soon we heard the shouts of firefighters outside the door."

"I opened the door and rushed out."

"The firefighter is holding the old woman who lives across the hall from me."

"The old woman, carrying large and small bags, clung tightly to the firefighter's neck, almost strangling him to death."

"I covered my face with a wet towel, and as the firefighter instructed, I crouched down and grabbed his belt, and that's how he led us out."

(End of this chapter)