1960: My uncle is the FBI Director

Chapter 269 Stop! Stop!
“From Lone Pine, Shenandoah County, Virginia.”

Martin Joseph Cronin glanced at the crowd:
“I checked and found that Gusong Town is a non-administered town without its own municipal government. It is directly under the jurisdiction of Shenandoah County.”

"This town is located deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, almost isolated from the world. The nearest city is Shenandoah County, which is more than 50 miles away."

He paused, then continued:

"On the evening or night of July 11, 1952, John Cartwright, a resident of Lone Pine, along with his wife Eleanor Cartwright and their 12-year-old son Billy Cartwright, were brutally murdered in their home."

“John Cartwright and Eleanor Cartwright were tied to chairs next to the dining table and shot.”

"Their son, Billy Cartwright, was strangled and his body was placed on the dinner table."

"Police in Gusong Township questioned the neighbors, who said they did not hear or see anything unusual that night."

"After investigation, the Lone Pine Township Police Department confirmed that it could not solve the case and sought help from Shenandoah County."

"The county police department sent two detectives to Gusong Town to assist in the investigation, believing that it may have been done by a passing psychopathic killer."

"But the Lone Pine Township Police Department does not accept this conclusion."

"The Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office withdrew the dispatched detectives, and the Lone Pine Township Sheriff's Office has been independently investigating the case ever since."

Bernie emptied the contents of the file folder onto the table.

In addition to the case briefing, the letter also included a photograph of the crime scene.

The photo is black and white, and due to the limited indoor lighting, the image is somewhat dark. The shooting technique is also unprofessional, resulting in a noticeable spatial perspective.

Bernie picked up the photo, looked at it, and handed it to Billy Hawke.

There was no body in the photo, and the chair had been moved away. There was only a dining table and someone's buttocks in the lower right corner.

Several plates were placed on the table, filled with dark, unidentified objects, which were guessed to be the Cartwright family's dinner.

Billy Hawke asked him:

"Did they find anything out?"

Martin Joseph Cronin thought to himself, "If I uncover any new leads, can I really keep quiet? Would the case even be sent here again?"

He looked at Billy Hawke with caring eyes, which annoyed Billy Hawke, before he finally spoke:
"Nothing."

He turned to Theodore:

"However, the Lone Pine Township Police Station has cordoned off the crime scene."

"This is the only case where the crime scene has been preserved."

Billy Hawke shook his head repeatedly:

"impossible."

"A house where people have died, yet it remains intact, has long been a secret base for countless people."

“I bet every young person in town has been to this house in the last few years.”

“Young people will use these places as good locations for having affairs, where they won’t be exposed to the wind and rain, and they can avoid adults finding out, as long as they can keep the secret.”

"Kids will treat that place as an adventure zone. Whoever dares to walk around the house alone or spend the night there will immediately become the leader among their peers."

Martin Joseph Cronin asked him directly:

"How do you know so clearly?"

Billy Hawke kept a straight face, feigning profundity:

"Don't be envious, you'll learn it soon enough."

Theodore glanced at him, hesitating whether he should correct him.

Bernie asked Martin Joseph Cronin:
"Aren't there any other cases? Anything more normal?"

He looked at the remaining file folders on the table, his expression a mixture of emotions.

Theodore had warned them long ago that for a long time to come, they would likely be receiving cold cases from remote areas.

But Theodore didn't warn them that these old cases were that old.

In fact, the simplicity of these cases exceeded Theodore's expectations.

Martin Joseph Cronin turned his gaze to Bernie:

"No."

"These are the more detailed cases that I could select."

He patted the remaining file folder with a hint of complaint:
"At least the detective who sent the letter knew to write down the general details of the case."

"The remaining cases weren't even clearly written down."

"Some people even asked if what was written in the article was true."

Martin Joseph Cronin selected a few papers, opened a file folder, and pulled out a few sheets of paper.

He flipped directly to the last page and pointed to the last few lines for Bernie and Billy Hawke to see.

It was indeed asking about the authenticity of Theodore's article published in the Enforcement Gazette.

Theodore had received more than one such letter, but while others sent letters directly, this one was mixed in with the case briefing.

Theodore tapped the table and decided to take the case.

Bernie contacted the Lone Pine Police Department to discuss routes and road conditions, and inquired about local accommodations and meals.

Martin Joseph Cronin put away his notebook and filled out a new application for fieldwork assessment.

…………

May 6, morning.

Bernie and Billy Hawke paced anxiously back and forth in the office.

Today is the day Martin Joseph Cronin applies for his fourth fieldwork assessment.

If he passes the test, he can go to Lone Pine Town with Theodore and the others.

If it can't be approved, he'll have to stay in DC.

The sound of gunfire erupted from the training ground across from the office, then quickly subsided.

Billy Hawke rubbed his cheek, silently praying that Martin Joseph Cronin wouldn't hit someone else's target.

Martin Joseph Cronin finally returned at noon, holding his assessment results in his hand.

Theodore took it and looked at it; Martin Joseph Cronin's shooting score was just right at the passing mark for the field assessment.

The scores for other assessments were also just barely passing.

Billy Hawke and Bernie couldn't wait to come over, and after confirming that Martin Joseph Cronin had passed the test, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

The four of them went to a restaurant for lunch and then drove the Theodore's Chevrolet westward.

Two days ago, the Lone Pine Police Chief repeatedly assured Bernie that the roads in Lone Pine were in good condition and any vehicle could drive there.

The Chevrolet started from DC and drove northwest along Highway 50 in America.

The road is wide and flat, and the scenery along the way gradually transitions from the city to the suburbs, and then to farmland.

beautiful view.

Unfortunately, the four people in the car didn't know how to appreciate it.

They were having a lively discussion about the bowling competition, after which they had been discussing the fieldwork assessment.

Before departing, Bernie reported to the FBI Entertainment Association that the Basement 1 team would be unable to participate in this week's game due to a business trip.

Furthermore, considering the age of the case and the scarcity of clues, he may not be able to return for the next one to two weeks.

The FBI Entertainment Association had ample experience in dealing with similar situations and quickly rescheduled their game, telling Bernie that it could be moved forward or postponed further at any time, depending on their work schedule.

Having participated in two matches and observed one, they already had a good understanding of the strengths of each department.

At this moment, they were discussing the strength of the team members from each department.

Martin Joseph Cronin pulled out his crumpled notebook and began analyzing things for everyone.

After talking for a while, he took out an identical notebook from his bag and opened it.

The record shows the competition results of each department last year.

Theodore stared at the two identical notebooks in his hand for a while, then silently looked away.

After driving for nearly an hour and a half, passing countless farmlands and villages, they finally saw a small town. Bernie pulled into a gas station to refuel, and after a short rest, everyone set off again.

There were no more houses or other man-made buildings in sight; all that could be seen were rolling hills and distant mountain ranges.

The topics of conversation in the car have changed from bowling to road trips.

Martin Joseph Cronin began by recounting his road trip experiences during his college years.

He and a few friends took advantage of their holiday to travel along Route 66, crossing the entire Emilia region and experiencing all sorts of scenery along the way.

Billy Hawke was somewhat envious and kept asking Martin Joseph Cronin all sorts of questions.

He hasn't been to that many places, let alone seen that many landscapes.

He spent his childhood in Cleveland and later trained at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Bernie was rather reserved on the topic, only occasionally offering a few comments, but his remarks were remarkably accurate.

Martin Joseph Cronin concluded that he must have also been to many places.

Bernie cleverly steered the conversation toward Theodore, asking him about the scenery he saw on his journey from DC to Felton.

Billy Hawke and Martin Joseph Cronin were also very curious.

Theodore took out the map, looked at Bernie, and suggested that he take over driving.

Bernie gripped the steering wheel tightly, remaining silent.

Theodore pointed to his wrist:

“It’s been almost three hours, and we still haven’t left US-50, and we haven’t even reached Shenandoah County.”

"At this rate, we might not reach Lone Pine Town until late at night."

Bernie hesitated.

Martin Joseph Cronin, who had never witnessed Theodore's driving skills, immediately expressed his approval.

He pointed out the window:

"We have entered the Blue Ridge Mountains."

"This section of the road is an interstate highway, and apart from having a lot of curves, it's relatively easy to drive."

"The road from Shenandoah County to Lone Pine Town is a mountain road, and it is very dangerous to travel on mountain roads at night."

"Moreover, we are now gradually entering the rainy season, and various unexpected situations often occur on the mountain roads, making them impassable. We'd better speed up."

Bernie looked at Billy Hawke, who remained silent.

Two people voted in favor, one person voted against, and one person abstained.

Bernie, feeling helpless, parked the car in a spot with a good view and switched places with Theodore.

Theodore sat in the driver's seat, shifted his hips to find a comfortable position, gripped the steering wheel with both hands, and began to take off.

The scenery outside the windows on both sides rushed past, forming afterimages. The whole world seemed to have become an oil painting washed with water, everything stretched out and distorted.

Apart from the whistling wind, it seemed like there were no other sounds in my ears.

The car suddenly changed direction and overtook a Dodge.

The Dodge driver leaned out and started cursing, but the Chevrolet was nowhere to be seen.

A truck was coming from the opposite direction, but Theodore did not slow down at all and almost sped past it.

Martin Joseph Cronin's face changed, and he could no longer keep up the conversation. He gripped the back of the seat in front of him tightly, his face almost distorted by the wind.

Bernie and Billy Hawke have prior experience with each other.

Even as Theodore changed seats, Billy Hawke was already gripping the back of his seat, his whole body tense.

Bernie immediately fastened his seatbelt and leaned back.

After the car had driven for a while, Billy Hawke got used to the speed, his body gradually relaxed, and he swayed back and forth to a certain rhythm, making strange "hooking" noises.

Bernie remained tense.

Martin Joseph Cronin glanced at Billy Hawke, then shouted at Theodore:
"Slow down! Slow down! No rush!"

"I've calculated it! We can get there before dinner!"

As soon as he opened his mouth, it was filled with wind.

Theodore turned to look at him and replied loudly:
"You've miscalculated!"

"There are less than two hours left before it's time to get off work!"

Martin Joseph Cronin and Bernie's expressions both changed.

Ahead was an almost 90-degree bend, and it looked like the car was about to crash straight through the guardrail and plunge into the valley.

Bernie kept pushing Theodore:
"Watch where you're going! Watch where you're going!"

Martin Joseph Cronin screamed:

"Nooooo!"

"Stop the car! I want to get out!"

Billy Hawke next to him was oblivious to the danger, fully enjoying the exhilaration of speed.

He stuck one hand out of the window and yelled loudly.

Theodore looked away, slowed down slightly, and swerved the steering wheel, narrowly avoiding a collision.

The Chevrolet sped along in the US-50, scattering a series of strange noises through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

With Theodore driving recklessly, they quickly arrived in Shenandoah County.

Bernie, his face pale, shouted at Theodore:

"Stop the car! Stop the car! I need to use the restroom!"

Martin Joseph Cronin was also shouting:
"Yes! Stop the car! I want to go too!"

Theodore turned around, exited US-55, and drove into the county town.

It was only 3:30.

Theodore parked the car at the gas station.

The car had barely stopped when Martin Joseph Cronin and Bernie couldn't wait any longer and staggered out of the car.

The two men held onto the car for a while to recover before heading to the restroom.

Billy Hawke got out of the car and loudly asked the two men:
"We're about to enter the mountains. Would you like something to eat?"

The two waved their hands, telling him to buy whatever he wanted.

Billy Hawke then asked Theodore:
"Boss, what would you like to eat?"

"Shall we eat here before leaving?"

Theodore pulled out a map, glanced at it, silently calculated for a moment, and shook his head at him:

"At the speed we were going, we should be able to reach Gusong Town before five o'clock. We can eat there when we get there."

He paused, then added:
“If Sheriff Wilbur Hawkins wasn’t lying.”

Billy Hawke nodded, walked into the convenience store, and prepared to buy some coffee and sandwiches to tide him over.

Theodore filled up the car with gas and waited in it for a while. Bernie and Martin Joseph Cronin returned first.

The two washed their faces and felt much better.

Martin Joseph Cronin stood in front of the car door and demanded that Theodore hand over the car keys.

Theodore pointed at Bernie, suggesting that Bernie was driving too slowly.

Martin Joseph Cronin glanced at the convenience store:
"Then let Hawke drive."

"Or I can drive."

He said earnestly:
"It's too dangerous for you to drive like that."

"The data shows..."

After hearing the car accident fatality statistics, Theodore reluctantly handed over the car keys.

(End of this chapter)