Diary of a Criminal Investigator

Chapter 592: People’s Park

There were some things Lu Chuan didn’t make very clear.Because some things were merely guesses, and Lu Chuan didn’t provide the basis for these guesses.

For instance, if the killer really had a grudge against these 12 people, what were the chances of killing 12 people in one week?

According to Lu Chuan’s experience over the past two years, the possibility was very small.

Making someone disappear completely is much more difficult than killing them.

Because it requires long-term planning, such as under what circumstances to make someone disappear, through what means, and whether the person being disappeared would resist during the process.

If only one person went missing, it could still be explained clearly.

But if the killer had grudges against all 12 and made them all disappear within a week, it would be very difficult.

Also, under what circumstances could the killer have had conflicts with 12 people, necessitating their deaths?

So, compared to someone killing these 12 people, Lu Chuan leaned more towards the theory that they were tricked away.

In recent two to three years, telecom fraud activities have become increasingly rampant.

Grassroots police stations have to handle 3 to 5 such cases per day involving telecom fraud.

Previously, this frequency was about one or two cases a week.

So, you can imagine how high the current frequency of telecom fraud cases is.

Moreover, in the police briefing, Lu Chuan found that some missing persons were deceived by black intermediaries with the lure of high-paying jobs overseas, directly tricked away to engage in telecom fraud.

In some no-go zones at the southern borders, these criminal activities are extremely rampant.

So, is there a possibility that these twelve people were all tricked into telecom fraud?

"Hmm, Lu’s judgment... it’s possible too."

"This is a direction."

"We can look into it."

Obviously, everyone still recognized Lu Chuan’s conjecture and reasoning direction.

But there was also some doubt.

If the other party was really tricked by a black intermediary, they would certainly think they were going out to earn big money before leaving.

In that case, they should have mentioned it to their families before leaving, and not just disappeared without a word.

However, according to the report, the majority of the 12 missing persons left home or work after receiving a phone call and never returned.

Of course, it’s also possible that the intermediary contacted them and directly controlled them to send them away.

But in any case, it’s still necessary to start the investigation from the interpersonal relationships of the 12 people.

"Now assign tasks."

"First, investigate all the interpersonal relationships of the missing persons, especially whether there are connections between these missing persons, whether they knew each other, etc. I need all the information."

"Second, thoroughly investigate high-paying intermediary companies in the city."

"Third, trace the source of the last call of the missing persons!"

After Qin Yong made some other specific arrangements, everyone went off to their tasks.

Outside the meeting hall, Zhang Hui caught up with Lu Chuan, who was returning to the Crime Scene Investigation office: "Shall we go together?"

Go with you?

Lu Chuan shook his head: "Brother Hui, I’m a crime scene investigator, for this task there’s nothing for us at the moment, you all go ahead."

"I knew you were free, that’s why I called you."

"It’s so boring to stay at the team, it’d be nice to go out with me."

"Hehe... no thanks."

Lu Chuan wasn’t going to fall for that.

Crime Scene Investigation should do its job; why go running around with the action group?

Besides, he’d already arranged to watch a movie with Forensic Doctor Shen in the evening.

Seeing his resolute attitude, Zhang Hui had to leave.

What a waste of good manpower.

...

Though the case of 12 missing persons was not small, for the Criminal Investigation Team, it was just business as usual.

After all, 12 people missing is not the same as 12 people being killed.

If the investigation did reveal that the 12 missing persons had been killed, then it would be a real problem.

But as the investigation deepened, more problems arose.

Early the next morning, Qin Yong led another case analysis meeting.

Sun Jun was the first to report.

"Our team investigated 4 missing persons, from work relationships to family relationships, even to the school relationships of the missing persons."

"There is no connection between the missing persons in my team."

Zhang Hui continued the report: "The four people in team two are the same."

"We investigated the missing persons themselves, their parents, spouses, and other family members; there was no connection between them. They didn’t know each other, didn’t attend school together, didn’t work together, nothing."

Old Chen from team three also shook his head, indicating that they encountered the same situation as Zhang Hui and Sun Jun.

This situation is strange.

If the disappearance of these 12 people was due to a vendetta and the killer took them out in one go, there would inevitably be some connection between these 12 people.

Because for someone to have grudges against 12 completely unrelated people to the extent of committing murder in anger...

It’s almost impossible.

"What about the phones?"

"They used public telephones, there were no cameras, nothing was found."

"Same here."

"The same."

"Public telephones aren’t that common these days, are they?"

"There are quite a few places with public telephones at People’s Square, the Second Hospital, and the entrance to City Hall."

"They use coins, but they are basically hidden in corners, with only three within camera range."

"The three teams just gathered, the other party used two public phones to call the missing persons."

"So, the only certainty now is that the disappearance of these people is definitely related to one person, at most two people."

"The phone booth area has already been controlled. Later, I will ask Lu Chuan to go over and see if he can find anything."

...

People’s Park.

"Lu Chuan, it’s this phone."

One of the public phones used to call the 12 missing persons is located at the northwest corner of People’s Park.

Over ten years ago, public phones were everywhere, and you could find one on every main street at intervals.

But with the prevalence of mobile phones, public phones gradually withdrew from the stage of history.

However, in Haizhou City, in places with large crowds like People’s Park, the Second Hospital, and the entrance to City Hall, a few public phones are still preserved.

To be honest, even though they are preserved, there aren’t many users, more symbolic than practical.

No one expected that the last call the 12 missing persons received was made from a public phone by the other party.

"The other party used two public phones to call the 12 missing persons, which can basically determine that the other party is one group or two groups."

Lu Chuan put down his toolbox and began to scan for fingerprints.

"The specific situation is still unclear."

"The key is that there is no connection between the 12 missing persons, why did they all disappear after receiving a phone call?"

"So, according to the current investigation result, the other party disappeared after receiving calls made from these two public telephones."

While operating, Lu Chuan put forward his view: "That indicates they left home or their workplace suddenly."

"Have you checked the surveillance near the last known locations of the missing persons?"