Chapter 111 Hotel
The weather was too hot and after a day of field work, Xia Mufan felt like his throat was about to smoke.
When they got home, Xu Shumei brought some cold tea with concern: "It's so hot, it's really too painful to run outside. Damn murderer, he's really not quiet at all."
Xia Mufan had no appetite and could not eat anything. He drank the cold tea in one gulp, collapsed on the sofa, and blew the ceiling fan. Looking at the coal ash squatting on the coffee table, he said lazily: "Alas, what a pity, the ice cream can only provide limited clues for this case..."
Coal Ash flicked his tail and snorted.
[That stupid dog.] 】
[Too honest!] If you don't know how to fight or compete, it will be of no use when you encounter problems. 】
[Xia Xia, you should educate it well, otherwise it won’t even dare to shout when bad guys come. 】
Meihui and Xia Mufan have been together for a long time, and Meihui has become smarter and smarter. He even knows the word "education". Given its intelligence, it is understandable that it looks down on simple ice cream.
Xia Mufan smiled and said, "Then you can teach it."
Coal Ash stood up and walked slowly around the coffee table.
The coffee table is right under the ceiling fan, and with the camphor tree outside the living room window casting a shade, this is the coolest place in the house.
On the other hand, Xue Gao is currently living under the eaves of the yard. The yard faces south and is bathed in sunshine. The heat is steaming and the eaves are extremely stuffy.
In contrast, Soot felt that he had the upper hand and meowed twice triumphantly.
I'm too lazy to teach it. 】
[It doesn’t understand what I say.] 】
[It hides in the box and cries at night. It is very delicate. 】
Xia Mufan was too busy with work these two days and had no time to take care of Xuegao. Usually, it was Xu Shumei who fed and gave it water at home, and she had no idea that it was in such a low mood. Hearing what Coal Ash said, he felt a little guilty, so he stood up and walked to Ice Cream.
Xue Gao had been squatting under the eaves obediently, not shouting or crying. When he saw Xia Mufan coming, he wagged his tail and stretched out his front paws to "shake hands" with her.
This was one of the skills it was trained to learn by Bai Jiaying, and it remembered that Xia Mufan also liked it very much.
I don’t know why, but seeing the ice cream trying to please him so much, Xia Mufan felt a little sad.
Coal Ash feels so comfortable in this family. It is normal for him to act like a spoiled child, play tricks, and make requests. He really thinks he is a member of this family. The fact that the ice cream is so reserved now only shows that it is not at ease yet.
Xia Mufan took out a piece of beef jerky from his pocket and put it to Xue Gao's mouth, smiling and saying, "Since you have come to my house, just stay here with peace of mind. You can follow me from now on."
Coal ash likes to run around. My mother is usually the only one at home, so it’s good to have several dogs to guard the house.
Xue Gao understood what Xia Mufan said, and stretched out his front paws stubbornly, with some wet joy in his big eyes.
【Really? 】
You won’t chase me away, will you? 】
[Can I live here forever and call you master? 】
Xia Mufan stretched out his hand and held it, shaking it gently: "Just like coal ash, call me Xia Xia. From now on, this is your home and no one will chase you away."
After being accepted by Xia Mufan, Xue Gao was so happy that he went crazy. His tail was wagging like a top and a wheezing sound came from his throat.
[Okay, okay, I will be good.] 】
[Xia Xia, I finally have a home!] 】
When Meihui heard the noise from Xia Mufan's side, he suddenly jumped out from the living room, climbed onto Xia Mufan's calf and whimpered.
Xia Mufan knew what it was worried about, so he bent down and picked up the coal ash. He was not afraid of the heat and kissed its cheek: "Don't worry, in our family, you are the boss and Xuegao is the second. It has to listen to you."
Coal Ash finally felt relieved and wagged his tail at Ice Cream.
Looking at Coal Ash's smug little look, Xia Mufan burst out laughing. At this moment, she suddenly understood how it was for parents with two children. It was not easy for them to take care of the emotions of the eldest child and to protect the weak heart of the second child.
Ice cream doesn’t care about who is the eldest or second oldest. It just wants a stable home, a home where it won’t be abandoned.
It was half-sitting under the eaves, sticking out its tongue and grinning, like a dignified elementary school student.
Even though she couldn't understand what it said, Xu Shumei, who came out of the house, could see that Xue Gao was happy. She said to Xia Mufan curiously, "Is Xue Gao smiling?"
Xia Mushi patted the ice cream on the head: "Ice cream has a new home, so you are smiling happily, right?"
The ice cream nodded like pounding garlic.
Xu Shumei was a person who sympathized with the weak. Seeing such a well-behaved Xue Gao, she couldn't help but smile: "Xue Gao, the task of guarding the house from now on will be handed over to you."
Xue Gao looked at Xia Mufan, with confusion in his big eyes.
Xia Mufan repeated Xu Shumei's words, and Xuegao immediately barked twice.
[Okay, leave it to me.] 】
【Protect and complete the mission.】 】
With a new member in the family, Xia Mufan was in a good mood and his mind became much clearer.
Details that she had previously overlooked came to mind.
Xue Gao said that on the afternoon of the day of the incident, Bai Jiaying received a phone call and her mood became very happy. When someone knocks on the door at night, I put it in a cage and trot over to open the door.
That call should have been from that man.
She is a single woman who doesn't even interact with her neighbors and is very defensive. The reason I opened the door without any precaution was because the man said he would come over in the evening.
She thought it was a lover who came to visit her and her child, but she didn't expect it to be a killer who wanted her life.
If that’s the case, then the phone records on Bai Jiaying’s home phone should be able to reveal something.
Gong Weiguo went to the telecommunications department this afternoon and just got the phone records back, but hasn't had time to study them yet. Thinking of this, Xia Mufan didn't even have time to eat. He said hello to his mother and went to the office.
Xu Shumei chased after her and stuffed a scallion pancake into her hand: "I know you can't eat in this hot weather, so I fried two pancakes, thinking that eating porridge and pancakes at night will improve your appetite. If you are in a hurry to solve the case, take the pancakes with you on the way, otherwise you will be hungry and your stomach will be uncomfortable."
The dough was packed in a food bag. It had cooled down, but it was still chewy and flexible, with a tangy aroma of green onions. Xia Mufan took the pancake and waved to his mother: "Okay, I'll eat it when I get to the office."
Watching her daughter hurriedly leaving, Xu Shumei sighed: "Being a police officer is not easy."
Meow——
Woof! Woof woof!
Although Coal Ash and Ice Cream didn't understand what Xu Shumei said, they both responded. Xu Shumei shook her head and gently touched the heads of Coal Ash and Ice Cream: "You are so good. I will get you something to eat."
Fortunately, we have a cat and a dog at home, so life is not lonely.
The people in the Criminal Investigation Brigade have long been accustomed to working overtime. Xia Mufan hurried back to the office and called the team members back. Soon, the members of the Serious Crime Team 7 gathered together.
As it got darker, the ceiling fan squeaked and the office gradually became cooler.
Xia Mufan spread out the printed call records on the conference table, found the call from the afternoon of the incident, circled it and said, "Check this call."
Gong Weiguo was now very familiar with checking phone numbers, and he quickly found out the source of the call: "This is the guest room phone number of Furong Hotel."
Yes, the man did not settle down in Hui City. Every time he came to visit Bai Jiaying, he had to hide his tracks. He only went at night when no one was around and left early in the morning. So he had to have a place to stay.
Furong Hotel is the most upscale hotel in Hui City, so it naturally became the man’s choice.
Xia Mufan stood up suddenly: "Let's go! Let's go to Furong Hotel."
Because of a line in the leader’s poem “The land of lotus blooms in the morning light,” many hotels in Hunan Province are named “Hibiscus.” The Furong Hotel in Hui City was previously a hotel used by the Foreign Trade Bureau to receive foreign guests. Later, someone contracted and renovated the hotel. It is luxurious and comfortable, with standard management, and provides a one-stop service for food, drink, and entertainment. It quickly became the most upscale hotel in the city.
As soon as we arrived at the hotel, a doorman came to open the door and welcome us.
Walking into the bright and spacious hall, the cream-yellow marble floor reflects the light of the crystal chandelier on the ceiling, and the air is filled with the aroma of magnolia-scented air freshener, which is extremely luxurious and elegant.
Although Xia Mufan was born into a poor family, he is now considered a worldly person and has been to high-end restaurants and hotels several times. His attitude is natural and generous. After showing his police officer ID, the front desk clerk politely and cautiously asked: "Excuse me, what can we do for you?"
Xia Mufan asked to check the hotel check-in list on the day of the incident: "The boss is from the south. He is thin, ordinary-looking, and very rich. Do you have any impression of him?"
There are many big bosses staying at the hotel every day, but the characteristics Xia Mufan mentioned reminded the front desk clerk of something: "Ah, it seems there is such a person. He has a strong southern accent and pushes a suitcase. He checked in at noon on the 12th and suddenly checked out in the evening. It's very strange."
When Xia Mufan heard this, he immediately became alert. Check out at night? It totally fits!
“Where is this person’s registration information?”
The waiter found a name on the list: "Here, this is the man, Huang Zhongliang, from Huancheng, Guangdong Province. Here is his ID number."
There was a bright light in the eyes of Gong Weiguo and others.
Very good! This person was finally found.
Xia Mufan suppressed his excitement and continued to ask, "Does Huang Zhongliang have anyone to travel with him?"
The waiter shook his head: "He is alone."
A receptionist nearby interrupted: "Mr. Huang is a frequent visitor to our hotel. I have met him several times. He is very friendly. Once I helped him carry his suitcase and he gave me a tip."
Xia Mushige asked: "Does he have any visitors?"
The waiter shook his head: "Then we don't know. There are people coming and going in the hotel. He lives on the fifth floor. Even if there are visitors, no one will register them."
Xia Mufan still didn't give up: "Did you see two men with a one-year-old child staying here on the night of the 12th?"
If it was really Huang Zhongliang who hired someone to kill someone and then took the child away, he should have contacted those two people. At least, he has to take his son back, right?
The waiter thought for a long time and said, "No. One-year-old children are the most difficult to take care of. Don't you have a mother with you?"
Thinking of the cold corpse lying in the morgue, Xia Mufan felt very uncomfortable. Mother? His mother is dead. Maybe, his father hired someone to do it.
Leaving the hotel, the night breeze blew on my face, carrying a faint scent of lotus.
I heard that a large pond was dug in the backyard of Furong Hotel and a pond of lotus flowers was planted.
But no one was in the mood to appreciate it.
Xia Mufan looked at the thousands of lights in the distance and said, "Contact the Huancheng police and head south tomorrow!"
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