Los Angeles Detective

Chapter 260 Woman

 Although the woman's appearance was seen through surveillance, she did not apply for a membership card and paid in cash, so her identity could not be traced.

 Through the surveillance outside the supermarket, it was found that the woman left on foot and did not drive a vehicle, so there was no way to check the license plate number.

All of the above reinforced Luke's idea that there was something wrong with this woman. She deliberately avoided police investigation and had a certain sense of anti-reconnaissance.

However, Luke did not go to find this suspicious woman immediately, not because he didn’t want to look for her, but because he had more important things to do.

 Check sales records, check monitoring, and find everyone who has bought Weisen brand mineral water from Shanyuan Supermarket.

These purchased mineral waters are likely to contain the highly toxic substance cyanide. In order to avoid more tragedies, the police need to remind these people not to drink mineral water.

 At around one o'clock in the afternoon, Colin Chen, captain of the Second Squadron of the Robbery and Murder Department, led a team to provide support.

 Captain Chen’s bald head is still as bright as ever, and he is still unsmiling.

Luke handed over to him and took Xiao Hei to eat. The two of them had been busy checking the scene in the morning and hadn't eaten yet.

Xiao Hei was so hungry that he weakly asked, "What should we eat?"

Luke glanced around, "Get in the car, let's go to the Korean community and see what's good to eat."

Xiao Hei pointed not far away, "Isn't there a Korean restaurant over there?"

“The ones over there are not authentic, not to mention the poisoning incident that just happened in Shanyuan Supermarket. The two stores are so close to each other. How can you eat it?”

Xiao Hei nodded, "You're right."

The two of them got into the car, and Luke directed, "Slow down, let me see what delicious food is nearby."

 Xiao Hei has been working with Luke for so long, and is somewhat familiar with Luke’s character. “Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

“I just wanted to see if I could find the Korean woman who appeared in Shanyuan Supermarket nearby.”

“How are you sure she is Korean? Just because there is a Korean community nearby?”

 “This is just one of them.”

Xiao Hei continued to guess, "Because of kimchi? I also heard that Koreans like to eat kimchi."

 “This reason accounts for a large proportion.”

 “What other reasons?”

 “I can see that.”

“Real or fake?” Xiao Hei was a little unconvinced, “I feel that Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese are all the same. How do you tell the difference?”

"Clothing, manners, appearance, temperament..." Luke shook his head, "You can't learn this."

Xiao Hei curled his lips and said, "OK, how do you want to find her? You don't know her identity, you don't know her address, and you don't have her license plate number."

Luke analyzed, “This woman is Korean and probably lives in the surrounding Korean community, and she does not drive, which means her home may not be far from the supermarket.

Korean Americans are relatively united, and many people know each other.

 After dinner, we will go around and look around, maybe we can find out the whereabouts of this Korean woman. "

　　　小黑道, “Sounds pretty good.”

The two chose a Korean restaurant because they had to investigate the case after eating, so it was easier.

 Two portions of fried noodles, pot-roasted pork, grilled mackerel, fried chicken, miso soup, and two complimentary side dishes, pickled radish and spicy cabbage.

 Since we are in a Korean restaurant, how can we lack kimchi?

　　It is said to be a simple meal, a little dish is enough. Luke and Xiao Hei are both foodies, so even if they are investigating a case, they cannot treat their mouths badly.

 The case is for others to investigate, and the body is your own. Luke's body was damaged in his last life, and he didn't want to suffer the same loss again.

 After eating this meal, the overall feeling is pretty good, except that the noodles are a bit sweet and not as good as the domestic ones.

 The grilled mackerel is not bad.

 What impressed Luke the most was the golden pickled radish, which was crunchy and tasted good, which was an unexpected surprise.

  After all, it is the kimchi kingdom, and it is somewhat unique in this regard.

While paying the bill, Luke took out the photo of the suspicious woman and asked the waiter to identify it, but the other person had no impression.

Luke didn’t want to make a big splash and continued to visit and inquire.

 Restaurants, convenience stores, gas stations, flower shops, bars, barber shops…

Luke and Xiao Hei walked around the nearby streets for a long time and asked many people, but no one knew the Korean woman.

 Xiao Hei's enthusiasm gradually waned, and Luke also wondered whether he had guessed wrong.

Subsequently, the two of them entered a nail salon. The nail salon was not large in scale. It was a relatively long and narrow shop, only a few dozen square meters in size.

There are three Korean women, one in her twenties, one in her thirties, and one in her fifties.

Luke looked at the three of them, and his eyes were fixed on a Korean woman in her thirties. He felt that this woman was more like a boss.

Sure enough, the Korean woman in her thirties spoke up, "Gentlemen, do you also want to do manicures?"

Xiao Hei stretched out his black hand and shook it, "Is that okay?"

 “Of course, as long as you like it.” The Korean woman smiled.

Xiao Hei waved his hand and pulled out the police badge like magic, "Sorry, I disappoint you, we are not here to do manicures.

 We are lapd and want to find out some information from you. "

The Asian woman frowned slightly, "Oh, we are a legal nail salon with complete certificates."

“Don’t be nervous, we just want to inquire about someone.” Luke took out his phone and clicked on the photo of the suspicious woman, “Do you know her?”

 The three women all came over to take a look.

Luke said, “She should live in a nearby community.”

 Still no one spoke.

Luke said, "Your expressions tell me that you know each other."

　　The Korean woman in her thirties spoke, "What's wrong with her?"

“We are investigating a case, she happens to be a witness, and we want to ask her some questions. Are you familiar with her?”

“I do know her, but not very well. She only comes here for manicures occasionally. I only know her surname is Jin, but I don’t know where she lives? I don’t have her contact information.”

Luke didn’t completely believe what this woman said. He knew Asian women better. Even if some people knew about it, they might not tell you. It’s not that she is a bad person, but she is just more wary and doesn’t want to cause trouble.

 “Do you know how to find her?”

An Asian woman in her thirties walked to the window, pointed outside and said, "After this intersection, there is a Jiangnan Supermarket in front. I suggest you go there and ask, maybe you can find her whereabouts."

 “Jiangnan Supermarket?”

"Yes."

 “Does she work in this supermarket?”

“I’m not very sure either. I suggest you ask yourself.”

"OK, thank you." Luke pointed to Xiao Hei beside him, "When there is a chance, my colleague will bring his wife to do a manicure."

"welcome."

Xiao Hei was stunned for a moment and asked, "Can I get a discount?"

“Of course, I will give you the highest discount, 20% off.” The Asian woman smiled and sent the two of them out of the store.

The two of them walked a few steps, and Xiao Hei asked, "Why my wife?"

 “Because I don’t have a wife.”

The two of them walked forward to an intersection and saw the Jiangnan Supermarket that the nail salon owner mentioned.

There are also many shops around Jiangnan Supermarket, almost all of which are Korean-style.

 There are more than 300,000 Koreans in Los Angeles, making it the largest gathering place of Koreans overseas.

 Gangnam Supermarket is located within the Korean community.

 The Korean style here is very strong. You can see English, Korean and Chinese characters, which easily gives people a feeling of transcending time and space.

 Entering the supermarket, a woman wearing Hanbok stood at the door and greeted with a smile, "Welcome to Jiangnan Supermarket."

Xiaohei Tan Tanshou said, "Why a supermarket again? We have been dealing with supermarkets today."

"This is good news. We have found common ground in the cases, which means that our investigation is in the right direction. As long as we continue to investigate along this line, we may be able to find the truth of the case."

Xiao Hei asked back, "You mean this case is a competition among peers?"

“It’s hard to say right now.” Luke said perfunctorily and started to look around in the supermarket.

Compared with Shanyuan Supermarket, this supermarket has similarities and differences.

 The two supermarkets are similar in size and have both Korean and Western products.

 The difference is that Shanyuan Supermarket is more Western-oriented, with Korean products accounting for only 30%.

  Jiangnan Supermarket mainly sells Korean products, and almost all kinds of Korean food and products can be found here.

Of course, there is also the Wesson mineral water that Luke is most concerned about.

After checking the situation in the supermarket, Luke walked to the checkout counter and took out the photo of the suspicious Korean woman. "Hello, may I ask, do you know this woman?"

The cashier was a Korean girl in her twenties. She glanced at the photo and then at Luke, "Yes, do you have anything to do with her?"

 “Can you tell me where she is?”

 The female cashier shook her head, "Sorry, I don't know you."

Xiao Hei showed his police badge and said, "lapd, we are investigating a criminal case and want to find out some information from her."

 “Wow...please wait a moment.” The Korean female cashier finished her sentence and walked towards the back of the supermarket.

Xiao Hei asked, "Why do you always like to ask the cashier?"

Luke whispered, "Not every employee can be a cashier. Being able to become a cashier at least shows that the boss trusts her, either because she has a close relationship or a stable job.

In addition, as long as customers buy something, they have to come here to check out, so they come into contact with more customers.

 Other staff in the supermarket are busy with their own affairs and do not have much contact with customers. "

At this moment, a Korean woman in her thirties came over and said, "Two gentlemen, my name is Shanmei Li, and I am the boss here."

  Luke looked at the other person. Li Shanmei was wearing a black dress, with a faint smile on her face, and she had a good temperament.

Luke took out the photo of the suspicious woman on his phone and said, "Boss Li, do you know the woman in the photo?"

 “Yes, she is my cousin, what’s the problem?”

“Can you give us her contact information and address?”

"Uh..." Li Shanmei hesitated, "Can you tell me what happened?"

“We are investigating a criminal case and want to know something about her.”

“It’s not convenient for me to disclose her information at will. Do you think this is okay? I’ll call her directly and ask her to come to the supermarket to meet her.”

"Thanks."

“You’re welcome, please come to the office with me.”

 “It won’t affect your work.”

“It doesn’t matter, my cousin is like my family, her business is my business.”

Luke and Xiao Hei were brought into the office. The office was also small and neatly tidied in a typical Korean style. There were also many potted plants placed in the room.

Li Shanmei asked, "What would the two police officers want to drink? Coffee, green tea, and black tea are all available here."

Luke politely declined, "No, we just had coffee before coming here."

"Hold on, you two, I'm going to call my cousin." Li Shanmei left the office, leaving only Luke and Xiao Hei in the room.

Xiao Hei stood up and looked around, "I like this office, it's much more comfortable than Osmond's office. I think the female supermarket owner is pretty nice."

Xiao Hei lowered his voice and said, "Do you think she may be related to the poisoning case?"

"I can't tell." The two supermarkets are relatively close to each other, and Luke also feels that there may be some "problems" between the two supermarkets, but he can't say what the specific problems are.

  It’s more of an intuition gained from working as a police officer for many years.

This is why Luke did not come directly to the door, but preferred to wait.

Not long after, Li Shanmei walked into the office again, holding a tray in her hand. "Two police officers, I have already contacted my cousin. She will arrive at the supermarket soon." As she spoke, she placed two cups of tea on the coffee table. "This is Korea's unique ginseng tea, please try it."

"What is ginseng tea? This is the first time I've heard of it." Xiao Hei curiously picked up the teacup, looked at it, and then put it down.

 He is just careless and heartless, but he is not stupid.

They are investigating a poisoning case. Since they have investigated this supermarket, it means that there may be something wrong with this supermarket. How can you drink the tea they give you?

Luke looked apologetic and said, "Thank you for the tea, but we have rules and we cannot accept entertainment during the case."

“Sorry, I didn’t know about this rule, I just wanted to buy you a cup of tea.”

 “I understand, I take it well.”

Li Shanmei sat on the sofa next to her, picked up a cup of ginseng tea, and took a sip. "What do you call the two police officers?"

Xiao Hei introduced, "I am Detective Marcus from the Robbery and Murder Department, and this is Deputy Captain Luke."

“Robbery and Murder Department?” Li Shanmei looked confused, “My cousin and I are very close and I know her relatively well. It’s hard to imagine that she would be associated with the Robbery and Murder Department. Can I ask what happened?”

 This female boss made a good impression on Luke, but Luke thought about it and did not tell her the details. As she said herself, she had a good relationship with her cousin.

If the reason for the investigation is told to her, the other party is likely to communicate with her cousin, and the police will become passive.

 Besides, her cousin is the person involved. Her cousin hasn’t arrived yet, so what’s the point of telling her?

About ten minutes, the office door was pushed open, and a Korean woman in her forties walked in. She was the woman photographed on the surveillance camera of Shanyuan Supermarket.

Female boss Li Shanmei stood up and said, "Cousin, you are here.

These two police officers are looking for you. This is Deputy Luke from the Robbery and Murder Division, and this is Detective Marcus. "

The Korean woman nodded slightly, a little cautiously, "Hello, police officers, I am Jin Xiuhui. What do you want to see me for?"

“We are investigating a criminal case and would like to find out some information from you.”

Jin Xiuhui was a little nervous, "Did you make a mistake in the criminal case?"

Luke looked at Li Shanmei aside, "Boss Li, can we talk alone?"

"Of course." Li Shanmei responded, patted her cousin's arm, and then left the office.

 Jin Xiuhui looked at Luke and then at Xiao Hei, "I...I haven't done anything illegal."

 “Ms. Jin, you look a little nervous.”

 “Isn’t it normal to be nervous when facing the police?”

“Relax, we’re just asking a few questions, and you just need to answer them truthfully.” Luke said.

Jin Xiuhui nodded.

  Luke got straight to the point, “Do you know Shanyuan Supermarket?”

“Yes, it’s not far from the neighborhood I live in. Is there any problem?”

 “Have you been to that supermarket recently?”

 “Uh…it seems so.”

 “When did you go?”

 “I can’t remember clearly.”

 “Then recall it carefully.”

 “It seems to be...August 22nd.”

 “What did you do when you went to that supermarket? How long did you stay there?”

“What can I do in the supermarket? Of course it’s shopping. I can’t remember how long I stayed there.”

"Just buying things? No other purpose?" Luke looked at the other party sharply.

 “Yes.” Jin Xiuhui dodges her eyes and turns her head slightly.

 Lie.

Luke continued to ask, "Your cousin also runs a supermarket. Since you need to buy something, why don't you come to your cousin's house?"

Jin Xiuhui thought for a while, "I like to eat soup rice, but I can't eat it every day. I also eat steak occasionally.

The same goes for supermarkets. Sometimes I don’t necessarily want to buy anything, but I just want to go shopping. My cousin’s supermarket is so familiar.

It’s normal for me to want to go shopping in a new supermarket.

 Is there any problem with this? "

“If it was just like this, of course there would be no problem, and our Robbery and Murder Department would not be here, but the problem now is that someone poisoned Shanyuan Supermarket, causing one customer to die and one to be injured.

The boss and clerk of Shanyuan Supermarket all think you are suspicious, which is also the purpose of our visit. "

“Poisoning in Shanyuan Supermarket? People died?” Jin Xiuhui opened her mouth and seemed a little frightened.

“nonono, this has nothing to do with me. I just went to the supermarket and it cannot be related to the murder case.

 There are many customers going to that supermarket, why do you doubt me? "

Luke did not answer directly, because they did not have direct evidence to prove that Jin Xiuhui was related to the poisoning case. He changed the topic and asked, "Ms. Jin, have you ever come into contact with Weisen brand mineral water in Shanyuan Supermarket?"

"Mineral water?" Jin Xiuhui frowned slightly, as if she was recalling, "I can't remember clearly. Isn't it normal to choose things in the supermarket? Besides, there is more than one mineral water brand in the supermarket, and I can't remember clearly."

  Luke saw no obvious signs of lying on her face.

If the other party is a poisoner, it is impossible to be so calm after hearing about Weisen brand mineral water.

Did I make a mistake and she had nothing to do with the poisoning case?

“Ms. Jin, what we are investigating now is a case that seriously endangers public safety. If necessary, emergency action can be taken, and search warrants and arrest warrants are not even required.

 If the case is delayed for one second, one more person may die, so I hope you can make things clear.

 I am a police officer, I deal with criminals every day, and I have seen all kinds of liars.

 Whether you lied or concealed anything, I can tell at a glance.

If you lie, it will affect the progress of the investigation, which is equivalent to being indirectly involved in the case, which is not a good thing.

 I say this just because I hope you realize the seriousness of the matter. "

Jin Xiuhui's face changed again and again. Her originally fair face was stained by sweat dripping from her makeup. "I...I did have other purposes for going to Shanyuan Supermarket that day..." Jin Xiuhui hesitated to speak.

 “What purpose?”

Jin Xiuhui glanced outside the office and whispered, "My cousin asked me to go."

 “What did she ask you to do?”

“She asked me to check the prices and types of items in Shanyuan Supermarket. This is also the purpose of my going to Shanyuan Supermarket. I have not done anything else illegal.”

 “Why do you do this?”

“The two supermarkets are relatively close to each other, and their main customers are nearby residents. Everyone will definitely make a comparison. If the price is set too high, customers may not come and go to Shanyuan Supermarket instead.

If the price is set low, the supermarket itself will not make any money, so my cousin hopes to find out the prices of items in Shanyuan Supermarket.

However, she is the owner of Jiangnan Supermarket after all. It is not suitable for her to go there by herself and she does not trust others, so she asked me to help.

 We are very close, and I am not an employee of Jiangnan Supermarket. It doesn’t matter even if I am discovered by Shanyuan Supermarket. "

 “Then why didn’t you tell the truth in the first place?”

“I’m sorry, I’m just afraid of the impact on my cousin’s business. Although what I do is not illegal, it is very taboo among my colleagues.

 Furthermore, I did not poison the Shanyuan Supermarket. I have a clear conscience and I did not lie on this point. "

"Ms. Jin, I can understand your previous thoughts. What I want to know is have you lied now?"

"No."

"Can I trust you?"

"certainly."

“How did you investigate the prices at that time? How did you record them? I’m afraid you can’t remember so many prices based on memory alone.”

"Uh..." Jin Xiuhui showed hesitation again.

 Luke raised his eyebrows and said, "Ms. Jin, don't let me down?"

“My cousin prepared a miniature camera in advance and put it in my purse. I just need to walk around with the purse and keep changing positions to take pictures of the supermarket and record the prices and types of products.”

Xiao Hei smiled and said, "Micro camera? It sounds like something only a pervert would use."

Jin Xiuhui retorted, "I'm not a pervert, I'm just helping my family."

  Luke asked, “Where are the cameras and the video?”

“They are all at my cousin’s place. It’s useless for me to ask for those things.”

 “Did your cousin give you money?”

"How can it be?

She is my family member, and I will not ask for her money. The purpose of our shooting is just to investigate supermarket prices, so it shouldn’t be illegal, right? "

“I don’t know if it’s illegal or not, and I don’t know much about the relevant laws, but it’s good that you chose to confess to the police.

For this reason alone, I would not pursue the matter.

Of course, the premise is that it is just a candid photo, and there is no other ulterior purpose. "

 Jin Xiuhui breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God, thank the two police officers, there is really no more."

Luke stood up, opened the door of the office, looked out, and found supermarket owner Li Shanmei standing not far away, "Boss Li, we've finished talking, can I have a few words with you?"

 “Me?” Li Shanmei hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “Okay.”

"Ms. Jin, thank you for your assistance. I would like to thank you on behalf of lapd." Luke made a gesture of invitation, indicating that the other party should go out first.

Jin Xiuhui walked to the door and whispered something in Korean.

Li Shanmei patted her back, comforted her, and motioned for her to go out first.

 At this time, only Luke, Xiao Hei and Li Shanmei were left in the office.

Luke smiled and said, "Boss Li, I envy the relationship between you and your cousin."

 Li Shanmei sat on the sofa and nodded slightly, "My cousin takes good care of me. She brought me to Los Angeles back then.

 Police Officer Luke, are you here to investigate my cousin because of the incident at Shanyuan Supermarket? "

 “Did your cousin just tell you?”

“No, I guessed it. My cousin is a good person. Apart from this incident, I can’t think of anything the police wanted to do with her.

However, I just asked her to find out the prices and types of items in Shanyuan Supermarket, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.

 Why did you alert the two of them to come to investigate? "

Luke smiled and said, "Boss Li, there are no outsiders here. I hope everyone can be more honest.

  We are police officers, and we carry law enforcement recorders every day. This device can indeed capture law enforcement footage, but it is difficult to capture small things clearly.

 For example, the prices and varieties on product labels are difficult to photograph clearly.

I don’t think it’s a good idea to use tiny cameras if you just want to know the price and variety of items.

 Being caught by the supermarket owner is even more troublesome.

Your operation is a bit confusing to me. Can you explain it? "

 Li Shanmei seemed a little embarrassed and lowered her voice, "Uh... you are right. In fact, there is another purpose for letting my cousin bring a miniature camera to Shanyuan Supermarket.

However, my cousin doesn’t know, can you keep it a secret for me? "

Xiao Hei curled his lips and felt a little disdainful. Sure enough, capitalists don't have any good things.

 Luke also complained, well, we were sisters just now, women.

“As long as it doesn’t affect the police investigation, I can agree.”

　　Thanks to the book friends for the reward

 (End of this chapter)