NOVPUBThe next day, in the morning, at the Special Investigation Team's office space.
Mona sat at her desk, visibly upset as she forcefully typed on the computer keyboard.
Reesi continued to search through Group Leader Owen's office supplies with her head down, while Luo An sat on another unoccupied chair, sipping tea and silently recalling the details of the case.
Luo An was now sure that Group Leader Owen and his police academy classmate Pearson had been silenced because they had learnt about certain issues. 𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝒎
What exactly those issues were, Luo An wasn't in a hurry to figure out; the clues would be delivered to him sooner or later.
What Luo An contemplated now was that someone as meticulous as Group Leader Owen would have definitely hidden clues about the matter.
But where were those clues hidden? Had they been stolen or taken by those behind the scenes?
Nothing hidden had been found in Group Leader Owen's home by Reesi, who had carefully inspected it the night before while seeing Lady Rebecca home.
The items in Group Leader Owen's office had also been checked by Michelle, with no hidden objects discovered.
Luo An picked up his tea cup and took a sip, muttering to himself:
"Could they really have been taken by those behind the scenes?"
"Ladies and Gentlemen!"
Just at that moment, Michelle pushed open the door to the investigation team's room and walked in, raising the file in her hand:
"The autopsy report for Pearson, as well as the investigation of the booby traps and mechanical structures in Pearson's house, have all been thoroughly examined by the Trace Evidence Department!"
Upon hearing 'booby traps', Reesi still clenched her teeth in anger.
She was only in her thirties this year, with many young women waiting for her, Reesi did not want to die young.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Luo An passed a cup of coffee to Michelle and began to examine the folder.
The Trace Evidence Department hadn't found anyone else's fingerprints or footprints in Pearson's house, and Pearson's exact cause of death matched Luo An's previous prediction, indeed having been shot in the forehead earlier.
The gunshot he and Reesi heard was just to lure the two of them, who were anxious, to open the apartment door, and was never intended to be a fatal booby trap.
The mechanical devices in the apartment were ingeniously set up, something an average person could never do. The report from the Trace Evidence Department indicated that the FBI database had records of two individuals capable of creating such mechanical devices.
One of them was currently improving himself in a prison in Los Angeles, while the other had gone to chat with God following a car accident two years ago.
"Let's go to the prison to interrogate that guy!"
After reading the report, Reesi took a look too, then clenched her fists until they cracked, her face showing determination:
"We should ask that guy in prison who he's passed his skills on to?"
For some ambitious individuals, federal prison is a great place, because there they could learn new knowledge that was not available outside but could make them rich.
Luo An closed the folder and put it to one side, picking up his tea cup and leisurely taking a sip:
"No rush."
Reesi watched this scene with lines furrowing her brow and a question mark practically steaming from her head:
"What do you mean, no rush? That guy is definitely related to the booby trap that almost killed us! Aren't we going to interrogate him?"
"We..."
Luo An was about to fabricate some reason to put Reesi off, but he paused as he began to speak, suddenly remembering something. His eyes gleamed with a sudden insight, and he lowered his head in thought for a few seconds. Putting his tea cup aside, he swiftly extended his hand to pull a puzzled Reesi in front of him, whispering:
"Reesi, I have a task for you. You must undertake it yourself, and you must be very careful not to draw any attention..."
"?!"
Hearing this, Reesi's face showed confusion at first, then darkened as she listened to Luo An. In a low voice, she asked:
"Are you sure?"
"I'm not sure."
Luo An shook his head in response.
"But I think that's the most likely possibility."
"OK, leave it to me."
Considering the importance of the matter, and as the only one among the four in the Special Investigation Team suited for this task, Reesi agreed without hesitation. She spent a few minutes in the equipment room and then quickly pushed open the doors of the investigation team and left.
The exchange between Luo An and Reesi was quiet; Mona and Michelle did not hear what they were saying. Seeing Reesi leaving the office area, Mona turned around and asked:
"What did you send Reesi to do?"
"Just a little something."
Luo An picked up his teacup again, and Michelle, seeing this, did not ask further about it but instead posed another question:
"So, what's our next direction in the investigation?"
Luo An pondered for a moment before replying:
"Mona, check Pearson's job responsibilities and social relationships.
Michelle, access the FBI database, look up the identity information of the prisoner who can make booby-trapped mechanical structures, and the specific details of the case that got him sent to prison."
Mona rolled her eyes at Luo An and began working, while Michelle agreed with a smile:
"No problem."
Time ticked by, and soon Mona had thoroughly reviewed Pearson's information, and Michelle had also made significant progress in gathering information on the prisoner.
Just as Luo An was about to check the computer screen, a knock on the door of the Special Investigation Team came suddenly.
"Come in!" Luo An said casually.
As the words fell, the door was pushed open and five serious-faced Caucasian men dressed in suits with a blue badge on their chests entered.
Mona looked up in confusion, and Michelle's pupils shrank.
Before Luo An could question, the middle-aged Caucasian man leading the group revealed his identity:
"Hello, I am Horst from the Monitoring Department.
Deputy Group Leader Luo An Greenwood, we need your cooperation on a matter. Please come with us."
"The Monitoring Department?"
Upon hearing this, Luo An remained composed while Mona looked serious and turned to glance at Michelle.
Michelle stood up and walked to Luo An's side, looking at Horst, she spoke firmly and without inferiority:
"According to the third clause of article nineteen of the Inspector's Office Work Guidelines, in any situation requiring the cooperation of FBI management staff, and when…, the specific details of the required cooperation must be clearly communicated in person.
Deputy Group Leader Luo An Greenwood acts with the authority of the group leader in their absence and is one of the management personnel mentioned in the guidelines.
Therefore, please clarify the reason for seeking out the Deputy Group Leader of our Special Investigation Team now, or Deputy Group Leader Luo An Greenwood has the right to refuse your request."
"..."
Michelle's words gained her a new level of respect from Luo An and Mona, and even the agents from the Monitoring Department looked at her with a hint of surprise.
"Michelle Davis, former agent of the FBI Washington Headquarters Prosecution Office."
Horst wasn't too surprised; he had already investigated the files of everyone in the Special Investigation Team before his arrival.
So upon hearing Michelle's response, Horst remained nonchalant and without any superfluous words, he stated directly:
"According to our investigation, the bullet that truly killed Criminal Justice Department agent Pearson and caused his death came from a gun belonging to one of the shooters in the William Mas Gang.
Some time ago when your Special Investigation Team was dealing with the William Mas Gang, Deputy Group Leader Greenwood retrieved two of the guns, and we suspect that Deputy Group Leader Greenwood has privately hidden the rest of the firearms."
"What?"
Hearing this, Michelle instinctively turned to look at Luo An, Mona's pupils shaking, realizing what was implied.
Yet Luo An remained unfazed upon hearing this and, looking at Michelle, he asked with a smile:
"Michelle, I have a question about protocol I'd like to consult you on."
Michelle: "?"
