161 Witnesses

 

Zhang Bin was probably telling the truth because the moment we found Du Zigui, we would find out everything. Gu Chen picked up Wang An and left. Then Zhao Xiaoli was brought in. Zhao Xiaoli said that she didn’t get a look of her rapist’s face so she had no idea whether it was Zhang Bin or not. She also believed the voice she heard had been altered.

For his part, Zhang Bin claimed he had not done anything to Zhao Xiaoli and Zhao Xiaoli did act like this was her first time seeing Zhang Bin. However it was also undeniable that we found Zhang Bin’s fingerprints inside that room, despite them all being thumbprints. Zhao Xiaoli could only confirm that Zhang Bin had the same body shape as her assailant. However, despite all these, Zhang Bin refused to admit to anything.

Unfortunately we had no concrete evidence so we couldn’t really do anything to Zhang Bin. The fingerprint and Zhao Xiaoli’s statement were just circumstantial evidence. Zhang Bin looked at Zhao Xiaoli and said in a pleading voice, “Zhao Xiaoli, or Sister Zhao, I have not done those things, if you say I’m a thief, I’ll admit to that, but I’m not a rapist, I’ve not even seen you.”

Zhang Xiaoli answered hesitantly, “I never said it was you, I merely said that you have the same body frame as that person. However, the person who assaulted me has a wounded left arm, is your left arm wounded? If no, then it can’t be you.” Zhao Xiaoli was relatively calm. The interrogation room was incredibly soundproof so Zhao Xiaoli didn’t hear the conversation between Wang An and Zhang Bin. In other words, Zhao Xiaoli had no idea this man before her had indirectly caused her sister’s death or else she wouldn’t be so calm.

Zhang Bin was stumped by Zhao Xiaoli’s question and then he suddenly burst in anger, “I knew it, I knew it! This is a set up! It doesn’t matter what I say, does it? You’re brought here to frame me. Are you even Zhao Xiaoli? Where is your id? Show me your id!”

Zhang Bin looked like he was struck with paranoia. His face was red and his eyes bulged. His action and mannerism frightened Zhao Xiaoli. In the end, Zhao Xiaoli couldn’t confirm whether Zhang Bin was her rapist or not. After Zhao Xiaoli left, there were only 3 of us inside the interrogation room.

Guan Zhenglin closed the door and turned to the screaming Zhang Bin. She said slowly, “Stop screaming, are you trying to use anger to cover your anxiety or to use madness to hide the truth?”

Zhang Bin looked at Guan Zhenglin and then at me. “I’ve already told you. This is because the things you pin on me I have never done. I’ve admitted to the other things that I did do. I did splash the internet café with shit to get Hao Ren fired. I did ambush Du Zigui to beat him up. I did go to Hao Ren’s home and shattered one of his windows.” Then after a pause, Zhang Bin’s voice lowered, “Du Zigui drank the amidone, I didn’t force him to. Du Zigui took the drug but I didn’t force him to. Admittedly, I did leave the drug behind for him but could you really blame me for his lack of constitution? He did everything on his own volition.” Then his voice rose as if finding the confidence, “Yes, I did say that thing over beer, but it was clearly a joke. Was it really my fault that he took it seriously? Is there a law against people cracking jokes? That is the full extent of the things I have done.” Zhang Bin shouted, “I did not do the rest. I didn’t go and burn down Hao Ren’s home and I didn’t rape Zhao Xiaoli. Some other dudes must have done it. It has to be a rich second generation who slipped you people the money to frame it on me, right?”

Guan Zhenglin looked at Zhang Bin and smiled. “You do know the law quite well. Splashing shit on windows, at most you’ll get 15 days in detention; shattering other people’s windows, 15 days in detention; there is no evidence of any drug deal between you and Du Zigui so naturally we can’t pin that on you. You’ll stay at most in detention for a month, you’re quite the manipulator.” Guan Zhenglin said and continued, “Even though you’re a petty thief, you are very well-versed in the law. Arson will cost you 3 to 5 years in person; rape and imprisonment will get you at least 10 years. But forcing others to take drug? Coercing another person to commit rape? That will be life imprisonment. But now you’re hoping to get out in a month?” Guan Zhenglin said with derision, “Such a good planner.”

Zhang Bin hissed, “Nothing I say matters anyway, you have already decided to pin this on me. But remember this, the truth will always prevail.” It was quite ironic that a thief was the one saying that. At that moment Zhang Bin looked like a hero, standing up against fate. But that lasted less than 5 seconds before he broke down in tears. “But I really didn’t do those things. Right, right, go and find Zheng Shuai and Cheng Yimin, you will prove that I am innocent.”

“Really?” I told Zhang Bin, “So how can we find them?”

Zhang Bin latched on to my words like a lifeline, “They should be at a place called Shun Chang Daily Rental at Dong Min Street. Normally they’ll be here with me at the hospital but today is the 1 month anniversary of us moving to a new place so I came alone while they went to the market to buy some ingredients to prepare for the celebration.” Zhang Bin pleaded, “If you go there now, you’ll definitely meet them.”

I nodded but didn’t say anything more. Guan Zhenglin added, “Honesty is the best policy. You better not cry when we have more concrete evidence. Everything will be too late by then.” Zhang Bin bit on his lips and said nothing.

When we exited the interrogation room, we saw Wang An hugging the crying Zhao Xiaoli. Gu Chen beside them looked quite helpless. Then we found out Zhao Xiaoli had just told the truth of her sister’s death. Wang An appeared calm, perhaps he had already cried or he was the only man of the family left. A few young female officers went to console Zhao Xiaoli. I patted Gu Chen to signal him to follow us. Gu Chen drove us to the address.

In the car, Gu Chen said, “Zhang Bin is quite a slimy character. He dares to do it, but doesn’t dare to admit it. Look at how adamant he was. I can’t wait to see his face when we find the actual evidence of his crimes.”

Guan Zhenglin frowned. “The man is indeed cunning, he has been doing this for too long. Without absolute evidence, the man will not admit to anything. Take for example, the whole thing with the amidone.”

I was piqued so I asked, “What do you mean?”

Guan Zhenglin mimicked me and pulled lightly on her hair, “He did burn down the house but he refused to admit it because there is no witness. He forced Du Zigui to drink the amidone and fashion the man into a drug addict because that way he would have full control over Du Zigui.” Guan Zhenglin continued, “He brought Du Zigui to the hospital so that people could see he didn’t force Du Zigui, the man was following him willingly. Of course, by then Du Zigui was already a drugged lackey. He said the whole rape thing was just a joke.” Guan Zhenglin placed her finger on her chin, “But also we still have no other testimonies other than what Zhang Bin said. For drugs, Du Zigui would do anything. Zhang Bin could have explicitly told Du Zigui to rape his own sister and then he would buy him the drugs. We wouldn’t know the truth.”

Gu Chen added, “So many lives lost thanks to the drug.”

Guan Zhenglin nodded in concurrence. “Yes, many families are ruined because of drugs, Du Zigui’s family is no different. Zhang Bin turned Du Zigui into a drug-addled addict and gave him a mission for him to rape his own little sister. It was part of Zhang Bin’s plan to ruin Hao Ren’s family.”

I frowned, Guan Zhenglin’s version was unable to convince me. Therefore I asked, “And all these because Hao Ren got him into detention centre?”

Guan Zhenglin nodded, “Some people are extremely vengeful and evil. Zhang Bin himself said it, he only targeted Du Zigui after he was injured by Wang An. Old history and new conflict fueled the man’s hatred.”

“Then there’s a big problem.” I looked at Guan Zhenglin.

“What problem?” She asked.

I answered, “If everything you said is true, then everything hinges on one person, Du Zigui. Even if Du Zigui has been turned into an addict, when he is not under the influence of drugs, he could be reasoned with. Whether he was coerced or he was willing, everything would be revealed when we found him. However you saw how adamant and confident Zhang Bin was in the interrogation room. He denied everything. He was sure that Du Zigui wouldn’t contradict him. In that case, I can only figure out one possibility.”

“What is it?” Guan Zhenglin asked.

I sighed, “The dead cannot speak. If everything you said is true, with the main witness dead, we would never know the truth. And Zheng Shuai and Cheng Yimin both work for Zhang Bin, they would have already come up with a story to verify Zhang Bin’s version of the truth and their stories would only support and cover each other.”

“You mean,” Guan Zhenglin said worriedly, “Du Zigui might already be dead?”

I nodded. “The doctor at the hospital told us that all four of them would come to the hospital together for Zhang Bin’s appointments but today Zhang Bin came alone. Do you really believe it was because his friends have gone to the market for food shopping?”

Gu Chen looked at us through the rearview mirror. “And how does Hao Ren fit into all these?”