day concerning the investigation on the eleven (including the four from eighteen years ago) missing people.
Chapter 2
This morning, I went back to the police station and was told to go to Morgan’s office. I knocked on his
door and a faint ‘come in’ was heard.
‘
Hey Morgan,’ I said as I opened the door. ‘What came up?’
‘
Oh good morning, Jolie,’ Morgan’s eyes were bloodshot. It hit me that I had tried to wait for him last
night to come home, but I finally gave in at around one o’clock. Maybe he didn’t even come home last night and
instead stayed in his office.
‘
Sit down.’ He gestured me to the seat in front of him and I obeyed.
‘
Jolie…’ He seemed to be struggling to find the exact words and wouldn’t quite look me in the eye. ‘I
need you to abandon your current case and take up a new one.’
What? I’m completely flabbergasted. ‘I can’t,’ I said firmly. ‘Jimmy just found out that the DNA
belonged to the suspect. I can’t leave it now. I promised Michael Fletcher’s parents that I would solve the case
and find out who killed their son.’ I was determined this time. I said to myself that not even Morgan could be
able to persuade me.
‘
Please Jolie,’ He said pleadingly. ‘You’re really the best option that we have. You are the only agent that
can speak Chinese fluently…’
Speak Chinese?! Did I hear it wrong? ‘Wait. Wait a moment,’ I heard myself saying. ‘Why would you
need someone to speak Chinese fluently? Are you…Oh no! You’re assigning me to the China missing case!’ I
gazed dumbfounded at Morgan and judging by his expression, I knew I was right.
‘
I can assure you that the Fletcher’s case will be put into the best hands. I’ll send Emily to it and I myself
will take full responsibility for that case.’ Morgan begged. I realized that he had grown more white hair the last
time I had looked at him this close. I gave in.
‘
Alright,’ I sighed. ‘Brief me before I change my mind.’
‘
Good girl.’ His face lifted up and he turned around to search for the files associated with the case.
‘
Did you follow the newspapers for the past four days?’ He asked. ‘Yeah, I did.’ I replied flatly.
‘
So you must know that a similar case occurred eighteen years ago,’ and by saying that, he fished several
old and yellowish newspaper clippings out of the file.
‘
Here. Look at these,’ He pointed at the clippings. ‘Eighteen years ago, Daniel Mills, Andrea Mills, Trixie
Mills and Graham Freeman all disappeared. Read these files at home. Now, regarding the case that happened
four days ago, we have already contacted the other remaining four tour members in the tour and I want you to
ask them a few questions.’
‘
Okay, I’m onto it.’ I stood up and prepared to leave the room when I heard Morgan said, ‘Thanks, Jolie. I
really appreciate it.’
‘
No problem,’ I said. ‘I’m doing this just for you.’ Then, I closed the door behind me.
Chapter 3
‘
Ms Harrison. Thanks for coming here today,’ I smiled warmly at the woman sitting in front of me. ‘Do
you want some coffee?’ I was trying my best to offer her hospitality. She was obviously in a nervous state; her
fingers keep on fidgeting with the hem of her dress.
‘
What do you want to ask me about?’ She asked fearfully, paying no sign of acknowledging my offer. ‘I
know nothing. My daughter and I, we both know nothing. The missing people have nothing to do with us.’ She
kept on whispering and her body began to rock backwards and forwards.
It got me a whole fifteen minutes to calm her down, but it turned out she didn’t even go up the Great Wall
that day, so I let her go.
Two more to go. I looked at the next two people on my list. They were husband and wife, Mr Cruz and
Mrs Cruz.
In front of me sat a man and a woman in their sixties. They told me grimly that they had joined the trip to
China after their retirement and they were very upset that it had turned out to be that deadly. They also claimed
that they didn’t go up the Great Wall due to Mr Cruz’s bad knee.
After a few more questions, I thanked them again and was guiding them out of the room when Mr Cruz
suddenly said, ‘Detective, I almost forgot. There was an email sent to all of the tour members before the trip,
saying that there was a treasure hidden inside the Great Wall.’
‘
What?’ I stopped in my tracks, instinctively alert. ‘Can you show me that email?’
Mr Cruz got his phone out of his pocket and login his email account.
‘
This one,’ He gave me his phone. ‘When we got on the tour, I asked the others and they all got one
exactly the same.’