Chapter 20: Silencing Witnesses

Liu Yixiong left Lin Ying’s office, his face dark. Duan Fei passed him in the corridor. Just then Lin’s phone rang, and a harsh voice asked, “Director Lin?”

“Speaking. Who is this?”

“I prepared a little gift for you. It’s in the cabinet beneath your office drawer. Open it and see whether you like it.” The caller hung up.

Lin opened the cabinet and found a black travel bag. She put on gloves and carefully unzipped it. Inside were stacks of cash, more than ten bundles, apparently no less than two million yuan.

What nerve, openly placing money in her office. The Gaoshan police bureau really was rotten. Her mood dark, Lin picked up the bag and left. About fifteen minutes later she entered the office of Yan Qingshan, secretary of the county disciplinary commission.

Yan was dumbfounded as Lin briefly explained. His expression changed. Someone had openly bribed the incoming police chief? The nerve!

“Don’t worry, Director Lin. We’ll investigate thoroughly.” Yan headed the county commission and hated bribery and corruption.

Lin returned to her office. As soon as she sat down, the same number called again. “Director Lin, how do you like the gift? If it’s not enough, tell me and I’ll have more prepared.”

Lin gave a cold, mocking laugh. She thought she knew who it was. “Wang Dalong?”

“Clever. It’s easy dealing with a smart person. No ulterior motive—you’re new to Gaoshan County. Let’s call it making friends.” Wang laughed heartily.

“No need, Mr. Wang. Your gift is too generous for me to accept. Besides, police and criminals cannot coexist. Don’t waste your effort.” She hung up.

Wang stared at his phone and roared. “Lin Ying doesn’t know what’s good for her! How dare she show me such disrespect!”

A thin middle-aged man in a traditional Chinese jacket shook his head. “Brother, Lin Ying isn’t Liu Yixiong. She won’t be easy to handle. It’s natural she refused the money. But she’s a woman. Find her weakness and we can force her to submit.”

“A lousy cop refusing my goodwill!” Wang cursed.

“Brother, if we can’t handle her, we’ll have trouble. She’s police chief, acting county chief and deputy Party secretary. Brother Ma is worried about her. If we deal with her, we remove a danger for him.” The thin man’s gaze was sinister.

“Old Nine, what do you suggest?” Wang turned. “By the way, have you found the woman examiner?”

A heavily built man answered, “Not yet, but soon. I hear she has a sick old woman with her. They can’t get far.”

“Find her quickly, so Gao Lan’s case can be settled. And the two Burmese men? Have they been sent away?”

“Long ago. Don’t worry.”

Wang’s expression eased, but remembering a warning, he added, “Send A-Gou away.”

The big man was alarmed. “Brother, A-Gou has followed me for more than ten years. Can you give him a chance?”

Wang narrowed his eyes, a cold light flashing. The man lowered his head. A-Gou was finished.

“A-Hu, you’re my own brother. If A-Gou hadn’t followed you so long, I’d have had him chopped up already. Do you know what he did?”

A-Hu shook his head, puzzled.

“He and those two Burmese men touched Gao Lan.”

“What?” A-Hu stared. The thin man was shocked too. Gao Lan had been a county chief, a government official.

“You know what to do about the two Burmese men, don’t you?” Wang felt he had been clear enough.

A-Hu shuddered and nodded. “I understand, Brother.”

“Remember, we operate in the underworld, but some things can’t be done. Do them and people will hate us to the bone. This has put Brother Ma in a difficult position too.”

Before he finished, his phone rang. Seeing the caller, he answered at once. “Brother Ma!”

“Brother Ma, my ass! You’re my brother, my ancestor! Look what you’ve done! I regret ever meeting you, you bastard. You’ve killed me this time!”

“What’s wrong?” Wang’s face darkened. Ma had never spoken to him like this. Wang was chairman of Tianlong Group, a major Gaoshan taxpayer, a representative of private business and a county people’s congress delegate.

“Have you got rid of those men?” Ma demanded.

“Yes, yes, they’re gone! Tell me the truth, Brother Ma. What happened? Is it the new police chief? Don’t worry, I’ll handle her.”

“Don’t you fucking move! Don’t touch her, understand?” Ma was afraid. Until the situation was clear, they couldn’t afford another incident.

“All right. We won’t touch her for now.” That didn’t mean they couldn’t do other things. In their line of work, secretly disobeying was normal as long as the job got done.

Ma’s tone finally softened. After a long pause he said, “The city and province are squeezing all of Gaoshan. Funding for every project has stopped, including the ones you’re building. Since yesterday, nearly every county department has received calls from provincial and city auditors. They’re going to audit the whole county.”

“What?” Wang was alarmed. This was bad. “How could that happen?”

“How? You tell me, Mr. Wang. My dear Mr. Wang!” Ma wanted to strangle him.

“Brother Ma, I…” Wang hadn’t realized the cause, but suddenly a thought struck him. Could it be…?