I placed the petal into an evidence bag and called the station chief of Sha Hai Town, instructing him to dispatch officers to apprehend Luo Yi. We had initially placed her under surveillance but had to withdraw due to insufficient manpower.
That night, Liu Yuning, He Xin, and I departed the church and headed straight for Luo Yi's bungalow. We approached with the intention of confronting her, but to our surprise, Luo Yi opened the door readily, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "Officer He? Officer Liu? What brings you here so late?"
Liu Yuning, however, immediately became agitated, grabbing her arm and shouting, "Renal is dead, don't you know?"
"Ah, what! You mean the priest is dead?" Luo Yi exclaimed, feigning surprise. While her reaction seemed plausible, I couldn't shake the suspicion about her recent whereabouts.
I asked Liu Yuning to calm down, stating that I was the one who should be upset, considering my good relationship with Renal. Nevertheless, I maintained my composure and said sternly, "Miss Luo, your home is filled with violets, and the fragrance is quite potent. You might think you've masked it with other scents during the act, but someone who doesn't usually smell violets would immediately notice the scent in certain places. It's like how someone who doesn't own a dog can easily detect the smell of one in another's home. Do you understand what I mean?"
"What? What does my planting violets have to do with you?" Luo Yi retorted defensively.
"This is what we found at the scene!" I said, shaking the evidence bag in front of her. "If we compare this petal to the violets near your home and find a match in terms of fibers, you'll understand what that signifies!"
"I don't know!" Luo Yi almost screamed, her lips pressed into a tight line. She didn't appear panicked, but rather indignant. "No! I didn't do it! I don't know how that petal got to the scene!"
Her hands were clenched tightly, her face pale and sweaty, her lips trembling, and her jaw muscles twitching involuntarily. She seemed more tense than panicked, mixed with surprise and confusion. Liu Yuning tightened her grip on her arm. "Miss Luo, this isn't the first time. We hope you'll cooperate; it's best for you, otherwise..."
"Don't mislead me. I really didn't kill anyone. Mr. Duō Tiǎn Jūn and the priest's deaths have nothing to do with me. And Gan Qianlu wasn't killed by me either!"
"Nine out of ten criminals say the same thing when they're apprehended, Miss Luo!" Liu Yuning emphasized. I remained silent, observing Luo Yi's every move. Suddenly, a man's anxious curses echoed from inside the house, "What's going on?"
It was Lu Yuanjia. I had almost forgotten about him. Compared to Luo Yi, he was also a potential suspect, especially since he lived with her. It would be natural for him to be exposed to the scent of violets.
Everyone's expressions changed. I knew they were thinking what I was. After He Xin explained the situation to them, Lu Yuanjia didn't resist and allowed Luo Yi to lead us inside.
I produced the violet petal again. Xiao Niu, our canine unit, was kept on standby but seemed unresponsive.
Lu Yuanjia was wearing pajamas and showed no signs of having changed. His slippers were neatly placed, his hair was disheveled, and his expression was groggy, indicating he had likely been asleep.
"So that's what it's about. Police officers, it's just a violet petal, why suspect us? Do you think we're the only ones who grow violets? I'm telling you, many households in Sha Hai Town like this flower."
"But Miss Luo's name appeared in the will. If the other heirs have all died..." Liu Yuning began, but Lu Yuanjia interrupted her. "What are you saying? Are you suggesting she did this for the inheritance?"
"You said it yourself. What's wrong with that? Haven't you ever considered it? That's a huge inheritance!" Liu Yuning's eyes fixed on Lu Yuanjia, who couldn't help but avert his gaze.
At the same time, I noticed Luo Yi's face turn crimson, her eyes welling up with tears. "We don't lack money. Besides, Mrs. Dulage was so good to us when she was alive, how could I..."
"Miss Luo, we are just asking some questions, we are not really suspecting you. Lu Yuanjia was the one who said that," He Xin interjected kindly.
"Regardless, I didn't do it. Stop pressing me. If you dislike my violets, I'll cut them down right now." With that, Luo Yi turned and walked into the room, retrieved a large pair of scissors, and proceeded to the garden without a word.
Watching her snip away at the violets, Lu Yuanjia seemed distressed. He pulled her arm from behind. He Xin stepped forward. "Please, don't do this. We'll leave now, okay? Don't destroy these well-tended flowers; it's such a waste!"
Luo Yi, however, seemed not to hear her, continuing her snipping. He Xin was about to try persuading her again, but I pulled her back. "Forget it, let's go!"
By the time we left Luo Yi's bungalow, it was already daytime. While disturbing others was not ideal, the situation was urgent. On our way back to the motel, we discussed Luo Yi. Liu Yuning remarked, "Her grief seemed genuine. Perhaps the killer really wasn't her."
"I believe her relationship with Dulage was genuine, so her grief is real. But that doesn't mean she wouldn't go after the will. Her feelings for Dulage and her need for the inheritance are two different things," Gao Mingqiang opined.
I nodded. "Many people are kind to their elders while they are alive, but change completely after they pass away. Otherwise, heirs of wealthy families wouldn't constantly fight over property."
"If only the second son and Luo Yi are currently unharmed, then considering the beneficiaries of the will, they are the most suspicious. But if we exclude Luo Yi, we need to focus our attention on Collins," Zhang Keying said.
We didn't return to the motel. With this development, it was unlikely we'd get any sleep. If something else didn't surface soon, Director Zhang would probably be calling us.