Suspect Locked Down

The sun hit its peak. Lü Fusheng stood in the heat, irritation rising. How did Jiang Xia actually spot something? A fresh grad, barely out of school, should be learning from seniors like Hu Wei.

'Look,' Lü Fusheng said, his ego bruised. He walked to Wu Suo, voice dripping with sarcasm. 'So many prints, why pin it on this one?

Wu Suo, aren't you worried she's wrong?' Jiang Xia waited for this. She’d checked everything to ensure her conclusion held up.

Seeing Lü Fusheng push back, she chuckled. She stood up, brushed off the wheat stalks, and said, 'This is definitely the thief’s print.' 'Wu Suo, look.

There are many prints, but only this one appears in the yard, at the main door, and inside.' Jiang Xia pointed to the track: 'Dong Aihua said only she entered the main room after the incident. Neighbors and others only entered the yard.

This means the owner of these prints entered before the crime.' 'The prints inside are clear and uncovered, meaning they’re fresh. Otherwise, they wouldn't be visible now.' 'Also, the onlookers who left used the main door, and their prints lead to the gate.' Jiang Xia walked to the wall, voice firm: 'Only these prints disappear at the wall, with toes pointing toward it.

That’s a clear move to climb over.' 'Besides the thief, who else would enter the main room and bedroom before the incident, then climb the wall to leave?' Clear logic. Reasonable conclusion.

Even Lü Fusheng felt a flicker of agreement, which only made him angrier. His face flushed. He blurted out, 'Who says standing by the wall means climbing?

Maybe he was just checking the wall!' What kind of contrarian was this? You can't reason with a troll. Jiang Xia ignored Lü Fusheng and turned to Wu Suo.

'Chief, what do you think?' Wu Suo walked to the wall, bending down to look at the chaotic ground. Hundreds of overlapping prints made his head spin.

Guided by Jiang Xia’s markers, he finally spotted the faint W-shaped pattern. 'Good grief, you can spot that in this mess?

Jiang Xia, your eyes are incredible!' Wu Suo stood up, impressed. 'Your judgment is solid. This is the thief’s print. But... how did you figure out the height, weight, and age?' They both ignored Lü Fusheng, treating him like air.

Lü Fusheng’s face turned red. Just as he started to speak, Wu Suo shot him a glare like a knife. 'Lü Fusheng! We’re solving a case.

Don't make trouble!' 'I... hmph.' Seeing Wu Suo’s dark expression, Lü Fusheng swallowed his words. Forget it. The newbie had the chief’s favor.

He couldn't win. He slunk back into the shade. Without the troll, the air felt fresher. Jiang Xia smiled at Wu Suo. 'It’s a bit complex.' She paused to organize her thoughts.

'For height, there’s a fixed ratio between height and foot length, about 6.8 to 1. The thief’s foot is about 25.5 to 26 centimeters, putting him at 173 to 177 centimeters.

Stride and width match that result.' 'Weight is judged by the depth of the prints. As for age, the edges are clear, pressure is even, and the stride is stable.

That shows great coordination, typical of a young person. If he were older, there’d be wear on the soles and the pressure would shift backward.' Wu Suo listened, stunned.

He understood the height part, but the rest? Judging weight by print depth? That sounded like a scale, but she did it with her eyes?

Was she joking? Before Wu Suo could ask, a voice came from the gate. 'Is this your station’s new cop? Her stride tracking is better than old Qin’s!' Criminal investigator Chen Dong stood at the gate.

He’d arrived minutes ago but waited until he heard the full analysis. He walked over, looking at Jiang Xia with curiosity.

'Police academy? What’s your name?' Jiang Xia turned. A man in his forties, in uniform, carrying a leather bag. A detective from the city bureau.

Fast. 'I’m Jiang Xia,' she replied. 'Graduated from Shannan Police Academy, majoring in public security.' 'Top student,' Chen Dong raised an eyebrow.

'With tracking skills like that, you should be at the city bureau.' 'Stop, stop, stop!' Sensing danger, Wu Suo stepped in front of Jiang Xia, shielding her. 'She’s my new hire, Chen Dong.

What are you doing?' The case was mostly solved, so Chen Dong laughed. 'Wu Suo, why the rush? My words don't count for anything!' Yeah, right.

Who would believe that? They were in the same system; he knew Chen Dong. If he was praising Jiang Xia, her tracking skills were likely better than the senior detective, old Qin.

He wasn't letting this treasure be poached! Wu Suo took another step forward, urging, 'Enough, enough. No small talk. Catching the thief is priority.

He’s a local, early twenties, height and weight known. Send your men to check!' 'Um, Chief,' Jiang Xia interrupted. 'I have one more clue!' More?

Wu Suo turned, surprised. 'You have another clue?' 'Yes. I think the thief is someone Dong Aihua knows.' Under the leader’s gaze, Jiang Xia explained: 'The ransacking in the main room is specific.

The bedroom was tossed, but the main room cabinet wasn't touched, except for a biscuit tin that was opened and dropped.' 'A biscuit tin?' Wu Suo had a vague guess but couldn't pin it down. 'What’s your theory?' 'The thief’s goal was clear: find money in the bedroom.

He knew the house. He didn't touch anything else in the main room, just the tin. He likely knew money was kept there, or he’d seen it himself.' Jiang Xia smiled modestly.

'It’s just a guess, no hard evidence, just an auxiliary lead.' If she’d said this earlier, Wu Suo would’ve thought it was nonsense. But after seeing her skills, he found the analysis logical.

He made the call: 'I agree. Let’s make the young men Dong Aihua knows our primary suspects.' 'I agree too,' Chen Dong added.

He looked at Jiang Xia with admiration. Young, skilled in tracking, and sharp-minded. A natural for criminal investigation!

Too bad he couldn't transfer her. He walked to Dong Aihua. 'Ma’am, think carefully. Any acquaintances around twenty-five or twenty-six, about 1.75 meters tall, wearing rubber-soled shoes?

Someone who’s been to your house and seen you or your husband put money in the biscuit tin?' 'A young man?' Dong Aihua wiped her tears. 'You mean the thief is someone I know?' 'Yes,' Chen Dong said.

'Think hard.' 'This... how can that be? I don't know any bad people!' Dong Aihua reflexively denied it, but her brain started searching.

A figure matching the description popped up. She hesitated. 'If there’s anyone, it’s Wang Qiang, the second son of the Wang family down the street.

He’s about that age and height. He came with his mother two days ago to drop off thirty yuan. I put the money in the tin right in front of him.

But I watched that boy grow up. He’s so honest. How could he steal from me?' Chen Dong didn't answer. 'Anyone else?' Dong Aihua shook her head.

'No.' Chen Dong turned to the crowd. 'Who knows Wang Qiang from the Wang family? Does anyone know where he went today?' The crowd started buzzing.

'Wang Qiang?' 'Haven't seen him today.' 'Didn't he go to work?' 'Forgot? He’s a temp. Not much work. No shift today!' 'Oh, right.

No shift. Where did he go?' 'Don't know. Haven't seen him.' In the chatter, everyone realized no one had seen Wang Qiang.

It felt wrong. 'Why are the police asking about him? Did he steal the money?' Someone countered, 'Impossible. Wang Qiang is so honest...' 'Pfft — honest?' A street loafer in the corner, smoking a cigarette, couldn't help but sneer.

'That guy’s been gambling. Heard he owes a lot. You guys just don't know!' The crowd went silent, then exploded. 'What?!' 'He’s gambling?!' 'Impossible, he’s so honest!' 'Anzi wouldn't lie, would he?' 'Gamblers have no humanity.

If he really lost that money... then Dong Aihua’s life-saving money was stolen by him!' Honest people don't steal, but a gambler in debt? That was different.

Especially since he wasn't at work and no one had seen him. He had the perfect window. Chen Dong clicked his tongue. Not even an hour in, and they’d already locked onto a suspect?

Since when was burglary this easy to solve?