Chapter 1020: Where Did the Money Go

“Captain Lu, what should we do next?”

Chen Jiang sighed.

After a day of grand-scale investigations, collecting the footprints of over 300 people and locating these three individuals, it turned out they weren’t connected to the theft case.

So it seems that there’s not much progress or clues in the current investigation; Wang Zhaokai’s side of the investigation is not going smoothly.

Most people at the scene from the night before claimed to know nothing; their dormitory area is some distance from the office building.

These people work during the day, and some have to work night shifts, so everyone is quite exhausted. Although the mine is preparing to shut down production recently, it hasn’t completely stopped yet.

There are still people working in the operational area, so those working are over there while those sleeping are in the dormitory or office building here; people generally don’t come over.

“The coal boss conducted some investigations as well.”

Zhang Dabao has been running this coal mine for over ten years. A few years ago, the mine suffered severe losses, but once it started making profits, Zhang Dabao’s situation improved.

“Zhang Dabao has quite complex interpersonal relationships, but since he runs a coal mine, speaking of competition, the neighboring mines kind of have it, but everyone is developing individually. After all, the coal market is mainly influenced by policies.”

“It’s still necessary to start from the crime scene.”

Lu Chuan thought for a moment: “Both of you continue the investigation along the original direction, and don’t let go of these three people either.”

Lu Chuan had just carefully listened to the reports from the two, and although the logic throughout was coherent, it doesn’t rule out that these three might have intentionally created a trap.

According to the three, they left the mining area around midnight that night.

Due to regulations at the mine, nighttime entry and exit are prohibited, so they could only climb over the wall, returning around three o’clock. This timing had already been checked with those at Red Romance and was deemed problem-free.

However, according to information from the hospital, the two security guards were drugged into unconsciousness around 10:00 p.m. The exact time isn’t certain, but it should be around ten.

So, if these three are indeed a problem, they had sufficient time to commit the crime between 10:00 and 12:30 a.m.

Also, when they returned, it was after three o’clock; there were more than two hours until daylight, providing time to commit a crime.

Even though the whereabouts of the three have been explained along with eyewitnesses, it doesn’t completely eliminate suspicion.

Lu Chuan advised Chen Jiang: “Check the surveillance in the town just to be sure. If these three have problems, then they must have been discovered transferring the stolen money — a million isn’t a small sum.”

Transferring a million is comparatively challenging; they might have used transportation, but surely didn’t hide it on their person.

After arranging these tasks, Lu Chuan went to the scene again.

The case is in the process of being solved, so this office building is temporarily cordoned off, prohibiting entry by related personnel; when Lu Chuan arrived, Sun Biao’s people were still present.

“Captain Lu, you’re here.”

Lu Chuan nodded, changed into shoe covers, put on gloves, and walked through the main entrance of the building.

This office building isn’t very large; it’s just five floors high, each floor having 20 offices, totaling 100 offices.

In fact, this area is mainly for offices — finance, logistics, and other functional departments work here, and many offices remain unoccupied.

Most important safety inspections and related departments of the coal mine have offices in the operational area, not here.

Lu Chuan came to the room where the incident occurred, situated to the right.

It only took a minute or two to walk from the main entrance to the room.

Lu Chuan squatted in front of a long bench, observing carefully.

This long bench is where the two security guards were drugged; when discovered, they were languidly lying on this bench.

Privately, Lu Chuan observed the corridor, which only had this one movable long bench, indicating it was temporarily moved by the two security guards to watch over the million-dollar prize.

Based on hospital analysis, the two were drugged unconscious with ether.

But the problem is, how exactly were they drugged with ether?

At the end of the corridor is a window; since it’s winter, it’s tightly shut without being opened.

Then how did the perpetrator spray ether into the corridor, causing the two to fall unconscious?

The corridor is relatively spacious and not entirely enclosed, so to drug two people in such an incompletely enclosed space would require a large quantity of ether.

Therefore, how did they obtain a large quantity of ether?

Leaving there, Qin Chuan entered the crime scene room.

Based on analysis and judgment from the scene, the suspect should have directly pried open the front door lock after making the guards unconscious.

Afterward, the suspect pried open the metal cabinet containing the cash and stole a million in cash.

This raises a question: how did they remove the stolen cash from the scene?

The main entrance is impossible, as Lu Chuan had checked the surveillance there and found nothing amiss; the footage wasn’t compromised either.

If they didn’t exit through the main entrance, the money must’ve either been kicked out of a window or passed through the roof or some other place; there couldn’t be any other exit.

Lu Chuan checked the windows in the crime scene room meticulously, even inspecting each security steel bar personally, confirming no issues.

There were no indications that the windows had been opened, nor were the security bars tampered with.

Moreover, if the suspect did transfer the money through the window, moving a million would be quite an effort.

According to the coal boss, they brought back cash bundled in stacks of 100,000, meaning a million would be 100 stacks.

The gaps between the security steel bars couldn’t fit a bundle of 100,000, so if they did transfer the money here, they must have scattered it and then passed it out.

But outside, Lu Chuan didn’t find any traces or movements beneath the security windows where the money could’ve been transferred; it was clean without signs of movement.

Sun Biao has been investigating around this building for two days, familiar with every grass and shadow here.

As a policeman, one glance can tell if someone had passed or lingered for a long time outside.

Hence, the suspect didn’t transfer these funds through the window.

At least, not through the windows with steel bars in the crime scene room.