frightfiction Chapter 1195 Arrest of Suspect Zhao Lei
Chapter 1195 Arrest of Suspect Zhao Lei
Li Ming continued: "The third team, with Xiao Yang cooperating with the technical department, will expedite the comparison of palm prints, cigarette butt DNA, and Zhao Lei's sample. At the same time, they will search Zhao Lei's office and residence to look for the 'evidence of public funds' mentioned by Zhang Juan, as well as possible tools used in the crime, such as blunt instruments and ropes."
He paused, then emphasized, "Zhao Lei likely knows we're tracking him and could flee at any time. Everyone must speed things up, work in shifts 24 hours a day, and report any leads immediately. Also, protect Zhang Juan's family to prevent Zhao Lei from taking any desperate measures and retaliating."
As the morning light gradually crept across the conference table, casting golden dapples on Zhang Juan's photograph, Xiao Zhou carefully folded Zhao Lei's social network diagram and put it in his bag, Xiao Wang organized the surveillance screenshots, and Xiao Yang took out the on-site investigation records. Everyone knew that the next 48 hours were crucial—finding Zhao Lei would not only bring justice to Zhang Juan but also uncover the truth behind the disappearance of 80 yuan in public funds.
"Meeting adjourned. We'll summarize the progress at 6 PM." Li Ming closed the case file, his fingertips gently tracing Zhang Juan's photograph. The sunlight outside the window grew increasingly dazzling, illuminating the four gilded characters "Enforcing the Law for the People" on the meeting room wall, and also the unwavering determination in everyone's eyes. As they left the meeting room, Xiao Zhou had already dialed the local police station, Xiao Wang contacted the technical department to retrieve surveillance footage from the urban village, and Xiao Yang and Zhang Lin, carrying their investigation bags, prepared to head to Zhao Lei's office—a race against time had begun.
Three consecutive days of investigation and surveillance left Xiao Zhou's eyes bloodshot. With the assistance of the suburban police station, he managed to extract information from Zhao Lei's distant cousin that "Zhao Lei might have gone to his sister Zhao Mei's house in the countryside." It was just dawn outside the window. Zhao Mei's house was located in Zhao Family Village, 20 kilometers east of the city. The village was surrounded by mountains on three sides, connected to the outside world by only a narrow cement road. Its remote and secluded location made the arrest more difficult, but it also relieved Xiao Zhou, as he had finally located Zhao Lei's whereabouts.
"Immediately formulate an arrest plan, divide into three groups, and ensure absolute success." Xiao Zhou ordered into the walkie-talkie, while simultaneously pulling up a satellite map of Zhao Family Village. Zhao Mei's house was a brick-and-tile house in the second row from the village entrance, with a 1.5-meter-high earthen wall surrounding the yard. There was a small vegetable garden on the east side, and a villager's cowshed was adjacent to the west side. The back door led to a mountain path. If Zhao Lei noticed anything amiss, he could easily escape into the mountains through the back door. "Group one is responsible for a raid on the front gate and controlling the people inside; group two goes around to the back yard and blocks the back door and the mountain path; group three sets up a roadblock at the village entrance to prevent Zhao Lei from escaping the village by car or on foot."
At 8 a.m., the arrest team set off in three civilian vehicles to avoid alerting the suspects with police sirens. The scenery outside the car windows gradually changed from city streets to country roads, with cornfields swaying in the wind and villagers occasionally herding cattle and sheep by. Xiao Zhou sat in the first car, clutching a photo of Zhao Mei's family. The mud walls in the photo were somewhat weathered, and faded red lanterns hung on the gate. "Zhao Mei's family usually consists of only her and her child; her husband works away from home. Zhao Lei is hiding here and might use the child as a hostage. Everyone must be careful to protect the child's safety during the operation."
Upon arriving at the entrance of Zhao Family Village, the third group of team members got out of the vehicle first, dressed in plain clothes, and concealed themselves near the village store, pretending to chat with villagers while closely observing people and vehicles entering and leaving the village. "This is the only way out of the village. If Zhao Lei wants to escape, he will definitely go this way," the third group leader reported in a low voice, while gesturing for the other team members to stay alert.
Xiao Zhou led a team to the small vegetable garden on the east side of Zhao Mei's house. The garden was planted with eggplants and peppers, and the fence was low, providing a clear view of the yard. Several men's clothes were hanging on the clothesline, including a black jacket that matched the suspect's attire in the surveillance footage. "Zhao Lei is confirmed to be inside. Let's begin the operation," Xiao Zhou whispered into the walkie-talkie, signaling his team to prepare to break down the door.
The second group of team members quietly circled around to the backyard. The wooden door to the backyard was ajar, and the sound of a television could be heard coming from inside. Team member Xiao Li gently pushed the door open a crack and saw Zhao Lei sitting under the eaves smoking, a beer bottle in front of him. Zhao Mei was busy in the kitchen, and a five- or six-year-old child was playing with a toy car in the yard. "Zhao Lei is calm and hasn't noticed anything unusual yet. The child is in a safe area," Xiao Li reported, while the other team members formed a perimeter to prevent Zhao Lei from escaping from the backyard.
At 9:15 a.m., the rural sunlight had just crossed the rooftops of Zhao Family Village, slanting across the earthen walls of Zhao Mei's house and making the faded red lanterns hanging on the gate almost glaring. Dew still clung to the eggplant leaves in the vegetable garden, and a cool, earthy breeze swept through the yard—in this moment of tranquility, Xiao Zhou, hidden behind the fence, gently pressed the intercom button with his right index finger, his deep command transmitting through the airwaves to the team members: "Move out."
"Received." The responses from both teams rang out almost simultaneously, their voices low but carrying an undeniable firmness. The three members of one team quickly rose from behind the fence of the small vegetable garden on the east side, their cloth shoes barely making a sound as they trod across the soft soil. The leader, Old Li, gripped the wooden bolt of Zhao Mei's front door with both hands. The cracked bolt was already somewhat loose. He took a deep breath and exerted force—with a screech, the wooden door was pushed open, slamming heavily against the courtyard wall, carrying years of accumulated dust and the musty smell of wood, causing plaster to flake off.
"Don't move! Police!" Xiao Zhou rushed into the yard right after him, his voice booming like a bell, echoing in the empty space. His right hand rested on the baton at his waist, his gaze sweeping across the yard with piercing intensity—on the cement ground under the eaves, Zhao Lei was sitting cross-legged on a small stool, a plate of peanuts and a half-finished bottle of Tsingtao beer on the low stool in front of him, the cuffs of his black jacket casually rolled up, revealing a light brown scar on his wrist.
The moment he heard the roar, Zhao Lei froze, as if under a spell. He still held half a peanut in his hand, oil stains from his fingertips smearing his trousers. A few seconds later, he suddenly reacted, his body shuddering, and the beer bottle in his hand smashed against the concrete floor with a "crack." Dark brown beer mixed with white foam splashed everywhere, wetting his rubber shoes. Glass shards bounced off, reflecting a cold light in the sunlight.
"Run!" The thought flashed through Zhao Lei's mind. Almost instinctively, he sprang up from the stool and turned to rush towards the kitchen. The kitchen was on the west side of the yard, with a blue homespun curtain hanging at the entrance. Behind the curtain, he could vaguely see Zhao Mei's busy figure—he knew that the kitchen's back window led to the backyard, and the path in the backyard led directly into the forest. As long as he rushed into the kitchen, he would still have a chance to escape.