Just as the Intelligence Unit was discussing their recent findings, Sheldon rushed up from the tech room downstairs, holding printouts.
“Sergeant!
I checked the national database and found similar cases in New York,” Sheldon summarized briefly while flipping through the documents.
“There have been four rape cases with the same MO in the past six months.”
“New York?” Hank took the file and looked down.
“Are there any suspects?”
“No suspects have been arrested, but the only commonality between the four cases is this,” Sheldon flipped the file to one of the pages.
“Within one week before each incident, a trade show for the Midwest Industrial Supply Company was held near the crime scene.”
A flash of inspiration struck Bruce: “A trade show?
Is there a list of attendees, or maybe photos that we can take to John for identification?”
Upon hearing this, Hank immediately gave the order: “Get me the names and photos of everyone who attended the trade shows in New York and Chicago.”
…
“It’s this person,” John said while flipping through the photos organized by Sheldon in the interrogation room, suddenly pulling one out.
“This is who I saw this morning.
Look, look at this hypocritical smile.”
Bruce flipped to the character file corresponding to the photo and placed it on the whiteboard.
“Jefney Baker, 34 years old, from St.
Louis, Sales Manager at Midwest Industrial Supply Company.
Travel records for the past six months: New York four times, the dates match the four cases perfectly; Chicago twice, the dates match our two cases.”
The file photo showed a man with an average appearance, short brown hair, a square chin, and a smile as standard as an illustration in a sales brochure.
“Bring him in for questioning,” Hank said.
“Old Ai, you and Jay go, don’t alert him.”
…
At noon, in the Intelligence Unit’s interrogation room, the man named Jefney Baker was now sitting there, undergoing interrogation.
He was wearing a crisp suit, looking confused but cooperative, still wearing a professional fake smile.
“Officer, I am perfectly willing to assist with the investigation, but I don’t understand why you are looking for me.”
“Mr.
Baker, can you tell us where you were last night from 10 PM to 6 AM?” Antonio asked straight to the point.
“In my hotel room, the Crowne Plaza, room 412, I have the receipt,” Baker replied fluently.
“Do you need me to provide it?”
“But we have evidence showing that you appeared at the scene of a homicide at 5 o’clock.”
“That’s impossible, officer, I was in the hotel,” Baker still had that professional smile.
“If you have evidence, then bring it out.
If you don’t produce concrete evidence, I won’t say another word.
By the way, I also need a lawyer.”
The interrogation went on for half an hour, but Baker was impeccable and didn’t say another word.
Aside from the testimony of John the thief, the Intelligence Unit had no direct evidence to implicate him.
But just as they were at a loss, an emergency call came in: the third case had occurred just thirty minutes ago, still on the Riverwalk.
“What?” Antonio was shocked.
“But Baker is in the interrogation room.”
“Maybe we really caught the wrong person,” Hank waved his hand, signaling Antonio to let him go.
“Maybe there’s an accomplice, or a copycat,” Bruce realized and quickly stopped him.
“Hank, I suggest we detain Baker for 24 hours within legal limits first.”
Hearing this, Hank looked at Bruce and nodded in agreement.
…
Chicago Medical Center, Emergency Department.
The third victim, Vanessa, was lying on the hospital bed.
Her face was covered in bruises, and her left ear was wrapped in thick gauze.
Fortunately, she was still alive, and even more surprisingly, she was still conscious.
“It was his right eye, I scratched it hard with my nails.
He also tried to cut my ear, but I struggled and kicked him in the crotch.
When he fell to the ground screaming, I ran.”
“Did you see his face?” Katherine asked softly.
“I only saw the outline, white male, not very tall, about 1.6 meters.
He also wore a mask,” Vanessa recalled bravely.
“I’m not afraid of him, I want to defeat him.”
As she spoke, Vanessa began to cry.
Although she was brave, she was ultimately just a sixteen-year-old child.
Vanessa’s mother comforted her on the side, and Katherine stepped forward to hold her hand.
“Don’t worry, we won’t let him get away.”
Hank came outside the ward and gave orders to the Intelligence Unit members: “Erin, Jay, Antonio, Ruzek, you four take the patrol officers to pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals to check for patients who came in this morning with eye scratches; Old Ai, you go to the station and release Baker; Bruce, you and Katherine stay close to him.
As long as he has an accomplice, they will definitely meet, and then we’ll catch them all.”
“Yes!”
The members of the Intelligence Unit received the orders and went to their respective duties; they were all fired up by Vanessa.
…
At 6 PM, a breakthrough finally appeared.
Erin found that a man named Neil Vance had purchased eye anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics.
The pharmacy’s surveillance clearly captured his right eye, where there were three obvious scratch marks.
Sheldon searched according to his personal information and found that the address where Vance registered to stay was the Fontleroy Hotel.
“The Fontleroy Hotel?” Bruce heard Sheldon’s report and exchanged a look with Katherine.
“Are you sure?”
“Bruce, what did you find?” Hank’s unique hoarse voice came over the radio.
“Katherine and I are currently at the Fontleroy Hotel,” Bruce lowered his voice.
“And, Baker is at the front desk talking to the manager.”
“It seems Baker came to find Vance,” Katherine took over the conversation and began her own analysis.
“It’s highly likely that Baker is the planner, and Vance is the executor.”
“Bruce, keep an eye on Baker,” Hank listened to their analysis and calmly directed everyone to assemble.
“Everyone else, get to the Fontleroy Hotel immediately, now!”
On the other side, Baker seemed to notice something, looked around nervously, and then ran away.
Bruce quickly chased after him.
Katherine on the side also quickly reported, “Hank, Baker has started to run.
He didn’t notice us, he just suddenly started fleeing.”
“Follow him closely, I’ve contacted the nearby patrol officers to seal off the hotel.” Hank’s voice remained steady, not disturbed by the sudden change.
As for Bruce, after determining Baker’s escape route, he chose to go around from the other side.
Relying on his superior speed, he successfully tackled Baker to the sidewalk at the street corner.
Baker still wanted to resist with his large build, but was hit by an elbow strike from Bruce, curling up like a shrimp, lying on the ground groaning in pain.
Bruce and the arriving Katherine escorted Baker back to the hotel, just in time to meet Hank and the others who had arrived.
Hank didn’t say a word, picked up Baker with one hand, and walked to the hotel’s utility room.
Antonio and Jay wanted to stop him, but were blocked by Bruce and Katherine.
Bruce just said one sentence expressionlessly, “Do you have any other way?
If not, don’t stop Hank.
He’s not afraid of getting his hands dirty to arrest the criminal.”
Everyone was left speechless.
Before long, Hank walked out of the utility room, still holding a towel in his hand to wipe the blood off his hands.
“Navy Pier, Vance is at Navy Pier.”
Hearing this, Bruce and Katherine took the lead and rushed out.
During this time, Bruce also looked back into the utility room, only to see Baker lying on the ground, blood continuously flowing from his right ear.
Arriving at Navy Pier, the members of the Intelligence Unit immediately acted separately and began searching for suspicious targets in the crowd.
Bruce concentrated, relying on the support of [Task Sketch] and [Sound Localization] to screen passing pedestrians in the crowd.
Navy Pier was holding an event today, so it was crowded.
Suddenly, in a corner near the public restroom, Bruce spotted a suspicious man in a hoodie.
His eyes were evasive, trying his best to avoid the crowd, which was out of place with the lively venue.
Bruce immediately called the nearest Katherine to support, and then pretended to be a tourist with an urgent need to use the restroom and ran toward it.
Suddenly Vance looked up, and the scratch marks on his right eye were particularly conspicuous in the shadow.
He saw Bruce, hesitated for a second, and decided to run behind him.
He was like a frightened bird, afraid.
Bruce immediately accelerated and chased after him.
Katherine, who came to support, did not hesitate either, analyzed Vance’s escape route, and chose to flank from the side.
Just as the two were about to form a pincer movement on Vance, he directly pulled out a pistol and took a female tourist hostage.
“NO!
Vance, NO!” Bruce and Katherine immediately raised their guns in warning.
“CPD!
Vance, put the gun down, immediately, right now.”
“Back off!
Or I’ll kill her!” Vance held the gun to the tourist’s head, his spirit seemingly on the verge of collapse.
The tourist sobbed in terror.
Bruce slowly stood up, spread his hands, and holstered his gun back to his waist.
“Vance, don’t do this, you don’t want to add another murder charge.”
“It’s death either way!” Vance’s eyes were bloodshot, almost crazy.
“Back off!
Let me go!”
Bruce exchanged a look with Katherine; she was in Vance’s blind spot, so the two began to coordinate.
Bruce kept talking in front of Vance, attracting his attention, while moving forward slowly, closing the distance unknowingly.
Katherine had also reached the side of the hostage, within reach.
Ten meters, nine meters, eight meters…
“Stay away from me!
I’ll count to three!” Seeing Bruce getting closer and closer, Vance screamed.
“One…”
At this moment, Bruce suddenly shouted, “Get down!”
Katherine heard this and, without hesitation, seized the opportunity to hold the tourist’s hand and pulled her hard.
In that split second of misalignment, Bruce drew his gun, aimed, and fired.
The movement was as smooth as breathing, the bullet traveled through the eight-meter space and accurately hit the center of Vance’s forehead.
Vance’s body stiffened, the pistol slipped from his hand, and then he fell backward, hit the wall, and slowly slid to the ground.
The tourist collapsed on the ground, and Katherine immediately stepped forward to check.
Bruce kept his gun raised for three seconds, confirmed the threat was eliminated, and then lowered his arm.
Hank and the others rushed in, medical personnel took the tourist away from the scene, and forensics personnel began to process Vance’s body.
“A clean shot,” Hank looked at Bruce.
“Was it necessary?”
“He cracked, Sergeant.” Bruce put away his gun, his gaze firm.
At this time, the system prompted: [Task Completed: Solved the serial rape and assault case, killed Neil Vance, arrested Jefney Baker, rewarded one bronze treasure chest.]
…
At night, when Bruce drove the mercedes-amg gt back to Ivanka’s apartment, she was still waiting for him and making dinner.
“You look like you’ve fought a war.” Seeing Bruce come in, she said softly.
“In a sense, yes.” Bruce sat down, looking at Ivanka with burning eyes.
“Welcome back, my hero!” Ivanka was wearing a silk nightgown, came to Bruce’s side, bent over and kissed him, the fullness on her chest making all the fatigue vanish.