“It’s also the hospital’s fault for not being flexible. Mobile payments can’t be used, so many patients can only pay in cash. Not only is it inconvenient, but it also makes it easy for bad people to target them.” James Reed checked the fastest route and started the car.

“Learn from your mistakes, things will change.” Paul Bennett sighed.

“Captain Bennett, should we call David Thompson and have him go over to assist?” Lily Turner suggested.

“No need, that kid is already at the scene, and he’s even made a contribution.”

“What do you mean?”

“That kid is a big mouth. Let him tell you when we get there, so you don’t have to hear it twice.” Paul Bennett laughed.

……

When they arrived at the hospital, the group went straight up to the fourth floor.

Outside the finance office, the area was already cordoned off, and officers from the nearby police station were on the scene helping to maintain order.

“Captain Bennett.” David Thompson waved.

Brian Hall was a bit curious: “David Thompson, how come you’re at the scene?”

“Heh, it’s a long story.”

“Then make it short.” Paul Bennett knew his habits.

“Ahem…” David Thompson cleared his throat:

“I came to the hospital today to see a doctor. I happened to pass by the finance office and heard some noises inside. First there were muffled cries, then banging sounds. The first sounded like someone gagged and calling for help, the second like someone kicking the wall…”

“David Thompson, get to the point.” Paul Bennett reminded him again.

“I asked around, and the noises inside got even louder. So I called a nurse, found the deputy director in charge, and used the spare key to open the door. When we looked inside, a middle-aged woman was tied up, and the safe was open.”

“What’s the identity of the female victim?”

“The female victim is named Anna Bolton, she’s the hospital’s finance department accountant.”

“What was the exact time of the incident?” Brian Hall took out his pen and notebook, ready to record the key points.

“Anna Bolton suffered a head injury, and there were a lot of details and clues I didn’t have time to ask about before she was sent for treatment.”

“How much money was stolen?”

David Thompson recalled: “Over four hundred thousand yuan in cash.”

Brian Hall analyzed: “Over four hundred thousand isn’t a small amount. If someone wanted to take it away, it should have been pretty obvious.”

“When I came, I noticed that the hospital’s corridors and lobby all have surveillance cameras. It’s very likely the suspect was caught on camera.” James Reed said.

“Everyone understands the general situation. I’ll assign tasks now. Let’s split up and collect clues.” Paul Bennett glanced at everyone:

“Lily Turner, you take the victim’s statement. Ask in detail about the robber’s physical features and the process of the crime.”

“Brian Hall, you stay at the scene and see if there are any footprints or other clues.”

“David Thompson, you go check the hospital’s surveillance and see if there are any suspicious people.”

“James Reed, you talk to the medical staff and see if there are any witnesses.”

“Yes.” Everyone responded.

……

Brian Hall put on gloves and shoe covers and entered the finance office. The forensics team’s Steven Grant was leading his assistant in collecting evidence.

Brian Hall glanced around. The safe door was wide open, and there was a pool of blood nearby, which should belong to the accountant Anna Bolton.

Other than that, there were no footprints, no tools used in the crime, or any obvious clues.

“Steven Grant, are there any suspect fingerprints?”

“No.”

“Any other clues?” Brian Hall pressed.

Steven Grant used his right index finger to adjust his glasses: “The scene seems to have been cleaned. We didn’t even find the victim’s fingerprints.”

Chapter 0014 Clues

Inside the hospital ward.

Anna Bolton looked pale, lying on the hospital bed, a bandage wrapped around her head, and an IV in her right hand.

“Knock knock.”

Lily Turner knocked and walked in, glanced around the ward, and fixed her gaze on Anna Bolton: “I’m Lily Turner from the criminal police team. I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

Lily Turner turned on her body camera, took out her pen and notebook, and began the statement: “Name?”

“Anna Bolton.”

“What’s your position at the hospital?”

“Finance department accountant.”

“Do you know the robber?”

“No.”

“Can you describe what happened?”

Anna Bolton nodded, biting her lip, as if recalling:

“A little after three in the afternoon, I went to the payment office on the first floor for some business. Around four o’clock, I returned to the finance office on the fourth floor. Because there were too many people in the elevator, I decided to take the stairs. When I got to the corner on the third floor, I saw a man in a white coat, with his back to me, smoking. I didn’t think much of it, but as soon as I walked past him, he covered my mouth and pressed a knife against my lower back.”

At this point, Anna Bolton showed a look of lingering fear: “He made me take him to the finance office and told me not to shout or he’d stab me.”

“I was really scared, really.”

“I believe you. You were very brave. The clues you provide can help us catch the culprit as soon as possible.” Lily Turner encouraged her.

“At the time, there weren’t many people in the corridor. He pressed up against me, and the two of us entered the finance office one after the other. He forced me to open the safe, then knocked me out.”

Lily Turner asked, “What did he use to knock you out?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did you see what he looked like?”

“I didn’t dare look.”

“How about his voice?”

“It was a man’s voice, but the tone was strange, like he was deliberately faking an accent.”

“Was he wearing gloves?”

“No.”