In the dark hotel room, Holden Ford put his hands in front of him, wrapped his left elbow with his right hand, stood against the wall, and began to talk about his deductions.
"According to Jayne Harden's description just now, he was strangled and struggling, and when he was still breathing, he heard the sound of opening and closing the door. This shows that the murderer left the room in a hurry before confirming his death."
"With Jayne's weight of two hundred pounds, it is very likely that he could break the blackmail during the struggle and escape with his life."
"This was a failed assassination. The murderer was definitely not a professional killer. His actions were probably on a whim, driven by some strong emotions."
Holden paused and described accurately, "The idea of committing a crime suddenly appeared, like a sneeze without warning, and had to be released."
Dean thought as he put the divination chessboard and incense burner into his denim backpack.
"Another detail confirmed my theory - Jayne heard a man laughing."
Holden shook his head,
"It was very unprofessional to actually laugh out loud while committing the crime, but it shows that the murderer was able to derive pleasure from this terrible act."
Holden suddenly asked Dean, "Imagine if you were a murderer, under what circumstances would you laugh happily while watching a person hanging on a rope struggling painfully and about to suffocate?"
"I hate Jayne Harden so much, I wish he would die." Dean had killed so many people before and rarely smiled while killing.
The murderer may have some psychological problems.
"And Jayne's behavior of putting his head on the sling and seeking death was the opportunity to commit the crime."
"He was posing like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, as if he was actively seducing the murderer who hated him in the dark, and said to the peeping person -" The flickering candlelight illuminated Holden's face with a strange light, His tone was inexplicably excited,
"Come and kill me!"
His red eyes turned to Dean,
"If it were you, would you be able to bear it?"
…
"So the murderer hated Jayne Harden, but the act of overturning his life-saving stool and killing him was an impromptu move."
Holden concluded,
"But it's not over yet. According to Jayne's confession, he didn't notice anyone entering the room the whole time."
"And Joan Catree's testimony also mentioned that she locked the room after entering."
"This is enough to show that the murderer could not have entered the room during the crime, but had already hidden inside before the two entered the door. Well, the shuttered wardrobe you just hid in is the best hiding place, with a good view. It’s hard to find outside.”
"This also means that the real murderer got the room key of 2-21 in advance!"
…
Dean nodded, this was consistent with his inference.
Holden stared into the dark void, walked slowly around the double bed, and spoke faster,
"Jayne Harden also mentioned just now that he and Joan played games in this house many times and never checked the shutter door closet. It was almost equivalent to a 'safe house'."
"The murderer who entered the door early was hiding inside. Do you think this is a coincidence?"
Dean stood up, picked up his denim bag, and nodded and shook his head, "Many seemingly coincidental experiences are repeated by others with ulterior motives. In homicide cases, there are even fewer coincidences."
Holden smiled happily,
"Yes, I think before the day of the crime, the murderer hid in the closet many times as an 'audience'. And he was never discovered."
Holden paused, and his black eyes slowly moved, "Who can easily access the hotel key? And can repeatedly enter and exit the room covertly?"
Before Dean could answer, he started analyzing incessantly,
"If the murderer is a professional killer, he has many ways to do both of these things quietly."
"But it has been concluded before that he did not behave professionally and his actions were likely to be impromptu."
"He was able to get the key, master the time and location of Jayne and Joan's games, and secretly spy on them many times, not because of how smart or skilled he is."
"It's because his identity and profession provide huge convenience!"
Holden's eyes lit up and he made a decisive conclusion,
"He is an employee of Gaowen Hotel!"
…
A steady and powerful voice echoed in the room.
Dean nodded. The conclusion reached by Holden coincided with him.
But he still had some questions,
"The killer, the hotel employee, hated Jayne Harden."
"And Jayne Harden claims that he has never sinned against anyone in the hotel."
"So what was the motive?"
…
"Dean, it's you," Holden smiled, "hide in the closet and enjoy an annual action drama. The actors are a bald man as fat as a pig, and a beautiful woman with a hot body and sexy appearance."
"You peeked again and again."
"What thoughts come to your mind?"
"I'm not interested in this kind of perverted game." Dean said seriously with a straight face, "Aren't you asking for trouble by watching it over and over again?"
Holden cast a look of disdain, "Normal men can't help but relive it over and over again, and feel jealous and fantasized about it. Why is it not me who is dating Joan?"
Holden instantly assumed the identity of the murderer, with fierce eyes and a jealous and angry tone.
"What qualifications does this fat pig have to go on multiple dates with the girl of my dreams, while I am just a pitiful spectator? Just because he has a lot of money? And I am a pauper?"
…
"Jealousy is the original sin, the motive, the uncontrollable sneeze."
"It's like a fire in a fireplace that's getting stronger and stronger. And the day before yesterday, it finally burst out, burning everything and causing a bitter fruit!"
Dean opened his mouth wide. This inference was too smooth, but it was full of subjective assumptions and made him feel uneasy.
Before he could speak, Holden said in a confident tone that understood everything,
"I have already made the most basic profile of the murderer——"
"Male, no more than forty years old."
He raised his chin slightly and instantly transformed into a skilled painter. His left index finger became his brush, tracing the sky with his unique rhythm,
"Hotel staff, the position is not too high."
"Why?" Dean interrupted inappropriately.
"I earn enough that I don't need to watch the show secretly. I can get a date with Joan by spending money."
Holden's eyes flashed with light and he continued to describe
"In addition, he is introverted, not good at communication, stubborn, and may have emotional outbursts in his daily work."
"Jealous of Jayne and having a certain amount of admiration for Jean Catree."
"Amour Joan?" Dean interrupted, "Where did you see it?"
"Have you never seen an 'action movie'?" Holden gave her a pitiful look, "If you are a normal man and often pay attention to an actress's work, you will uncontrollably develop a liking for her."
Dean suddenly realized.
Hall continued, "When a dream goddess that you admire and have seen dozens of times appears next to you, no matter how introverted you are, you can't help but get close to her, try to express yourself, and try to make It’s like an act of confession.”
Holden took a deep breath and grinned,
"The murderer may have harassed Joan, who had an impression of him."
…
"What a wonderful idea."
Following Holden's train of thought, Dean felt that some things he had not understood before suddenly became clear, and the clouds cleared up before his eyes.
He glanced at the system.
After Holden's analysis, the investigation progress jumped from 45% to 60%.
It is obvious that the other party's description of the criminal's psychology and identity is full of reasoning and deduction.
The system acknowledges these inferences as if they are supported by some invisible evidence.
Dean couldn't help but be surprised.
Is this the power of psychological profiling?
While others were still in a state of confusion, he had already passed through the fog and pointed directly at the vital point!
…
"Then let's go meet Joan from the detention center next?" Dean muttered, then shook his head, "Oh, no, we should find Grace first and find a way to get the information of all hotel employees."
"Not bad!" Holden shined a flashlight on his face, and his thin lips showed an orgasmic smile,
"Let's go and find out the real culprit!"
…
Beside the sofa in the lobby on the first floor, the two found Grace, who had just sent away a guest and was rubbing her sore calves. They explained their intention.
"Hotel employee information? Why do you want this?"
"We want to check if anyone came into contact with the clues on the day of the crime. Well, maybe they didn't notice it themselves."
Grace thought for a moment, then led the two of them to the office behind the entrance on the left side of the first floor, and asked by the way, "I'm a little curious about how far the investigation of Joan Catree's case has gone. Did this girl really kill Jay?" Well, Harden? If it’s not convenient to say it, just pretend I didn’t ask.”
"Qiong and Jayne are both regular guests of the hotel. You should know something about it." Dean stared into the woman's eyes and asked without answering, "Do you think Joan is the murderer?"
"It's not my fault." Grace stretched out her hand to straighten her red hair under her hat, "But based on my personal impression, Joan is warm, honest and gentle, and she has not degenerated into a money-worshiping bitch like other colleagues."
"Well, she doesn't have much money, has a good reputation, is efficient at work, and has never made any mistakes. How could she kill Jayne and ruin her bright future?"
"We strongly agree." Holden followed her attitude and said, "We are looking for clues to help her clear her name, and we hope to get your help."
"Then I'll do my best."
…
office.
With the help of Grace, the two successfully obtained the hotel employee information book, including the restaurant department, housekeeping department and other departments, a total of 73 people.
According to Holden's previous analysis, forty-three women were excluded, leaving thirty men. After excluding those over forty years old, twenty-five were left.
Dean circled the twenty-five and placed them in front of Grace.
"Who were on duty at the hotel when the incident occurred the day before yesterday?"
"Wait, let me check the schedule." Grace found a form and reviewed it for a while, crossing out nearly half of the people in the information, leaving twelve men.
"Are any of them more introverted and unsociable?" Holden asked, suppressing his excitement.
"Why do you ask, are they related to the case?" Grace looked at the information, puzzled.
"Introverts have more delicate minds," Holden explained casually with a smile, "and they may be able to notice some important details."
"As far as I know, the introverts...Kenny, Hale, Barrett, Ott...Jack Lee." Grace ticked off five of them, one black, one Asian, one Hispanic, and two White people.
The appearance and body shape are very ordinary.
"The five of them are relatively quiet. They work diligently on weekdays, rarely communicate with colleagues, and do not participate in group activities organized by the hotel."
Dean considered and asked, "Among these five people, who has a good impression of Joan, is even obsessed with her, has sent her flowers, other gifts, or confessed his love to her?"
Grace shook her head and smiled, and said in the tone of someone who has experienced it,
"Dean, you asked a silly question. As long as you are a normal man, who wouldn't like a good-tempered, gentle, beautiful and sexy beauty like Joan?"
"The men who work at the Gawain Hotel are more or less fond of her, and she comes often."
"So according to the gossip from my colleagues, at least a third of them have tried to date her. After all, there is nothing to lose if she is rejected."
"But whether those five are among them, I don't know...well...they don't like to show off."
"Okay, then is it their turn to be on duty today?"
"That's right. They are in the hotel right now. They don't get off work until tonight. Can I call them over?"
"Don't. Don't disturb them yet."
Dean and Holden looked at each other and couldn't ask for more information for the time being.
"Let's stop the investigation here, Grace." Dean said gratefully, folding about seventy pieces of employee information and stuffing it into his denim backpack. "I will let you know when the case comes out, but please Please keep it secret for us first, and don’t reveal to outsiders, especially these five people, that we were investigating the case the day before yesterday.”
"Don't worry, I'm not that big-mouthed." Grace nodded, a trace of hesitation flashed in her eyes, "Dean, please keep it a secret for me and don't tell Rust about a man pestering me outside the hotel today. He I’m waiting for the results of my college interview, so I can’t be distracted.”
"What are you talking about? I can't remember it for a long time. Goodbye, Grace."
Dean smiled and waved, and left the hotel with his companions.
"What to do next?" Holden joked as he sat in the car and looked at the hotel outside the window, "Master psychic?"
Dean turned his head and glanced at him. After witnessing the supernatural ritual, this guy was as excited as if he had been injected with blood.
"Profiling expert, to be on the safe side, we have to ask Lawyer Lucville to help meet with Joan Catree, the client, and ask her to identify the 'suspect'."
"As for the hotel, don't alert the enemy yet."
The car drove to Frank Law Office.
Dean was a little worried. Holden's profile just now was too smooth and made him feel unreal.
"Man, what if our conclusion turns out to be wrong?"
Holden gave him an encouraging look,
"Be confident, Holmes will make mistakes, and there is still plenty of time. The psychic's shortcut won't work, so we'll just follow the old path of ordinary police officers."
Thanks to Quantum Haoshen for your reward support! Thank you all for your monthly and recommended support!
(End of chapter)
