Flower Net (Red Princess 1)

“I haven’t been able to get in his pockets yet, but it sure looks like the photos they gave us.” He jutted his chin over to the shore. “I’ve been waiting for you to get here. I think you’d better deal with them.” Liu Hulan followed his gaze and saw a Caucasian couple sitting on a wrought-iron bench.

“Shit.”

Fong snorted. “Are you surprised?”

“No.” Liu Hulan sighed. “But I wish I wasn’t the one who had to tell them.”

“That’s why the vice minister sent you.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” As an afterthought, she asked, “How did they know to come?”

“Their son has been missing for over a week, and the victim appears to be the right age, the right race. The vice minister called you after he sent the car for them.”

Hulan absorbed the political implications of this information and said, “I’ll come down to the lab later. And thanks.”

She looked at the body one more time, then over to the shore. The Caucasian couple would have to wait a few more minutes.

As she usually did at a crime scene, she began stepping backward away from the body. With each step, her view of the scene widened. Although digging out the body had been a difficult job, the workmen had meticulously kept the excess ice in one neat pile adjacent to the shallow grave. And although there had been dozens of people on the scene, the ice was so hard that it still appeared utterly smooth except for two sets of skate tracks. One set etched deep grooves, the other only lightly scraped the surface. Liu Hulan could see no signs of a struggle, no blood, or any other imperfections in or on the ice.

She turned now and walked briskly to where an old man and a little girl huddled together. The old man’s arm was draped protectively over the child’s shoulder. They were still wearing their skates.

“Good afternoon, uncle,” Hulan said, bestowing a polite honorific on this stranger.

“We didn’t do anything,” the old man said. She could see he was shivering.

Liu Hulan addressed a guard. “Why do you have this man here? Why haven’t you taken him inside and given him tea?”

The police officer’s features twisted in embarrassment. “We thought…”

“You thought incorrectly.” She refocused her attention on the pair before her. She leaned down until she was at eye level with the little girl. “What’s your name?”

“Mei Mei,” the girl answered through chattering teeth.

“And who’s this?”

“Grandpa Wing.”

Liu Hulan straightened again. “Grandpa Wing, ni hao ma, how are you?”

“They said we would be detained. They said we would go to jail. They said…”

Liu Hulan looked at the police officer, who lowered his gaze. “You must forgive the zealousness of my colleagues. They have been very rude to you, I’m sure.”

“We didn’t do anything wrong,” the old man repeated.

“Of course you didn’t. Please, don’t be afraid. Just tell me what happened.”

When the old man finished his story, she said, “You’ve done a good job, Grandpa Wing. Now why don’t you take your granddaughter home?”

The look of relief in the old man’s eyes told her just how terrified he had been. “Xie-xie, xie-xie.” He thanked her again and again. Then he took his granddaughter’s mittened hand in his and they slowly skated away.

She turned back to the police officer. “You! You get over to where they’re holding the other skaters. I want them released immediately.”

“But…”

“They obviously had nothing to do with this. And one more thing. I’d like you to make a self-criticism to your superior. When you’re done, I’d like you to tell him that I do not wish to have you assigned to my cases.”

“Inspector, I…”