36. The secret under the pomegranate skirt

Maddie began pacing again. [Full text reading. 】

He walked up to the window and looked down from the window on the 7th floor. Through the frost on the windows, you can see that the people on the street have turned into ants, cars have become cockroaches, and telephone poles have become straw sticks. The drop of a few meters made Maddie feel dizzy and flat, but it was this dizzy feeling that made the boundless space outside the window seem to produce a strong allure, a strong attraction, leisurely sucking him downward. At that moment, a thought suddenly popped up in him: In fact, life is very simple, as long as you step out of the window and jump, you will be troubled and everything in life will be over.

Maddie opened the aluminum alloy window sash, and a spicy cold wind hit his face.

The cold wind coming from the window woke Maddie again.

No, no, I can't die!

Is it really to the point of exhaustion?

No, Maddie thought: I still have a glimmer of hope that I can find the person who wrote the anonymous letter first, negotiate with that person, give that person money or agree to some other request, and gag that person's mouth. Or, simply kill that person...... Isn't it also possible to turn danger into safety?

It is not easy for Maddie to go from a farmer's son to this level through personal struggle, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, Maddie has to protect his vested interests.

Maddie closed the window and sat back at her desk.

He took the first anonymous letter out of the safe, re-read both anonymous letters, and then began to activate his clever brain, searching for the person who wrote the anonymous letter in the vast chaos:

Both of these anonymous letters were delivered to my home, suggesting that the sender – perhaps the writer of the letter – was in the city, at least on the day the letter was delivered.

The city has a population of 700,000 people, and Maddie has a lot of people in the city that he knows or knows him, and it would be a needle in a haystack to find the person who wrote the anonymous letter.

The best way to do this is to look to people who know about the murder seven years ago.

Maddie lets her brain filter through all the people who might know, and thinks that there can only be three kinds of people who know:

One possibility is the police, the police who handled the case back then, especially the police soup. However, it is unlikely that the police will write an anonymous letter to him, and generally speaking, once the case is closed, the police will not pursue it. Even if it is to pursue the case, it is necessary to use legal means, not means such as writing anonymous letters.

Another possibility is that there was really an eyewitness.

There is also a possibility that it is his wife Yan Yu.

Eyewitnesses are not available.

Yan Yu still can't be ruled out of the circle of suspicion.

Could it be his wife Yan Yu who did this? It seems unlikely. Because in the second anonymous letter, the author mentions Yan Yu twice: one is "You have already had an affair and secretly crossed Chen Cang with a woman named Yan Yu", and the other is "Maybe your wife Yan Yu will testify in court". If it was an anonymous letter written by Yan Yu, would she smear herself?

If it's not Yan Yu, who is it?

Maddie couldn't find a second person in the know.

This is the second time since the anonymous letter incident that Maddie has turned her suspicious eyes on his wife.

Is this really possible?

Maddie's gaze was fixed on the desk. On that large brown-black desk, there was a picture framed in a brown frame, and the photo showed sweet Yan Yu and happy him. It was their wedding photo from 7 years ago. Modern photographic technology has made Yan Yu's innocent and charming smile eternal.

Maddie gently touched Yan Yu in the photo with her fingers, as if she really had reached her slightly cool and delicate skin. Maddie was reluctant to put his wife under suspicion, but his reason strongly hinted at him: it was his wife who wrote the anonymous letter!

Doesn't the wife have a motive?

Yes — the thing that motivates her the most is still Shanshan.

Oh, Shanshan, Maddie remembered that lovely woman.

Shanshan and Yan Yubi have completely different charms, she is vibrant, she has the freedom of a girl in the Special Administrative Region, and she has the demeanor of a modern girl. He would be a decade younger when he was with her, and he didn't feel the age gap at all. By Shanshan's side, he was like facing a furnace of youth, reason, perseverance, concept, dignity...... All of them were burned, and only a pile of mud was left to fall under her pomegranate skirt.

Maddie thought she was doing it without realizing it, and thought that her dream of building a nest in many places would last forever. Who knows, a photo of Shanshan will make things *.

also blamed Maddie for being careless. Every time Maddie comes back from Shenzhen, she pays great attention to checking herself, trying not to leave traces, objects, or even smells on her body. He knew that women were very attentive. Any slightest clue will arouse the suspicion of his wife.

Of course, there are some things that can't be hidden, such as time, he is staying in Shenzhen longer and longer, and that's because he is really reluctant to leave Shanshan's nest. He could only lie to Yan Yu and say that he was busy with business. Yan Yu never said anything, but it was hard to guarantee that she would really believe his lies.

However, as time goes on, it is natural to be careless. He didn't expect Shanshan to carry him back and put a photo in his suitcase the last time he came back.

He didn't find this photo, but it was discovered by Yan Yu.

Although he covered up this matter under various excuses, it was difficult to ensure that Yan Yu did not remember it.

If Yan Yu is really worried about this matter, Yan Yu may be the one who wrote the anonymous letter.

Besides, Yan Yu has the conditions to write anonymous letters.

Yan Yu knew the content of the anonymous letter, and the words were written by Yan Yu with her left hand, as for the delivery...... Maybe Yan Yu didn't go on a business trip at all, although I sent her to the station, but she got off the train again before the car left. In the name of a business trip, she actually created conditions for the posting of anonymous letters.

Yes, maybe Yan Yu didn't leave at all, she is hiding somewhere in the city now.

Maddie guessed.

Because he doesn't have any other clues right now.

Yan Yu was the only clue he had to find the author of the anonymous letter.

Maddie made up her mind to investigate Yan Yu's whereabouts in the past few days in order to save herself.

The first thing to do is to check if Yan Yu is really on a business trip.

Maddie thought: If the results of the investigation confirm that the anonymous letter was indeed committed by Yan Yu, then he will step up his plan to murder his wife a second time, and try to eliminate Yan Yu, the only person in the know, before the police find evidence of his murder of Mei Xin seven years ago.

Maddie also thought: If the investigation results prove that Yan Yu is not the author of the anonymous letter, he is really desperate. Or, to put it bluntly, he has only one way to die.

The question is how to die?

Was he shot by the police?

Or suicide?

That morning, Maddie got the phone number of Yan Yu's accommodation in Shenyang on a business trip.

He called Manager Xu of Yan Yu's company in his office.

"Manager Xu? I'm Maddie ......"

"Mr. Mai, how are you?"

"Okay."

"How do you have time to call me?"

"Let's talk about ......"

Maddie and Manager Xu are old friends and have a good relationship, because Yan Yu works under Manager Xu, Maddie often goes to Manager Xu's house during the New Year's holidays, and economic gifts are naturally indispensable. After a few words on the phone, Maddie turned to the point.

"Manager Xu, I have something at home to discuss with Yan Yu, I'm in a hurry, but her mobile phone is turned off, I don't know how to contact her? Do you know where she lives......"

"Someone on a business trip has already called me." Manager Xu said: "Yan Yu and several business trips from the company stayed in room 8066 of the White Crane Hotel. They said things were going well and they would be back in a few days,"

"You personally talked to Yan Yu on the phone?"

"No, it was someone else."

"Do you know the phone number of where they live?"

"Yes. You wait, I'll look it up. "Manager Xu said a phone number." This is the hotel switchboard, and then transfer the room after it is opened. ”

"Okay, thank you......"

"I'm very sorry, this manager shouldn't send Yan Yu on a business trip, your brother just came back from Shenzhen, and the two of them should be hot...... However, this time it was Yan Yu who asked for a business trip. ”

"Haha, it's okay, old husband and wife."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

On the phone with Manager Xu, Maddie immediately dialed Yan Yu for a direct long-distance call.

While dialing Maddie, he thought about what Manager Xu had just said: "It was Yan Yu who asked for a business trip."

It's strange, Yan Yu has never been willing to go on a business trip, she prefers to stay at home. How is it unusual this time?

Does her abnormality have anything to do with those two anonymous letters?

Maybe it's just a coincidence?

After dialing the number, a beeper sound rings in the earphones to indicate that it is connected.

Maddie used to think that modern communication tools would bring convenience to doing business, but she didn't expect that it would also provide convenience for couples to spy on each other's affairs.

As long as the phone goes through and the wife does not go, it means that she is still in the city, and it means that she may have personally delivered anonymous letters.

"Hello, I'm the White Crane Hotel switchboard."

The sweet voice of the service lady came from the other end of the phone.

"Please take room 8066."

At the moment when he was waiting for the phone to be connected, Maddie's heart was beating fast, and he seemed to be very afraid, even if it was Yan Yu who answered the phone, in that case, his clues would be broken; I was afraid that it was not Yan Yu who answered the phone, saying that Yan Yu was not there, in that case, the person who wrote the anonymous letter would really be Yan Yu. He was torn by that ambivalence.

The phone went through.

"Hey, who is it?" It was Yan Yu's voice. Husband and wife for 7 years, that voice Maddie is too familiar.

"Oh...... It's me. ”

"Is there something wrong?"

"......" Maddie couldn't answer for a moment.

He thought about it a lot just now, but he forgot to make up a reason to talk to Yan Yu. Say what? You can't say, "I'm calling to confirm that you're on a business trip?"

"I ...... It's nothing, I just want to give you a call. Maddie had an idea and made it up: "It's been a few days, I miss you." ”

"Nonsense." Yan Yu's voice was coquettish: "How many days did you last go to Shenzhen, why don't you say that you miss me." ”

"That's different. Yan Yu, it's the first time you've left home since you got married. ”

"That's just as well."

"How's it going?"

"Very happy, the Forbidden City, Beiling, Taiyuan Street...... All went, and there was also the Five Love Market. ”

"How many days will you be back?"

"Two or three days."

"Okay, stay safe, I'll wait for you to come back. Good bye. ”

Putting down the phone, Maddie felt a layer of cold sweat oozing from her forehead.

No, no, not just in a cold sweat, he was almost on the verge of collapse. He sat in the boss's chair in the office, he couldn't sit still, and if he hadn't supported it with two hands, his body would have slid down involuntarily.

The worst thing finally happened.

The results of the phone conversation with Yan Yu proved that Yan Yu was in Shenyang, and it was impossible for Yan Yu to send him an anonymous letter, and the person who wrote the anonymous letter was definitely not his wife, but another person.

In this way, there really is another witness.

Who is this man?

There is no clue, a huge city, where to find this person?

Finding that person means that there is only one way out.

At this time, the door opened, revealing Ye Manmi's dry yellow face through the crack in the door.

"General manager, someone wants to see you."

"No, no, no, no!" Maddie shouted angrily, "I don't see anyone today, I don't answer any phone calls, do you hear me?" Do you hear that?"

Ye Manmi had never seen General Manager Maddie get so angry, her face turned yellow with fright, and she hurriedly retreated to her office.

Maddie struggled to get up from his chair, he took off his coat, opened his tie, and wiped his cold sweat with a towel. He doesn't want to be caught, he still has to find a way out. He knew that he was doing his last struggle, and he knew that he was completely a futile exercise without the slightest hope. But he also has to do it, and struggling in despair is a survival instinct of man.

Maddie opened all of his filing cabinets and retrieved all the letters and documents he had kept from previous years, hoping that the words would help him to evoke some memories and find some clues in his memories.

However, there are no clues.

Maddie searched through all the business cards and address books she kept, trying to find some clues, but there were still no clues.

Maddie began to recall her resume again, recalling the things and people related to her in each resume, trying to find clues from her memory.

However, he still failed.

Maddie also imagines that the person in the know is not from the city, but from out of town? The man came to the city, delivered the anonymous letter and left.

Then you can't find it.

Maddie was exhausted throughout the morning, and finally couldn't identify who might be an eyewitness.

Maddie didn't eat lunch either.

Throughout the year, Maddie locked herself in her office, still meditating, until everyone else was off work.

At that time, his spirit was on the verge of collapse.

It's over, he can't find that person! There is no way to solve this crisis, which means his demise. Maddie thought: That witness knows about me, but I can't find the eyewitness. I'm in the open and in the dark, and it seems that there is no hope of doom!

It was already dark outside the window, the people in the company had already left, and Ye Manmi in the outer office had also left, and Maddie left the office in a trance.

Maddie walks alone on the street. The street lights had come on, casting an arsenic orange glow over the road. The city begins to become hazy, but it is this haze that makes the city begin to glow with a kind of nightly energy. Nightclubs, hotels, dance halls, karaoke halls, KTVs, billiards halls...... A variety of dining and entertainment venues lure passers-by with their neon splendor of lights. These places are frequented by the general manager Maddie, but today he doesn't want to go, he wants to drink, and he wants to drink in a small hotel.

So, Maddie began to look for a small restaurant. Now this kind of small restaurant is everywhere, and he wants to find a clean and quiet one. He found one at the mouth of an alley with a nice name: Come in.

Maddie walked in, the small restaurant was not big, a few train seats, but it was very clean. Only a young man and a woman were eating.

Seeing the guests coming, a proprietress who looked like a young woman greeted her.

"Welcome, please be seated."

Maddie sat down in one of the seats.

The hostess handed over the recipe.

Maddie ordered four dishes: beef shutters, stir-fried lamb blood, tofu and lightning cucumber.

The proprietress jotted down the recipe on a notepad and asked, "What kind of wine?"

"Is there that kind of old burn in bulk?"

"Yes."

"Half a catty."

The hostess went to the kitchen to prepare the dishes, and Maddie sat there alone and waited. There is a green gaze lamp and a pink gaze lamp on the window of the small restaurant, and two completely different colors of luminescence intersect, flashing a small brilliance.

Maddie seems to see his past in this small brilliance: he squeezed from a rural child into the city, and finally established his own piece of the world by relying on his intelligence and diligence. In fact, isn't a person's hard work and success a small brilliance?

However, this small splendor is now about to be extinguished.

When it didn't work out, Maddie often went to this kind of small hotel to drink. At that time, he had no money, so he could only go to such a small hotel to drink, that is, a plate of fried cabbage slices or a plate of fried vermicelli with two taels of wine, sometimes four taels of dumplings and two taels of wine, even rice and vegetables, the simplest time is a piece of hot tofu poured with soy sauce, and the drink tastes good.

Later, it succeeded, and there was a more advanced entertainment, and Maddie went in and out of some big hotels and hotels, with delicacies from the mountains and seas, cups and plates, although the scene was brilliant, but there was no real sense of life experienced in a small restaurant.

Every time I see a shot of someone drinking in a small restaurant on TV, I take a sip of old burn, hold it in my mouth, swallow it, and then let out a long breath, which is really enviable and mouth-watering.

Now, after many years, he has come to this small restaurant to drink again. Why is it coming again, is it in search of a kind of return? Or a funeral for the imminent extinguishment of their own little splendour?

The wine and food are coming.

Although the four dishes are not on large plates, they are well cooked. The old yaki is served in one of those glass flasks and inserted in a cup of hot water.

Maddie poured herself a cup of old burn, took a bite into it, but didn't swallow it immediately, held it at the base of her tongue for a few seconds, and then swallowed it slowly, ha--immediately she could strongly feel the **spicy liquid running down the mouth* esophagus * stomach * blood. As a result, the blood in the body immediately moved.

The mind is also active.

Active thinking is still inseparable from those two anonymous letters.

There is no hope of finding the person who wrote the anonymous letter, and there is zero chance that he will handle the matter himself, and there are only two ways to go:

First, according to the request of the anonymous letter author, he went to the public security bureau to turn himself in.

Second, wait for the insider to go to the public security bureau to report him, and then the public security bureau will come and arrest him.

The end of both paths is the same, that is, the cold iron shackles and the muzzle of the black hole.

Is there a third way to go?

No, no, no, no!