Los Angeles Detective

  Chapter 412 The Truth

  Late at night.

  There is a haze in the sky, blocking the moon and stars and not seeing a ray of light.

  The cemetery was pitch black, and occasionally birdsong and cat meowing could be heard, which added a bit of eerie feeling out of thin air.

  A tram drove slowly, the headlights were not very bright, only the road ahead could be seen clearly.

  The tram drove to a newly dug cemetery and stopped slowly. Tom Stone got off the tram and looked around.

   In vain, the surroundings were so dark that he couldn't see clearly.

  Tom Stone turned on the flashlight and looked around again, but found nothing unusual. He took a deep breath and boldly walked to the newly dug grave today.

  He looked at the grave pit and sighed, seeming a little annoyed.

   There were five boxes on the back of the tram. Tom Stone struggled to lift the boxes down. They were very heavy, and each box had been treated with moisture and water resistance.

   Fortunately, he goes to the gym 3 times a week and is much stronger than his peers.

   "Shusha..."

  There was a sound around.

  Tom Stone was taken aback, his hairs all over his body, "Who's there?"

   With a sound of "click", several strong flashlights were turned on, illuminating the surrounding area brightly.

  Tom Stone couldn't adapt for a while, he covered his eyes with his hand, and after a while he saw the person clearly, "Captain Li, why are you here?"

  This evening, Luke came to the cemetery to meet Tom Stone, and talked about the Getty Museum oil painting robbery, and also talked about his father's hiring of detectives.

  Luke noticed that Tom Stone's expression was a little strange, and he had more eyes, making people stare at Tom Stone all the time.

  At seven o'clock in the evening, Tom Stone left the cemetery and returned to Stone's villa.

  At eleven o'clock in the evening, Tom Stone drove out of the villa and returned to the cemetery.

  Running back to the cemetery at night, either there was a ghost in the cemetery, or he had a ghost in his heart. Sure enough, he saw this scene.

   "Mr. Tom Stone, what are you doing here if you don't sleep at night?"

   "My father will be buried in the morning, I am a little worried, come and have a look."

  Luke patted the big box on the tram, "Isn't it just a look, what's in it?"

   “The things my father used frequently during his lifetime, he told me to bury them with him before he died. I don’t know what they are, but I just follow the old man’s last wish.”

   "Can I see it?"

   "This is disrespectful to my father."

   "Your father has passed away. Now these boxes are kept by you. I think you can help him decide."

"I reject."

   "This is a wrong answer, I suggest you let me read it."

  Tom Stone took a step back, "Are you forcing me?"

   "No, this is just a suggestion."

   "Do you have a search warrant?"

   "No." After talking with Tom Stone in the afternoon, Luke felt that the other party was suspected of lying, but he was not sure what the other party would do. Naturally, it was impossible to apply for a search warrant in advance.

   "Then I refuse." Tom Stone breathed a sigh of relief.

  Luke nodded, "Very wise choice, if stolen goods are found in the box, it will be a big trouble."

  Tom Stone looked serious, "I don't know what you're talking about."

  Luke pointed to the boxes and said, "Five boxes, each containing two oil paintings, exactly ten oil paintings, the same number as the ones robbed from the Getty Museum."

   "Hey, please don't talk nonsense, I can get a team of lawyers on the phone."

   "I can apply for a search warrant with just one phone call, and our Robbery and Murder Division has always been the darling of the media. As long as we make any moves, the reporters are like African vultures.

  Mr. Tom Stone, you are going to be famous. Luke also shook the phone, "Guess which of us will get on the phone first." "

  Tom Stone's teeth were chattering, he looked at Luke, then at the box on the tram, "I'm leaving."

   "Unfortunately, the tram broke down, so you can only carry the boxes and leave.

   I don't know if you moved the five boxes first or my search warrant came first. "After Luke's voice fell, Xiao Hei had already walked to the tram. He had been on the street when he was a teenager. He may not be good at repairing cars, but it is easy to make a tram temporarily immobile.

   "What is the difference between you and a rogue?"

  Little gangster, "You call me a scoundrel, who gave you the guts to insult lapd."

   "I didn't insult anyone, why don't you see what you did before you say I insulted you?"

   Luke asked back, "What about you?

   Under the guise of his father's name to buy the stolen oil painting.

  You are not only collecting stolen goods, but also pouring dirty water on your father.

  If your father found out, he might be able to recover from anger. "

  Tom Stone argued, "I didn't collect the stolen goods. I don't know what you are talking about. You are framing it."

   "I didn't apply for a search warrant before because I didn't know where the oil painting was hidden. Now that the box is here, I can apply for a search warrant at any time."

  Tom Stone showed an angry look, "Are you threatening me?"

   "On the contrary, I'm helping you.

  You took the initiative to open the box to assist the police in the investigation, and everyone still has something to talk about.

  If I had come with a search warrant, it would have been stolen.

  You should be very clear about how to choose. "

   "I said, these things belong to my father and have nothing to do with me."

   "Your father is dead, these boxes are in your hands, you are the biggest beneficiary, and you refuse to cooperate with the police.

  I have every reason to suspect that these boxes belong to you, and you want to hide them in the graveyard in order to avoid the police.

  Mr. Tom Stone, have you ever been to a prison?

  There will let you see a new world. "

  The night breeze was cool, but Tom Stone's forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, "What should I say, you believe that the things in these boxes have nothing to do with me."

   "Actively and voluntarily opened the chest.

  Since the things in the box have nothing to do with you.

  Your father is also dead.

  What else is there to worry about? "

"You're right, this has nothing to do with me, my father is dead..." Tom Stone said to himself, as if trying to convince himself, then he walked to one of the boxes and took out a Crowbar, forcefully pried open the box.

  The box is wrapped with a layer of black oil paper, no specific material can be seen, it is very tough, and there is a plastic foam soft box inside after tearing open, and then there is a layer of yellow packaging inside, and it is opened again to reveal the true appearance.

  A transparent plastic bag contained an oil painting. Luke picked up the oil painting to check, and there was another oil painting underneath.

  Luke has seen photographs of lost oil paintings from the Getty Museum, and these are two of them.

  Luke can't judge the authenticity of the oil painting, but it is not easy to produce ten high-quality imitation oil paintings in a short period of time.

   "Open the remaining chests."

   Soon the remaining four boxes were also opened. Each box was wrapped layer by layer, with two oil paintings inside. The remaining eight oil paintings were also the same as the oil paintings that were robbed from the Getty Museum.

  The team members present were very excited. These ten oil paintings represented stacks of green dollars.

  Tom Stone's face was ashen, and he sat on the ground a little slumped, as if he had collapsed.

  Luke said, "Mr. Tom Stone, these oil paintings are exactly the same as the ones that were robbed from the Getty Museum. Why are they in your hands?"

   "I told you, it was left by my father."

   "You said earlier that these are items commonly used by your father, so they will be buried with you.

   If my guess is correct, these ten oil paintings should be stolen from the Getty Museum.

   You should be clear about what it means. "

   "I really don't know, these oil paintings have nothing to do with me, otherwise, I wouldn't take the initiative to open the box."

   "Let's not say whether these oil paintings are related to you.

   Taking the initiative to open the box to assist the police in the investigation is indeed the most correct choice you have ever made.

  You will be grateful for this choice for the rest of your life. "

  If Tom Stone refuses to cooperate and instead asks Luke to open the box with a search warrant, then Luke will definitely be charged with buying stolen goods on Tom Stone.

   "Captain Li, please believe me, these oil paintings really have nothing to do with me, they are funeral objects chosen by my father himself.

   I just put him in the grave as he said.

  I had no idea what was in these boxes, let alone that these oil paintings had been robbed. "

  Luke said, "I am willing to believe you.

  But after all, you are the person who handles these oil paintings. If you want to completely clear yourself of suspicion, some procedures are still necessary. "

   "I understand, I will cooperate with you."

   "Then please come with us to the police station. In addition, these oil paintings will also be brought to the police station for identification by the technical team and experts from the Getty Museum. Is there any problem?"

   "No, I will follow your arrangement."

   "good.

  You're a smart man, no wonder Albus Stone leaves everything to you. "

  …

   Robbery and Murder Division.

  It is already two o'clock in the morning, but after finding the oil painting, not only did everyone not fall asleep, but they were excited.

  Luke decided to interrogate Tom Stone overnight.

  In view of Tom Stone's initiative to open the box, Luke did not take him to the interrogation room, but took him to the lounge for questioning.

  Tom Stone sat at the table, rubbing his hands, looking a little embarrassed.

  Luke came in with a cup of coffee, and Xiao Hei held two cups of coffee, and handed one to Tom Stone.

   "Thank you." Tom Stone held the coffee cup with both hands, "Do I need to call a lawyer?"

  Luke took a sip of coffee, "If you don't think the case of the oil painting being robbed has anything to do with you, there's no need to call a lawyer.

   If you feel this case will affect you, call a lawyer. "Luke returned the option to the other party.

  If a lawyer is called, there will always be a layer of separation between the conversations, which proves that he has a guilty conscience.

   "I had nothing to do with the Getty Museum painting robbery. There are a lot of jobs waiting for me in the company, so I don't have the mind to pay attention to those messy things."

   "Then why did your father hire detectives to investigate the Getty Museum painting robbery?"

"I have no idea."

   "Hey, don't answer so simply.

  Your father is dead. If we want to find out about this matter, we need to find the dealer of the oil painting.

   Regardless of whether you are related to the oil painting robbery or not, but these oil paintings were found in your hands, there must be a reasonable explanation for this matter.

   Instead of asking questions and ignoring.

   Blind evasion will only leave a lot of doubts, and the case cannot be closed.

  We can only shift the direction of investigation, from investigating your father to investigating you, the person who handled the oil painting.

   You should know what I mean.

honest.

  Tell me everything you know so that I can help you.

  Your father is dead, you don't have to worry about him being affected.

   On the contrary, if you deliberately conceal something, it will only make the police suspect you. "

  Tom Stone spread his hands, "What doubts do I have?"

   "How is your father's health?"

  Tom Stone didn't know why Luke asked this, but he still said slowly, "It's too bad, I need medical staff to take care of me 24 hours a day."

   "Someone once suspected that your father's physical condition simply does not have the energy to do these things.

  He is likely to be a puppet pushed to the front desk, and there is a real buyer behind the scenes.

  Some people even suspect that his death was silenced.

  Whoever owns the oil painting may be the real buyer behind the scenes. "

  Tom Stone was in a hurry, and hurriedly defended, "This is nonsense, my father has always said one thing, he can't be anyone's puppet.

  I am not a so-called behind-the-scenes buyer, and I have not done anything illegal. "

  Luke said, "Whether you are a behind-the-scenes buyer or not, you should be aware of it, and tell me exactly what you know.

   Only in this way can you clear your suspicion.

  If the case doesn’t make sense, doesn’t make sense, and the case cannot be closed, we still need to investigate whether there is a buyer behind the scenes. "

   "OK, I'll tell you, I'll tell you everything." Tom Stone showed a look of reminiscence, "My father is a successful investment businessman, and besides investing in stocks, he also likes to invest in antiques.

  Especially in the past ten years, he has been fond of collecting oil paintings. He feels that these oil paintings are not only works, but also the crystallization of literature and art of a certain era.

  In the past two years, his physical condition has been very poor. He intentionally or unintentionally revealed that he wanted to bury several oil paintings with him after his death.

  Because of his poor health, in order to avoid his anger, I have not objected.

  My mother and sister did not object, but they also did not take the initiative to agree.

  A few months ago, his condition worsened. He called me over and solemnly proposed this idea. I wanted to evade it, but he was very firm and asked me to make a clear statement.

  I didn't want to make him angry, but there was no way I could agree with the decision.

  Those oil paintings are very precious, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Even for a family like ours, it is a huge fortune, which can be left as a family heirloom for future generations. This is the glory of the whole family.

  In addition, once this kind of thing gets news, it is likely to be grave-digged, and the oil painting will only be cheaper for the tomb robbers.

   So I turned him down.

  Although my father said he was right, he had absolute control over oil paintings.

   But this matter is different, this is his aftermath, if I don't agree, no one can help him with the aftermath.

  Although he was unhappy, he didn't mention it again.

  A few days ago, he came to me again. He first gave me the precious oil paintings of the family for preservation, and then asked for the oil paintings to be buried with him.

  However, the oil paintings buried with him this time are not the few precious oil paintings in the family, but the oil paintings he bought for more than three million dollars.

  More than three million dollars is not a small amount, but I knew it was his last wish, and I couldn't bear to refuse it, so I agreed.

   You already know what happened next. "

  Luke asked, "Have you seen the oil painting in the box?"

   "No, my father didn't let me open it, and I didn't take the initiative to read it."

   "Aren't you curious?"

   "If it is an oil painting worth 30 million, I will definitely be curious.

  But the 3 million oil paintings are not bad. "

  Luke tentatively asked, "When did you suspect that there was something wrong with these oil paintings?"

   "Yesterday morning, when you went to talk to my mother, I noticed something unusual.

  I associate the robbery of the Getty Museum oil painting with the buried oil painting.

   But I have no proof, just suspicion...

   Still follow the father's request.

  Yesterday evening, when you found me, this suspicion became even heavier.

   But I have no proof, and neither do you.

  I have no reason to take the initiative to pour dirty water on my father...

  So, I still follow my father's request.

   Until you found me again this morning...

  I decided to assist you in the investigation. "Tom Stone sighed with a sincere tone, "I am sorry for my father's behavior. "

  Luke said, "This is not something that can be solved with an apology.

  Your father is likely behind the painting heist, which involved multiple deaths, including several police officers. "

  Tom Stone stated, "I am deeply sorry for what happened to them, and we will actively compensate and seek forgiveness from their families.

   This matter is indeed my father's mistake. "

  Luke took out the criminal investigation sketch of the 'Professor' again, "How much do you know about this person?"

  Tom Stone picked up the criminal investigation sketch and looked at it, "I met him once.

  My mother was out on business that day, and I was worried about my father, so I went to see him after get off work.

   Just saw this person leave the villa.

  He claimed to be my father's friend, but I don't remember my father having such a friend.

  I asked my father, but he was unwilling to say more.

  Now that I think about it, he might have intentionally distracted my mother that day. "

   "When did you meet him?"

   "Before Christmas, it should be around December 24, around four o'clock in the afternoon."

   "Did he have any distinguishing features at the time?"

   "He was driving a black sedan."

   "What's the license plate number?"

"I did not notice."

"brand."

"Can not remember."

   "What role do you think your father played in the painting robbery case?"

"I have no idea.

   But he is not a murderous man.

  I don't think he is the mastermind of the oil painting robbery, he should just want to buy a few oil paintings buried with him.

   Moreover, he was in poor health and had no energy to participate in the robbery.

   I think, he is just a person who buys stolen goods. "

   "What did you think after seeing those ten oil paintings?"

  Tom Stone shook his head, "I didn't look carefully."

  Luke took out the photos and information of the ten stolen oil paintings and handed them to him.

  Tom Stone was silent for a moment after reading it, "Although these oil paintings are very precious...

   But it is not the painting style and artist that my father likes, and it is far inferior to the few paintings in our family's collection.

  Based on my understanding of him, these oil paintings should not be chosen as funeral objects.

  I also don't understand.

  Choose these at the risk of committing a crime?

   Not at all his style. "

  (end of this chapter)