The Poisoned Pen: A Guardian Story

Chapter Sixteen: The Killing Continues

'Three, four, there's a gift at your door', had been the message this time.  It had prompted Zhao Yunlan's immediate dash down the stairs, so he had not taken a moment to fully process the details of the killing.

As it happened, the victim had been found in a children's play park, strangled and lying face up in a sand pit.  The only saving grace was that a local litter picker had been the one to discover the body, rather than a child.

No doubt, Shen Wei would know straight away which of his fictional murders this one resembled but, quite frankly, for the moment Zhao Yunlan did not care.  His only priority was the ominous package sitting on the mansion's front doorstep.

Knowing that there was no chance of the other household staff returning any time soon, the detective had not had any qualms about closing the door firmly on the delivery and steering his employer gently into the study while they waited for the police to arrive.

"It's from the same book," the author said grimly, after pouring himself a cup of herbal tea with shaky hands.  "It's 'The Nursery Rhyme Murders'.  They find the second victim strangled in a child's playroom in the house.  Was it a young man again?"

"Yes," Zhao Yunlan replied.  "Similar age to last time.  It's not a bomb."

"Sorry?"  Shen Wei was immediately confused by the change of subject.

"If you're worried that the box outside might be a bomb, don't be.  It's too impersonal.  He wouldn't do that sort of thing.  We still shouldn't touch it though.  There might be fingerprints."

Shen Wei gave a small, rueful smile.

"I hadn't even thought about it, to be honest, but what you're saying makes sense I suppose."

Suddenly it was his turn to change the subject.

"I didn't do anything to provoke him this time."

"What?"

"I didn't do anything.  At least, I don't think I did.  The lights didn't come on last night.  He didn't come here."

Zhao Yunlan thought for a moment.

"No, he didn't, and you didn't" he both acknowledged and reassured.  "That means the package must have been delivered this morning.  But there are no regular postmarks on it, only a name and address, and I assume you didn't let anyone in other than the usual mailman."

Without any statement to the contrary, he made a mental note to tell his former colleague that he might want to make enquiries about how the parcel made its way to their doorstep.  Perhaps the mailman brought it in from outside the gates.  But why would he do that?

A buzz at the estate intercom pulled him from his thoughts.  It was Chu Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng.  They had made excellent time.

"I didn't expect you to come yourself," he said, as he met the two men on the wide driveway.  "I thought you'd still be at the crime scene."

Chu brushed off the query.

"Forensics are all over it.  We'd only be in the way.  Is this the package?"

"Yes."

The police detective knelt down in front of the brown, unassuming box.

"No odd sounds coming from it?" he asked.

"No.  I'd bet my life on it that it's not an explosive device."

"Me too.  Why go to such trouble to get Mr Shen's attention only to blow him up from afar?  It's not personal enough."

"That's what I said."

Chu looked across to where Guo Changcheng was standing.

"Put your training to good use and open it up," he said.  "Remember the gloves."