Chapter 15 — Mystery At 3 A.M

He stopped.

“Six thirty, Vong Giang alley.”

“You have to come alone.”

“If you bring the police, your mother can only stay in this cemetery.”

An An stood next to the hearse, her fingertips cold. There is no more sound on the phone. Dong Dien hung up the phone. Captain Dien's side quickly transmitted the news. Khuong Hoa was taken away. Dong Dien took advantage of the drainage path at the back of the cemetery's mountain to leave, which was connected to an abandoned flower greenhouse. He had scouted the route very clearly in advance. When Captain Dien's men chased him, they only found an abandoned police jacket. The shirt is real. The code belongs to a police support officer of the department who has been missing for two days. Policeman Ha's expression was extremely unsightly.

“He infiltrated two days ago.”

Team leader Dien did not curse. He just looked at the clock. Six twenty minutes. There are only ten minutes left until half past six as requested by Dong Dien. An An placed the iron piece on the map. Her fingertips pressed on the three words Vong Giang alley.

"He told us to go to Vong Giang alley, not necessarily because of the things there."

Team leader Dien looked at her. An An's voice was hoarse.

“Just now he heard me say Vong Giang.”

“If he had known about Vong Giang alley before, he would not have followed your mother into the cemetery.”

“He is using you to find his way.”

Officer Ha asked softly.

“What about Miss Khuong?”

An An closed her eyes. She couldn't let herself cry. Just crying will make your mind confused. Last time she cried until she was hoarse, but she still couldn't save her mother. This time it's not possible. The girl bowed her head and looked at the map. Vong Giang Alley, old record archive, Nam Kieu bridge, old training center building. Between these four points there is an old drainage line of the neighborhood. Dong Dien was able to leave the cemetery through the sewer line, proving that he was used to going to places where no one was watching. He is not sure he will take Khuong Hoa down the high road. An An suddenly raised her head.

“He will go to the old records archive.”

Captain Dien asked.

“Vong Giang photo shop is just a signpost.”

“When she was young, her grandmother worked as a temporary archivist.”

“She hid the original file in the most unexpected place.”

“A closed photo shop will be ransacked.”

“An abandoned storage facility will also be ransacked.”

“But what if that thing is hidden between two places?”

Her finger stopped on a small line on the map.

“This underground tunnel.”

Officer Ha frowned.

“The neighborhood's old anti-aircraft tunnel?”

Captain Dien stared at the map.

“Under Vong Giang alley, there is indeed an old tunnel.”

“It was later blocked.”

An An shook her head.

“There is no complete lockdown.”

“If it was sealed, Dong Dien wouldn't tell us to go there.”

Having finished speaking, she suddenly remembered something. Last time at home, the person wearing the gray hat said there was no time left, the fire truck was about to arrive. The person in the black coat said so and burned it all. When they work, they always leave a way to retreat. Dong Dien cannot place the transaction location in a dead end with no way out. Captain Dien immediately gave orders.

“Group one went to Vong Giang alley to arrange public forces.”

“Team two checks all exits of the air defense tunnel.”

“Group three followed me to the old archive.”

An An immediately said.

“I'll go too.”

"Impossible."

Team leader Dien refused very quickly. An An looked grandfather.

“He wants me to come alone.”

“If you don't show up, he'll know you guys have guessed the old archives.”

“You can appear at the beginning of Vong Giang alley.”

“But I won't go in.”

Captain Dien was silent for two seconds. This is not an option a police officer should agree to. But the child in front of him was swept into the deepest place. She's not bait. But he is the only person who can understand the clues of the Khuong family right now. Finally, Captain Dien nodded.

“I can only go to the beginning of the alley.”

“Just take one more step, I will send someone to take you away.”

An An did not argue. At six twenty-nine minutes, a dim yellow street light lit up at the beginning of Vong Giang alley. The night wind of the old neighborhood carries moisture. The shops on both sides of the alley were closed, with faded advertisements plastered on the rolling doors. An An wore a gray jacket she had just found and slowly walked to the beginning of the alley. The child doesn't have a phone. In the bag there was only a piece of paper reprinted with an engraving on a piece of iron. The real piece of iron is in Captain Dien's hand. From deep in the alley came the sound of very soft applause. An An's spine immediately stiffened. That's not Dong Dien's code name. It's about finding the grandmother who taught her when she was little. After three claps, grandmother will come out from behind the door, smiling and saying she has found An An. But the person who came out from behind the door this time was not her grandmother. In the darkness next to the rolling door, a woman slowly walked out. She wore a mask, her hair hidden in a hat.