“Why didn’t you?”

“He was a drug freak, I was afraid of him after I found him sitting in our basement one day playing a tape of a conversation between gangsters he’d recorded from a show,” Mrs. Chang began, “this is after my husband had died by the way.”

Selina nodded.

“He told me in a jokingly manner he would kill anyone who stayed in the house long enough,” Mrs. Chang told. “I think he’s a person who needs help. He could have gone crazy after murdering my husband.”

“Maybe the cops aren’t smart enough, but you should have testified this,” Selina told, “your husband’s spirit may be at peace now if the case had been solved earlier.”

Mrs. Chang kept silent. Selina got up from her seat.

“Your husband was a nice caring husband I suppose,” Selina said.

“He was a caring one and a protective father,” Mrs. Chang told.

“Good enough. Do you now where Chang Jiang is staying?”

===

Jiro walked into Prescon and headed toward the journalism office. Selina wasn’t in there from what he could see. Spotting his boss he headed over.

“I see you here a lot now don’t I?” he said jokingly.

“Do you have any idea where Selina is?” asked Jiro. “I need to speak to her about something.”

“Selina? She called me this morning saying she was going to go visit the Chang family,” Selina’s boss told, “I thought she was going to be back by afternoon but I guess not.”

“The Chang family?” Jiro repeated.

“The case I handed Selina,” her boss explained, “are you going to go after her?”

===

Selina stopped her car abruptly by the dead end sign. Why was there such a sign in the middle of the road? Selina looked around at the overgrown dead grass surrounding the road. Did she get the right area? How come this seemed to be abandoned? Selina got out of her car. If her car couldn’t get any further maybe she could.

Selina trailed through the dead grass for another five minutes and was about to give up hope when she noticed a run down house to her left. The house seemed rusty and the red roof seemed like it was going to fall off if a rainstorm hit the area. It was a small scale sized house. The door seemed to be hanging on for dear life at the front. Selina glanced through the half cracked windows to see a table with over piled mail on it. Selina walked around to the side of the house to see a small shed behind the house. She took a step forward when a voice stopped her.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Selina turned around to see a man in a raggy plaid buttoned up shirt with a dirty gray shirt under. His jeans seemed like they were a few years old. He was a big man with a clear face and short hair. He had thick plastic boots on and looked like they were swallowing his small feet.

“Selina Ren, investigative reporter,” Selina introduced. “Are you Chang Jiang?”

“What do you want?” he asked setting down the pile of wood he’d brought with him.

Selina looked at the house then turned to him, “You live here?”

“You got a problem with that?” he asked irritated with his unexpected visitor. “Did the cops send you? If so I have nothing for you.”

“I’m from Prescon,” Selina replied, “it’s a newspaper company. I bet the cops have searched you?”

“Where are you trying to play at?” he asked narrowing his eyes.

“If I tell you I’d like to prove you innocent would you show me around?”

===

Jiro drove his car down the same road Selina had earlier and stopped in front of the blue house. Without glancing at the whole farm Jiro headed up to the door. This time Mrs. Chang opened the door. She glanced back at Jiro surprised.

Jiro immediately reached for his badge, “I’m Wang Dong Cheng from Taipei. I heard Selina came here earlier?”

“That investigative reporter?” asked Mrs. Chang. “I’ve already told her everything.”

Mrs. Chang began to close the door but Jiro stopped her.

“I’m not here to speak to you,” Jiro explained, “Selina…is she still here?”

===

Selina entered the dirty house. The wood inside seemed old and rotten as well as the table, the sink, and the cabinets. There was a sofa to her left by the window towering over the small TV. Newspapers and magazines swept the floor. Dirty dishes sat in the sink and a few flies flew around the place. There was a small window by the wall and that was about it.

“I don’t know what you want to look at,” Chang Jiang told, “this is all there is to this house. I sleep right on the sofa if you’ve noticed.”

Selina glanced back at the sofa.

“So tell me how are you going to do it?” he asked walking out.

“First you’ve to tell me about yourself,” Selina said following him, “what you did before and what your job was.”

She followed him out back to his tool shed. Selina glanced at the large hammer and knife that was lying on the table. What in the world did he use them for? From behind she felt something hit the back of her neck forcefully. Selina gave a shout as she landed on the ground.

===

Was that girl crazy? Why would Selina want to go visit him? Jiro stepped on his accelerator. Selina didn’t even know him and she didn’t even do research on him beforehand. Who would know if he was a dangerous person or not? Selina was always going on about how cops weren’t reliable and no one could trust them so would she rather trust a stranger she never met before? Selina was crazy and right out of her mind. Anything could have happened to her by now.

Jiro braked his car as he noticed an automobile parked up ahead. Whose car was that? Jiro got out of his police car and looked around. There was no one and the place seemed abandoned. He turned around then glanced inside the empty car. Did it belong to Selina?

Walking away from the car Jiro walked passed the dead end sign. Where would have Selina gone passed that area? Jiro frowned and stopped as he noticed a small building up ahead.

===

Selina could feel her full senses fly back to her as she felt a heavy weight on her legs. Her wrists were being bound together by a thick rope. Finally he got of her and stomped his heavy boot on her back. She tried glancing back at him, but her bag on the ground blocked her from seeing correctly.

“I don’t trust cops especially nosey investigators,” he warned.

Selina cursed herself silently for being so stupid. She could hear some loud noises behind her as he seemed to be doing something.

“This is how you assembly this baby,” he said.

Then Selina heard a loud click as something seemed to be put together.

“This baby can end your life…in a millisecond,” he said.

“What are you doing?” Selina asked.

“You’re a pretty girl, but I’m not interested in people like you,” he muttered, “if you came looking for a killer you’re looking at one right now.”

Selina shut her eyes as a loud bang hit the ground beside her. He laughed behind her.

===

Jiro’s head shot up toward the sky as he heard a gun shot. What in the world? He quickened his pace toward the run down house.

“Selina!”

===

“Selina!” that voice shouted.

Selina turned to look back. Why was he there again?

“You called someone!” Chang Jiang accused angrily.

He glanced back to see no one in sight then pulled Selina up by her arm.

“You and your friend are going to die for sure!” he whispered to Selina as he dragged her out back.

The wilderness awaited her. Why was her life being threatened in the woods…again?

===

Jiro stopped in front of the rusty building then frowned. He walked passed the house to see the tool shed in front of him. A large knife and hammer lay on the table untouched. Had Selina been there?

“Selina?” he shouted then his eyes caught the open door.

Jiro hurried through the door and looked down the shrubby path to see a man and Selina.

===

“Selina!” that voice shouted.

Selina made a face hoping Jiro would know when to shut up. He dragged her behind a large tree and they stood for a moment. Everything was silent and Selina suddenly wondered where Jiro had gone.

All of a sudden Chang Jiang tossed Selina out onto the ground. She landed with a soft thump and blew the green leaves out of . She made a face and struggled to get up. It wasn’t easy to do so because her hands were tied to her back.

“Are you going to come out?” Chang Jiang shouted stepping out from the tree.

Selina glanced around on her sitting position on the ground. Where was Jiro? From out of nowhere Jiro walked out of a tree with both his hands in the air. Surrendering? What the heck was Jiro doing?

“Don’t shoot me,” Jiro said. “I’m just a friend.”