If you don't believe it, you can ask Zhou Tiansheng." Mo Shaohong shook his head.
Luke stared at him, seeing no signs of lying.
"Zhou Tiansheng is already dead."
"On the night of January 24th. Do you know who killed him?"
On the night of January 24th, Zhou Tiansheng went to the Yue Lai Yue Hao restaurant to pack food. According to the forensic doctor's estimation, his time of death was likely between 10 p.m. on January 24th and 6 a.m. on the 25th.
Due to the severe decomposition of the body, it was difficult to be more precise.
I swear, after the early hours of January 24th, I didn't have any contact with him.
His death has nothing to do with me."
Luke noted this down and continued asking, "Why did he want to kill Ma Jiansheng?"
"To silence him, Ma Jiansheng was his accountant and knew his financial and asset status. He was worried that Ma Jiansheng might betray him.
Even if Ma Jiansheng didn't betray him, he'd be targeted by other forces.
So he had to eliminate Ma Jiansheng."
"How did you know Zhou Tiansheng?"
"We knew each other a long time ago and even worked together in Southeast Asia. But later he went to Malaysia, and I came to New York.
He became a famous gambler, and I was just a shady hitman.
We got back in touch; he knew my skills and wanted to hire me.
I originally planned to refuse, but he offered a lot of money.
And that was exactly what I needed.
"How did he give you the money?"
"Cash, fifty thousand US Dollars the first time we met.
In a suitcase, he said it was my meeting gift.
I rarely admire anyone, but at that moment, I was truly conquered by him.
No one dislikes this kind of boss."
"How much did he give you afterwards, and how was it paid?"
"One million US Dollars.
In the early hours of January 24th, in a Chinatown alley, he handed me the final payment.
Luke continued to probe, "Where is Zhou Tiansheng?"
"Do you think he'd tell me? We were just collaborators.
I guess he's already run away; that guy has plenty of money and can live well anywhere."
"Where did you hide the 1.5 million US Dollars in dirty money that Zhou Tiansheng gave you?"
Mo Shaohong sighed deeply, "Chinatown Henry Bank, private safe deposit box."
Luke noted the address, moving on to the next question, "Do you know Zhou Tiansheng's wife?"
"Met her years ago in Southeast Asia."
Luke took out a photo of the gunman attacking the boss's wife, "Do you know him?"
Mo Shaohong shook his head, "Don't know him."
Luke marked another line in his notebook and asked one last question, "Where is Zheng Lagong?"
"Don't lie; you definitely know.
Last time, agent Michael Jett took your statement, and you said it was Zheng Lagong who sent you to kill accountant Ma Jiansheng.
If you didn't know Zheng Lagong was in trouble, you wouldn't falsely accuse him of being the mastermind. Otherwise, if he gets caught by the FBI, your statements won't match, proving you're lying."
Mo Shaohong's face grew serious; after a moment, he said, "He's dead."
"I don't know; it was what Zhou Tiansheng told me.
He said Zheng Lagong was a mole who betrayed his whereabouts, so he killed Zheng Lagong."
"Did Zhou Tiansheng do it himself?"
"I don't know; it could have been that guy named Song, who Zhou Tiansheng trusted a lot and had managing things in New York.
In any case, it has nothing to do with me.
Zheng Lagong was my boss; I'd never kill him."
"Where is Zheng Lagong's body?"
Luke furrowed his brow slightly, marking his notebook, suspecting that Mo Shaohong may be lying about this.
"Is there anything else to say?"
"OK, tomorrow morning your wife and daughter will board a plane to Thailand. The FBI will escort them on your behalf."
Mo Shaohong's eyes widened, glaring at Luke, "You despicable liar.
You promised they could stay in New York."
Luke's tone was stern, "You also promised not to lie.
You're the one who broke our agreement."
Mo Shaohong shook his head, "I'm not lying; what I said is true. It was Zhou Tiansheng who had me kill the accountant."
"That's not what I asked.
Who killed Zheng Lagong?" Luke got up, intending to leave.
Mo Shaohong remained adamant, swallowing, "I don't know!"
Luke waited a while, but Mo Shaohong didn't change his words, so he left the ward with Louise.
"Are you sure he lied?"
"Why didn't I see it?"
Luke pointed to the badge on his chest, "That's why I can be a consultant, and you can't."
"Are you always this confident?" Louise shrugged.
"Do you have a different view?"
Louise looked at the ward, "Though I haven't interacted much with Mo Shaohong, I can feel he loves his wife and daughter deeply.
Why would he still lie when you've put it so bluntly?"
"I didn't say he doesn't love his wife and daughter.
But perhaps he loves himself more."
Louise crossed her arms, "What are you planning to do now?"
"Based on my experience, regarding the accountant's death, Mo Shaohong didn't lie; it should be Zhou Tiansheng who instructed him to kill.
But on the matter of Zheng Lagong, he lied.
Let's first meet up with Michael and see if his interrogation has yielded any progress.