We returned to the police station. Feeling unwilling to give up, I first replayed all the CCTV footage retrieved by Sergeant Chan Ming Choi, hoping to find something. However, no matter how hard I searched, it was still in vain.
At this moment, I suddenly felt helpless: "Sigh, this is so frustrating. We've been looking for so long and still haven't found anything. Any updates from the forensics team?"
"I just checked with forensics. They're almost done," Chan Ming Choi replied.
Meanwhile, female detective Ma Siu Nei asked, "Sir, the more I think about it, the more confused I am. We searched the scene the entire afternoon but couldn't find any trace of her. That means she didn't fall off the mountain by accident. Where could she have gone? Unless the items found at the scene don't belong to her, I really can't figure it out."
"Not hers?"
This time, even I was puzzled: "I have every reason to believe they're hers because these are all coincidental pieces of evidence. So, based on my intuition, they shouldn't be fake."
Suddenly, at that moment, a forensics officer walked in: "Inspector Ye, the forensic report is ready. Based on the analysis of fingerprints on the drawing board, paper, brushes, and the mobile phone, they indeed belong to the missing person, Wong Hiu Man. We also cross-checked with the supercomputer, so it's absolutely accurate. Please send someone over later to retrieve the evidence."
"Did you find any suspect fingerprints?" I asked.
"No. Apart from Wong Hiu Man's fingerprints, no other fingerprints were found. As for the rest, you'll have to investigate further."
I paused briefly after hearing this: "Alright, thank you for your hard work."
At that moment, my mind went blank for a second. Where… exactly is she?
Chan Ming Choi, seeing my troubled expression, said, "Sir, you've always been resourceful. Please give us some instructions."
I pondered for a moment: "Hey, what instructions? I can't think of anything for now. You should notify her family immediately for a detailed discussion. We need to inform her as soon as possible so she can make plans."
We once again notified the missing person's mother, Fung Pik Chun, to come in and assist with the investigation.
It was now past 8 p.m.
This was a small room equipped with CCTV, specifically used for recording statements.
As soon as Fung Pik Chun sat down, she asked with a bewildered look: "What's going on, officer? Is there any news about my daughter?"
Female detective Ma Siu Nei, seeing her anxious expression, hesitated for a moment: "Ms. Fung Pik Chun, the reason we've asked you to come in again is to question you in detail. We hope you can answer us truthfully."
Fung Pik Chun, noticing her serious tone, asked nervously: "Oh dear—what's wrong, officer? Has something happened to my daughter? Don't scare me! I have heart problems and can't handle shocks!"
"Ms. Fung Pik Chun, here's the situation. Regarding your daughter's disappearance, after our investigation, we suspect she may have been harmed, though we're not entirely sure. Therefore, this case has now been handed over to our Serious Crimes Division for follow-up. We also hope you can cooperate with our investigation," Chan Ming Choi said directly.
"What? H-harm? How? Please tell me quickly!" Fung Pik Chun panicked upon hearing this.
Ma Siu Nei then took out a phone sealed in a transparent plastic bag and handed it to her: "Take a look. Is this your daughter Wong Hiu Man's phone?"
Fung Pik Chun examined it curiously: "Huh? This… this really is my daughter's phone! Where did you find it? And my daughter? Where is she?"
"Ms. Fung Pik Chun, please don't panic. Not only did we find your daughter's phone on Tai Mo Shan, but we also found some drawing paper and art tools. It's confirmed that your daughter had been painting at the top of Tai Mo Shan."
"What? Tai Mo Shan! Why would she go there to paint for no reason? That girl is really foolish. But where is she now? Where is she?"
Chan Ming Choi, seeing her extreme agitation, said: "Ms. Fung, please don't worry. We're doing everything we can to find her. But you should be mentally prepared. Based on the scene, we cannot rule out the possibility that your daughter has been harmed, though there might also be other reasons. So, I need to ask you some questions in detail now. Please answer truthfully. Has your daughter Wong Hiu Man ever had any conflicts with anyone, from the past until now?"
"Conflicts?"
Fung Pik Chun thought for a moment: "I've never heard of her having conflicts with anyone. She's always been very kind and polite. Her relatives and friends have always liked her. So, how could she have conflicts with anyone?"
"What about financially? Has she had any financial disputes with others? For example, did she ever borrow money from anyone?"
Fung Pik Chun hesitated briefly: "Financially? I don't think so! She lives in Australia every day, so how would I know if she has any financial issues with people there?"
Chan Ming Choi paused: "I remember asking you during the previous statement that your husband, Wong Hiu Man's father, has been living in the United States for ten years and you've been divorced for a long time. Has Wong Hiu Man been in contact with her father?"
His question wasn't particularly sharp, but it suddenly made Fung Pik Chun feel pressured and distracted: "Hey, how would I know about their issues? As for whether she contacts her old man, how could I control that? She's an adult now. Do I have to manage everything?"
Her irritable tone immediately surprised both of them. Ma Siu Nei then said: "Ms. Fung Pik Chun, there's no need to get angry. We have no right to interfere in your family matters. But every question we asked earlier was meant to help you. Your answers are very important to us. We hope you understand."
Fung Pik Chun glared at them: "Don't you have my daughter's phone? I don't know anything about their matters. If you want to know, check her phone. I have nothing more to say."
Her uncooperative attitude left Chan Ming Choi and Ma Siu Nei glancing at each other in confusion. Then, Chan Ming Choi said politely: "Alright then, Ms. Fung Pik Chun. In that case, we'll stop here. Thank you for your time. You may leave."
With that, Fung Pik Chun glanced at them unhappily and left.
The two of them could only exchange helpless, puzzled smiles.