Don’t Cry, Tai Lake

right. Whatever Jiang might have done, it wasn’t any of my business, so I didn’t try to pay close attention to it. I’m sorry about the possible mistake, Chief Inspector Chen.”
    “But it’s a murder case, Mi. An innocent man could have been convicted because of your perjury.”
    “No, that’s not true. How could it be perjury? People’s memories may not always be reliable, you know that. What do you want me to do? Both you and Officer Huang are here, so I can give you another statement. The meeting between Jiang and Liu was definitely in March, of that much I’m sure.”
    “Let’s put it aside for the moment, and talk about another statement you gave. On the night of the murder, you said you were at the company office, working late on the IPO plan. That was just about a week ago. Your memory couldn’t have failed you concerning that part, too? ”
    There was no mistaking the ominous hint; she got it and turned ghastly pale. Mi stared first at Chen, and then at Huang, wringing her hands, panic-stricken and tongue-tied.
    “You told us that you were so busy working at the office that evening,” Chen went on, “that you didn’t leave until after eleven. You were so overwhelmed with work that you didn’t even have time to go to the company canteen. Correct?”
    “Correct,” she said. “We were so busy preparing for the IPO. It was a Sunday, but a number of people were at the office working, including Fu. Fu talked to me that evening and we discussed the company’s business plans.”
    “Now, I want to remind you again, Mi. Perjury is a serious crime. You have to consider whether it’s worth it or not,” Chen added, crossing his legs, breathing into his cup, and then taking a leisurely sip of his tea. “Confucius says, A man lays down his life for one who appreciates him, and a woman makes herself beautiful for the one who loves her . But it really depends on who.”
    “I’m afraid that what you’re saying is over my head, Chief Inspector Chen.”
    “Fine, let me ask you a question. Liu went to his home office, as a rule, through the back door of the building, right?”
    “I think so. It’s a shortcut.”
    “So when you go there it’s also through the back door?”
    “Yes, when I had to work with him there. There’s no point in going through the front gate, it would take at least ten more minutes.”
    “You don’t know about the advanced security camera recorder at the back door, I’m guessing.”
    “No, I didn’t know. But why are you asking?”
    “The back door closes at eight, and then the security guard leaves for the night. We all know that. However, the camera there records people going through the door all night long, and I don’t think you knew about that.”
    “Yes,” Huang said, echoing Chen’s statement. He was beginning to see the light for the first time, though he didn’t know anything about a hidden camera. For all he knew, there could be one and he was determined to play along. “The camera there records all night long, Mi.”
    “I don’t know anything about it.”
    “Why? Because Liu didn’t think that you needed to know those things as a little secretary. If so, it was totally understandable that he didn’t even mention it to you. But we’ve obtained the tape for that night and studied it carefully—”
    “Everyone going in and out the back door that night is on the tape,” Huang contributed hastily.
    It was obvious that Chen had Mi trapped. She opened her mouth helplessly, but no words struggled out.
    “Has your memory been refreshed, Mi?”
    “So many things have happened of late,” she said at last, repeating what she’d said earlier, “I’ve been so worn out that my memory might not prove to be accurate.”
    “A young, energetic office manager is supposed to remember a lot of things,” Chen pushed on relentlessly. “Anyway, the videotape is admissible as evidence in court, you know.”
    “Do you need us to play it for you now?” Huang chipped in again.
    “You—” She sprang up, as if galvanized, before she swayed, slumped back into the chair.
    Chen waited, pouring himself a cup of tea, and another for Huang, without looking at her.
    It took only a minute or two, however, for Mi to try to pull herself back together again.
    “I worked so hard that evening, Chief Inspector Chen. I might have stepped out, briefly, for some fresh air, and not even thought about it. I’m still not sure, but something like that could have eluded my