Cinephile hustle

Ian conveniently took a sandwich from the plastic bag and pressed it on Hailey's face.

"Either stay quietly, or get out."

Haili smiled and unwrapped the sandwich, took a small bite, and then frowned tightly.

"Oh my God, Ian! What is this? It's unpalatable! The tomato slices in it are at least three days old!"

Ian was still looking at Dr. Manning.He had drawn the curtains of the bedroom, put his arms around his wife, and was lying on the bed watching TV.

Haili took out his phone boredly, and scanned various web pages.

He elbowed Ian, "Hey, guess what news I saw?"

"Huh?" Ian was also a little bored, and he didn't mind listening to Hailey talk about the news, as long as he didn't talk nonsense.

"The art critic Wendel criticized Van Chart's new works as useless. He said that his lines looked chic but actually deliberately pursued freedom, and the color matching was like a noisy downtown, with no aesthetic feeling except to attract eyeballs. Tsk. Tsk tsk, this Wendell's mouth is really mean."

"The so-called art, isn't it that these critics say it's good, and the critics say it's not good?" Ian said casually.

"Haha. In fact, there are certain ways of appreciation. But I don't agree with Wendell's comment. Because... If all beauty must be bound in a certain framework to be called 'beauty', it will lose the original meaning."

Ian didn't speak.

For a rare reason, he was on the same page as Haley.

"Oh..." Hailey suddenly called out.

Ian turned his head subconsciously, and a piece of warmth hit his lips.

When he realized what it was, he pressed the opponent's shoulder hard and pushed it away.

But Haley's strength is surprisingly persistent.

He turned his face sideways, kissed Ian more aggressively, and suppressed him forcefully.

For the first time, Ian realized that he could be so weak in strength.

Hailey's joking "Uncle Ian" echoed in his ears, as if mocking him for being old.

Ian jerked his elbows up, pressing hard between Hailey's shoulders and neck until he had to let go of his lips, and Ian pressed hard against the steering wheel.

"Get off." Ian's voice squeezed out from between his teeth.

"I don't want to. I'm going to take part in the shooting test, this is the encouragement you should give me!" Like a wayward child, Haley raised Ian's elbow abruptly.

If Haley hadn't been his partner, Ian felt like he'd actually load a pistol and blow his head off.

But he really couldn't stand what Hailey had done to him.He raised his elbow again, ruthlessly targeting the opponent's lower abdomen.

As if predicting in advance, Haili held Ian's elbow with his hand, and almost folded it behind Ian's back.

"Ian, you haven't had sex with anyone since you came back, have you?"

Haili's voice was warm and slightly moist.

Ian chose to remain silent again.It was a mistake to let him in the car.But he had to make this mistake again and again.

Haley was laughing, and having a good laugh.

"If I pass the shooting test, shouldn't Uncle Ian give me some rewards?"

Ian wondered on his toes what this guy's so-called "reward" was.

"Ian, if I could hit every shot like you, would you really give me your back?"

Haili's voice was very soft, yet somewhat solemn.

Ian's heart sank at that moment.His back?

On the battlefield, he has been silently guarding his position.He is the back of others, but in the end all the people he was supposed to protect did not come back.And he doesn't know who can be his back.

"To shut up."

Ian looked towards Dr. Manning's room, and about half an hour later, Dr. Manning also turned off the lights and went to sleep.

This is all very normal.

Of course, Ian never expected to find anything abnormal.

At this moment, Ian's and Haili's phones rang at the same time.

When Ian heard the news, he looked at Haley in surprise.

"Hey, did you just say that the critic Wendel was harsh on Van Charter's work?"

"……yes."

"When was the comment posted?"

"Three days ago."

They get word that Wendell the Critic is also dead.

And he died at an art exchange dinner.

Ian had to leave Dr. Manning's house and go to the dinner venue.

But to their surprise, the critic Wendell died not at the dinner venue, but on the building of the dinner.

Ian and Haili came to the top floor of this big hotel, and many forensic personnel had already arrived, including "little idiot" Finn Keating and his team.

The wind blows over their heads, the lights of the city flicker, and looking down from the top of the building seems to be staring into the abyss.

Hailey closed his eyes and grabbed Ian's clothes.

"listen."

Attracted by his expression, Ian focused, and seemed to hear the crisp sound of glass colliding with the wind.

Finn Keating was standing in front of the fence on the roof with his gloves on.

He was small in stature, and in the dark night, he seemed to be blown away by the wind.

"Hey, be careful." Ian stepped forward and grabbed him.

Finn Keating's glasses almost fell off, but Ian stretched out his arms to grab them and sent them back.

"Your reaction is really fast."

Finn put his glasses back on, and lifted the frame by the way. The serious look made Ian want to laugh.But he held back.

"The sound came from below."

Ian looked down in the direction of Finn's finger.

Something hung there, swaying in the wind, making a crisp sound.Pleasant but empty, the longer you listen to it, the more it seems like countless fragments passing through the heart.

It was Wendell the critic.

Many people stopped under the hotel building, and even the reporters rushed over. The flashing spotlight made even Ian, who was more than a dozen floors above, feel dazzling.

The forensic personnel and the New York police who came to assist took a lot of effort to drag Wendell's body up. During the process, they almost missed the rope and fell down. Fortunately, Ian rushed over to help.

When Ian saw Wendell clearly, he was stunned.

"Wendell is a woman?" Ian looked at Hailey.

Haili walked over leisurely with his pockets in his pocket, looked down at the woman who was still wearing an evening dress, and showed a look of pity, "I never told you that Wendell is a man."

Ian sighed.Ms. Wendell, the famous art critic, looked about 50 years old, well maintained, with few wrinkles on her face.According to photos from the dinner party, her hair, which should have been tied back, is now completely loose.

The most notable thing is that there are thin ropes tied around her waist and arms, and on the ropes are various colorful glass shards.

The sound that Ian and Haili heard just now came from these shards of glass.

"These shards of glass shouldn't be part of the evening dress."

Ian thought this must not be some unconventional artistic creation.

"No. Looking at the photos of the dinner party, Wendell's evening dress is normal."

"Do you think this has anything to do with the cases of insurance salesman Adam and art dealer Amanda? This isn't Cavendish Park after all," Ian asked Haley.

"But there are two very important things in common with the previous case." Haili's eyes sank.

Ian thought he was going to keep it a secret, and he would only speak when he asked him.

Unexpectedly, Haili said it directly: "First, Wendel insisted on negative comments on Van Chart's new works. I believe such comments will definitely affect Van Chart's mood. The works I have worked so hard to create are not bad. It is recognized, and with Wendell’s status in the art world, her comments will naturally affect many people’s views on Van Chart’s new work. Second, this hotel is very famous and many people pass by. Wendell’s body is Hanging on the top floor of this building, although it is a bit high, once someone sees her, it will definitely cause a sensation. This is the so-called 'display'. Third, I just took a cursory look at Wendell's body, and there is no bleeding , I can’t see the fatal wound temporarily, which is the same as Adam and Amanda’s murder, there is no hatred, but there is a feeling of careful layout.”

Ian stood not too far away, looking at Haili.

After a long time, he spoke slowly: "You know Ms. Wendell, right?"

Hailey raised the corners of her lips, "Yes, I know her."

"Not only do you know her, but you actually admire her very much." Ian said again.

"Many people don't like Wendell. They think she is too ruthless and harsh. But I think she is very good like this. In her heart, beauty is beauty, and beauty is not beauty. There are not so many absurdities. Praise, and false acceptance. She just expresses her inner thoughts very truthfully and unabashedly." Haili's eyes were long.

"But most of the time, people don't accept the truth."

"The first time I met her, she said to me, 'Boy, you have such a good looks. It makes you invisible to others, and it makes you invisible to yourself'. She asked if I knew Know who you want to be. I said, I don’t know. She laughed, and she said I do.”

"Oh, what kind of person do you want to be?" Ian asked lightly.

"I want to be you. Integrity, kindness, compassion. I yearn for you because you have what I want. And what we yearn for is often beyond our reach."

"You describe me like a saint."

"You are not a saint. But Wendell's words woke me up. She made me understand that I must find you and keep looking at you. In this way, whether I understand myself or not, at least I am looking in the right direction."

Wendell's body was loaded into the car.Also getting into the car was Finn Keating and his team.

When Haili was about to step up, he was dragged back by Ian.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Ian asked coldly.

"I want to send Wendell."

"You don't want to send Wendell, you want to observe her body carefully and fantasize about her experience before death!"

The car drove away, and Ian and Hailey were still standing in the cold wind.

"Are you worried?" Hailey raised his chin, and there was a joke in his smile that made Ian angry.

"worry about what?"

"I'm worried that I will enter the world before Wendell's death. I'm worried that I will be in pain, suffocate, and die in my own illusion." Hailey approached step by step, his breath passed between Ian's lips, as if It is necessary to uncover the secrets tightly closed in Ian's heart and present the most original everything.

"You have fantasized that you have died many times, and this time is not bad."

Before Ian could turn around, his collar was suddenly pulled over.

Reflexively, Ian clasped the other's wrist and pressed down. At that moment, Hailey kissed him fiercely.

Overwhelming power, with a crazy and irresistible momentum, as if rushing to the depths of hell.

Ian was forced to raise his head halfway, and Hailey's palm firmly clasped the back of Ian's head, pressing him against himself.

Everything lost its inherent law.

Ian realized for the first time that he didn't know how to fight back, and he staggered backwards, while Haley was hot on his heels.

Until his back hit the pole.

Hailey's kiss was out of control. Unlike the previous half-joking and ridiculing kiss, this time it was full of palpitations.

A car passed by, and the headlights swayed past them from far to near. Ian suddenly came back to his senses, raised his leg, and slammed his knee into Haili's lower abdomen hard.

Before touching the opponent, Haley had already stepped back and let go of Ian.

Under the streetlight, he dragged Ian's sight.

"You were moved just now, right?" Haili wiped the corner of his lips with his fingers, looking arrogant and sexy.

Ian looked at Haili silently, with a chill in his eyes.

"Picture in your mind now that you're loading your gun, one, two, three...until the chamber is empty, and my head is like a hammered coconut. Except Ian, If this is not your imagination but reality, do you still feel refreshed?"

"You're wrong, that's not what I thought."

Ian left coldly.

Haley followed him, walking side by side with him.

"Oh, so what are you thinking? Are you having sex with me?"

"After this case is over, I will apply for a transfer."

"Where are you going to be transferred?" Haili asked with a smile.

"A place without you."

"Then there is only one place where I might not be there." Haley stopped walking and said in a high voice.

Ian didn't speak, and continued to walk forward.

"Heaven." Haley said to Ian's back.

Ian and the New York police questioned hundreds of guests and hotel service staff present.Almost everyone said Wendell hadn't been seen since halfway through the dinner when she said she was tired and wanted to rest in her hotel room.

Ian called up the surveillance video of the hotel that day, and he wanted to know how Wendell got to the top floor.

But they found that Wendell went to the top floor by himself.Nor was she strapped to any broken glass as she walked down the corridor.And Wendell left the hotel room at [-]:[-] p.m., more than three hours after her body was found.

What happened in these three hours, there is no surveillance video on the top floor of the hotel.

Fern Keating and his team checked Wendell's water glass left in the room, and everything was fine.

But Dr. Byrne found a small amount of sedative in Wendell's body, and found a needle hole for the sedative injection in her back.

"How long will this dose keep Wendell unconscious?" Ian asked.

"Twenty minutes to half an hour. Not very long," answered Dr. Bourne.

He looked at Ian with interest, "Why didn't you see Detective Russell? Did you have a quarrel? Or was he repaired for his misdeeds against you?"

Ian didn't answer him, but continued to ask: "So what is the cause of Wendell's death?"

"Heart attack."

"Heart attack?" Ian frowned. "It sounds like a natural death."

"She should have a heart attack. I detected a small amount of heart disease drugs in her blood."

"So her heart attack was due to the sedative?"

"No. Something must have stimulated her." Dr. Bourne did not give up on asking Ian, "Hailey's actions are really fast. How far has he gone? It should be more than just kissing, let's see you suppress your inner anger You look like you are walking normally, could it be that you fucked him? That's why he can't get up?"

"I should be able to see Wendell's autopsy report tomorrow morning, right?"

"Oh, Ian...you are so boring!" Dr. Bourne spread his hands, "But I like it!"

Ian went to "Little Dork" Finn Keating.But a set of materials related to the case has been taken away by Haili.

"Fin, could you please give me another copy by itself?"

"Why? Aren't you partners?" Finn was concentrating on testing some samples without raising his head.

"Haley and I need to approach the case from different angles, so it's best not to discuss it and avoid affecting each other."

"Oh, yes. I'll have another copy prepared and sent to your office tomorrow morning."

Finn looked really busy, and Ian nodded.

When he got back to his apartment, Lancer was asleep on the couch.

The easel was covered with a white cloth, and Ian lifted it up slightly, and Lancer murmured and opened his eyes.

He gestured to him: You are back!

Ian laughed and ruffled his hair, "Why don't you go to bed?"

I was sleepy while painting. I just wanted to rest for a while, but I fell asleep unexpectedly.

"You still have a long time, so you don't need to rush to complete the work."

Ian asked Lancer to go back to the bedroom to rest, and sat on the sofa looking at the wall clock on the wall.

It was past four o'clock in the morning, and there was no point in going to sleep.

Ian closed his eyes and leaned the back of his head against the sofa.

The phone in his pocket rang, and he glanced at it, it was an unfamiliar number.

"Hi, hello, I'm Ian Connor."

"Agent Ian, this is Cliff! Mr. Russell is missing!"

Hearing Hailey's name, Ian felt inexplicably tired.

"Maybe he went somewhere to relax."

Maybe this guy was hanging out just downstairs from his apartment.

"No... no! You know that Mr. can be wrong sometimes! There were some photos of the Wendell case on his desk just now, and suddenly he went out!"

Ian frowned hard, thinking: No way.

"Cliff, I know you respect Hailey and would do anything for him. But you better not lie to me."

"...In this case, I am sorry to disturb your rest. Good night, Mr. Connor."

Cliff's voice became colder, and he hung up the phone neatly.

Ian closed his eyes and opened them again in less than two seconds.

Because he has lost all sleepiness.

Hailey left after reading Wendell's case information. If he really wanted to enter the moment before Wendell's death, then he must have returned to the roof of the hotel where the dinner was held.

Ian got up and drove to the hotel.

He had just arrived downstairs in the hotel, the sky had already started to turn white, and the homeless man on the side of the road raised his head and seemed to be looking at something.

Ian followed his line of sight, his heartbeat almost stopped.

Hailey was hung on the roof, swaying in the wind.

"Damn—this madman!"

For the first time, Ian felt that he couldn't bear it anymore.

If he could, he really wanted to break that rope with a single shot, and let that bastard fall down and finish it all!

Ian rushed into the hotel elevator, reached the top floor, and rushed over.

The wind was strong, and the rope that tied Haili was blown left and right on the railing.

Ian wondered if the rope was strong or not.

"Haley! Haley Russell! Are you fucking awake or dead!"

Hailey's body was swaying in the wind, and Ian really didn't know how this guy could do such a thing.

"Haley Russell! Open your fucking eyes and climb up for me!"

Hailey just lowered his head, and Ian could see his hair swaying wildly in the wind from this angle.

Wave after wave.

It is extremely frightening.

Ian grabbed the rope with his hands and pulled him up bit by bit.After finally pulling his upper body to the level with the railing, Ian couldn't wait to hug Haili with both hands and drag him back.

Hailey was completely unconscious, his head rested on Ian's shoulder, and the two of them fell to the ground.

Ian supported his back with one hand, raised his head, looked at the far-reaching sky, and exhaled forcefully.

"Holy shit!"

Ian felt like his nerves were nearly broken.

He kneed Haley.

"Hey! Wake me up! Hey!"

Ian knew that this guy would not respond to him, so Da Lala fell backwards and lay on the ground.

Suddenly, he kicked Haili away.

If it was an ordinary person, he would have cried out in pain.But Haley just fell on the sidelines.

Ian stood up, pressed the top of his head hard, and stared at Hailey.

Then he picked him up, came to the hotel, threw Haili into a room, and borrowed a table knife.

The hotel waiter looked at Ian nervously, "Sir, do we need to call a doctor?"

"A psychiatrist?" Ian sneered sarcastically, "I doubt any psychiatrist in this world can cure his mental illness!"

After speaking, Ian plunged the tip of the knife into Hailey's finger.

"Have you sterilized your table knives? This guy is always worried about tetanus!"

"...that is... of course." The waiter swallowed.

Blood was bubbling from the wound.

Ian held Hailey's fingers until there was a tremor, and Hailey gasped and opened his eyes suddenly.

Ian looked at him coldly, "How did you feel about your flight down from the roof of the hotel? Why didn't you equip yourself with a parachute? Are there any photographers taking pictures?"

Ian thought Haley would reply him with a joke.But he turned sideways, clasped his chest tightly, opened his eyes wide, and breathed hard.

He reached out his other hand vigorously and grabbed Ian's wrist.