By the time they reached the Zhang family shop, the sun had already begun to disappear behind the roofs.
Guoren was closing the shutters.
He looked up when the three men entered.
His eyes went first to Yulan.
Then to Li Wei.
Then to Chen Hao.
"You've brought company."
Chen Hao gave a small bow.
"Uncle Zhang."
Guoren nodded.
"You're the one who eats more than you pay for."
Chen Hao looked offended.
"I always pay."
"Eventually."
Yulan almost laughed.
The mood lasted only a moment.
Then he placed the photograph on the counter.
Guoren looked down.
He didn't touch it.
His face changed.
Yulan noticed immediately.
"Dad."
Guoren remained silent.
"Who is the person who was cut out?"
Guoren's eyes stayed on the photograph.
"I don't know."
"You do."
"No."
"Dad."
"I said I don't."
Yulan's voice remained quiet.
"Then tell me why you're afraid of it."
Guoren finally looked at him.
For a moment, he seemed older than Yulan had ever seen him.
He picked up the photograph.
His thumb moved over the empty space.
"I was the one who opened the gate."
Li Wei stepped closer.
"Which gate?"
"The eastern gate of Warehouse Nine."
Yulan's throat tightened.
"You told me you were outside."
"I was."
"But you opened it."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Guoren put the photograph down.
"Because someone came."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Yulan stared at him.
"You don't know?"
"It was dark. The fire had already started. Everyone was shouting."
"Was it a man?"
"Yes."
"Did he have a name?"
Guoren shook his head.
"Did he give you one?"
"No."
"Then how did you know to open the gate?"
Guoren looked toward the closed shutters.
"He had the key."
Li Wei's expression sharpened.
"Whose key?"
Guoren didn't answer.
Li Wei stepped forward.
"Mr. Zhang, the person who had that key could enter Warehouse Nine without forcing the lock."
"Yes."
"And they knew the building."
"Yes."
"Then they weren't a stranger."
Guoren looked at him.
"No."
The shop became very quiet.
Chen Hao, who had been unusually silent, finally spoke.
"Then who was it?"
Guoren rubbed his forehead.
"I don't know."
Yulan looked at him.
"You've said that three times."
"Because it's true."
"But you remember something."
Guoren's eyes met his.
"I remember the sound of the key."
Yulan frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It had a small metal ring attached to it."
He paused.
"A swallow."
Li Wei and Yulan exchanged a glance.
The swallow symbol.
Guoren continued.
"The man wore a dark coat. There was ash on his sleeve. He told me to open the gate because people were trapped inside."
"Were they?"
"Yes."
"Did you see my mother?"
Guoren looked away.
"Yes."
Yulan's voice softened.
"Was she alive?"
"Yes."
The answer came immediately.
That hurt more than Yulan expected.
"Where was she?"
"Near the office."
"With Li Jian?"
Guoren nodded.
"And Li Wenxiu?"
Another pause.
"Yes."
Yulan stared at the photograph.
"Then who was missing?"
Guoren didn't answer.
Li Wei did.
"The fourth person."
Guoren looked at him.
"You've seen the records."
"Yes."
"Then you know more than I thought."
Li Wei took the photograph.
"Who was the fourth person?"
Guoren's face tightened.
"I don't know his name."
"But you saw him."
"Yes."
"What did he look like?"
Guoren closed his eyes.
He seemed to be searching through a memory he had spent years trying not to touch.
"Tall."
"Anything else?"
"A scar."
"Where?"
"Left side of his face."
Yulan's heart stopped.
He remembered Luo Ming.
The gray-haired man.
The scar.
Li Wei saw the realization on his face.
"You think it was Luo Ming."
"I don't know."
Guoren looked between them.
"Who is Luo Ming?"
Yulan didn't answer immediately.
Then he said,
"The bookkeeper."
Guoren went completely still.
For the first time that evening, genuine fear crossed his face.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"From the records."
Guoren stepped away from the counter.
"You shouldn't have found him."
Yulan stared.
"Why?"
"Because Luo Ming wasn't the man who started the fire."
Li Wei's eyes narrowed.
"We never said he was."
Guoren looked at him.
"You didn't have to."
Nobody spoke.
Then the front door rattled.
All four men turned.
Someone was outside.
The handle moved again.
Guoren immediately blew out the lamp.
"Don't move."
The door opened.
A figure stepped inside.
For several seconds, nobody could see his face.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
"Uncle Zhang?"
Chen Hao whispered,
"That's Fang De."
Yulan's eyes widened.
The missing dock guard.
Fang De stepped into the faint light from the street.
His clothes were dirty.
There was blood on his sleeve.
And in his hand was a black document case.
The same case that had belonged to Yulan's mother.
He looked directly at Yulan.
"I think this belongs to you."