Chapter 83: Skirting the Search Warrant (Please Continue Reading)

Although they were fairly certain that the wounded Blackie was inside receiving treatment, Ao Xi and his team couldn't just barge in. Even if Blackie undoubtedly had a criminal record and possibly carried an illegal firearm, storming a private residence required a search warrant. Without one, the police had no right to search the premises, and only a judge could sign such a warrant.

Their justification for a search might be insufficient, since technically Blackie and his companions were victims. Searching the residence of a victim could easily be dismissed by the judge as unnecessary for the investigation, and therefore denied. Moreover, it was late at night; even if a judge was willing to get up and sign the warrant, it would take too long, and by the time the process was complete, those inside might already have left the clinic.

Still, there were ways around this. Ao Xi found a public phone booth and dialed 911, claiming that a murder might have occurred in the dental clinic. He reported that several Black men had entered the premises, some visibly armed, and that harrowing screams could be heard from within, urging police to conduct a welfare check.

The dispatch center immediately assigned the task to someone brought in by Carlis, since several police cars were already nearby.

Carlis instructed the other officers to circle around to the back of the clinic. Once they were in position, he and Ao Xi strode to the front door and pounded on it. "Los Angeles County Police! Is anyone there? Open up!"

His shout at the door prompted a sudden flurry of noise from inside—clattering and hurried footsteps.

"What's that noise? I suspect something's happening inside. Prepare to breach the door!" he said theatrically, drew his pistol, and signaled Ao Xi to break in.

Ao Xi had no clue how to properly breach a door, so he simply raised his foot and kicked the wooden door hard. The door, not built to withstand such force, broke after two kicks.

Guns drawn, the two entered cautiously, seeing blood spatters trailing across the floor, pooling in the living room, then leading toward one of the bedrooms.

A commotion suddenly erupted from the back of the house.

"Police! Don't move! Hands up!"

"Let me see your hands!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Pop! Pop!

Carlis and Ao Xi exchanged glances, quickened their pace toward the bloodstained bedroom, trusting their comrades' professionalism.

Ao Xi took the left, positioning himself for attack, pressed against the wall beside the door, and nodded to signal his readiness.

Carlis kicked open the door and ducked aside.

He shouted as he rushed in, "Police! Hands up!"

"Officer, I've had my hands up the whole time," replied a voice.

Ao Xi looked inside to find a surgical bed. A Black man lay upon it, blood streaming from his body, while two others who had presumably been waiting for their turn were sprawled on the floor nearby.

A white man in casual home attire stood with his hands raised, showing Ao Xi he was unarmed.

Carlis approached, forced him down, and cuffed him. "Do you have a medical license?"

"Of course I do. I graduated from a legitimate medical school."

"Graduated from a legitimate medical school, yet you do this?" Ao Xi checked the wounded Black men; they had nearly bled out, no longer capable of any resistance.

The doctor shrugged. "Interning at a hospital takes years, and the pay is low. Most of the time you don't get much practical experience. But look at me now—I've got my own clinic, plenty of surgical opportunities, patients aren't too picky, and they're generous with the money. It's the perfect job."

He almost sounded reasonable.

Carlis hauled him aside. "All right, you're suspected of practicing medicine illegally, unauthorized use of controlled substances, and abusing patients. You'll explain yourself to the court and the judge."

The doctor didn't seem angry. Sitting on the floor, he relaxed and pondered his next move.

Ao Xi wanted to search the man's drawers, but Carlis stopped him. "We don't have a search warrant, so don't touch anything. Even with a warrant, you can't open drawers or cabinets that don't meet the search criteria—it's a violation of civil rights."

He scoffed; Americans always made things so complicated.

Outside, officers brought in one man under escort and another carried on a stretcher. "These two tried to escape through the window and were caught. One of them fired at us, so we returned fire and wounded him."

"Good job. Request backup and medical aid."

Carlis approached the uninjured Black man. "Were you at a marijuana farm near Deodar Road tonight and attacked by gunfire? Was it Lomas 13 who assaulted you?"

The man said nothing.

Carlis didn't press further, simply left the room.

"Why did you stop questioning him?" Ao Xi followed.

"His silence means I was right."

"That doesn't count; you need evidence."

"No need. Their boss will send someone to bail them out. I'll just meet the person responsible for the bail when the time comes. That's all I can do."

At least he understood his limits. Ao Xi saw that Carlis had a handle on things and felt relieved.

Before long, backup and ambulances arrived, but the three Black men in the bedroom, including the one on the surgical bed, died on the spot from delayed treatment.

The wounded escapee turned out to be fine.

Frankly, these Black men weren't worth much, but the doctor was a goldmine. He had money, and the fines from his case could be substantial. The police department had been busy lately, officers working overtime and funds running low.

After a hectic night, nearly dawn, Ao Xi returned to the station, lay on a cot, and struggled to sleep. He listened to the others bragging.

One told how a domestic dispute escalated, and when one party pulled a fruit knife, he fired a rubber bullet that struck the man's crotch—nearly rendering him infertile.

Another recounted a man high on meth who mistook his girlfriend from Hawaii for a demon, fought her, killed her, then attempted magical first aid—bleeding her with a knife, stuffing a golf ball into her stomach, trying everything. She didn't come back to life, and when the drugs wore off, he panicked and fled.

A third recalled a Chinese rapist who was identified by a unique trait during the assault. Years of herbal medicine had left him with severe halitosis, which allowed the victim to recognize him instantly. The rapist jumped bail and was still at large.

"How come I never encounter these kinds of weirdos?" Ao Xi couldn't help but ask.

"You haven't been a cop long enough. Stick around; you'll meet all sorts."

Ao Xi scratched his head. "Honestly, I'd rather deal with normal suspects. At least it wouldn't mess with my mind."