November 17, 2001: The client and her parents died.
November 19, 2001: Confirmed that the client and her parents died of asphyxiation. Confirmed that the three of them drove to Zhao Family Lane in the suburbs of People's Celebration City on November 17, 2001, and hanged themselves from a utility pole at the intersection. Attached: photocopies of the police investigation report.
The photocopy included several photographs.
In the wide shot, three thick ropes had been tied to a straight utility pole. A middle-aged couple and a young man hung from them, their bodies pressed against the pole and their heads touching one another as they faced forward.
There were several close-up photographs.
There were close-ups of all three faces. Their eyes were open, and their mouths were stretched into exaggerated smiles, as if something were pulling at the corners. The corners of their mouths bore distinct wounds, and blood ran down their jaws to their necks.
The clothes they wore were exactly the same as those in the postcard.
There were no signs of struggle on their bodies. They had not been hanged very high. Their legs dangled naturally, their toes touching the ground.
The purplish bruises around their necks were horrifying. Signs of subcutaneous bleeding could be seen.
Besides photographs of the bodies, there were also photographs of the vehicle.
Their car was a common, inexpensive model. A few of their personal belongings were inside.
A postcard lay on the back seat.
There was nothing on the back of the postcard. It was blank except for a blurry red postmark, so faint it was almost invisible. The postmark was stamped over the postage stamp, obscuring the face on it. It looked as though the ink from the postmark and the stamp had mixed together, turning that little square into