Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

Steven was taken away by the lawyer.

Marcus shrugged, "Just let him walk away?"

Susan said, "The photo wasn't taken by Steven, and according to California law, there's no reason to detain him."

Jenny asked, "Does he have a motive?"

"A motive can't be used as evidence," Susan remained serious.

Luke was also somewhat frustrated; such a thing wouldn't have happened with lawyers involved back home.

If Steven had a motive, he would have been interrogated directly and clearly.

With Steven suspected, further investigation was needed.

If there was no issue, he would be cleared of any wrongdoing, allowing the police to redirect their focus and speed up the rescue of Alyssa.

But California has its own laws, which aren't suited for Los Angeles.

David sighed, "I deliberately provoked Steven just now, and his emotions didn't seem feigned—I could feel his affection for his wife."

"I think… Alyssa's disappearance is likely unrelated to him."

After David finished speaking, he turned to Luke, "What do you think?"

Luke shook his head, "I don't have a wife."

The deputy chief chuckled, "Captain, what do we do next?"

"Everyone should investigate independently, review the clues again, and find the common traits among the three victims; perhaps we'll discover new clues." Susan dropped a line and headed back to the captain's office.

The deputy chief pursed his lips, with a look that said he knew it all along.

David asked, "Deputy chief, do you have any ideas?"

"If the captain doesn't have any, what new ideas could I possibly have?"

"Come on, everyone knows you're sharp and full of fight, don't be modest now."

The deputy chief pulled a comb out of his pocket and tidied his hair, "From the current clues, the key person is still Tony Will. He bought the modified taser, regardless of who the robbery suspect is, it can't go around him, so there must be some connection with him.

If Tony himself is the suspect, then he must also have certain connections with the victims, so now, we are focusing our investigation on the relationship between Harry, Steven, Alyssa, and Tony.

Of course, the focus is to investigate Steven."

Matthew said, "I've already checked before; Tony doesn't seem to have any direct contact with these three."

"Right, maybe not as 'Tony,' but remember, 'Tony' is just a false identity he's used for twenty years; the other party has a real identity. What if he used his real identity to connect with these three?" the deputy chief summarized,

"Thoroughly investigate the relationships around these three people and see if there's anyone who might be Tony Will."

"Yes, captain."

"It's deputy chief, don't make me correct you again."

...

Evening.

Luke arranged to meet Daisy at the Flying Bar.

After several interactions, Luke felt pretty good about Daisy.

To put it bluntly, he was fascinated by her body.

He'd had girlfriends in his previous life, but he'd never dated a foreigner.

He was quite looking forward to it.

Eight o'clock.

Luke met Daisy at the entrance of the bar.

Daisy was dressed in a black business suit, which though being work attire, couldn't hide Daisy's graceful curves, but she looked somewhat tired.

"Sorry, made you wait for me again."

"I just arrived too, let's go in," Luke said.

The two entered the bar and found a small table for two.

Luke ordered two drinks and a fruit plate, and the waiter also got them some complimentary snacks.

Of course, a tip was essential.

Being in Los Angeles, this was the first time Luke had thought about flirting.

Different countries, cultures, races—Luke's old methods of flirting might not work here.

He was still figuring it out.

"Do you come to this bar often?"

"I live nearby, so sometimes on my way home from work, I stop for a drink to soak in the vibes of everyday life."

"That doesn't sound like something a woman in her twenties would say."

Daisy smiled, "What about you? Do you often work overtime?"

"I used to work overtime a lot, but I got injured a while back, and it made me realize that there's more to life than work. Now, I try to avoid overtime unless there's a special situation or a major lead."

"Does your captain mind? I've only met her once, but she seems pretty strict."

"You hit the nail on the head. I'm actively trying to prove to her that I can get my work done without overtime. It seems to be working alright so far."

The waiter came over with a tray, serving a small fruit plate and two glasses of wine.

"cheers." The two of them clinked glasses.

Daisy put down her glass, "By the way, how's the Taser gun robbery case going? Oh, if it involves confidentiality, you don't have to say."

Luke ate a slice of orange, "The case is more complex than I imagined. We have identified a few suspects, but we don't have direct evidence of their involvement yet. It's at a standstill right now."

Daisy asked, "Can you confirm that the suspect Tim who robbed me isn't involved in the Taser gun robbery case?"

Luke nodded, "He has alibis for the first two Taser gun robberies."

"I can't believe my luck is so bad that I get targeted by a robber just stepping out."

"You might just be too dazzling."

Daisy raised her glass, "Anyway, thanks for arriving in time, or it would have been really embarrassing."

Luke also raised his glass, "To your tire, which brought this twist of fate our way."

Daisy laughed, joking, "Yeah, I'm thinking about getting it its own insurance."

"Haha…" Luke laughed.

Afterward, the two fell into a brief silence.

Luke found another topic, "How have the last couple of days been? Any suspicious people bothering you?"

"No, but… after working all day, coming home alone at night feels a bit unsettling."

"Then you should consider getting a roommate."

"I still prefer living alone."

Luke felt a bit disappointed, "Then install a surveillance system."

"I don't like surveillance. It makes me feel like I am the one being watched, which makes me even more stressed."

It's a very American idea, but Daisy's concern is valid; hackers can indeed monitor people this way.

"Then use some simple tricks."

"Like what?"

"For example, put a subtle thread across the doorway, check before entering your home to see if the thread has been moved.

If the thread has fallen or moved, it could indicate someone has been inside. It's not foolproof, but it's quick, easy, and cost-effective."

Daisy pondered, "That sounds pretty good, I'll give it a try."

"Hey, if you ever find yourself in a suspicious situation, you can always call me."

"Thanks."

After chatting for a while, Luke offered to walk Daisy home.

They strolled along the streets and arrived at Daisy's house.

Daisy's home was a two-story villa, dark and somewhat scary for someone living alone.

"Do you need me to walk you inside?"

"No need, thanks for bringing me home," Daisy spread her hands, seemingly a bit embarrassed, "I'll take you out for a drink another day."

"Not inviting me in for a cup of coffee?"

Daisy smiled, pursing her red lips, "I was thinking about it, but I have a court session early tomorrow morning and should rest soon…"

"Work's important, I understand. Go inside, you career woman."

"bye." Daisy waved and went inside.

Once inside, Daisy turned on the light and waved at Luke from the window.

Luke waved back and walked away.

"Ding dong…"

Daisy sent him a text, "See you tomorrow."