Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

Lilith sighed deeply, feeling somewhat depressed.

The advantage of being born into a large family is living a life without material worries, being able to live freely. However, with many people in the family, competition is fierce.

There are over a dozen siblings in Lilith's generation, and to gain the family's support and more say, one must strive and demonstrate sufficient capability.

If you lack ability, you can only end up as a rich second-generation doing nothing.

At just over twenty, Lilith didn't want to start a retirement life now. Follow current novels on novel_fіre.net

This matter must be resolved quickly and properly.

"Tap, tap..." The sound of footsteps came from outside.

A curly-haired man wearing a police badge walked into the auction hall. In his thirties and not very tall, his expression looked somewhat serious.

"Miss Finn, I heard you hired a detective?"

"Hello, Detective Chief Yaro." Lilith put away her phone and smiled, "You have quite the scoop. I did indeed ask someone to help find the stolen auction items, but it's not hiring a detective, just asking a friend for help."

"Miss Finn, is there something about my work that dissatisfies you?"

"No, as I said, he's my friend.

I just want to find the stolen auction item as soon as possible, that's all."

"OK, did your friend discover anything?"

"He said he was going to look outside, I'll call him back. I believe he hopes to talk to you too." Lilith took out her phone and dialed Luke's number.

But Luke didn't answer, and soon a young man with black hair walked into the auction hall, "Lilith, is there something you need?"

Lilith pointed to the curly-haired middle-aged man beside her, "Luke, let me introduce you, this is Detective Chief Nicolin Yaro from the Canyon Division.

Detective Chief Yaro, this is my friend, Luke Lee, whom I asked to look into the case."

Nicolin Yaro looked at Luke, slightly frowning, "Are you Captain Lee from the Robbery and Murder Department?"

"That's me, hello, Detective Chief Yaro."

"Sir, I'm glad to meet you in person." Nicolin Yaro shook hands with Luke.

"Just call me Luke. Miss Finn is my friend. I'm just here to help in a private capacity; solving the case is still your responsibility."

"Yes, sir." Nicolin Yaro responded, then looked at Lilith with a smile, "Miss Finn, I'm surprised you managed to get Captain Lee to help."

Lilith teased, "It's not easy to ask for his help; I had to beg him for quite a while before he agreed to come.

However, having him here is indeed reassuring."

This was slightly uncomfortable for Nicolin Yaro to hear, but he had to accept it; he couldn't afford to offend either of them.

Luke took the initiative to ask, "Detective Chief Yaro, can you talk about the progress of your investigation?"

"Of course." Nicolin Yaro didn't have much to hide from Luke—firstly, because his rank was higher, and secondly, the Robbery and Murder Department deals with major cases and wouldn't compete for such credit.

"Last night, we arrived at the club at nine-thirty, checked the identities of those present, and found that during the power outage, two employees and six guests left the venue.

One employee went to the power room to check the situation.

The other employee went to the restroom.

The other six guests each had their own reasons.

Those who left during the power outage are highly suspicious.

The current investigation difficulty is that, due to the power outage, the cameras stopped working, and we couldn't capture whether these people carried suspicious items when they left.

We can only verify through the statements of those present, but after the power outage yesterday, the venue was very dark and chaotic, and no one can describe the situation in detail. This is one of the investigative challenges." Nicolin Yaro glanced at Lilith, "Moreover, Miss Finn hopes that during our investigation, we do not disturb the guests as much as possible, which also slows the progress of the investigation."

Luke asked, "Do you have any prime suspects?"

Nicolin Yaro answered, "Yes, the employee who went to the restroom during the power outage and two guests left alone, unable to prove whether they carried suspicious items when they left, while other guests left together and can corroborate each other's alibis, making them slightly less suspicious."

Luke said, "From the current situation, the theft of the auction items should be a group crime, not ruling out the possibility of accomplices giving false testimonies."

"I've also considered this. Since the power outage was caused deliberately, it shows one suspect was in the power room cutting the power, and another was committing the crime in the auction hall, who, after the power outage, stole the enamel on the auction stage and swiftly left the auction hall."

Speaking of this, Nicolin Yaro sighed, "We checked the fingerprints in the power distribution room, but found no suspicious biological materials. It's likely the perpetrator wore gloves during the power outage."

Luke pondered for a moment, "Was the auction venue thoroughly investigated? Is it possible that the suspect did not take the auction item initially but hid it somewhere, planning to retrieve it secretly after everyone left?"

"Impossible. We thoroughly examined the auction venue and checked all possible places to hide the enamelware, ruling out that possibility," Nicolin Yaro said, looking at Luke, "Captain Lee, we've identified key persons for investigation but lack crucial leads and evidence, slowing the investigation progress.

You have extensive case-handling experience, and I'd like to hear your suggestions."

Luke surveyed the auction venue, "I've been wondering whether the suspect, after stealing the enamelware, didn't leave the scene at all."

Nicolin Yaro asked, "Then how would they have taken the enamelware out?"

Luke pointed to a nearby window, "Passed it through here to an accomplice."

Nicolin Yaro walked over to the window and pulled on it forcefully, "I considered that too, but the window's gap is fixed. The largest opening is 6 inches, and the circumference of the enamelware is 9.5 inches; it can't get through."

Luke looked at Lilith, "Help me find a bottle similar in size to the enamelware and a woven bag."

Lilith went outside and gave instructions to an employee. Not long after, the employee came running back, holding a transparent glass vase.

Lilith took the vase and walked into the auction venue, asking, "Luke, will this vase do?"

"It'll do." Luke took the vase to the window. The vase's circumference was approximately eight or nine inches, indeed unable to pass through the window gap.

Then, Luke covered the vase with the woven bag and smashed it on the ground. The glass vase shattered with a cracking sound, easily passing through the window gap.

Luke clapped his hands, "The vase is out, but the person is still in the auction venue."

Lilith furrowed her brows, "But the vase is broken, and even if the enamelware was stolen, it would be worthless now.

What would be the meaning for the suspect to do this?"

Luke said, "I'm just providing an investigative idea."

Nicolin Yaro looked out of the window slightly and said calmly, "Captain Lee, your investigative idea is interesting, but if no related evidence is found, speculation remains just speculation."

Nicolin Yaro wasn't very convinced by Luke's hypothesis. Such reasoning that prioritizes results and crime skills is common in detective-themed films, while the police emphasize the suspect's motive and evidence.

Generally, thieves commit crimes for profit, but once the enamelware is broken, it's worthless. Doing so doesn't make sense.

"Come with me." Luke led the two downstairs, precisely to the area below the auction venue's window.

Directly below the window was paving stones, and next to it, a green lawn. Luke squatted on the stones, pointing to the muddy patch of lawn, "Detective Yaro, take a look at this?"

Nicolin Yaro squatted down to examine, showing surprise on his face. He then put on gloves, picked up a green shard from the mud and asked Lilith, "Miss Finn, is this a fragment of the enamelware vase?"

Lilith came over to examine, nodding slightly, "From the color and texture, it looks like an enamelware fragment." Finishing, Lilith exclaimed, "Could Luke's hypothesis be correct, that someone really smashed the enamelware and threw it out the window?"

Nicolin Yaro also looked at Luke. He had heard of Luke's name before, but only heard. Achieving the rank of detective chief requires ability, inevitably carrying some pride.

However, Luke quickly deduced the suspect's method after examining the scene and found crucial evidence, which impressed him.

Luke continued, "It not only rained last night, but also thundered and lightninged. I think the suspect wrapped the enamelware with a bag, waited for the thunder to smash the enamelware, and during the chaos after the power outage at the auction site, everyone didn't notice this.

Later, the suspect threw the bag containing the enamelware out the window. It's possible the bag wasn't tied tightly, causing some enamelware fragments to fall out.

It was dark then, and the suspect's accomplice might not have noticed this point, or if they did, given the urgency at the time, they could only take the bag with the enamelware away first.

I just found these porcelain shards while checking around, which led me to think of this method."

Nicolin Yaro followed by saying, "Then why did the suspect do this?"

Luke shrugged, "I don't know, you'll need to investigate that yourself."

Nicolin Yaro rubbed his chin, pondering, "You mean, the person who stole the enamelware never left the auction venue, and my investigation direction was wrong, in turn overlooking the real thief."

Luke laughed, "Detective Yaro, I haven't spoken to anyone related to the case. So I'm just offering a thought for investigation; however you determine to conduct the investigation is up to you."

Nicolin Yaro stated solemnly, "Thank you, Captain Lee, your investigative idea is crucial to me.

I will have people carefully inspect the area around the porcelain fragments and verify this possibility meticulously."

"Awaiting your good news." Luke smiled and left with Lilith.

"Thank you, sir."