Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

Carson Community.

Outside a gray-roofed, white-walled bungalow, a young white man is repairing a wooden fence.

The white man is about twenty years old, wearing headphones, humming a song, holding a hammer in his right hand, tapping on the wooden fence.

"Humming..."

Two cars are parked by the roadside.

Luke and Jack get out of the front car, Jackson and Port also get out of the rear car and stand by the roadside, keeping watch.

After looking around, Luke gazes at the young man fixing the wooden fence, "Hey, can we talk?"

The white young man doesn't respond, possibly due to the headphones, or maybe he just doesn't want to engage.

Jack walks to the eastern side of the yard, waves his hand, and yells, "Hey, can you hear me?"

The white young man puts down the hammer and removes his headphones, "Sorry, I was listening to music just now, is there something you need?"

Jack looks him up and down and asks, "Are you Milko Moss?"

"That's me." The young white man frowns, "Who are you? I don't think I know you."

Jack shows his badge, "I'm Detective Chief Marcus from the Robbery and Murder Department, and this is Captain Li."

The young white man stands up, "Robbery and Murder Department? What do you want with me?"

"Do you know Haida Cartman?"

Milko Moss hesitates for a moment, his expression shifting slightly, "No, I don't know her."

Jack smirks, "Are you sure? Lying isn't a good habit."

"Sorry, I have other things to do." Milko Moss picks up the tools and heads towards the garage.

Jack calls out, "Hey, we checked Milko Moss's call records and found you two have been in contact, care to explain?"

Milko Moss stops walking, "Why don't you go ask her?"

"She's dead."

"What?" Milko Moss's eyes widen in disbelief, "What did you just say?"

"She died."

"Oh my God!" Milko Moss covers his face with his hands, slowly squatting down, takes a deep breath, and after a long pause, chokes up, "When did she die?"

"August 24th."

"Damn, I thought..." Milko Moss bangs his head, "I'm such an idiot, I should have looked for her earlier. She's been dead so long, and I didn't know, I kept blaming her.

The one who deserves to die is me, it's me."

Milko Moss's shouting alerted the neighbors around, and Luke consoled, "We are also very sorry for Haida Cartman's death.

We are here to understand her situation and find out the truth of her murder.

If possible, we'd like to talk to you alone."

"Follow me." Milko Moss sighed deeply, stood up, and walked into the house.

Luke and Jack followed him inside.

Milko Moss didn't feel like hosting the two, plopped himself on the sofa, eyes red, seemingly still immersed in sorrow.

Luke sat on the sofa beside him, asking, "I can see you're very upset, can you tell us what your relationship with Haida Cartman was?"

Milko Moss looked at the TV cabinet on his right, where a photo of him and Haida Cartman was placed, "Our relationship was special... a bit like family."

Jack raised an eyebrow, "Family?"

"Yes, I think so."

Jack surveyed the living room, "As far as I know, this house was rented by Haida Cartman. Why did she rent a house for you?"

"That's none of your business."

Jack smirked, "OK, let's change the question. Why did you say you didn't know Haida Cartman when we first asked?"

Milko Moss shook his head, "Since August 24th, I haven't been able to contact her.

I thought... our relationship was a burden and trouble for her, thought she wanted to break off relations with me.

After all, for her... I wasn't a glorious part of her past."

Luke said earnestly, "Listen, Haida Cartman is dead now, some things don't matter to her anymore, but we need to understand her relationships to quickly find leads to her murder.

So, what was your relationship really?"

Milko Moss hesitated for a long time, "I...

She was my biological mother."

"What!" This time, Jack was surprised, "As far as I know, Haida Cartman is only 34 years old, how could she have a son your age?"

"You're right, she's turning 35 in two weeks, I already prepared a birthday gift for her, but..." Milko Moss spread his hands helplessly, "Everything I'm saying is true, whether you believe it is up to you."

Luke scrutinized Milko Moss, "How old are you?"

"18."

"So, Haida Cartman had you when she was sixteen."

"Yes.

At that time, she was still in school and had no means to care for me, so she sent me to a children's welfare institution...

That's why I say it wasn't a glorious past."

"Even if she doesn't want to associate with me, I can understand. After all, she already has her own family, and my presence... would be like a nuclear bomb exploding in her family."

Little Black pressed, "Haida Cartman's current husband doesn't know she had a child before?"

"Come on, she was only sixteen at the time, still a student.

My existence was a taboo, known only to her parents.

How could she possibly tell her spouse?" Milko Moss showed a hint of self-mockery, "Even now, she hasn't made up her mind, or doesn't have the courage to tell her husband.

Although she hasn't said it outright, I can feel that I'm still a burden to her.

So, after I couldn't reach her by phone, I subconsciously thought she wanted to end this relationship...

I can understand that.

But I didn't expect..." Milko Moss's eyes reddened, "Who killed her?"

Luke said, "We just found out Haida Cartman's identity today, we're not sure yet.

Do you know if she's offended anyone recently or if you have any suspects?"

"Actually, I don't know much about her life.

We haven't known each other for long, and she never told anyone else, not even her parents.

However, she was injured a while back; she was beaten by her husband." Milko Moss clutched his left fingers with his right hand, "She cares a lot about her husband, she's afraid her husband would not accept that part of her past, so she's never told her husband about me.

If her husband found out about this, he would definitely be very angry."

"Where were you between nine and ten o'clock last night?"

"Working as a waiter in a bar.

Haida helped me pay a year's rent, but I need to take care of myself going forward.

This is my first home, truly my own home, I don't want to lose it."

"Can you tell me the name of the bar?"

"Night Bar, it's at 302 Polit Street."

Luke noted it down in his notebook, "When was the last time you saw Haida Cartman?"

"It should have been August 24th."

"Did she seem unusual at that time?"

"She told me that her husband had sensed she was hiding something, even suspected her of having an affair.

She was planning to find a chance to tell her husband about me.

She hadn't contacted me, I thought her husband couldn't accept me and she chose her husband instead.

Looking back now, I should have sought her out, even if it meant being rejected, to ask face to face instead of being a coward," said Milko Moss, wiping his eyes, "Can I see her one last time?"

Luke said, "I don't recommend you do that."

"Why? Do you also think I have no right?"

"No, last night a fire broke out in Mogaro Forest Park, her body was burned."

Milko Moss showed an angry look, clenching his fists, "God, what kind of person would do such a horrible thing, why treat her like that?"

Luke handed him a business card, "Remember any new clues, you can call me."

"I will," Milko Moss said, taking the business card and holding it tightly.

Then, Luke and Little Black left Milko Moss's house.

Luke walked to the roadside but didn't rush to get in the car, his eyes looking at a black Mercedes several meters away.

Luke asked Jackson and Port beside him, "How long has that black Mercedes been parked there?"

Port thought for a moment, "About ten minutes."

"Don't you think that car looks familiar?" Luke tilted his head and ordered, "Search that car, be careful."

"Yes, sir."

Port and Jackson showed a cautious expression and quickly got into the SUV police car.

Port drove forward, blocking the front of the black Mercedes.

Then, Port and Jackson got out of the car, aimed their guns at the black Mercedes, and shouted, "LAPD!

Don't move, hands on the steering wheel!"

Jackson, holding his gun with both hands, walked forward, feeling the man in the driver's seat was somewhat familiar, and pulled open the car door, "Henrik Cartman, what are you doing here?"

"Don't shoot, I have no weapon!" Henrik Cartman raised his hands.

Jackson commanded, "Get out of the car. Slowly."

Henrik Cartman slowly got out of the car, displeasure in his voice, "Is it illegal to drive on this street? If it is, tell me whether it's federal law or state law?"

"Shut up!" Jackson shoved Henrik Cartman against the car, frisking him.

"I told you, I have no weapon," Henrik Cartman shrugged.

"What are you doing here?" Jackson's tone held a hint of dissatisfaction.

He hadn't noticed he was being followed, which made him feel a bit embarrassed.

Henrik Cartman glared viciously at Milko Moss's house, saying coldly, "I want to find the bastard who killed my wife and beat him up."

Luke walked over and questioned, "So the clues you previously provided, were they meant to make us find your imagined rival?"