Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

"Haha..."

Mike laughed, "I didn't expect to have followers even in prison. This damned society, it truly drives people crazy."

Amir said, "This follower is very familiar with your methods, techniques, and Blood Stain Symbols. It's likely someone you know well.

We hope you can provide some relevant clues."

Mike thought for a moment, then said, "Your FBI and the police are also very familiar with my methods. It's possible one of you leaked the information."

Amir "..."

Luke said, "We will conduct our own investigation into that aspect.

Our goal today is to get some clues from you."

Mike was silent for a moment, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed; there's no one like that around me."

Luke shook his head, "That's not the right answer."

Mike shrugged, "But that's the truth.

If you don't believe me, I have no way of proving it."

Luke asked a few more questions, but Mike was very dismissive and didn't provide any valuable clues.

The conversation time was up, and Mike was taken away by the prison guards.

Amir said, "I feel like this guy is hiding something."

Luke nodded, also noticing signs that Mike was lying. He likely knows something, but if he won't speak, it will be hard to get him to talk in the short term.

Mike is carrying the weight of several murders, labeled as a dangerous criminal, and will never leave prison for the rest of his life, making it hard for the FBI to offer conditions that satisfy him.

Of course, the FBI has ways to deal with him, but it's uncertain how effective they will be or how long they will take.

Frankly, this guy is like a pig who isn't afraid of scalding water, but the case can't wait.

Instead of wasting time on him, it's better to find more suitable investigative methods.

Since the murderer of Grace Bloomberg might be Mike's follower, there should have been contact between them.

Luke found the prison official and requested Mike's visitation and communication records.

If Mike won't speak, they can select the suspects themselves.

The two returned to the FBI Criminal Investigation Department and began inspecting the visiting surveillance and communication records.

...

Luke was buried in the investigation when the office door suddenly opened.

Negan Thomas, the supervisor, walked into the office and asked everyone, "How is it? Did you find any clues about the murderer?"

Michael said, "We have already tracked down the suspect vehicle driven by the potential murderer and are following it.

Luke and Amir visited Blood Hand Mike in prison and are screening the suspicious individuals who contacted Mike."

Negan Thomas still frowned and sighed, "Good job, but not enough."

Luke felt his expression was somewhat heavy and asked, "Supervisor Thomas, did something happen?"

Negan Thomas didn't speak, instead turning on the wall-mounted TV, which was broadcasting New York news.

[Hello, viewers. Welcome to the New York Times, I'm reporter Theo Wal.

I just received an explosive piece of news. On the evening of October 3rd, a murder occurred on Mount Most, and the victim was a female who may have been violated before her death.

It's said the scene was extremely gruesome, with the victim's arms being chopped off... too terrifying.

The identity of the victim is likely to be the mayor's wife...]

Negan Thomas closed the TV and spread his hands, "What do you think?"

Michael replied somberly, "It's obvious someone leaked the information, which puts us at a disadvantage."

Louise crossed her arms, asking, "Can we find out who leaked the information?"

Amir shook his head, "It's difficult. The police have also been to the scene and are aware of the situation. Although they're not responsible for investigating the case, they know no less than we do."

Negan Thomas said, "Leave the leak issue to me. I'll handle it and explain it to the mayor.

But the investigation needs to be accelerated. I don't want us to be led by the nose by the murderer as we were five years ago. One Blood Hand Mike is enough.

I'll assign more personnel."

Negan Thomas finished speaking and left the office without waiting for a response.

Amir said, "Although the journalist hasn't yet connected Blood Hand Mike with this, as more clues leak, someone will inevitably link the mayor's wife's death to Blood Hand Mike.

Five years ago, Blood Hand Mike killed over a dozen people, causing immense panic among New York citizens.

If related news spreads again, including the identity of the victim as the mayor's wife...

I dread to think of the uproar it would cause... our pressure will be immense."

Louise said, "I've been thinking the modus operandi of the Mount Most murder is remarkably similar to Blood Hand Mike's, possibly identical. Could it be the same murderer?"

Amir rejected, "Impossible, I just visited Blood Hand Mike in prison this afternoon. He couldn't be out committing crimes."

Louise shrugged, "I mean, is there a possibility we caught the wrong person back then?"

"Mike is just a scapegoat, the real killer is someone else."

Michael held his head, "Impossible, I participated in the operation to capture Blood Hand Mike.

We found the murder weapon at Blood Hand Mike's house, with the victim's blood on it, along with his fingerprints.

Moreover, we also found the victim's arm in his house.

These pieces of evidence are enough to convict him.

Additionally, the confession he gave during interrogation matches the situation at the scene."

Luke speculated, "Is it possible that the crime back then wasn't committed by just one person, and Blood Hand Mike had an accomplice?

It's just that this accomplice is more deeply hidden, and Blood Hand Mike didn't betray him.

Five years later, for some reason, this accomplice has committed a crime again."

Amir said, "If that's the case, Blood Hand Mike must know more than what he said today.

He might even have guessed the identity of the killer."

Michael's tone was a bit low, "Give me some time, I'll figure out a way to make that bastard talk."

Luke smiled, "Then let's split up and investigate, and see who gets progress first."

Michael said confidently, "It'll definitely be me."

…

At nine in the evening, Luke returned to his father's house.

Li Zhaofeng was busy in the kitchen, "Just in time, dinner is ready."

Smelling the aroma of the food, Luke was starving; he quickly washed up and returned to the dining room to eat, "Is Aunt Chen not here?"

"She went back to Fire Island, it's more than an hour's drive from here. It's very beautiful there, and there are a lot of good things to eat. She asked me to invite you over as a guest when she left."

Luke smiled, "Sounds good, but I'll have to wait until I have time."

"I know, you're a busy person." Li Zhaofeng served a bowl of rice and placed it in front of Luke.

Smelling the fragrance of the rice, Luke's stomach was already growling with hunger.

The table was laden with sumptuous dishes, like boiled prawns, a platter of donkey meat and donkey intestine, stir-fried large chili peppers, and carrots stir-fried with white fungus.

Luke picked up the rice bowl and started eating heartily.

Li Zhaofeng wasn't very hungry, started peeling shrimp, and put the shrimp meat into the dipping sauce, "I saw on the news today that the mayor's wife seems to have been killed, is that true?"

After eating half a bowl of rice to fill his stomach, Luke wasn't as hungry and said, "It's true, I came to New York to investigate this case."

Luke didn't deliberately hide it, as these news would eventually be reported; as long as he didn't disclose key information about the case.

Sometimes, family inquiries about the case might be out of curiosity; not saying a word would appear aloof.

After peeling the shrimp, Li Zhaofeng wiped his hands with a napkin, "I read on the news that the mayor's wife died horribly, the scene was particularly gory, even her arm was cut off."

Luke nodded, "Yes, that's true."

Li Zhaofeng remarked, "I often see this mayor's wife in the news, she was very prominent, with money and power, didn't expect to end up like this."

Luke said, "This case indeed has a big impact. Previously, the FBI had been keeping a lid on it; didn't expect the journalists to uncover it."

"Investigating this case must be quite stressful, eat more." Li Zhaofeng pushed the platter of donkey meat towards Luke.

"Yes, the attention from above is quite intense." Luke picked a piece of donkey meat and donkey intestine, mixed it with rice, and it tasted delicious.

Luke had a picky palate; he often ate other meats and wasn't that fond of them, but he liked donkey meat.

…

The next morning.

By a little after eight in the morning, Luke had already arrived at the FBI's Criminal Investigation Department.

Michael put on his jacket, preparing to go out, "Luke, you're just in time, I was about to go to the jail to talk to Blood Hand Mike.

Do you want to come with me?"

Luke shook his head, "If that guy wanted to talk, he would have done so yesterday."

"That just means your methods don't work." Michael chuckled and left the office with a few agents.

Luke and Amir met up and continued to study the materials brought back from prison.

During Mike's five-year imprisonment, he had correspondence with dozens of people. Although Luke didn't know the contents of the letters, he could identify the senders and thus determine their identities and investigate their details and backgrounds.

After some investigation, Luke and Amir narrowed down a suspicious person.

Tangji Bruns.

He was male, fitting the profile of the killer.

Shortly after Mike was imprisoned, Bruns began corresponding with him, continuing for five years.

Additionally, he also had records of visiting Mike.

Most importantly, Luke discovered that Tangji Bruns owned a black Lexus sedan, which is very likely the suspect vehicle seen at the crime scene.