Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

Luke started dealing with the lobster on his plate.

Hamidi Shawn finished the food on his plate, took another tour, and grabbed some more food.

This time, he didn't gobble it up like before, but ate while chatting with Luke.

"Luke, can I call you that?"

"Of course, my friends all call me that."

"I know you're a famous detective in Los Angeles. Can you tell me about the most bizarre case you've solved?"

Luke laughed, "Trust me, you wouldn't like it. Investigating isn't like novels or TV shows; it's quite boring."

Hamidi Shawn shrugged, "Have you ever protected someone before?"

"No, actually I'm better at catching murderers."

Hamidi Shawn "..."

Are you cursing me?

Luke took a sip of orange juice and asked, "Have you ever done dock business before?"

"No."

"Since you know dock business is complex, troublesome, and can even bring danger, why did you take it on?"

Hamidi Shawn lifted his collar to reveal a scar on his shoulder, "Buddy, I wasn't born into a wealthy family, and I have no family or parental support.

I've faced a lot of challenges along the way, and trying to break through the current class, how could I not take risks?"

Luke didn't say anything more, wasn't he the same?

Although Luke now has some savings, at most, he is just a relatively affluent middle class, not truly wealthy.

After dinner, Luke explored the cruise ship and understood its situation from various aspects.

This cruise ship is a luxury one, different from ordinary ones with thousands of passengers. This one has only three hundred passengers, with nearly two hundred staff, providing excellent privacy for a leisurely vacation.

The cruise ship has a bar, casino, swimming pool, cinema, all kinds of entertainment activities at your disposal.

Especially those guests on the ninth and eighth floors, if not rich, then noble.

After inspecting the cruise ship, Luke did not find anything unusual.

According to his estimation, it should be safe here until the next port arrives tomorrow morning.

So he took this time to relax and had a spa massage in the afternoon on the cruise.

The massage was done by a young Black girl, with strong hands and decent technique. After the massage, a hot bath made him feel completely relaxed.

In the evening, Luke went to the restaurant on the third floor.

Compared to the buffet restaurant on the second floor, the third-floor environment is quieter.

There are French, Italian, Turkish, Japanese cuisines, and Chinese food available.

Luke chose the Italian restaurant, even though he was alone, he wanted to eat something good.

Luke picked a window seat, outside the window was the sea, with only lights near the cruise ship, the distance was pitch black.

A waiter brought a menu to Luke, "Sir, are you alone?"

"Yes." Luke took the menu and ordered a few dishes he liked, along with a bottle of red wine.

At this moment, an elegant blonde white woman walked to Luke's table, "Mr. Lee, I didn't expect to see you here."

Luke looked up at her and immediately recognized her as Penny Finn, Lilith's sister, whom he had met once at the Bagus Club.

Their relationship wasn't good, and Penny seemed to want to make an alliance with Luke, buying a sketch from Luke for fifty thousand US Dollars.

It is hard to hit a smiling face, and Luke didn't want to get involved in the sisters' feud.

Luke stood up and smiled, "Miss Finn, a pleasure to see you here. Would I be honored to invite you to dinner?"

"You are quite a gentleman." Penny sat opposite Luke.

A waiter brought a menu to Penny.

While looking at the menu, she asked, "Are you traveling alone?"

"No, I'm with a friend. How about you?"

"I came with my husband.

He went to have Japanese food with friends, I'm not a big fan.

The other day, my husband saw your sketch and really liked it, said he wanted to meet you, the great artist."

Luke laughed, "Glad your husband didn't think I was a fraud."

Penny chuckled and asked, "Have you been staying in New York recently?"

"Yes."

"Then you must know about the New York dismemberment case, the poor mayor's wife was a good person, I met her not long ago."

Luke wasn't sure how she defined "good person," but from what he heard about the wife playing poker with a Black man behind her husband's back, it was hard for him to feel sympathetic.

"I came to New York to assist the FBI in investigating this case."

"Oh my, you're the one who solved the mayor's wife's murder case!" Penny was first surprised, then relieved, "Of course, you're the most famous detective in Los Angeles, and you happened to be in New York. It seemed like a coincidence.

Can you tell me about the case? Why was the mayor's wife murdered? I heard her arms were cut off, and she wasn't wearing clothes when she died? Was she violated?"

At this moment, Penny's usual elegance was gone, and she was no different than ordinary gossip-loving women.

Elegance was just for strangers; the scandal of the New York mayor's wife was enough to reveal her true nature.

"Sorry, I signed a confidentiality agreement." Luke brushed it off. Although the mayor's wife was dead, the mayor was still alive. Regardless of how their relationship was, they were model spouses after death, and he didn't want to speak carelessly.

"She was my good friend, I just want to know more about her." Penny was evidently a little disappointed.

The waiter started serving the dishes, which were exquisitely made and tasted good.

Penny raised her glass to Luke, "Thank you for the dinner."

"The pleasure is mine." Luke took a sip as well.

Penny pointed her glass towards Luke and said, "Have you been busy with work lately?"

"So-so, is there something you want?"

"Recently, I obtained a treasure map, but I don't have any treasure-hunting experience and would like to invite you to join the search. Are you interested?"

Luke looked at her with a faint smile.

"Wow, I know what you're thinking, that I'm imitating Lilith, being low-end. But that's not the case. I'm not a clown who just mimics others, nor do I stoop to do so."

Luke didn't say anything, just held his wineglass and watched her.

Penny continued, "After Lilith came back from treasure hunting, Grandfather was pleased.

At first, we thought Grandfather was like an old child seeing his favorite toy.

Later, I thought carefully, it might not be like that.

Treasure hunting is just a pretext.

The key is the adventurous spirit, which is the Finn family's ancestral teaching.

Grandfather's main goal is to ensure we don't lose our adventurous and enterprising spirit and become family leeches who only know how to enjoy ourselves.

Do you understand what I mean?"

"So you mean, it's not that you want to imitate Lilith and curry favor, but your grandfather wants the family members to learn from Lilith and make treasure hunting adventures a coming-of-age ceremony for the family."

"You're right, although Grandfather hasn't said it explicitly, I can feel he's pushing this.

I want to organize a treasure hunt adventure.

Lilith was just a fluke; I'm the first to respond to Grandfather's decision." Penny looked at Luke, speaking earnestly, "Luke, besides my husband, you're the second person to know about this.

I'm sincerely inviting you to participate."

"Penny, thank you for your trust.

But I'm afraid I can't join you on your adventure."

Penny seemed surprised by Luke's straightforward refusal, "Don't you want to know about my treasure hunting plan? It's a large fortune."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm a law enforcer, not an adventurer!"