Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

Villon Apartment, Room 305.

"Look up." Luke stared at the other person and asked, "What's your name?"

"Theo Holden."

Luke took out a photo of Henrik Laurie, "Have you seen him?"

Theo Holden glanced at the photo, turned his head away, "Haven't seen him."

"Where were you between two and three in the morning yesterday?"

Theo Holden raised his eyebrows, "I can't remember."

"Then think carefully."

"I should've been home, yes, I was home."

"Lying is not a good habit." Luke took out the surveillance video from outside the bar, "Is this you?"

Theo Holden looked nervous, stared at the video for a moment, and then relaxed, "Come on, the surveillance didn't even capture the face clearly, and you want to accuse me with this."

Luke walked behind Theo Holden and said, "Although the video didn't capture your face, the tattoo on the back of your neck was clearly visible."

Theo Holden raised his voice, "A lot of people have this tattoo, you can't convict me based on a tattoo alone.

I'm still saying, you've got the wrong person."

Luke walked over to the bedside table, opened the drawer, and took out an exquisite watch, with a dark green dial and black strap, clearly very valuable.

Theo Holden's eyes widened, "Hey, put down my watch, don't rummage through my drawers."

"Your watch?"

"That's right."

"Is this apartment rented?"

Theo Holden hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure why Luke would ask this, "What does that have to do with you?"

"This watch could buy this apartment."

"So what? I just like freedom, I like renting places all around instead of being confined to one place, it's my freedom, and even this you police want to control."

Luke ignored him and continued, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be a limited edition Patek Philippe, with a special serial number on the back of each watch that can easily trace the buyer's information."

Hearing this, Theo Holden was obviously feeling guilty.

Luke continued, "Where did you get this watch?"

"Found it."

"Where did you find it?"

"Near the Nasim Bar."

"To be precise, you found it on Henrik Laurie, didn't you?

Tell me, where is Henrik Laurie?"

"I don't know..."

"Then why do you have his watch?"

"I...

I saw him in the alley behind the bar, I told him I was tight on money.

He was a kind person and offered me the watch."

Luke didn't believe his story, but he didn't expose him immediately, and continued to ask, "What else did he give you?"

"He knew I needed money and also gave me his wallet."

"Where is it?"

"In the drawer of the wardrobe."

Blackie walked to the wardrobe, opened the drawer, and found a black wallet, pinched it, "The leather's nice, a brand name, no wonder you couldn't throw it away."

Blackie opened the wallet, and there was only a credit card and a key inside.

Luke took the wallet and asked, "Whose credit card is this?"

"Henrik Laurie's."

"And the key?"

"I found it in the wallet; it should be his too."

Luke picked up the key and examined it, looked like a door key, then handed it to Blackie, "Keep these safe."

"Where did Henrik Laurie go after he gave you these things?"

"I don't know either, I left first.

However, I left him twenty dollars for a cab."

Luke felt a bit amused and waved his hand, "Take him back to the station."

...

December 13th, morning.

Robbery and Murder Department office.

Luke, holding a cup of coffee, walked to the office area, leaned against the table, and gathered everyone for a meeting.

"Guys, let's discuss yesterday's investigation progress."

The deputy team leader said, "Last night, I interrogated Theo Holden, whom you brought back. That kid is probably just a robber and doesn't know the whereabouts of Henrik Laurie.

I've seen lots of bad kids like him, seeing a fat sheep like Henrik Laurie would definitely want to fleece him.

But he wouldn't go as far as to kill him."

Blackie said, "Previously, we thoroughly investigated the alley near the bar, it's a complex network connected to many streets, and there are many places without surveillance, making screening very difficult."

Jackson said, "Actually, I think after Henrik Laurie was robbed, he most likely wouldn't run into the depths of the alley because it could be even more dangerous there.

Logically, he should run to the street to seek help or catch a cab."

Blackie countered, "But the bar's surveillance didn't show him returning to the street to catch a cab."

Jackson said, "I looked carefully at the bar surveillance, the captured range isn't large.

Henrik Laurie was robbed near the bar, he might instinctively think the bar is dangerous.

I think he might have moved away from the bar area to a slightly further place to catch a cab.

I think we should thoroughly screen the vehicles near the bar during that time."

Luke nodded, "That can be a direction for screening."

Raymond said, "Yesterday we investigated the identity of the man drinking with Henrik Laurie at the Nasim Bar, a guest at the bar recognized him.

According to the bar guest, he is called Will Stott, also a regular at the bar, and lives in the nearby Okey community.

Additionally, we checked Will Stott's records, he has a history of theft and violent crime."

Luke said, "Raymond, Jenny, Port, you come with me to visit this drinking companion of Henrik Laurie.

"The others continue to track Henrik Laurie's whereabouts."

"Yes, sir."

...

The Oak Kai community.

This is an old neighborhood, mostly consisting of dilapidated bungalows, with small yards filled with clutter.

A car stopped outside a gray bungalow, with a small yard in front. On the left was a used black Toyota, and on the right, some worn-out furniture and overgrown weeds, leaving only a narrow path.

Jenny remarked, "I didn't expect the future governor to have such a 'frugal' friend."

Port shrugged, "Maybe the future governor didn't expect to have another 'friend' either."

Luke ignored their wordplay and walked over to the old model Toyota car to check it, finding nothing unusual inside nor in front of the car.

He then walked toward the gray bungalow, the steps creaking under his feet.

"Knock, knock…" Port rapped on the door.

There was no response.

"Hey, is anyone home?"

Still no response.

Luke walked around the house and saw that all four windows were open. He could glimpse inside and saw the house was a mess with no one in sight.

Luke wrinkled his nose, "Do you guys smell anything strange coming from the house?"

Jenny came over and sniffed through the window, shrugging her shoulders, "It's a bit smelly. The owner hasn't cleaned in a long time."

Port also came over and sniffed, "Smells like a bachelor's place."

Raymond frowned, "Disinfectant."

"Exactly, that's the smell," Luke nodded and said to Port, "Jump in through the window and unlock the door."

Jenny softly reminded, "Captain, we don't have a warrant."

"Judging by the current situation, Will Stott is likely in danger. The matter is urgent. Considering Will Stott's safety, we need to go in and search first."

"Yes, sir."

Following Luke's order, Port jumped into the house through the window, opened the door from the inside, and let the three of them in.

As soon as Luke entered the room, the smell of disinfectant grew stronger, and he thought that the open windows in the house were likely to let the smell out.

Luke became more certain that something must have happened in this house.

"Everyone spread out and search, don't miss any clues."

Raymond went to search the bedroom.

Port searched the bathroom.

Jenny went to the kitchen.

Luke stayed in the living room.

The living room was a mess, cluttered with various items and unwashed clothes, with some kitchen waste in the kitchen.

The cabinet in the living room also showed signs of being rifled through, as if someone was searching for something.

This further confirmed Luke's suspicion that something had indeed happened here.

"Fuck!"

Suddenly, a shout came from the kitchen.

Luke drew his gun and walked towards the kitchen, "Jenny, what happened?"

Raymond and Port also came over, guns in hand.

"Sorry, it's nothing dangerous.

I shouldn't have overreacted." Jenny waved her hand, signaling the three to put away their guns.

Luke, however, did not relax. Jenny was not an ordinary woman; she was a female detective, and ordinary things wouldn't scare her.

Luke walked into the kitchen and saw Jenny standing by the freezer. He approached and saw a face hanging with frost, completely bloodless.

Jenny shrugged, "I opened the freezer and suddenly saw a face staring back at me.

Sorry, guys, I overreacted."

Port came over and consoled, "That expression was indeed terrifying; I would have been startled too. You handled it well."

Raymond also came over and patted Jenny on the shoulder.

Luke looked at the cold face and said, "It's Will Stott."

Jenny asked, "We just found his whereabouts, and now he's dead. Isn't that too much of a coincidence?"

Port replied, "That means our investigation is on the right track. He should be related to Henrik Laurie's disappearance. Someone didn't want us to find Henrik Laurie's whereabouts, so they silenced him."

Luke thought about it and felt Port's idea had some merit.

If Will Stott was indeed related to Henrik Laurie's disappearance, then his appearance in the bar that day was not a coincidence but a deliberate meeting or reconnaissance with Henrik Laurie.

Henrik Laurie left the bar and accidentally encountered Theo Holden's robbery.

Afterward, Will Stott's gang kidnapped Henrik Laurie.

In the past few days, Raymond had been investigating Will Stott at the bar, probably leaking the information, leading to Will Stott being silenced by his partners.

This reasoning does make sense, but it still lacks evidence.

Luke ordered, "Carefully search the room, see if we can find clues about Henrik Laurie…"

Before Luke could finish speaking, the door was pushed open from the outside, "Will, are you home? I'm coming in."

Luke placed his right hand on his gun and walked out of the kitchen, seeing a thirty-something white woman in a light blue dress, made up, as if she had dressed carefully, walking in through the door.

"Wow, guests at home.

Are you friends of Will?" Without waiting for Luke to answer, she answered herself, "No, you don't look like his friends.

Who are you?"

Luke showed his badge, "LAPD!"

The white woman pouted, showing a disappointed expression, "What did Will do this time? I saw this coming."

Luke countered, "What's your relationship with him?"

"I'm his girlfriend, no, more accurately, his ex-girlfriend."

"Since you're the ex-girlfriend, why come to his house?"

The white woman shrugged, "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Luke pointed to the kitchen, "I'd love to ask him myself, but he won't get the chance to speak now."

"What do you mean?"

The white woman's mouth opened wide as she quickly walked into the kitchen, looking towards the direction of the freezer. Her face showing a terrified expression, she let out a shriek,

"Ah..."