Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

To be precise, Luke had once found a key in the handbag robbed from Henrik Laurie, which happened to unlock the same door lock.

Luke searched the two robbers and found a key in the pocket of the long-haired robber, identical to the one he found in the handbag robbed from Henrik Laurie.

This was interesting.

Why did Henrik Laurie have a key to this door lock?

Luke sighed softly, realizing that matters involving politicians always became more complicated.

After clearing his thoughts, Luke walked out of the room and saw Henrik Laurie sitting by the roadside, drinking coffee.

Luke approached and greeted him, "Mr. Henrik Laurie."

Henrik Laurie placed the coffee cup aside, stood up, and said, "Officer Lee, thank you again for saving me.

The next time I see the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, I must have a drink with him."

Luke nodded, "Mr. Laurie, can you tell me about the situation when you were kidnapped?"

"Of course, that night...

It should be said it was the early morning of December 11th, yes, I will always remember that day.

Because it was a critical time in the election, I was under a lot of pressure and often couldn't sleep.

The same was true that night; I couldn't sleep, felt restless, and so I wanted to find a place to have a couple of drinks.

Afterwards, I left the hotel alone and took a cab to a nearby bar.

The bar's environment was just average, but the atmosphere was very relaxed, which improved my mood quite a bit. Because I had to work the next day, after having a drink, I was ready to return to the hotel to rest.

As it turned out, as soon as I stepped out of the bar, I was robbed.

They took my money, watch, and phone, and I was worried they might kill me.

Luckily, they were only after money and let me go.

I was so frightened at the time that I kept running into a nearby alley, where I saw a car parked with two men smoking beside it.

I ran up to seek help, hoping to borrow their phone to call the police." Henrik Laurie paused for a moment, sighing, "However, something unexpected happened.

Those two recognized me and asked if I was Henrik Laurie. I said yes.

I thought they would help me...

But they held me at gunpoint, shoved me into the car, and then I was knocked out.

When I woke up, I was already captured and brought to this house.

They made me call my wife, demanding a ransom of two million dollars, and they said if I dared to call the police, they would kill me."

After hearing his description, Luke felt it was half-true. Without mentioning other things, the bit about the call girl wasn't even brought up, and Luke didn't point it out, finding it meaningless.

"How many robbers were there in total?"

"I only saw two."

"Do you recognize the two people who subdued the robbers earlier?"

"No, I don't."

Luke took out a photo of Will Stott, "Do you know him?"

Henrik Laurie glanced at it and swallowed, "He looks kind of familiar, yes, I saw him in the bar, we even talked for a bit."

"Did he know you were Henrik Laurie?"

"Yes, he said he was a supporter of mine, also stating that I would definitely win the election, so I treated him to a drink.

He's a good person."

"Do you think he has anything to do with the kidnapping?"

"How could that be? We just ran into each other by chance.

He had nothing to do with the two who kidnapped me."

Luke stared at Henrik Laurie, pressing further, "Did you know him before?"

"No, I didn't."

"You've never seen him before?"

"No," Henrik Laurie shook his head, glancing slightly to the side.

Luke had been watching him closely, sensing that Henrik Laurie showed signs of lying.

He likely knew and had met Will Stott before.

But why didn't he admit it?

Could it be that Will Stott knew some of his secrets? Perhaps that's why Will Stott was killed.

"Officer Lee, can you take me back to the hotel?

My wife must be eager to see me."

Luke replied, "I'm afraid not yet. We need to go back to the station for a statement.

Once that's done, I'll have someone take you back to the hotel."

"I'm a bit tired now. Can I go to the station for the statement tomorrow?"

"I'll have a room prepared for you at the station," Luke said, then turned to Jenny, "Take Mr. Henrik Laurie back to the station to rest."

Jenny gestured invitingly, "Mr. Laurie, please come with me."

Henrik Laurie nodded, somewhat resigned, glanced one last time at Luke, and then got in the car and left.

Luke then called over a member of the tech team, pointing to the paper cup Henrik Laurie had just used to drink coffee, "Take this cup back for analysis."

"Alright, Captain Lee."

...

The following morning.

Robbery and Murder Department, First Interrogation Room.

The deputy and Little Black entered the interrogation room one after the other, facing a white man handcuffed to the interrogation chair; it was Logan, who appeared at the kidnapping scene last night.

The deputy scrutinized him and asked, "What's your name?"

Logan looked at the two, nonchalantly, "Haven't you already checked that out?"

"That's right, you're a murderer," the deputy imposed a label on him without any courtesy.

"I was carrying out a mission."

"A mission from a mental hospital?"

"No, I'm Logan Burnham, an operative from the Department of Homeland Security's Special Operations unit, assigned to rescue Henrik Laurie.

I did it.

Your people followed us and tried to steal our credit. How despicable."

"You should know that the case of Henrik Laurie's kidnapping is under the jurisdiction of our detective bureau."

"So what?

I didn't stop you from investigating, but evidently... we were a step faster in rescuing Henrik Laurie."

"How did you find the kidnappers' location?"

"We found out, and it's none of your business."

"We discovered two million US dollars in the robbers' room; where did it come from?"

"OK, it's no problem telling you.

The robbers made a ransom call to Henrik Laurie's wife, and Mrs. Laurie informed us about it.

We installed a tracker in the box with the money during the transaction...

The rest you already know."

The deputy took out a photo of Will Stott, "Do you recognize him?"

Logan Burnham thought for a moment and shook his head, "I don't know him."

"In the early hours of December 13, he was shot dead at home, and his body was placed in a freezer.

And the bullet that killed him was fired from your gun.

How do you explain that?"

Logan Burnham sighed, "I remember now, this person also made a ransom call to Mrs. Laurie, claiming they had kidnapped Henrik Laurie and demanding a ransom.

Then, I tracked him to his house, intending to rescue Henrik Laurie, but couldn't find Henrik Laurie's whereabouts.

He had a weapon at the time, and we shot to protect ourselves."

"How many times did he demand ransom?"

"Twice, ten thousand US dollars each time."

"How was the ransom paid?"

"I handed the money to him directly."

"Why didn't you track him to his house the first time?"

"Lost him."

"Kidnapping a future governor and only demanding twenty thousand US dollars, isn't that too cheap?"

"The ransom was set by the other side, we had no reason to raise the price."

"So why demand it twice?"

"I don't know."

"Also, why take the ransom face-to-face, wasn't the robber too careless?"

Logan Burnham shrugged, "So, he's a fake robber, just trying to swindle some money."

The deputy still felt something was amiss, he had dealt with too many kidnapping cases, and this way of demanding ransom seemed irrational.

...

At the same time, in the Robbery and Murder Department's lounge.

Henrik Laurie was sitting inside, holding coffee, staring at the window outside, lost in thought or dazed.

"Creak..."

The lounge door opened, Luke and Jackson walked in.

Henrik Laurie stood up and asked, "Officer Lee, can I go back to the hotel?"

Luke waved the document in his hand, "Sorry, we need to finish the statement first."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

The three sat at the lounge desk, Luke stared at him and asked, "What's your name?"

Henrik Laurie laughed, "So formal?"

"Yes."

"Henrik Laurie."

Luke looked serious, "I mean your real name?"

'Henrik Laurie' was stunned, "If I'm not Henrik Laurie, who else could I be?"

"I'll ask again, what's your name?"

"If you doubt my identity, you can call my wife here."

Luke shook his head, "Stop holding on to false hope, only you can save yourself now."

"I don't understand what you mean, maybe I need to get a lawyer."

"Your lawyer or a lawyer Mrs. Laurie gets?"

"Does it make a difference?"

"If Mrs. Laurie knows you scripted and directed the kidnapping case, what do you think she'll do?"

In just a few sentences, 'Henrik Laurie' started sweating from the sides of his forehead, swallowed, and said, "I don't like this joke."

"Remember the coffee cup you used early in the morning? We did an analysis."

'Henrik Laurie' sighed lightly, "We look almost identical, how did you find out?"

"We caught the person who robbed you outside the bar, recovered your watch and wallet, the wallet contained a key.

It's the key to the house where you were hidden.

Do I need to go on?"

'Henrik Laurie' bit his finger, "Does Mrs. Laurie know about this?"

"Not yet."

"Please don't tell her, if she knew I messed up this matter, they'll definitely kill me."

Luke repeated the previous question, "Who are you?"

"Henrik Laurie's stand-in, Farrek Burr."

"Where is the real Henrik Laurie?"

"He's sick, just had surgery in New York."

"How long have you worked for him?"

"Half a year.

Mostly help him attend events he considers dangerous or meaningless."

"Why stage this kidnapping?"

"I'm tired of this life, I don't want to be limited, don't want to be someone's stand-in, I want to live freely.

Also, I need some money.

So I seized this opportunity, but the plan didn't go smoothly, started with running into an acquaintance at the bar, then got robbed right after leaving.

Even more depressing, the media reported my disappearance, causing everyone to know about the kidnapping." Farrek Burr sighed,

"If it weren't for the media's big coverage, I'm sure Mrs. Laurie wouldn't have reported it, as long as she obediently handed over the ransom, everything would be solved."

Luke smiled, "You're right, Mrs. Laurie indeed wouldn't report it.

But he might have Special Service agents directly eliminate you, like they killed your two companions."

"She wouldn't, her husband's body hasn't fully recovered yet, she needs me to hold the fort.

Once this matter is over, I'll naturally leave."

"Then you'd still not get the money."

"You're right, I still imagined them as too kind."