Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

Morning of January 4th.

Larsen Pawnshop.

A black Challenger was parked by the roadside as Luke and David got out of the police car.

David laughed, "You know what? I suddenly felt like we were partners again, haha."

"Spare me, I don't want to clean up after you again." Luke waved his hand.

"But you have to admit, you've learned quite a bit from me, haven't you?"

Luke retorted, "Kicking down doors?"

"Haha..."

Both of them laughed.

Luke scanned the surroundings and focused on Larsen Pawnshop, saying, "We've arrived."

"I bet it's definitely a fence." David said and took the lead towards the pawnshop.

The United States is the only country in the world that had pawnshops even before it was founded, and they've always paralleled banks.

After over two centuries of ups and downs, the United States has become the most developed country in the global pawn industry.

Many pawnshops engage in illegal activities, such as fencing stolen goods.

People like that usually have gang affiliations, and generally, the police won't touch them.

If you bust a fencing operation today, a new one might appear the next day.

So, as long as they don't go too far, the police rarely launch a full-scale crackdown.

Inside the bulletproof glass counter of Larsen Pawnshop, an old white man was sitting, watching Luke and David enter the shop, and asked, "Good morning, gentlemen."

David flashed the badge at his waist, "LAPD!"

The old man put on his glasses and looked at Luke and David, asking, "Officers, what brings you to our pawnshop?

If you want to pawn something, I'll certainly give you the best price."

David took a photo out of his pocket and placed it on the counter, "Have you seen this watch?"

The old white man picked up the photo, looked at it, and shook his head, "No, I haven't seen it."

David cracked his neck, speaking sternly, "Listen up, I'm not here for a routine inquiry.

We've got information that the watch is in your pawnshop.

If you lie, we'll apply for a search warrant. You should know the consequences..."

Most pawnshops, directly or indirectly, engage in gray activities and can't withstand a search.

The old white man picked up the photo again, examined it carefully, "Wait a minute, I'm not here every day, it might have been someone else who took it, I'll check the pawn records."

David grunted, "Don't keep me waiting too long."

The old white man went to the side of the counter, opened the computer, and after some operation said, "Yes, I found the record.

A few days ago, our pawnshop did indeed acquire a watch. I was on vacation at the time, and I wasn't in charge."

"When was this?"

"December 29th."

"Who pawned it?"

"No record."

"Then think carefully; don't give me that crap about not being there, understand?" David's tone was unfriendly, beginning to run out of patience.

The old white man thought for a moment, answering, "I remember the pawners were two Black people, a man and a woman, both quite young.

The guy was wearing jeans and a hoodie in a gray jacket.

The woman had a big afro and a very full figure.

That's all I remember."

Luke glanced at the ceiling, "Do you have surveillance here?"

The old white man shook his head, "No.

However, the convenience store next door has surveillance; you can try there."

David waved his hand, "Bring out that watch."

The old white man said, "I don't know why you're investigating that watch, but the watch was bought legally, we paid for it..."

"Shut your filthy mouth!

The watch was a keepsake of an officer.

That officer died, and his keepsake appeared in your pawnshop.

I have enough reason to suspect that his death is related to your pawnshop." David waved his hand and told a nearby subordinate, "Take this old man back to the station."

"Wait, I'll bring you the watch right away." The old man immediately caved in, hurried back to the shop, and returned after a while with an exquisite box. Inside the box was a Rolex watch with a green dial.

David took the watch and asked, "How much was this watch pawned for?"

"Five hundred US dollars."

David cursed, "You old crook, that's daylight robbery!"

He was sure that the old white man knew it was stolen property when he bought it, and said with some disdain, "Take this sly old fox back to the station."

The old white man was somewhat intimidated, "I've already given you the watch."

"If I let you off so easily, Jones would surely be unhappy." David instructed a nearby subordinate, "Interrogate him well, maybe he knows who pawned the watch."

"Understood, I'll take good care of him for Boss Jones."

...

Later, Luke went to the nearby convenience store to pull up the surveillance from December 29th and saw a Black couple that matched the suspect descriptions, taking screenshots of their facial features.

Even with the relatively clear images, they still couldn't identify their identities.

Luke had the images sent back to the station for comparison with the facial database.

David asked, "What do we do now?"

Luke replied, "Facial recognition and comparison will take some time, let's investigate other leads first."

"Come on, by the time the facial recognition database matches, the suspects might have already fled.

"I have a better idea."

"What idea?"

"Come with me." David waved his hand and shouted to the crowd, "Guys, get in the car.

Let's pay a visit to some friends from a nearby gang."

After David got in the car, he made a right turn at the intersection ahead and after driving a bit further, he turned into a narrower street.

On both sides of the street, many vehicles were parked, and there were clusters of Black people chatting, smoking, and barbecuing.

As several police cars drove into the neighborhood, they immediately attracted the attention of many onlookers. David parked in front of a bar, then jumped out of the car, looked at the gathered crowd, and said with a smile, "Good afternoon, bastards.

Come over, line up in two rows, so I can get a good look at you."

The other officers also got out of their cars one after another, each wearing bulletproof vests, holding weapons, and watching the gang members around cautiously.

The faces of the surrounding Black people showed dissatisfaction, and they cursed, "Fuck! You're the bastards, why are you on our turf?"

"We're not cowards and aren't afraid of anyone."

"You damn baldhead, shut your filthy mouth."

"This bastard looks so arrogant, can someone tell me who he is?"

The commotion attracted more people.

A bald Black man smoking a cigar came out of the bar, looked at David and his group, with a grave expression on his face, "Isn't this Deputy David?

Why such a big spectacle all of a sudden?

I hate it when someone causes trouble on my turf, and so do my brothers.

How about you put away the weapons and have a drink inside the bar?"

David teased, "You wouldn't water down the drink, would you?"

"You'll find out if you come in and try."

"If it doesn't taste good, I'll smash the bar." David smiled, gave some instructions to the surrounding officers, and then entered the bar with Luke.

The cigar-smoking Black man breathed a sigh of relief, looked at Luke, "What should I call this officer?"

David said, "His last name is Li, he's my partner." Then said to Luke, "This is Douwda Burke, who runs this area."

The cigar-smoking Black man led the two to the bar counter, and whispered, "Deputy David, I respect you, and I hope you can respect me a bit more.

If there's something, can't you contact me privately?

Why such a big spectacle?"

"Jones is dead."

Douwda Burke's mouth dropped open, "Dead! Is it true?"

"Do you think I need to make such a low-level joke with you?"

"My God... this is too..." Douwda Burke didn't know how to express it, took a deep breath, "What do you need me to do?"

David took out photos of two suspects, "These two people are mixing on your turf, help me find them."

"Why are you looking for them?"

"These two bastards sold Jones's watch to Larsen Pawnshop.

I suspect they are connected to Jones's death."

Douwda Burke took a sharp breath, looked carefully at the photos, "Sorry, I don't recognize them."

David tapped the photo with his finger, "Help me find them."

"I can try, but I can't promise."

"Fuck!

Don't play games with me, don't think I don't know your connection with Larsen Pawnshop.

If you can't find these two bastards, you know what the consequences are."

"But I really don't know them?"

"Then go find them."

"Give me some time."

"How long?"

"Two days."

David wiggled his finger, "I only give you one day, by tomorrow morning, I want to see these two bastards.

If you can't find them, you know the consequences.

No conditions, just do as I say."

"The time is too tight..."

"Then go do it now, waiting for your news." David finished speaking, got up and left the bar.

Luke also stepped out of the bar, glancing around at those gang members, but didn't see anyone resembling suspects.

Douwda Burke watched the two go out, was silent for a long time, his face changing again and again.

A Black man wearing a gold chain came in, "Boss, those damn cops are gone."

Douwda Burke suddenly grabbed a glass from the bar and smashed it hard on the ground, "Fuck! That damn baldhead!

I'll get him sooner or later!"

The Black man with the gold chain asked, "Boss, should we do something?"

"Gather all the brothers."

The Black man with the gold chain was shocked and asked, "Boss, are you planning to... go to war with those police?"

Douwda Burke gave him a sharp look, "That's right, I plan to have you carry TNT to blow up the Los Angeles police station.

What do you think?"

The Black man with the gold chain took a step back, said a bit awkwardly, "Boss, you're really joking."

"You idiot."

Douwda Burke picked up the photos on the table and threw them at his face, "Get the brothers to find the people in the photos, immediately, right now!"