บท 2: Chapter 2 Colleagues
The Los Angeles Police Department is organized into 21 districts, which are further grouped into four command areas known as sub-bureaus: Central Branch, Southern Branch, Western Branch, and Valley Branch. Additionally, there are two special precincts: the Detective Bureau and the Special Operations Bureau.
The Detective Bureau focuses on criminal investigations, similar to the Criminal Investigation Detachment of the Municipal Public Security Bureau in China, though it operates more independently. Luke is a detective in the Detective Bureau's Robbery-Murder Division, often referred to as the serious crime team.
A black Harley-Davidson motorcycle roared into the police station. Luke removed his helmet and stared at the station building with mixed emotions. The role of police in China differs greatly from that in Los Angeles, making his transition challenging. In China, the police symbolize honor and protection, a group Luke felt proud to belong to. Conversely, the LAPD is just a well-paying job with the added risk of being shot. Luke struggles with the idea of sacrificing for Los Angeles citizens and knows it will take time to adapt.
At 8:59 in the morning, Luke entered the Robbery-Murder Division's 1st Squadron office, which is divided into five areas: office, lounge, conference room, pantry, and captain's office. As he quietly made his way to his desk in the southwest corner, his presence did not go unnoticed by his colleagues.
"Look who's finally here, right on cue like a big star," a bald, thirty-something white man said, pointing to the clock.
Luke responded with a middle finger. To survive in the LAPD, one couldn't afford to be polite.
The captain's office door opened, and a middle-aged white woman with black-rimmed glasses emerged, carrying a stack of documents. "Everyone, meeting in the conference room," she ordered. This was Susan, the captain of the Robbery-Murder Division's First Squadron. Luke had never seen her smile since joining the LAPD; she always had a poker face, which did not endear her to him or the rest of the team.
Luke was the last to enter the conference room and took a seat at the end of the table. Susan placed the documents on the table and moved to the whiteboard, which had "Taser Robbery" written on it.
"Since February 18, there have been two robberies in Los Angeles, both occurring on Friday nights and involving Taser guns," she began. "The similarities between the cases suggest it's likely the same perpetrator. Deputy Team Vincent, please update us on the investigation's progress."
Vincent, a silver-haired veteran in his sixties, responded, "The two victims were young white women with long blonde hair, about 170 cm tall. Both were shocked from behind with a Taser, but no confetti was found at the scene..."
A Taser is a non-lethal weapon that shoots charged darts to subdue targets. Each shot releases over 40 multicolored scraps of paper with the gun's serial number, which helps trace the weapon's source.
"Besides their appearance, the victims have no known connections. According to their descriptions, the suspect is likely a man wearing a hat, but his features were unclear due to low lighting," Vincent continued. Despite his age, Vincent had extensive investigative experience, though he was no longer expected to chase suspects.
"The crime scenes were remote. The female victims were found naked, with all their valuables taken but were not physically assaulted," Vincent explained. Luke, despite his reluctance, couldn't help but analyze the case out of professional habit. The suspect's unclear motive puzzled him; taking the victim's clothes seemed unnecessary and increased the risk of capture.
After Vincent finished, tasks were assigned. Luke was given the job of reviewing surveillance footage, his least favorite task. Captain Susan, with a hint of a London accent, sternly reminded everyone, "No one is to disclose case details to the media. They already know too much. I don't want to see any more information in the news. Understood?"
"Yes, captain," they responded.
Luke took a coffee to his desk and began watching the surveillance footage. In the United States, the fewer public surveillance cameras compared to China made this investigative method less effective. Most cameras were privately owned, complicating the investigation.
Reviewing footage from the two Friday night robberies between 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m., Luke speculated that the timing might relate to the American pay schedule, with many receiving weekly or biweekly paychecks on Friday afternoons. Though just a guess, it lacked solid evidence.
Luke spent the morning reviewing video, consuming three cups of coffee, making two bathroom trips, and smoking two cigarettes. At noon, he had a beef burger, fries, a fried chicken leg, and a grilled chicken wing. By 6:30 p.m., with no valuable clues and only sore eyes and a numb backside to show for his efforts, it was time to leave.
As Luke packed up, a bald white colleague by the printer remarked, "You're better than my alarm clock. How about that for a nickname?"
Luke quipped back, "Alarm clock? Want to put me by your bedside? Your wife would definitely move on."
"Asshole," the bald man retorted.
"Don't always praise me; I'll get a big head. See you tomorrow, everyone," Luke said, leaving the office. His colleagues, used to overtime, watched with various expressions as he departed. The silver-haired Vincent sighed, "The robber might strike again tomorrow, but that kid doesn't care. Why is he still in the 'robbery-murder division'? Does he think it's a nursing home?"
"Haha..." Laughter echoed.
"He's always been a jerk, but he used to be more attentive in cases," the bald man added, pointing to his head. "Maybe it's post-traumatic stress from his head injury."
Vincent shrugged, "Let the captain worry about it. I'm just a deputy."
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