Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

The bartender said, "Mr. Ronald Banerbert, our boss heard about George's situation and sympathises with his predicament. He would like to have a chat with you in the back."

Ronald exaggerated his expression, "Guys, did you hear that? The infamous Rogel wants to have a chat with me.

This is an honor."

After that, Ronald stood up and followed the bartender Arch out of the front of the bar.

Under the lead of the bartender Arch, the two walked towards the back and arrived at the bar's back door.

It was then that Ronald felt something wasn't right, "Arch, didn't you say we were going to see Mr. Rogel? Where are we going?"

"Exactly, Mr. Rogel is waiting for you at the back door."

Upon hearing this, Ronald turned to run but was caught by Arch, "It's impolite to stand someone up without cause, the boss will be upset."

Arch opened the back door and pushed Ronald out.

Ronald looked at the dimly lit back alley where three burly black men were waiting for him by the door, eagerly advancing towards him. Ronald instinctively stepped back two steps, "I... came to see Mr. Rogel."

The response he got was a severe beating from the three burly black men.

"Ah..."

Ronald howled in pain from the beating, "Why are you beating me? Let's talk this out, why do you have to do this?

Murder, help me."

Still no response, just a beating.

It wasn't until Ronald was beaten to a pulp, bloodied, and lying on the ground unable to get up, that the crowd stopped.

Bartender Arch approached, "Ronald, do you realize what you did wrong now?"

"If Mr. Rogel says I'm wrong, then I must be wrong, but could you tell me what it is? I'm willing to change."

The bartender said, "Is that stack of twenty-dollar bills yours from today?"

"Yes."

"Why did you deceive me with counterfeit money? Do you think I'm a fool?"

"Counterfeit money? That's not counterfeit money, there must be some misunderstanding."

The bartender pulled out a twenty-dollar bill, "This is the money you gave." He tore it up and threw the bill onto Ronald's face.

Ronald picked up the blood-stained bill, "Fuck, how can it be plain paper, that bastard George got me into this." Then, Ronald clung to the bartender's legs, "Please listen to my explanation, this isn't my money, I took it from George's house. I didn't know it was counterfeit, otherwise, I wouldn't dare to do such a thing even with ten times the courage."

"Where did George get that money?"

"I don't know."

"Pay back the bar tab you owe within half a month, or you're a dead man.

Understood?"

"I understand."

"Can you do it?"

"Yes, I can."

"Hey, what are you guys doing?"

A voice came from the shadows in the alley; Little Black and Luke stepped out, badges hanging on their chests.

"Officers, he just fell by accident, we were just about to help him up."

"Looks like quite a fall," Luke approached and asked Ronald, "Did you fall on your own?"

"Right, it was my own fault, my own, and thanks to them for helping me up."

"Good, there are still more good people in this world."

"Officer, I want to report a crime," the bartender said.

"What happened?"

"This guy ran up a tab of several hundred dollars at our bar, all with counterfeit money."

Luke looked towards Ronald, "You used counterfeit money?"

Ronald glanced at the bartender and nodded, "Yes, I did."

"Where did you get it?"

"Took it from my brother's place."

"Who is your brother?"

"George Banerbert."

"Do you know that using counterfeit money is illegal?"

"I know, but I didn't know those were counterfeit. I swear."

"No matter whether you knew or not, you used counterfeit money. Come with us."

"Okay, I'll come with you." Ronald agreed readily; it was safer to go with the police than to stay here.

"No, no, no, that won't do; you'd better wash your face at the bar, we'll wait for you at the front door of the bar."

"I don't need to wash my face, I'm fine." Ronald didn't want to enter the bar again.

Little Black said, "It's not for you to decide. Don't think about getting into my car without cleaning that dirty face."

"Officers, leave it to me, I'll help him wash up," the bartender volunteered eagerly.

"You really are a helpful person, no wonder your bar does so well.

Ronald, see you in a bit."

Luke and Little Black returned to their car.

Luke asked, "Has your friend found any trace of Derek yet?"

"No news yet. There are many 14 or 15-year-old black kids involved in the streets, it's not easy to find."

Luke thought for a moment, "Then add two more characteristics, the kid throws money around and may be carrying a large amount of twenty-dollar bills."

...

Luke and Little Black took Ronald Banerbert back to the detective bureau.

He laid out his speculations.

The whole affair started to piece together.

The reason Kunni'er, who was financially strapped, suddenly had money was that he accidentally came into a sum of counterfeit cash. It was also this windfall of fake currency that brought him to the attention of George and Jamie, who attempted to murder him.

Kunni'er's good friend Derek was also somewhat involved with the sum, and he too faced pursuit from the two, his fate still unknown.

Later, George, high on drugs and alcohol, was stimulated and was caught using counterfeit bills at a supermarket.

Luke had secured George's identity through forensic sketching.

Afterward, Jamie had his nurse girlfriend attempt to assassinate George at the hospital, which Luke and Little Black fortuitously interrupted.