Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

Orty looked at the man before her, a bit unsure of his true intentions.

If all of this was arranged by Luke, then sending the thief he had dispatched to jail was playing a very risky game.

While a ploy of self-sacrifice can be effective, it easily implicates the instigator unless Luke's network had infiltrated every department of the police system.

Orty scarcely believed Luke had such expansive power, which also conflicted with what she had gathered.

Moreover, using such hefty resources against himself seemed like an overreaction and an impractical loss no matter how one looked at it.

To suggest it was all coincidental and Luke was unaware didn't sit right with Orty either.

She had meticulously planned the operation, only to be bested by a man who hadn't lifted a finger, which only added to her frustration.

No matter the scenario, with that phone call, she had been placed in a reactive position.

As a detective, it was unwise to confront the police head-on.

If defeated, one had to be prepared to face the consequences.

Orty pulled out a business card and handed it to Luke, "Let me introduce myself again, Orty Dean, I am a detective."

"Pinkerton Detective Agency." Luke seemed to hear about it for the first time, showing a surprised expression, "Did someone hire you to investigate me? Who is the employer?"

"There's no employer."

"You think I would believe that?"

"There really isn't an employer." Orty leaned forward, her ample bosom swaying with the movement.

"Then why are you approaching me? Purely out of a secret crush?"

Orty laughed, "If I say yes, would you let me go?"

"What do you think?"

Orty shrugged, only continuing, "Have you heard of our detective agency?"

"Of course, quite renowned."

"Our detective agency, aside from recruiting regular detectives, also hires individuals with capabilities or extensive criminal investigation experience as consultants, such as senior police officers or FBI agents, a tradition that's been around for almost a hundred years.

Naturally, before hiring these people, we conduct the appropriate investigations."

"You're investigating me?"

"Yes, our agency wants to hire you as a consultant."

This, Luke truly hadn't anticipated, "I hardly count as senior police leadership, do I?"

"We've done some research on you. You are competent and valued by your superiors, sure to become a top-ranked officer in due course. We are investing in your future.

Like stocking buying, the earlier the stake, the higher the return."

Luke smiled, finding the remark somewhat opportunistic, but he appreciated the straightforward communication.

"What's in it for me?"

"Plenty of benefits.

The simplest one is that, just by being listed as a consultant in our detective agency, even if you do nothing at all, you would still earn two hundred thousand US dollars a year as a consulting fee."

Luke didn't believe in easy money, "What's the point of me being a nominal consultant?"

"Our clients vary, and so do the cases, necessitating different types of detectives," Orty shifted her sitting posture, crossed her long legs, and explained,

"Like with suits, they're all for keeping warm and covering up. A cheap one might only cost a few hundred dollars, an expensive one several thousand dollars, and the truly wealthy prefer tailor-made suits.

All are suits, but the attached value differs; some people like them expensive and unique.

Though you're not in a very high position yet, having cracked several major cases — the congressman murder, school shooting, vampire killing, Las Vegas shooting, and the recent George incident —

Your reputation precedes you.

Our detective agency has many high-end clients who don't appreciate hundreds of dollars suits; they seek tailor-made, and they value their time, wanting the most capable detectives to handle their matters.

To them, money is just a series of numbers."

Luke pondered, "My primary job is in police service; I don't have much energy for side jobs."

"Like I said, you're not an average detective; you're a consultant we want to hire.

If a high-end client desires to employ a consultant of your caliber, we will recommend them to you, and whether to accept the commission will primarily depend on your decision.

Our detective agency and you are in a cooperative relationship; we're simply leveraging your reputation.

If you refuse the commission, it just means the client didn't offer enough; we'll assign another detective.

Back a step, if a client can offer a million US dollars as a commission, I believe you wouldn't refuse — it's a win-win scenario."

"What if I take the consulting fee, but continuously refuse commissions?

Wouldn't you be at a loss?" Without clarity, Luke was wary of accepting seemingly hot money.

Orty smiled, "The standard of a high-end suit store is to have professional fashion designers.

If a client wants a tailor-made suit, the store must provide such a service.

If not, the client will perceive the store as not upscale enough, losing part of the high-end clientele.

The prestige of offering tailor-made suits attracts plenty of potential clients.

Similarly, the price of a tailor-made suit is much higher than a regular suit.

If a client can't afford it, it only shows they're beyond his financial reach; it doesn't mean our store isn't upscale enough.

We'll recommend a suit that fits his budget.

We then use the money made from selling suits to employ designers, who even if they don't produce a single suit, still add value to the store.

It's mutually beneficial."

Luke understood; the other party valued his associated benefits such as fame, experience, and influence...