North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws

This case was cracked, yet not completely. The stolen goods had mostly been found, but the thieves had disappeared.

The case had been handed over to Dean. Leslie, showing deference, refrained from issuing direct orders. Instead, he looked at Dean and said, "Detective Dean, what are your plans? I'll have my people cooperate with you."

Dean pondered for a moment before outlining his thoughts. "I have an idea that needs verification. For now, let's sort through the unclaimed items and see if we can find any information about their owners. Some silver dinnerware or special items often bear the owner's name, engraved as a formal touch. These customs originated from the traditions of European nobility in earlier times. But in modern times, some ordinary people also do this to appear more sophisticated."

With many people involved, the work progressed quickly. More than half an hour later, three sets of silver cutlery and a jewelry box were placed in front of Dean.

Portolia hadn't been completely idle. Pointing to the items, she explained, "The cutlery belongs to three families. They all ordered it from the same merchant and lived in the same residential area as the female victim who committed suicide. I've already contacted the homeowners. They're all out of town right now. The jewelry box belongs to a lady from the neighboring residential complex. She said she's currently on a business trip in Europe, and her husband is at home. However, her husband didn't mention anything about their house being robbed."

Dean took out a sheet of white paper and sketched a few lines, roughly outlining the surrounding residential areas. Then, using the layout he pictured in his mind and adding the locations of the households Portolia mentioned, he completed the map. Finally, he circled the location where the jewelry box was found.

"According to the report," Dean said, "the Wayne brothers actually stopped their thieving activities six days ago for some reason. Their last known location was the new residential complex where the victim lived."

Harry and Portolia looked puzzled; they didn't grasp the meaning behind Dean's words.

The white-haired Leslie stroked his chin. "Dean, are you suggesting the Wayne brothers are currently in the residential area where the suicide victim lived? That they got trapped there for some reason, then escaped and committed this latest crime?"

Dean nodded, then shook his head. "Yes, I'm quite certain they're still in that complex. However, people who've just escaped wouldn't be so relaxed as to immediately resume their criminal activities. I'm more inclined to believe they were captured, and whoever is holding the Wayne brothers coerced them into attacking that newlywed couple."

"This scenario isn't uncommon," Dean continued. "It's not unheard of for unlucky thieves, once caught by homeowners, to be subjected to indescribable torture, confinement, or even to disappear from the world entirely."

Additionally, the husband of the jewelry box owner also needed to be investigated. The Wayne brothers were sloppy thieves; if they'd robbed a house, it would be impossible for the homeowners not to know. So, Dean had to figure out why the man had chosen to hide this from his wife.

Nearly fifty households were currently living in the new residential complex. The scope of the investigation wasn't large, but it would be troublesome. They lacked a proper reason to request a search warrant from a judge. At best, they could knock on doors and make inquiries, a process that would undoubtedly consume a lot of time and risk alerting their targets.

However, Dean's line of thinking simplified matters. They just needed to ask the husband of the woman who committed suicide if he and his wife had made any enemies in the complex since moving in. Since they hadn't lived there long, any households with whom they'd had conflicts would likely stand out in his memory.

The four of them split into two groups. Dean took Harry with him, planning to first visit the owner of the jewelry box. Questioning the suicide victim's husband was left to Leslie and Portolia.

The jewelry box owner lived in a mid-range residential area. Houses here were priced at over three hundred thousand US dollars. It was an older neighborhood, and many public facilities looked somewhat run-down. Following the address, Dean and Harry arrived at the owner's home and knocked on the door.

Dean noticed a camera installed above the front door; it looked new, as if recently installed. The mailbox outside was overflowing with envelopes, and the front lawn was also somewhat unkempt.

Considering the female homeowner said her husband was always at home, did this mean the man of the house was somewhat... lazy?

After a moment's wait, footsteps approached from inside.

"Who are you?" a somewhat hoarse voice came from the intercom.

Fortunately, the husband was home.

Harry stepped back, took his badge from his pocket, and said, "Los Angeles Police Department, sir. We have a few questions for you. Could you please open the door?"

The man inside was silent for a moment before replying, "Just a moment."

The sound of a chain clinking against the doorframe followed, and then the door slowly opened, revealing a man with a somewhat haggard face. "I'm Aidor, the owner. What can I help you with?"

His complexion was sallow, his eyes sunken as if from lack of sleep. He was wrapped in a blanket and reeked of stale smoke and alcohol.

Dean scanned the man but didn't speak, letting Harry handle the conversation. His position would only get higher in the future. He couldn't possibly handle everything himself; he needed to cultivate competent subordinates.

Harry took out the jewelry box. "Sir, does this look familiar to you?"

Upon seeing the jewelry box, Aidor's expression flickered slightly, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Yes, that's my wife's jewelry box. Her name is engraved on the bottom. I... I lost it while cleaning a few days ago and have been worried sick. Thank you so much for finding it!"