Los Angeles Detective

 Early morning.

 The Palisades community.

 After a period of drying and ventilation, the house no longer smells bad, and the furniture and appliances are fully equipped. Luke has moved into this mansion a few days ago.

  The appliances and furniture Luke bought were all well-known brands and cost nearly 300,000 US dollars.

This is not a small amount of money, but you get what you pay for, and it is worth it to make your stay more comfortable.

 After reconstruction and renovation, the market value of this mansion has also increased, and the sale price can reach about US$12 million to US$13 million.

 Luke’s total assets are rising again.

The total price of the house is indeed a bit high, but the entire villa covers an area of ​​40,000 square feet, which is roughly equivalent to more than 3,700 square meters in China. The average price is not high. If it were replaced by a magical city that is also a first-tier international city, , I definitely can’t buy such a big villa at this price.

Of course, this comparison has no practical significance, but Luke was a Chinese in his last life, so he would still make comparisons habitually.

If you can have such a big mansion in Shanghai, you will be a truly rich person.

However, Luke is very satisfied with having a mansion of his own.

Luke was sitting in the courtyard of the mansion having breakfast. The sun was shining brightly, the birds were singing and the flowers were fragrant. The greening rate of the community was extremely high, and there was a fragrance of vegetation in the air.

Didn’t Luke work so hard just to enjoy this moment?

  Luke has a day off today, and it is also a kind of relaxation to make breakfast by himself, including coffee, milk, fried eggs, fried bacon, ham, oranges, and bacon.

Luke likes to eat Daliba recently, but what he eats is not the pure Daliba, but an improved version, which is not so sour, not so hard, and has nuts added in it. This food is very anti-hungry and tastes good. Not bad.

 The Kalman Pharmaceutical Company series of cases were solved, and the detective system rewarded 150 points, which was very generous.

  Luke replenished the bullet avoidance cards and precision cards used in the investigation, and there are still 230 points left in the system.

In addition, the $1 million reward from Kalman Pharmaceuticals was also distributed. As the captain, Luke received more than the others, with a total of $200,000.

 He also gained a lot.

In addition, he killed two gunmen during the investigation and was able to take a period of paid leave. He wanted to take advantage of this time to invite family, friends, and colleagues to visit his new home.

"Jingle Bell…"

The phone rang for a while.

 Luke put down his fork and pressed the answer button, "I'm Luke."

“Captain Li, this is Fred Kramer, director of research and development at Kalman Pharmaceuticals.”

“Hello, Director Cramer, how are your injuries?”

"much better."

“I have been discharged from the hospital now and am recuperating at home. Apart from the inconvenience of walking, I have no major problems. I believe I will be able to start research and development work soon.”

 “Congratulations, do you have anything to do with me?”

“First of all, thank you again for saving me. If you hadn’t been there that night, I would have been killed by a gunman, and the development of new antihypertensive drugs would have been in trouble.

 You not only saved me, you also helped our Kalman Pharmaceutical Company. "

“That night was really thrilling. It was the first time I encountered such a situation after being a police officer for so long. I hope I won’t encounter it again in the future.”

"You're right, the company is already considering equipping me with a bulletproof car. But I don't really want to drive that kind of thing. It feels like I'm in a stupid big iron shell."

"This shows that the company values ​​you." Luke said perfunctorily, waiting for the other party's text. He felt that the other party took the initiative to call more than just to say this.

“Captain Li, do you have time today? If possible, I would like to invite you to have dinner with me.”

"Is there a problem?"

  “I have something to ask you for help.

That night of shooting was unusual for me. Although it’s ridiculous to say it, it was probably the most exciting and thrilling night of my life.

 So, I want to buy your Mercedes-Benz G500 as a souvenir. "

Luke said, "There are many bullet holes in that car and it is seriously damaged. Repairs may cost a lot of money."

 “I know, I’m not going to fix it.

 To me it would make more sense for it to stay as is…

Many years later, I can tell my friends and relatives that my life is not only about scientific research and pharmaceuticals, but also has an exciting side.

I know that there is a high probability that they will not believe it. In their eyes, I am just a boring guy who only does research.

That car can prove everything, and the bullet holes in the body are a different kind of medal.

 This makes sense to me. "

“So, you are planning to collect my car?”

“I know this is a bit overwhelming, but this car means more to me than it does to you.

To make up for your loss, I am willing to buy this commemorative car for half a million dollars. "

 “Half a million dollars?”

"Yes."

Luke smiled. The price was very interesting, because the new Mercedes-Benz G500 was only purchased for US$130,000. Now that the car was badly damaged, it would be good to sell it for tens of thousands of US dollars.

At the time, Royce Woodman, vice president of Gelson Pharmaceuticals, hired a hitman to kill Fred Kramer for $500,000.

Now Fred Kramer wants to buy a Mercedes-Benz G500 for half a million dollars, perhaps for collection reasons, but he is also repaying Luke for saving his life.

Luke is not a hypocritical person. Fred Kramer is not short of money. Taking some money to repay his life-saving grace will make him feel comfortable and benefit himself, which is a good thing for both parties.

 Besides, Fred Kramer’s work is quite sensitive and he may encounter danger in the future. It will be the same if I help him when the time comes.

  Luke agreed to his invitation and had dinner with Fred Kramer at noon. The two had a good chat and reached an agreement to transfer the car. Everything went smoothly.

 After dinner, Luke left Fred Kramer's house with a check for half a million dollars.

  Luke's cash in hand has reached more than one million US dollars, and he is definitely a rich man.

 It is very inconvenient not to have a car in Los Angeles, so Luke is going to pick up a car directly.

 After the shooting, Luke thought about buying a bulletproof car, but later felt that it didn't make much sense.

 Bulletproof vehicles are more expensive. Secondly, the body is relatively bulky, which will definitely affect the speed, making it inconvenient to chase suspects.

Furthermore, Luke cannot drive his own bulletproof car all day long to investigate cases. He still has to drive an ordinary police car to handle cases. Overall, it has little practical value.

Of course, this is just for Luke. For those pampered rich people, bulletproof cars are still valuable.

As for whether to buy an off-road vehicle or switch to a sedan or a sports car for his next favorite car, Luke has not decided yet. Each has its own merits, so he will choose slowly.

 What he wants to buy today is a pickup truck.

 Some may think Luke is contradicting himself.

In fact, there is no contradiction. It is impossible to have only one car in Los Angeles. Luke now has his own house, and it is a mansion with an extremely large area. Repairs are inevitable, and a tool cart is indispensable.

Moreover, when traveling in an RV in the future, you can directly rent or buy a trailered RV, and you can just pull it up and go, which is very convenient.

He has a general understanding of the pickup truck market. The top-selling truck is the Ford F150. Among them, the F150 Raptor has better appearance and performance and is an upgraded model.

The prices of different configurations of the F150 Raptor are also different. The entry-level model is only more than 30,000 US dollars. It is precisely because this car is cost-effective that it has high sales.

The most expensive model is the 2023 Ford Raptor F-150RaptorR, with a power of 710 horsepower and a price of nearly US$110,000.

This car is the top model of the Ford 150 Raptor series, but Luke feels that the price/performance ratio is not high. After all, it is just a tool car, and there is no need to be a pickup truck.

 In the end, Luke combined his own needs and bought a Ford Raptor F-150 worth more than 50,000 US dollars. Both the car configuration and the interior decoration were good, and it had met Luke's needs.

 After picking up the car, Luke drove directly to the supermarket to buy some daily necessities and ingredients to prepare for tomorrow's family gathering.

 …

 The next afternoon.

 A white car drove into the Palisades neighborhood.

 Linda sat in the front and drove.

 The little fat man and his girlfriend Maggie were sitting in the back row, chatting quietly.

Maggie looked up and looked out the window, blinking her big blue eyes, "Wow, this community is so beautiful, with colorful flowers and tall old trees...

Is that a peacock?

 It is actually running around the community. "

“Yes, that’s the peacock. We can get some food to feed it later.

 I wanted to do this last time I came here. "

 “Your brother lives in this community?”

 “Yes, his new home is just ahead.”

 Linda reduced her speed and turned right into a luxurious courtyard.

Maggie walked out of the car, still in disbelief, "Oh my God, is this really your brother's house? This is too big."

The little fat man also looked envious, "Yes, I'm thinking about how to persuade him to give me a room."

Maggie asked in a low voice, "Isn't your brother a policeman?"

"He is indeed a policeman, and he is the most powerful policeman in Los Angeles." The little fat man showed an expression that said, "I know what you want to say. He is very famous. There are many rich people who will hire him to investigate some matters at high prices, and some people will also hire him to investigate some matters." He hunts for treasure.

Not long ago, he went out for treasure hunting and found a treasure worth tens of millions of dollars.

 Remember that antique horn I showed you?

 That’s what he gave me, it’s very meaningful. "

 “I think the treasure hunt will be very exciting!” Maggie opened her mouth wide and said with longing,

"do you know?

 I suddenly admire your brother. "

 “What?” The little fat man frowned. Isn’t it me who you should admire?

He quickly changed his words and stopped bragging, "Nonono, actually he is not very powerful."

Maggie said, “It’s amazing to be able to live in a house like this.”

 “Hey, Maggie.

 I will buy a better house than this one in the future, believe me. "

Before Maggie could speak, Linda coughed lightly and said, "Jack, don't put too much pressure on yourself.

do you know?

 When I was your age, I always thought I could be the second Monica Bellucci. "

 “Pfft…”

Maggie smiled and said, "Linda, I think your idea is more reliable."

fatty"…"

“Hi, good afternoon!” Luke walked over with a smile and waved to greet the three of them. “Mom, Jack, and Maggie welcome you to my new home party.”

 Maggie held a gift box and said, "Luke, your new home is beautiful. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Luke took the gift, "Jack, I'll take Maggie around later."

“I will.” The little fat man also handed a gift box to Luke, and then took Maggie to visit the house.

 Linda came over and gave Luke a hug, "My son, you have your own house. I'm so happy for you."

Luke handed Linda a key and said, "Mom, I have reserved a room for you. You are welcome to move in at any time."

"I will keep it well." Linda has her own house in Los Angeles, so naturally she will not move in with her son, but this key is still very meaningful to her.

Linda looked around and said, "Where is your grandpa? I clearly saw his car."

Just when Luke was about to say something, a black F150 Raptor drove in and parked at the door of the garage.

 The cab door opened and Robert stepped out of the cab, “This car has great performance and is very suitable for outdoor off-roading. The interior is also very nice and comfortable.

Can you lend me the car when we go camping in the future? "

"Of course."

Val also jumped out of the passenger seat and patted the tall body, "I like this big guy. It has a rough appearance, a comfortable interior, and powerful power. Next time you go camping, I can be your driver."

Luke joked, "Only if you're not drunk."

 Linda was also a little surprised, "Is this the new car you bought?"

"Yes."

Linda looked towards the garage and asked, "Where is your Mercedes-Benz G500?"

"Some accidents happened and I sold it." Luke said perfunctorily and invited everyone to have dinner.

Tonight is mainly about barbecue, and Robert is still in charge of the barbecue. He is full of praise for Luke's new oven.

Seeing that he liked it so much, Luke thought about giving him a similar oven on his birthday.

 The dinner party officially started. Everyone ate barbecue, drank and chatted.

Luke’s yard is huge, and he doesn’t worry about disturbing the neighbors.

Wal got drunk and sang a new song of his in public. Compared with the previous songs, this song was much "low-key" and much more normal.

  Luke guessed that this was probably related to his work and life being on the right track.

Judging from the way Robert and Linda treated him, it was a good thing, otherwise, he would never have had the chance to sing his song at the party.

 At nine o'clock in the evening, the party ended.

Robert was very happy today. He drank a lot of wine and was a little drunk.

Val drove him back first.

As soon as everyone watched Val's car leave, they saw a black off-road vehicle approaching and parked in front of Luke's house.

 “My dad is here to pick me up.” Maggie ran over happily.

 Luke said to the little fat man beside him, "I thought you were going to send Maggie home."

“I want to, but I don’t have a driver’s license or a car right now.” After saying the next words, the little fat man looked at Luke with a flattering look on his face.

"You'd better save that **** look in your eyes for daddy." Luke gave him a slap in the face. The little fat boy has grown very fast this year and is almost catching up with him. He will be able to take the driver's license test next year. , bought a car, Luke didn’t want to be taken advantage of, at least, he wouldn’t take the biggest advantage.

Maggie’s father got out of the car. He was a tall white man who looked to be in his forties, with strong features and a shirt and jeans. “Captain Li, I often see you on TV.

 Thank you for hosting my daughter. "

Luke shook hands with the other party and said, "Mr. Cullen, you should come early so we can have a drink."

"Next time, there will be a chance." Maggie's father touched his daughter's head, "Baby, goodbye to everyone, it's time for you to go home and sleep."

 “Luke, Linda, thank you for hosting us.

Jack, see you tomorrow. Maggie waved goodbye to everyone, got into the car and left with her father.

 Watching the car leave, Luke touched his nose and asked, "What does Maggie's father do?"

“Elevator maintenance man.” Jack responded and shrugged, “What’s wrong?”

"fine."

 Luke smelled the smell of disinfectant from Maggie's father, and he was sensitive to this smell.

 After writing the last case, my brain was a little hard to use and kept getting stuck.

 I know the general plot of what I want to write, but I just can’t organize it into a written text.

 This book has been written for more than a year, and many plots have been written. The difficulty of writing in the later stages will also increase.

 It’s normal for the car to be strong occasionally, but it can’t always be smooth sailing and the writing can flow like a fountain.

 It’s just a small incident, but the book is still solid.