Half an hour later, Luke and David arrived at Steven's house.
Armed with the arrest warrant, they were no longer restricted and could call for backup from nearby patrol officers. David, holding a high rank, took charge as the temporary commander. He and Luke were stationed at the front door, while two patrol officers guarded the back entrance.
To avoid alerting the suspect, Luke opted not to wear a bulletproof vest.
With everything in place, they stealthily entered Steven's yard.
David took cover to the right of the door. Luke approached and knocked, "Knock, knock..."
No answer.
"Knock, knock..."
Still no response.
Luke tried again, "Steven, I know you're home."
Silence.
David used his intercom, "Any movement at the back door?"
The officer at the rear replied, "No sign of activity."
"Prepare to breach," David signaled, preparing to force entry.
In a swift motion, he kicked the wooden door open with a loud crash, "Bang!"
"LAPD!"
"Put your hands up!"
The living room was empty. David signaled to search ahead.
Luke and the others coordinated their search, checking each room in turn.
"Clear."
"Clear."
"Clear."
The house was small, and they finished quickly. David, frustrated, muttered, "Damn it, he's gone. I misjudged him. I thought his feelings for his wife were genuine."
Luke holstered his gun. "It's precisely because he cares about his wife that he's acting out irrationally. If he didn't care, he wouldn't have committed such a crime."
David shook his head, "A man who truly loves his wife wouldn't hurt her."
Luke didn't argue further, "You continue searching the house. I'll report to the captain."
David grumbled, "Are you the detective or am I?" but began searching as directed.
Luke called Susan via video. "Captain, we're at Steven's house, but there's no sign of him. David's team is conducting a search."
Susan appeared on the screen, "I was about to call you. We've made some discoveries here."
She adjusted the camera to show others and continued, "After receiving a call from the vice squad, Matthew traced Steven's movements through surveillance cameras. Steven left yesterday in his lawyer's car, and the footage shows they headed toward Steven's home. About half an hour later, the car left the community with Steven at the wheel."
Susan paused for a moment, "The car then stopped at Citibank Avenue's Linan and Fani Streets for over ten minutes before continuing south on Citibank Avenue, leaving downtown Los Angeles and merging onto Highway 73."
Luke asked, "Highway 73? Is he trying to escape to Mexico? What about the lawyer? Providing a vehicle for a suspect to flee is reckless."
Matthew responded, "The lawyer was not seen after leaving Steven's neighborhood, and Steven drove the entire time. I called the law firm, but Dave, the lawyer, isn't working today."
Jenny added, "I tried locating Steven and Dave's phones through the tech department, but they're both disconnected."
Luke thought for a moment. "The car stopped at Linan and Fani Streets for ten minutes. Any idea what he was doing?"
"I've asked Raymond and Marcus to investigate. I'll update you once we have more information," Susan said, then issued a new directive. "Head to Highway 73 to track Steven."
Luke sighed, "The Gobi Desert stretches on both sides of the road. It's a vast area."
Matthew suggested, "Dave drives a Mercedes-Benz S500. We can request Mercedes-Benz's assistance in tracking it."
Susan instructed, "Jenny, contact Mercedes-Benz. Luke, proceed immediately."
In a black Dodge, David drove while glancing at Luke beside him. "Aren't you driving?"
"I didn't sleep well last night."
"Too much exercise?"
Luke shook his head. "Actually, it's because I didn't exercise that I couldn't sleep."
David smiled, "That's a good sign. It means you're still young."
Luke lit a cigarette and took a drag. "Do you think I should be more proactive?"
David shrugged, "My love life's a mess, so I'm not the one to advise you. If you want to start exercising, ask Marcus. For a serious relationship, follow your heart."
The phone rang, and Luke checked it with a smile. "Speaking of Marcus, he's calling."
"Hello."
Marcus's voice came through, "Luke, where are you?"
"On our way to Highway 73. Have you found anything on Citi Street?"
"Yes, Steven withdrew $40,000 from Citibank. He's richer than I am now."
Luke's curiosity peaked, "Where did he get that money?"
"The lawyer transferred $40,000 to Steven's account just before he entered the bank," Marcus explained.
"Have you located Dave?"
"Not yet. Raymond and the team are investigating. The captain wants me to support you."
"Then drive faster and keep up."
Luke hung up and told David, "Forty grand is enough for Steven to disappear for a while."
David wondered, "What about that thoughtful lawyer? He provided a car and money. Why don't I have such a good lawyer?"
Luke considered, "The lawyer might be getting some shady benefits, but it's unlikely he's openly aiding Steven. I suspect the lawyers were coerced."
David scoffed, "I wonder if he regrets helping Steven avoid the police."
Luke shrugged. "Maybe you'll get a chance to ask him."
As they drove from downtown Los Angeles to the suburbs, the scenery changed to the sea on one side and mountains on the other. Continuing on Highway 73, the landscape turned into endless Gobi Desert with only occasional gas stations and motels, dotted with cacti and shrubs.
After driving for over 40 minutes, Luke received a call from Jenny. Mercedes-Benz had located Dave's car and sent the coordinates.
Seeing the location, Luke frowned. The Mercedes-Benz was far off the road, in a dangerous and unknown area. They decided not to venture into the desert immediately and instead stopped at a nearby gas station. They refueled and stocked up on food and water to avoid getting lost.
Ten minutes later, Marcus arrived at the gas station.
Just as they prepared to leave, Luke's phone rang. "Ding-ling-ling..."
He answered, "Captain."
Susan's voice was urgent, "How are preparations going?"
"The team's ready to search the Gobi Desert for the Mercedes-Benz."
"Be careful."
Susan continued, "We have new developments. Alyssa's cell phone, clothes, and a modified Taser were found in the smoke exhaust duct of a shop's kitchen. It's confirmed that the three cases are linked to the same suspect."