The next day.
Luke, well-rested, stretched and walked down the stairs.
Shelley was doing strength training on the pull-up bar in the living room, wearing only a sports bra. Her well-defined abs were eye-catching.
Seeing Luke coming downstairs, Shelley got off the pull-up bar and wiped the sweat off her body with a towel.
"Detective, how was your sleep last night?"
"Not bad. Just a bit hungry. Is there anything to eat?"
Luke glanced at the time on his phone. It was 10:00 in the morning.
After sleeping for so long, it was strange not to be hungry.
Shelley said, "I have prepared breakfast for you in the kitchen. You can eat first. Later, I'll take you to the bureau to meet your subordinates."
"Good."
Shelley went upstairs to take a shower while Luke walked into the kitchen.
On the table was a plate with bread and fried fish fillets, accompanied by a cup of coffee.
All of them were cold.
It seemed that Shelley had been waiting for him since early morning.
Hungry Luke quickly finished the breakfast. Shelley was also fast; she finished her shower, changed into fresh clothes, and came downstairs.
Twirling the car keys in her hand, Shelley asked, "Detective, can we go now?"
"Let's go."
At this time, the official detective of the Cape Area should have arrived. It was time to meet him.
Luke got in the car, Shelley's BU953.
When they reached the clock tower, Luke asked Shelley to stop the car.
Shelley was puzzled. "Detective, is there something wrong?"
After stopping the car, Luke said, "Before we go to the bureau, I want to buy some clothes. I've left some money up there in the clock tower. Can you go up and get it for me?"
"Yes, Detective."
Shelley didn't ask any more questions. She jumped off the motorcycle and started climbing the outer wall of the clock tower.
Luke, on the other hand, crossed the street and headed to a hot dog stand.
"How much for a hot dog?"
The person inside the shop was an old woman who recognized Shelley climbing the wall. She knew about the fearsome reputation of the Black Mamba from the Secret Affairs Bureau.
Seeing that Luke had just arrived on the Black Mamba's motorcycle, the old woman quickly wrapped up a hot dog and handed it over, her hands trembling.
"It's on the house, sir."
On the house?
Was the Cape Area this hospitable?
Luke took the hot dog and took a big bite. It was authentic and delicious, far better than the fried fish Shelley made.
"Mmm! The taste is great. The bread is soft, and the sausage is crispy. Auntie, you have some serious cooking skills! From now on, prepare two hot dogs for me every day..."
Ah!
The old woman was on the verge of tears when she heard that Luke wanted two hot dogs every day.
"Sir, two hot dogs might be a bit much. My shop is small, and my two sons haven't returned from the sea, and I still have three grandchildren to take care of..."
"It's not like I'm not paying."
By now, Shelley had retrieved the money that Luke had left. She jumped down from the clock tower and walked over to Luke.
She handed him a stack of bills. "Detect... I mean, sir, you're really generous. To think you left so much money up there."
Luke took the money and counted it.
There were ten gold notes, fourteen silver notes, and 5430 Imperial Marks.
Then he turned to Shelley and asked, "Did you used to eat without paying?"
Shelley looked at the trembling old woman.
"Sir, we protect their safety at the Secret Affairs Bureau. Do we need to pay for eating a hot dog?"
The old woman heard the Black Mamba refer to the young man beside her as "sir" and hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, yes... The Secret Affairs Bureau protects our safety. No need to pay. From now on, I'll prepare two hot dogs for you every day, and it's on the house."
Shelley acted as if it were a matter of course.
Luke, munching on the hot dog, asked Shelley, "Tell me, how did you protect this old lady's safety?"
"Huh?"
"First, let's talk about where her two sons are."
"I..." Shelley couldn't answer, so she turned to the old woman and asked, "Where are your sons? Let them come to the Secret Affairs Bureau."
The old woman knew that she had gotten into big trouble.
Was the Secret Affairs Bureau a place they could go?
Besides... they couldn't go!
"Miss Black Mamba, my sons went missing six months ago after they set sail. I don't know if they're dead or alive..."
Shelley said to Luke, "Sir, it's common for people not to return from sea voyages."
"Why don't they come back? Whether they're dead, alive, or missing, someone should take responsibility. If something happens to people, there should be someone in charge and accountable to the families.
Black Mamba, it's not enough to protect people's safety just in words.
Consider this my first case for you since taking office."
The old woman, upon hearing that the Black Mamba would be in charge of investigating her sons' disappearance, hurriedly said, "No, there's no need. We can look for them ourselves."
It seemed that the Black Mamba's "100% solve rate" had already become famous.
Luke placed a ten-mark note on the counter.
"I am Luke, the newly appointed detective of the Cape Area Secret Affairs Bureau. You can call me Detective Raining Star. I hereby promise to the residents of the Cape Area that once I'm here, the Cape Area will be safe.
Rest assured, as my first case since taking office, I will give you an answer."
"Let's go!"
"Sir, Detective!"
Shelley hadn't expected Luke to take on a case so casually. Wasn't the Secret Affairs Bureau directly under the royal family's jurisdiction supposed to investigate cases involving missing persons?
Moreover, you haven't officially taken office yet.
But as a detective with a strong background, he could do as he pleased.
"Helm... Deliver all the information about your son to the Secret Affairs Bureau this afternoon. If it's late, you know the consequences!"
After Shelley finished speaking to the hot dog seller, she immediately went to catch up with Luke.
The old woman watched as the Black Mamba, accompanied by the young man who claimed to be the detective of the Cape Area Secret Affairs Bureau, quickly ran off. She then looked at the ten-mark note on the counter.
She didn't know what kind of outcome awaited her for provoking the Secret Affairs Bureau this time.
Sigh...
Luke, with money in his pocket, had Shelley take him to a tailor shop.
First, he ordered several sets of clothes for different occasions, then he bought a ready-made suit to replace his "strange attire."
He bought a gentleman's hat at a hat shop.
He bought a pocket watch at a watch shop.
Finally, he bought a sturdy, handy cane for self-defense.
A person relies on their clothes, and a horse relies on its saddle.
With a new set of clothes, his whole demeanor
changed significantly.
A new detective taking office should have some style.
After buying everything he wanted, it was already noon.
Shelley parked the car in front of a three-story building.
Two sentries were standing in front of the building. As soon as they saw Shelley, they saluted.
Shelley parked the motorcycle to the side and asked one of the sentries, "Was there anything special happening at headquarters this morning?"
"Captain Black Mamba... The new detective sent by headquarters has arrived."
Shelley looked at Luke beside her and continued asking, "Where is he?"
"He's in the detective's office on the second floor..." The sentry lowered his voice because there was an outsider present. "Because you weren't here, the new detective hasn't gone through the inauguration procedures yet. He's already gotten angry several times."
"Got it... I'll go up and calm him down."