The Next Day.
Lucas, well-rested, stretched as he walked down the stairs.
Shelley was in the living room doing strength training on the pull-up bar. Wearing just a sports bra, her well-defined abs were very eye-catching.
Seeing Lucas come down, Shelley got off the bar and grabbed a towel to wipe off her sweat.
"Inspector, how did you sleep last night?"
"Pretty well. Just a bit hungry. Is there anything to eat?"
Lucas checked the time on his phone. It was 10:00 AM. Sleeping until now, it was no wonder he was hungry.
Shelley said, "I left some breakfast for you in the kitchen. You eat first, I'll take a shower. Then I'll take you to the station to meet your subordinates."
"Alright."
Shelley went upstairs to shower while Lucas walked to the kitchen.
On the dining table was a tray with bread, a fried fish fillet, and a cup of coffee.
All of it was cold. It seemed Shelley had been up for a while, waiting for him.
Hungry, Lucas quickly finished his breakfast. Shelley was fast too; she soon came down after her shower, changed into a fresh set of clothes.
Twirling the car keys around her finger, Shelley asked, "Inspector, are we ready to go?"
"Let's go."
At this time, the real Inspector of Cape District should have arrived. Time to meet him.
Lucas got into Shelley's BMU007 motorcycle as they headed out.
When they reached the clock tower, Lucas asked Shelley to stop the bike.
Shelley, puzzled, asked, "Inspector, what's the matter?"
Once the bike stopped, Lucas said, "Before we go to the station, I need to buy some clothes. There's some money I left in the clock tower. Go fetch it for me."
"Yes, Inspector."
Without asking more, Shelley jumped off the bike and started climbing the clock tower's outer wall.
Lucas also got off the bike and, seeing a hot dog stand across the street, walked over.
"How much for a hot dog?"
The vendor was an old woman who recognized Shelley climbing the wall and knew of the Secret Intelligence Bureaus's Black Mamba's notorious reputation.
Seeing Lucas coming from Black Mamba's vehicle, the old woman quickly wrapped up a hot dog and handed it over, trembling.
"Sir, it's free."
Free? Is Seawall District always this hospitable?
Lucas took a big bite of the hot dog. It was authentic and delicious, much better than the fried fish Shelley made.
"Hmm! This tastes great. The bread is soft, and the sausage is crispy. Your skills are impressive! Make me two every day from now on..."
Ah!
The old woman almost cried upon hearing this.
"Sir, two is a bit much. My shop is small, my two sons went to sea and haven't returned, and I have three grandchildren to support at home..."
"It's not like I won't pay you."
By this time, Shelley had retrieved the money. She jumped down from the clock tower and walked across the street to Lucas.
Handing over a stack of bills, Shelley said, "Inspector... Sir, you're really carefree, leaving so much money there."
Lucas took the money and counted it. A total of ten gold notes, fourteen silver notes, and 5430 Imperial Marks.
He then asked Shelley, "Did you use to take things from people without paying?"
Shelley glanced at the trembling old woman.
"Sir, we in the Secret Intelligence Bureau protect their safety. Do we really need to pay for a hot dog?"
Hearing Black Mamba call this stranger "Sir," the old woman hurriedly said, "Yes, yes... The Secret Intelligence Bureau protects our safety. No charge, no charge. From now on, I'll prepare two hot dogs every day for you, free of charge."
Shelley looked as if it was only natural.
Chewing on the hot dog, Lucas asked Shelley, "Tell me, how do you protect this old lady's safety?"
"?"
"First, tell me where her two sons are."
"This?" Shelley couldn't answer and turned to the old woman, "Where are your sons? Have them come to the Bureau office."
The old woman realized she was in big trouble. The Bureau was not a place you could just go to.
Besides… it wasn't even possible!
"Miss Black Mamba, my sons went to sea half a year ago and haven't been heard from since. I don't know if they're dead or alive..."
Shelley said to Lucas, "Sir, it's very common for people to not return from the sea."
"Why don't they return? Are they dead, alive, or missing? Who went to sea with them? When people go missing, someone needs to be held accountable and give an explanation to the family.
Black Mamba, if you eat for free, you have to work for it. Protection can't just be words. Consider this your first case under my command."
Hearing that Black Mamba would be responsible for investigating her sons' disappearance, the old woman hurriedly said, "No, there's no need. We can look for them ourselves."
It seemed Black Mamba's "100% case-solving rate" reputation was already well known.
Lucas put a ten-Mark bill on the counter.
"I am the new Inspector of the Seawall District Bureau. You can call me Inspector Meteor. I promise the residents of Seawall District that now that I'm here, the district will be peaceful.
Rest assured, as my first case in Cape District, I will definitely give you an answer. Let's go!"
"Sir, Inspector!"
Shelley didn't expect Lucas to take on a case so casually. Was the Imperial Secret Intelligence Bureau supposed to investigate missing person cases like this?
Moreover, he hadn't even officially taken office yet.
But this new inspector of hers had a strong background and could do as he pleased.
"Hilm... bring all the information about your sons to the Bureau this afternoon. If you're late, you know the consequences!" Shelley said to the hot dog vendor before immediately chasing after Lucas.
The old woman watched as Black Mamba sped off with the young man who called himself the Cape District Secret Service Inspector, then looked at the ten-Mark bill on the counter.
She had no idea what the outcome would be now that she had involved the Secret Service.
Sigh...
With money in his pocket, Lucas had Shelley take him to a tailor shop.
First, he ordered a few suits for different occasions, then bought a ready-made suit to replace his "strange attire."
He bought a gentleman's hat from the hat shop.
A pocket watch from the watch shop.
Lastly, he bought a sturdy, handy cane.
Clothes make the man, just like a saddle makes the horse.
After changing into his new outfit, his entire demeanor changed significantly.
The new inspector should make a good impression on his first day.
By the time he had bought everything he wanted, it was already noon.
Shelley drove Lucas to a three-story building.
Two sentries stood at the entrance of the building and saluted as soon as they saw Shelley.
Shelley parked the motorcycle to the side and asked one of the sentries, "Any special events at the office this morning?"
"Captain Black Mamba… the new inspector sent by headquarters has arrived."
Shelley glanced at Lucas beside her and continued to ask, "Where is he?"
"In the inspector's office on the second floor..." The sentry lowered his voice because of the outsider's presence, "Since you weren't here, the new inspector hasn't completed the handover procedures and has already lost his temper several times.
Be careful when you go up to see him, our new inspector seems to have a bad temper."
Shelley said, "Got it... I'll go up now and calm him down."