Speechless, Luke stared at a distant road sign.
The sign said that they were 30 miles away from Shackelford, their hometown.
That also meant that they had in fact crossed Shackelford’s border.
And inside the town’s jurisdiction, only the police officers of the town could issue a fine.
And only an idiot would issue their superior’s car a fine.
And thus, even without a driver’s license, Luke was still able to drive to his heart’s content.
Robert watched as Luke started the car, changed gears, and drove off steadily. When the car entered the road without any problems, he stopped worrying and said, “Look at how good you are at driving. You must have driven around the ranch a lot, huh? Why don’t you go get a license then?”
Luke replied, “Um, I’ll do it after this case.”
Robert said, “You can drive faster, you know.”
Luke replied, “Eighty miles per hour is fast enough. Otherwise, I won’t be able to ensure our safety anymore. It’s not like I’m some experienced driver.”
Robert said, “Fine, wake me up when we’re there.”
Then, he shut his eyes and lay back as he started thinking about the case.
Inside the car, only the sound of country music on the radio could be heard.
20 minutes or so later, Luke stopped. “We’re here, Robert.”
Robert grunted in acknowledgment and got out of the car. Still in deep thought, he entered the police department right away.
Luke shook his head helplessly as he stopped the engine and locked the car before entering the building as well.
Right after he entered, he saw Selina talking to Robert.
When he greeted them, Selina gave him a bright smile and a hug before saying, “Luke, you’re finally here. The boss said to wait for you before we start.”
Luke nodded with a smile on his face.
People here normally wouldn’t act so intimately with their colleagues, but since he had helped out at a moment’s notice last night and lightened her burden considerably, and coupled with his young age, Selina was very friendly toward him.
Robert was still silent, the look on his face pensive as he entered his office.
In this tiny police department with only about a dozen members, Robert was the only one with his own office. Even the deputy chief only had a large table in a corner of the room.
It wasn’t that the deputy didn’t want a room, but the budget application for his own room had been rejected. Thus, he didn’t get an office of his own.
The three entered the office, with Luke at the end. He shut the door behind him when he entered, and even locked it.
Selina, who had been observing him all along, muttered under her breath, “What a cautious kid. He’s completely unlike the chief.”
As for Robert, ever since getting Luke to drive, he behaved as if he were in a daydream. After sitting down, he finally said, “Luke, repeat what you told me, as well as the autopsy results.”
What could Luke do? He was at work, and Robert was his superior. Thus, he obeyed.
Luke spoke as succinctly as possible while still not overlooking anything, and he explained everything about the autopsy before talking about Michelle’s complicated relationships prior to her death.
Selina whistled when she heard that. “Wow, kids nowadays sure know how to have fun!”
Luke shook his head solemnly and said, “No, that’s a privilege reserved only for the popular kids at school. If it was a fat fellow instead, for example, he wouldn’t get to partake, regardless of gender.”
Selina blanked out slightly before saying, “True, that’s right. But how is that related to this case?”
Luke replied, “Maybe there isn’t a connection, but I’m only telling you this so that you don’t assume that this is the life of all high schoolers nowadays.”
Selina spoke doubtfully, “For real?”
Luke: “…My point being, a person’s looks will determine their popularity at school.”
Selina: “…”
Robert: “…”
After some empty talk, Luke finally got the conversation back on the right track. He looked at Robert and asked, “Do you need me to give a detailed explanation about the other two students?”
Robert nodded. “Don’t worry. Selina is an experienced officer. She knows what to say and what not to say.”
Luke nodded. “Apart from George Joshua, her official boyfriend, Michelle was also close to Boris Pepe and Lorde Terry, both members of the football club. Oh, Boris is an offensive guard while Lorde is a quarterback.”
Selina clicked her tongue and said, “This Michelle… sure has wide preferences.”
Luke was rendered speechless.
What could he say?
Those two, along with the captain, George, who played the tight end position, resembled a gathering of the club’s main positions in the palm of Michelle’s hand.
Boris, the offensive guard, was a Latino, and was as sturdy as a wall. As for his appearance, he looked rather boorish.
As for Lorde, he was a handsome white kid, and as a quarterback, he was slender and athletic. He had good grades as well.
As for George, he was akin to an average of the two: sturdy but not as sturdy as the offensive guard, and handsome but not excessively so.
One could say that the three had completely different styles, and all three were intimate with Michelle.
Robert pondered for a bit before standing up. “Let’s go. We’ll pay George a visit.”
The three left, and since Luke was closest to the door, he held the door open for them. That caused Selina to look at him in astonishment.
Luke smiled. “Ladies first.”
Robert walked in front expressionlessly, yet inwardly, he muttered to himself, “That stinky brat. He’s not going to get the prettiest policewoman just like that, right? He has a girlfriend… Fine, he mentioned that Jimena is leaving to further her studies. Forget it, forget it. I don’t care anymore.”
As for Selina, she giggled before leaving the room.
When they reached the parking lot, Luke was about to get into the car before Robert shouted at him, “What are you doing?”
Luke replied, “What?”
Robert pointed to the side and said, “Selina is your partner. Go there.”
Luke was hit by realization as he quickly went over to Selina instead.
Selina was already seated in the driver’s seat and she laughed heartily. “Young Luke, you’re now an officer, and my partner at that. You can’t remain Robert’s tail forever.”
Luke smiled as he put on the seatbelt. “So you mean that I have to be your tail instead?” As he spoke, he glanced at a certain part of his partner’s body.
Selina: “…Robert was right. You look honest, but you’re very crafty inside.”
Luke said, “Are you sure those were Robert’s words?”
In the face of this completely emotionless line of questioning, Selina was struck speechless again. She slammed her foot on the pedal in annoyance and sped off after Robert’s car. “Fine, what Robert said was that you look stupid but are in fact very smart.”
Luke said, “…Forget it. I would rather he call me crafty.”
Selina blanked out again before she reacted. “Hahaha, so you don’t enjoy being called stupid.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Would you like to be called that?”
Selina was rendered speechless again.
Luke fished something out of his pocket and said, “Alright, boss, come, have a candy,” before handing her a piece of chewing gum.
