Los Angeles is a large metropolis with a permanent population of three to four million. Including the transient population, the total swells to nearly ten million people. However, excluding civilian staff, the police force numbers only a few thousand.
Overtime is the norm at the police department.
But in the Fourth Squad, known as the "Salted Fish," this was not common.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Lawrence sighed, set down his coffee cup, and stood up to walk towards the meeting room.
"I, on the other hand, have a good feeling about this!"
Harry and Dean followed him into the meeting room.
Dean sat with Harry at the end of the conference table and sized up the captain of the Fourth Squad.
The captain of the Fourth Squad, Monet, was a thirty-eight-year-old Caucasian man. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and possessed a scholarly air, making him seem more like an academic than a detective.
According to information from Lawrence and Harry, Monet was laid-back and amicable, fond of fishing and hunting, but not very proactive in vying for cases.
The current atmosphere of underachievement in the Fourth Squad had a lot to do with him.
Monet stood before the conference table, his eyes sweeping over everyone present. He paused briefly on Dean's face before pulling over the nearby whiteboard and writing a few words: Serial Home Invasion Rape-Murder Cases!
"Guys, unfortunately, the home invasion rape-murder case from half a month ago wasn't the end, but merely the beginning..." Monet waved to Daisy.
Daisy passed a stack of files to everyone.
Dean opened his and saw the case details, which were what Harry had shown him earlier: on a rainy night, a woman living alone had her home stealthily entered; she was drugged into unconsciousness, raped, then killed, and signs of abuse were found on her body.
"Deputy Chief Hunter, please summarize the new victim's situation for us."
Old Hunter nodded and said gravely, "The new victim, Irene, lived alone in the Elune community. She was found dead at home by her best friend yesterday at noon.
According to the on-site investigation and autopsy, Irene was first struck three times on the head and then forced to consume sleeping pills. Once she was groggy, the perpetrator assaulted her, brutally torturing her for over six hours.
Her body was covered in bruises from the beating.
Residue was found in her lower body, but it was not genetic material. Tests showed the residue was plastic, indicating someone had assaulted her with a plastic object.
Fibers from a towel were found in her mouth, suggesting the killer stuffed a towel in her mouth to prevent her from making noise before finally strangling her to death."
This was a brutal case of home invasion rape and murder.
"No wonder I didn't see the deputy chief and the captain yesterday. I thought they'd sneaked off to go fishing; turns out they were quietly working on the case," Harry muttered to Dean.
At this, a look of realization flashed in Dean's eyes. He recalled Old Hunter saying at noon that the Fourth Squad just needed an opportunity. Dean had initially thought it was merely Old Hunter's excuse, but now it seemed they viewed this case as the Fourth Squad's chance to prove itself.
After Old Hunter finished presenting the case and allowed everyone a moment to digest the information, he continued, "This case, similar to the home invasion rape-murder from half a month ago, involved first drugging the victim, committing the assault, and then killing them. It's highly likely the same perpetrator. However, compared to last time, this killer is bolder and their methods are more brutal."
Captain Monet picked up the thread. "Alright everyone, just like the last case, the killer meticulously cleaned the house, leaving few clues. If you have any ideas or insights, please share them."
Everyone fell into deep thought.
Dean, however, began poring over the materials in earnest. The crime scenes were all quite secluded, occurring in the early hours of the morning; the female victims all lived alone, and very few clues were left. Moreover, there were no signs of forced entry at any of the scenes... He didn't have experience solving cases, but he did have similar criminal experience. The approach to home invasion murders and home invasion rape-murders was essentially the same. Generally, these kinds of home invasion cases that left little trace required scoping out the location in advance, selecting a target, and considering points of caution before committing the act to reduce exposure afterward. This meant the killer likely had some common connection with both victims and might even know them. In the absence of more clues, this could be a breakthrough. Additionally, the fact that the killer preferred drugging his victims before abusing them, even using plastic items to assault them, suggested he likely had psychological and physical issues, possibly even a history of being bullied. But such people were all too common in the United States… This characteristic was hard to use as a decisive factor to identify the killer. Dean rubbed his forehead. After all, he wasn't a real detective; he lacked some of the insights and key entry points for solving cases.
"Do the two victims have any commonalities, including their jobs, lifestyles, or acquaintances? Both victims lived alone. I have a feeling they might have known the killer, who might even live near both of them!" a short-haired Caucasian man was the first to speak. His name was Robert, a thirty-year-old who had transitioned from the military, still carrying himself with a crisp, disciplined demeanor. Like Dean, he was new to the squad.
"Good point, Robert. We've actually considered that," Monet nodded appreciatively at Robert, then began to sketch on the whiteboard. "Both victims lived in relatively secluded areas and weren't wealthy, but they had stable jobs and social circles. The biggest commonality between them is here… Sam's Supermarket!"
"Sam's Supermarket is the closest chain supermarket to them and is the preferred choice for residents in the area to buy groceries. Hunter and I suspect that the killer is scouting for prey there, striking up conversations, and ultimately making his move!"
"But with such a large daily influx of people at Sam's Supermarket, how can we pinpoint the killer?" The blonde sitting next to Robert voiced her concern. Her name was Sophie; though young, she was a seasoned member of the Fourth Squad and Robert's mentor, usually guiding him.
"Quite simple: bait!"
Old Hunter glanced at Monet. Seeing his captain wasn't speaking up, he, as deputy chief, took the lead. "This kind of serial killer often has specific preferences. Both victims were young, attractive women who lived alone and were taller than 1.75 meters. We can pick someone matching the killer's 'taste' to act as bait at Sam's Supermarket."
As soon as he said this, everyone's gaze instinctively shifted towards Daisy, who handled logistics.
Daisy was the Fourth Squad's logistics officer. Twenty-two years old, she had long, wavy blonde hair and a figure that was in its prime—curvy and well-endowed. Crucially, at nearly 1.8 meters tall, she perfectly matched the criteria Old Hunter had described for the bait.
The only problem was that Daisy was just a logistics officer, usually responsible for organizing documents, filing case records, and gathering necessary intelligence. Daisy had helped with Dean's onboarding. She didn't have much combat ability.
Feeling uneasy under everyone's stares, Daisy shifted uncomfortably, causing the two large "pomelos" on her chest to sway. "Can I interpret all this staring as a compliment?"
"Of course!"
Captain Monet pressed on, "The killer definitely won't stop. We have to catch him quickly to save the next innocent victim. Daisy, you're the only woman here who could truly tempt him. I think you should give it a try…"
This guy was undoubtedly an old sleazeball, knowing exactly what women liked to hear—a mix of moral coercion and flattery.
Daisy, who had been somewhat reluctant, immediately beamed and readily agreed.
Besides, everyone would be there to protect her. The killer wasn't one for direct confrontation; he preferred to lurk. Being the bait… shouldn't be dangerous… right?
...
The meeting ended. Led by Old Hunter, everyone departed in turn, ready to start taking shifts that very day to watch over Daisy, the bait, at Sam's Supermarket. This wasn't a matter of just one or two days but might continue for a while.
Dean was about to leave as well, but Monet held him back. "Dean, I'd like to have a serious chat with you."