For days, Larry had been searching for the serial killer that Jack wanted to hunt down. He had reached a firm conclusion, but before being certain, he had to divide his time between real work, justice, and his personal revenge.
His life had completely turned into something repetitive.
Today in particular it was cold; the northern cold was unbearable. The humid breeze was icy, as if ice crystals were scraping against the skin.
The cold seemed to seep into the bones; people wanted to wrap up well. Even the radio host joked that he was wearing four pairs of thermal underwear, and that if it weren't for the fear of scaring people, he would go out wrapped in a blanket.
It wasn't even six in the afternoon yet, but it was already completely dark.
Larry turned on the radio in the car. A man and a woman were chatting cheerfully, and their humorous words made the listener feel at home. After all, Independence Day was being celebrated the next day, and many people were preparing to go out and enjoy the festivities, causing massive traffic jams on the roads.
Most of the agents who worked on the last case had been given three days off by Jack. After all, starting on the 15th, their team would be handling criminal cases again, and they would have very little time to rest.
Outside the car window, under the streetlights, large snowflakes could be seen falling.
At that moment, countless small ice crystals appeared; when they hit the car, they produced a fine, sandy sound. They struck the windshield and then fell onto the hood, bouncing everywhere.
For many years, Larry had grown accustomed to solitude: eating alone, working alone, living alone, going home alone, and celebrating his birthday alone. All of that was bearable, but holidays were the hardest to endure. That was why he never celebrated them; on those days, he either went to work or traveled.
On the outskirts of the city, there was a beautiful town where one could fish on an artificial lake, just two hours away by car, so he could easily return if something unexpected happened.
Seeing the long line of cars heading downtown, Larry looked for a side street. There was a right turn a few meters ahead, and traffic there wasn't very heavy.
Larry followed the flow of traffic and turned onto the side street.
At that moment, the lanes leading out of the city were quite wide. Before the car could merge quickly, Larry's phone rang while he was smoking a cigarette.
Instinctively, he stepped on the brake, looked at the phone, and was surprised to see Max calling. He slid his finger to answer.
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Hey, Chief, can't you be a bit more enthusiastic when we're off duty? Every time I call you, it's because something's wrong, you know that."
"I'm hanging up," Larry said bored.
"Wait, wait, wait! Let me tell you!
"Yesterday my mom dragged me to a blind date. The girl was really pretty, and we've been out all day. We just arrived at the newly opened Empire Lanes Hotel, but when I saw the prices, I got worried. I don't have enough money on my card!"
After saying that, Max shamelessly asked, "Larry, can you come help me? You can't just sit back and watch me lose everything!"
Larry began to suspect that this girl wasn't trustworthy. Max was very frugal—he gave his parents his entire salary every month, leaving himself very little money. But spending it all in a single day was too much even for him.
"Wait for me, I'm coming." Larry hung up and sped off. Fortunately, the hotel where Max was staying wasn't far.
After parking, Larry stayed outside the hotel and dialed Max's number. Max didn't answer and quickly hung up. Less than two minutes later, Max came running through the door and saw Larry scratching his head, embarrassed.
"What's really going on?" Larry asked, a bit worried.
Max sighed lightly and said, "I don't usually have good luck with women like you…"
"Speak clearly!" Larry's head hurt thinking about Max's riddles at that moment. "It's just a date with a young woman. How complicated can it be?"
"People think I'm not capable enough, office workers think my job is gross, and if I meet a pretty nurse, she thinks I'm too obsessed with my work and believes we wouldn't make a good couple."
Larry looked around and didn't see anyone chasing Max. It seemed luck had once again turned its back on him. He took out his bank card and handed it to Max without hesitation. "Get up, stop acting like a victim. You have to pay me back whatever you use; it's not a gift."
Max smiled, feeling happy. "Of course, Chief!"
"Don't you want to eat something?"
"You're inviting?"
"I want you to see if it's worth it, you know what I mean, right?" Max asked, thinking of Larry's ability to read people.
The two walked into the hotel, and Larry advised him, "Don't act too interested, and saying you haven't been with women because of your job doesn't help. We have good status, so feel proud."
"Yes, Chief." Max stood on his tiptoes and threw his arm over Larry's shoulder with his signature smug smile.
"The thing about the girlfriend was a lie; I just wanted you to be here with us. Come on, let's celebrate Independence Day in our own way." Max said, handing Larry's card back to him.
As they entered the lobby and sat at the table Max had reserved, Larry frowned.
"A candlelit dinner?"
Having a candlelit dinner with Max was truly indescribable. Max looked at Larry with a knowing glance.
"Hey, sit down! I called Will, Dillon, Dexter, and Jane, who's in the city, right? They should already be here."
"They're here too?"
Before Max could respond, he received a slap on the back of the neck. It wasn't hard, but the sound was loud enough for people nearby to turn and look.
"Little forensic guy, what's your plan for inviting us to dinner? Tell me!"
Dillon was behind Max, looking even more elegant in his suit. Max let out a snicker behind him.
"Larry invited us all to celebrate Independence Day. Last time I asked him to treat me to a 200-dollar barbecue, and he didn't even pay. That's why today he said he'd treat all of us."
Larry's lips twitched as he looked at Max inviting everyone using his name.
"This meal—don't worry, our boss is paying."
Dillon, who was new to the group, was a bit surprised by Larry's kindness, and Larry simply nodded slightly.
Max, with a mysterious air, leaned toward the three of them. "I heard the bar upstairs has a free Independence Day party tonight, and there's a raffle with three cars as the prize, though they're not luxury. Anyone who has eaten downstairs can participate."
"Max, those raffles aren't for me. I've never won even a bottle of wine in my life, I'm not lucky with that," Dexter said, quite expressive, as he sat next to Larry, who greeted him.
"I thought it was your plan…"
"No, not at all."
"The important thing is participating, you know? But I heard tonight's show is really good. There's even a singer from a talent contest. Don't you really want to go?" Max asked, extremely interested in the raffle.
Jane took a sip of coffee, looked at Max, and saw that he was staring intently at Larry with a grin from ear to ear. She followed Max's gaze and also looked at Larry expectantly.
Seeing the three of them so excited, and thinking about how much they usually worked for him, he nodded and said, "We can participate in that party if I'm not bothering you, but first let's eat and follow the plan Max made for us."
"What time does the show start?"
Max put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a wrinkled flyer, turning it around for a moment until he finally found the time in a corner. "It starts at ten; we still have more than an hour to eat."
Larry looked at the excited Max and asked with suspicion, "Did you really not have a blind date today?"
Max swallowed the meat in his mouth, took a sip of red wine to cover it up, and almost choked. "Yes! I'm just channeling my grief into food, isn't that obvious to you?"
"Fine, I'll stop asking," Larry said; he had sensed Max's lies moments earlier.
"I have no luck. Now all I have left is hoping for a chance encounter. What if I find the perfect opportunity to play the hero and save a damsel in distress at the bar upstairs?"
After the four of them finished eating, at Max's insistence, they took the elevator to the sixth floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, deafening music filled the air.
The huge "A8 Bar" sign changed color, gradually taking on a three-dimensional appearance.
The lighting, the design, and the visual impact were all top-notch. After showing their receipts, the four of them each received a neon bracelet with a number; apparently, they would use it for the upcoming raffle.
Upon entering the bar, illuminated by bright lights, the air was filled with a mix of perfume and alcohol.
A man pointed at all the guests with his right hand, and a thunderous shout resounded in unison: "Welcome to the Sofia A8 Bar! Thank you all for coming!"
"The clock has struck ten, and only two hours remain before a special celebration for this day. Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready?"