Near Laura Pohl's home.
Inside a Ford Explorer.
Luke yawned, reclined the seat, and shifted to a more comfortable position.
"Last night, I asked you to keep an eye on Pari Jones. How did you end up drinking with her? Weren't you exposed?"
"How could I be? I'm Detective Marcus from the police bureau. How could she see through me?" Marcus said with confidence, laughing, "It wasn't me who approached her; she came up to me on her own.
Actually, that's pretty normal. A handsome, single man sits nearby, a faint trace of melancholy in his eyes. Which woman wouldn't be moved?
Luke shook his head, unsure where this baseless sense of superiority came from. He knew a good reporter is not only skilled at uncovering news but is also an excellent observer.
He was worried Marcus might have been spotted while tailing her.
Of course, even if he was, it wouldn't be a big problem. "What did you two talk about?"
"Vampires. She's really interested in them and even mistook me for a customer of the bar, constantly probing me about it.
She asked if I'd been there last night, if I'd seen anything strange, like a vampire biting someone.
She even asked if I really believed in creatures like vampires.
I told her, 'Of course there are.
But don't be afraid, I'll protect you.'
From her indirect inquiries, it felt like she might know about the murder that happened last night."
Luke pinched his forehead, thinking there could be two reasons why Pari Jones had chatted with Marcus.
First, she might have recognized Marcus and known that he was a police officer and was trying to get information out of him.
Secondly, she might not have known that Marcus was a police officer, simply seeing a single man nearby who seemed interested in her. And since she was also looking to dig some dirt, she ended up hooking up with Marcus.
Luke thought the second possibility was more likely, as Marcus in himself looked unreliable. Just by being himself, it was unlikely anyone would associate him with the police.
If push came to shove, he could probably out-crazy Pari Jones.
If it was as Marcus said, and Pari Jones had actively sought him out for information, it suggested she might know about a murder that had occurred at the bar.
The murder happened the day before, and although the police were investigating, it was still under wraps. Logically, Pari Jones shouldn't know the first crime scene was at the bar.
This also confirmed Luke's earlier suspicion that Pari Jones might have other sources of information.
Luke took out his phone to report his suspicions about Pari Jones to Susan.
He didn't intend to investigate Pari Jones directly. As a reporter, if he investigated her without evidence and she found out, it would cause complications.
Whether or not to investigate Pari Jones was now Susan's problem.
Being a team leader isn't just a title; she had to step up at crucial moments.
A yellow school bus slowly stopped at Laura Pohl's front door.
Jaden waved goodbye to his mother and got on the bus.
Marcus said lightly, "He's a good kid, just like me."
Luke responded with a smirk, "That means there's a limited amount of good."
"Ha ha…" Marcus laughed carelessly.
He wasn't demanding on himself and was quite satisfied with his life.
Then both men got out of the car.
Marcus waved and greeted, "Laura."
"Marcus, what brings you here? Jaden just left for school."
"I know, I watched my good buddy get on the bus."
Laura Pohl looked somewhat surprised, "You're here to see me?"
Laura turned to Luke standing nearby, "Detective Chief Luke, you've come too."
"Laura, how have you been lately?"
"Not bad. The police department gave us a portion of the money, my husband's legitimate income. Our life's manageable. Is there something you needed?"
"Have you been to Dracula Bar recently?"
"I have. Is there a problem?" Laura stepped aside, "Oh, please come in and talk."
Luke and Marcus entered Laura's house.
The living room was not exactly tidy, with clothes strewn across the couch and a vampire figurine on the TV cabinet.
"Sorry, the house is a bit of a mess." Laura tidied up the clothes on the couch, "Please, have a seat."
Marcus picked up the vampire figurine and examined it, "Laura, you've started liking vampires recently?"
"Uh, it's just a decoration," Laura replied perfunctorily, changing the subject. "Tea or coffee?"
Marcus waved his hand, "No need, we just want to chat for a bit."
"OK." Laura sat down on the sofa next to them.
Marcus was quite familiar with Laura, so he took the lead in questioning her, "Laura, do you often go to Dracula Bar?"
"No, just occasionally to unwind."
"When was the last time you went?"
"Yesterday, no, the night before last. Why?"
"Did you go alone, or did you go with someone else?"
"I went with a friend."
Marcus took out a photo of the victim, "Was it her?"
"Oh my goodness… Nicole… What happened to her? Don't tell me… She's dead!"
"Between the night of the day before and early yesterday morning, she was found dead near the bar. Since you went to the bar together, we'd like to know what happened."
"Wait a second, how could she die? I'm still struggling to accept this." Laura covered her head with her hands.
Marcus reached out to pat her shoulder, then pulled his hand back midway, "What was your relationship with her?"