Aged fifty with the face of a forty-year-old, if well maintained, that's all.
But now, with the advanced cosmetic industry, many wealthy women undergo minor cosmetic procedures, making their expressions unnatural.
Micro-expression analysis thereby loses its use.
The unfavorable start left Luke somewhat frustrated.
Many things seem well thought out, but in execution, various problems arise.
Moreover, previous deductions were just Luke's speculations. Since no issues were found, he moved on to investigate other clues without much entanglement.
If there's evidence proving Ruth Morgan's involvement in the oil painting robbery, Luke would conduct a deeper investigation, such as checking her financial status and whether there's any significant spending; and arrange for surveillance.
However, this visit yielded no clues linking Ruth Morgan to the robbery case, so Luke couldn't proceed with an in-depth investigation without evidence.
That wouldn't be according to protocol.
Luke also had no reason to offend a member of the Morgan family.
So, Luke decided to visit the next buyer, Albus Stone.
Albus Stone is a stock market mogul, known as the Buffett of California, holding long-term stocks in Disney, Apple, Amazon, among others.
The old man is already eighty, living in a suburban villa, and of course, he owns more than just this house, so Luke could only hope for luck.
The garden is impressive; though not as large as an estate, it far exceeds that of an ordinary villa. As usual, Jackson rang the doorbell and was led into the villa after explaining their purpose.
The left side of the yard was planted with flowers and plants, faintly emitting a light floral fragrance. On the right was a large open-air swimming pool. Near the villa stood a sunshade under which were placed tables, chairs, and a tea set. A gray-haired woman was having tea.
The servant led the two to the side of the elderly woman and then withdrew with a bow.
The elderly woman looked up at Luke and the others, "Albus Stone is my husband. What business do you have with him?"
Jackson introduced, "Mrs. Stone, I am Detective Jackson from the Robbery and Murder Department, and this is our Captain Li."
The elderly woman put down her teacup and slowly said, "It's the first time we've had detectives visit our home.
Luke got straight to the point, "We're here to see Mr. Albus Stone."
Mrs. Stone asked back, "What business do you have with him?"
"We heard Mr. Albus Stone collects a painting by Eck Shaver?"
"Yes, that painting called 'The Secret of the Louvre' was purchased by him a few years ago. Is there any problem?"
Luke repeated the explanation he used for Ruth Morgan, but this time he switched it to Eck Shaver's work.
Mrs. Stone thought for a moment and shook her head, "I... don't remember clearly. All paintings were personally organized by my husband."
"We're just concerned that the gang of robbers may continue with their crimes, and their target might very well be that painting, 'The Secret of the Louvre.' I wanted to speak directly with Mr. Stone to prevent any accidents," Luke's tone was sincere.
Mrs. Stone held the teacup in her hand, "Thank you for your concern, but my husband is recuperating and it's not convenient for him to see visitors."
"We won't take much of his time."
Mrs. Stone frowned tightly, "I'm sorry, but I don't want these matters to affect him."
Not meeting the primary subject, Luke did not plan to leave. Who knows if he's just nervous, "Mrs. Stone, this gang is very dangerous and has already killed several police officers.
If they've indeed set their sights on the painting in your home, both you and Mr. Stone could be in danger."
Mrs. Stone's expression changed slightly, "Can't you catch the robbers?"
Luke said, "We're making every effort to investigate, and we also need Mr. Stone's cooperation to solve the case quickly."
Mrs. Stone seemed a bit conflicted, with a touch of faint sorrow, shaking her head, "Sorry, it's indeed inconvenient for him to receive guests.
I understand your intentions and will be cautious."
Mrs. Stone assumed an attitude of seeing them out.
Luke had used all his available excuses and said all that needed saying, but since they declined citing Albus Stone's illness, Luke couldn't insist.
However, it seemed too coincidental that as soon as he arrived, the other party fell ill.
Albus Stone was already eighty, so it's normal to have some ailments, but whether it's to the extent of being unable to see guests is unknown.
Luke and Jackson got up to leave.
Just then, a servant rushed out in a fluster, "Madam, you must come quickly.
The master has fainted again."
Mrs. Stone's expression drastically altered, the teacup in her hand fell to the ground, and she hurried inside, lifting her skirt as she ran, "Has the doctor gone over?"
"Yes, Doctor John has been resting next door and has already rushed to the sickroom."
Luke and Jackson exchanged a glance and also followed towards the villa.
The interior of the villa was large, and the group walked down the corridor to the innermost room. From within, voices shouted,
"The patient has fainted, experiencing difficulty in breathing, arrhythmia, getting weaker, prepare the defibrillator..."
Mrs. Stone broke into the room, shouting, "Doctor John, how is my husband? You must save him!"
A man in a white coat was pressing down on the patient's chest, unable to look elsewhere.
The nurse beside him shouted, "The defibrillator is ready."
By this time, Luke had also reached the doorway, and there was a strong smell of medicine in the room. An elderly man with a breathing mask lay in the bed, the clothes over his chest were torn open, and several people surrounded the hospital bed.