Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

The next morning.

On a bus heading to the airport.

Luke sighed, "She really is a terrible woman, not adaptable at all."

David said, "I knew this the first week I was transferred to the Robbery and Murder Department."

"You knew her that early?" Luke was surprised, as David had been transferred there three or four years ago, and Susan had only recently joined the Robbery and Murder Department.

David curled his lips, "She was still in the Internal Affairs Department at that time."

"We're different, I wouldn't mess things up like you."

"Same goes for you, lazybones."

Luke looked out at the blue sea through the window. "Have you ever been to Las Vegas?"

"Yes, Lindsay and I went there for our honeymoon."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up..."

"It's all in the past, one has to face reality."

Luke held a bit of hope, "Will we have a chance to gamble a bit?"

"Don't even think about it, we're going straight to Tony's hometown to investigate after we land, no chance to enter the city."

"Come on, when abroad, military rules can be relaxed, we can unwind a bit after the investigation, think of it as a vacation, we shouldn't make the trip for nothing."

David pointed to his own eyes, "It seems you still don't understand Susan, she's not easy to fool and will keep a close eye on our schedule. Even if you go, you'll be anxious and won't have fun."

Luke laughed, "So you do have someone you're afraid of."

"Yeah, I'd rather you were captain than her."

"Ring ring ring..."

Luke's phone rang, he glanced at it, it was Susan's number, "She hasn't planted bugs on us, has she?"

David turned his head to look out the window, "That wouldn't be surprising."

Luke pressed the answer button, "Captain."

"Where are you now?"

"On the bus heading to Los Angeles airport."

"No need to go to the airport, come back to the station."

Luke asked doubtfully, "Why?"

"Tony is dead."

"Dead! When?"

"Twenty years ago."

Luke laughed, "Captain, I didn't know you joked."

"I never joke, I contacted the Nevada State, Clark County police department, and asked them to help check Tony Will's records. They found Tony Will's death certificate and confirmed with Tony Will's father that Tony Will died in a traffic accident twenty years ago."

Luke was stunned, "Then who are we investigating now? He's been living in Los Angeles all this time."

"Still investigating, we'll discuss it when you get back," Susan said and then hung up the phone.

David inquired, "What happened?"

"It's crazy."

...

Police Investigation Bureau.

Robbery and Murder Department.

Luke placed his travel bag on the desk, "Can anyone tell me what is going on? If nothing had gone wrong, I should be on an airplane right now."

The deputy chief said, "Didn't you originally not want to go? Your wish has come true."

"Deputy, that's not the point. I had already packed up, and I told my mom I wouldn't be home tonight." Luke spread his hands. "Now great, I'm homeless. Can I stay at your place?"

The deputy laughed, "Don't even think about it."

"Creak…" The door to the captain's office opened.

"Everyone's here. Let me explain the investigation findings of the Clark County Police Department." Susan placed a stack of documents on the desk, "Clark County Police has obtained the death certificate of Tony Will and confirmed with Tony Will's family. It is confirmed that the real Tony Will died in a car accident twenty years ago."

Jenny said, "So, the suspect used a false identity of Tony Will to buy guns."

Susan shook her head, "It's not that simple. There is also a Tony Will in Los Angeles, and both individuals used the same Social Security number. The Tony Will from Los Angeles has lived here for at least a decade, with a driver's license, medical records, and drug rehab records. He has been living under this identity all along."

Luke sorted out his thoughts, "The identity of Tony Will can be divided into two phases. One phase was Tony Will twenty years ago, who lived with his family in Nevada and then died in a car accident.

Afterward, his identity was stolen, which is the current Tony Will.

In other words, the suspect has been impersonating someone else for twenty years."

Everyone's expression darkened. If the suspect had used a temporary false identity, it would have been much easier to track down.

But a suspect who had been using a false identity for twenty years would have had enough time to erase traces of their real identity.

Too scary.

Who is he?

Frowning, Jenny raised a question, "Since the real Tony Will is already dead, and a death certificate has been issued locally, why is the Social Security number still being misused?"

The deputy chief said, "You overlooked one factor: time.

The internet is advanced now, and there is information sharing; it is very unlikely for such things to occur.

But this happened twenty years ago when the information network was not as developed as it is now, and transparency of information between states was difficult to achieve."

Luke continued his analysis, "If we assume that the suspect who purchased the modified Taser gun is not the real Tony Will, it means he has another real identity. The police are currently on the lookout for Tony Will, but if the suspect reverts to his previous identity, we will never be able to find him."

Marcus, curling his thick lips, said, "Oh, my God, someone has lived under a false identity for twenty years, who knows who he really is? He's a scary guy."

The deputy ignored Marcus's remarks, "Luke's point is valid. However, we still don't know why the suspect chose to impersonate someone else twenty years ago.

From personal experience, his original identity must have had problems, and he is most likely a wanted criminal."

Luke said, "Even if the suspect's real identity has a prior record, it's been twenty years; we don't even know if the officers involved in the case are still around, and the local police force surely has relaxed their investigative efforts.

The suspect might still seek help from former friends and relatives, like that wealthy person who comes to visit him every year."

Susan summed up, "Let's reorganize the clues now and focus the investigation on the 'real identity' of Tony Will. Fake is fake; no matter how hard he tries to hide, he will leave some traces.

Okay, everyone split up and investigate."

After finishing, Susan returned to the captain's office.

The deputy scoffed, "Sounds good in theory."

David smiled, "Deputy, do you have any ideas?"

Holding a comb, the deputy straightened his thinning silver hair, "Just like we suspected earlier, the suspect using Tony Will's identity suggests he might have a criminal record.

Looking back twenty years, which would be 2002, the suspect is likely to have committed crimes that year or earlier.

We can check the criminal records of 2002 to see if there are any unsolved cases or fugitives, especially those involving robberies with a Taser gun."

Luke slightly turned his eyes; though the old man was advanced in years, he indeed had a knack for investigation. This line of inquiry seemed promising...