243: We're Different

We're Different

It was actually Luke who had taught Selina Gracie's "women's self-defense."

"I don't think you're a student here, are you?" asked the number 10 girl.

Luke said, "Well, I'm only here today to check out the place. Chances are that I'll be finishing the last year of high school here."

The number 10 girl grew interested. "Oh, really? That's fantastic!"

Luke didn't know what to say. Why are you so happy when you already have a boyfriend?

On the other side, Selina had returned.

Sibury had taken away the boys who had been having fun chasing the girls, and the two unlucky idiots would probably be kicked out of school.

The number 10 girl's boyfriend also came back. Noticing that his girlfriend was talking to an unfamiliar boy, he glared at Luke angrily. "What are you doing? Stay away from my girlfriend."

Luke smiled and pointed behind him.

The boy said angrily, "What are you pointing at? Just talk! Are you dumb?"

Luke said, "I'm trying to say that you're blocking my cousin's way."

The boy turned around and saw Selina. His face immediately changed. "Hi, nice to meet you. May I know your name?"

"No." The boy glared at Luke, who had been the one to refuse.

Luke chuckled. "Boy, stay away from my cousin."

Stunned, the boy felt that something wasn't right. In the end, he said, "I was talking to your cousin; it's none of your business."

Luke said, "I was talking to your girlfriend; it's none of your business."

The boy roared, "How can a girlfriend and cousin be the same?"

"How can someone with a girlfriend and someone without a girlfriend be the same?" Luke smiled.

The boy was confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Luke said, "It means that I'm speaking for my cousin, who's reluctant to hurt the feelings of little boys."

The boy turned around, only to see Selina smiling silently.

He was immediately enraged. "You think you're awesome? You're just two id-"

Selina suddenly stepped forward and grabbed his neck. "Language, kid. Shut up and go home, if your words are as unpleasant as your fart, got it?"

The boy turned red, not because of the humiliation, but because Selina was almost suffocating him.

Seeing the fear in his eyes, Selina loosened her grip. "Alright, go away, but don't talk to me anymore."

She casually pushed the boy away and wiped her hands with sanitizer, as if they were contaminated.

The boy gritted his teeth and left.

The number 10 girl, however, didn't move, and looked at Selina in admiration. She was truly awed by Selina this time.

Ten meters away, the boy noticed that his girlfriend wasn't following him. He roared, "Tatum, we're over! Over!"

The number 10 girl was dumbfounded. "What's wrong with you?" She stopped looking at Selina and hurriedly chased after her boyfriend.

Selina finally sat down. "What were you doing? You hit on a high school girl and I had to get rid of her boyfriend for you?"

Luke said casually, "It's only been half a year since I graduated high school. I'm not even nineteen yet."

Selina choked. Indeed, it wasn't strange for an eighteen-year-old boy to pursue a girl only one or two years younger than him.

They finished the rest of their lunch in peace.

They roamed the school again that afternoon and visited the crime scenes after that, which included the spot where Deputy Director Condra's niece was killed as well as Sandra's home.

They were only familiarizing themselves with the environment, and didn't expect to find any leads, partly because the case happened three days ago, and partly because scant evidence had been left behind at the crime scenes.

Luke didn't find anything from Sandra with his Sharp Nose either, though the suspect who had assaulted her was her boyfriend Billy.

Billy had gone to see Sandra the night of the crime, which was why he was suspected of being the serial killer. However, there wasn't enough of his smell for Luke to determine that he was the criminal.

It gradually turned dark while they were checking out the town, and the residents quickly and solemnly went on their way.

Housewives returned home with their babies, and children playing in the yard were summoned back to the house.

Most women in places like bars also paid their bills and went home.

Luke could only shake his head. "This is unbelievable."

He had never seen a situation like this, where one murderer could make the people of an entire town hide in fear, which seemed rather absurd.

That was precisely the panic that a serial killer could cause.

After all, nobody could be sure that they wouldn't be the next victim.

They certainly valued their own lives more than leisure.

Polk also said that a curfew had been implemented until the serial killer was found.

But Luke wasn't very hopeful.

The residents would only tolerate the curfew for half a month at most. If it was prolonged, chances were that Polk would lose his position as sheriff.

That explained why Polk was friendly to Luke and Selina. He was too stressed to care about reputation any longer.

That night, Luke and Selina went to Polk's home.

Polk took them to his study. Although nobody except his wife was at home, he remembered what Luke said about the importance of confidentiality.

While Luke and Selina browsed the case files, Polk opened the window and lit a cigarette.

But he coughed after smoking for a short while.

Luke glanced at him and said, "Sheriff Polk, it's been a long time since you smoked, hasn't it?"

Polk said with a bitter smile, "Call me Polk. I quit smoking, but the last few days…"

Luke thought for a moment, then said, "How about this? While Selina reads the files here, you can show me what you have at the police station."

Polk asked, "Are you a forensic scientist?"

Luke provided validation without blinking an eye. "My uncle is an administrator at the forensics center in Las Vegas."

Polk's eyes bulged. "Really?"

Luke spread his hands. "I wouldn't have become a police officer so quickly if it wasn't for the guidance of my family elders."1

He wasn't lying. If Robert hadn't pulled strings for him, Luke wouldn't even have been able to become a security officer.

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