Tommy almost exploded.
Damn it, I just called you five seconds ago, and you can’t answer now?
Unfortunately, after making a few more calls, all he got was the voice recording.
Helplessly, he put down the phone and sighed, and went to inform Mrs. Soderberg of the bad news.
Everything was peaceful after that. New York was especially peaceful that night. There weren’t even many gunshots.
The next day, Luke and Selina drove out after breakfast. When they arrived at the villa in New Jersey, Dustin called. “Did you piss off the Soderberg family?”
He sounded like he was keeping his voice down. Luke thought for a moment before he said, “Last night, a guy who claimed to be their butler ordered me to attend some dinner party, but I refused. Can this be considered pissing them off?”
Dustin was lost for words.
If this was considered pissing them off, then this family was too petty.
But… he looked at the middle-aged woman in his office and sighed helplessly. “Why don’t you come and see what the problem is? It might be related to the case the day before yesterday.”
Luke smiled. “Boss, you know it definitely isn’t related, right?”
Dustin said, “Just do me a favor. I have a lot of things to do here, but this Mrs. Soderberg is sitting in my office and wanted me to call you. I can’t just kick her out.”
Luke found that funny. “You’re worried that the Soderbergs will donate too little to NYPD next year, and the director will put the blame on you, right?”
Dustin said, “Of course. Rich people are all petty… Well, not you.”
Luke was very impressed with the way he scolded the rich in front of the rich. “Fine, have her make some time for me. It would be best if we met alone. I don’t have time for dinner parties or whatever. I’m very busy.”
Dustin asked, “You? Busy?”
Pondering for two seconds, Luke said, “Busy enjoying the life of a newbie NYPD detective, right?”
Dustin: “…I don’t care what your life is like, but please send this family away so that it doesn’t interfere with mine. I trust you have the ability, Luke.”
Luke was stunned. “What ability is that?”
Dustin said, “Stop pretending, you’re good at dealing with rich people, especially women. Sheerah, Jenny Gwenis, and Jennifer Perry all have pretty good relationships with you.”
Luke: “…Okay.”
In his heart, however, he despised Dustin for only focusing on the women. Weren’t Takagi and Tony Stark even richer?
As the saying went, when you had a woman in your heart, everything would be related to them.
Dustin and Jennifer must’ve gotten very “close,” for Dustin to dare bring up this sort of gossip.
Silently despising the old man, Luke hung up and then called Mrs. Soderberg.
This was the personal number on the card which Mrs. Soderberg had given to him the other day, which had been passed along through Dustin.
What was even more amazing was that Dustin hadn’t gotten one.
Aurora Soderberg had given only Luke this personal card.
Even if Dustin could remember the number, it was meaningless.
Only the people who got these business cards had the right to call the private numbers of the rich and powerful. If someone else who didn’t know the rules took down the number and dialed it, it would only be seen as harassment.
Calling a private number like this to get help from the other party was pretty much impossible, and the unsolicited caller would inevitably be blacklisted.
That was why Luke couldn’t be bothered with the butler.
If Aurora really wanted to extend an invitation to him, she could call him herself.
Even if she thought it beneath her or was too busy, and so had the butler call Luke, the butler shouldn’t have treated Luke like a nobody.
Luke didn’t know for sure if it was a problem with Aurora or the butler, but he wasn’t interested in figuring it out.
If a dog bit someone, would they ask the dog for compensation? It was definitely the owner’s responsibility.
As far as Luke was concerned, Aurora wasn’t some amiable, benevolent old lady.
Mrs. Soderberg’s arrogance, meanness, and omnipresent sense of superiority were her most distinctive traits.
The phone rang more than ten times before it was picked up. It was Aurora. “Who’s this?”
Luke asked, “NYPD, Luke Coulson. Mrs. Soderberg, why are you looking for me?”
Sitting in Dustin’s office, Laura frowned. Luke’s tone was indifferent and formal.
That was unusual.
How many people in New York who knew her identity could speak to her in such a flat tone?
She didn’t want to waste time on empty talk. They had learned the lesson when the butler had been hung up on last night. “If possible, I would like to invite you over to my place. How about we have afternoon tea together today?”
Luke more or less figured it out. He asked directly, “Personal matter?”
After a brief silence, Aurora said, “Yes, which is why I can’t discuss it here in the police department.”
Luke said, “Okay, two in the afternoon?”
Aurora: “Alright. I can send a car to pick you up…”
Luke interrupted her. “Mrs. Soderberg, I have my own car, and I’m not disabled. I don’t need your butler or you to arrange my schedule for me, understand?”
Stunned for a moment, she frowned and couldn’t help but explain herself. “Alright. I didn’t mean to sound like I’m forcing you.”
Then why are you sitting in my boss’s office? Are you trying to hook up with a lonely middle-aged man? Luke said, “Your butler wasn’t as ‘amiable’ as you are. Just send me the address. Goodbye.”
Listening to the end tone, Aurora slowly put her phone down, her forehead still furrowed. She turned around and looked at the butler at the door.
“Mrs. Soderberg, is this enough?” Dustin had a smile on his face, but it was clear that he was trying to chase her away.
Frowning even more, Aurora asked, “Is Luke a newbie you took in?”
Dustin found that odd, but shook his head. “Hehe, I’m old, I don’t have that ability.”
Aurora had no interest in becoming entangled with someone like Dustin, who was tactful with his retorts.
This sort of person was the most troublesome, because they didn’t mind dragging things out shamelessly, and it was hard to make them change their minds.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Chief Hammer,” she said gracefully as she got up and left the office.
After Dustin sent her out of the hall, he snorted. “Your husband isn’t the mayor, but you sure act like the mayor’s wife.”
After complaining about this troublesome lady, he went back to work.
As for why the woman was looking for Luke, he didn’t really care.
Luke was quite good at dealing with rich people, and a rich detective who didn’t have ambitions was practically invincible.