Reborn: The Rookie Detective Chapter 5 5: 5-Gossip

Nolan recounted his day with a sorrowful expression. During his morning patrol, he received a call about a dostic dispute. Upon arrival, he found a couple with vastly different sizes arguing. The burly husband, weighing nearly 120 kilograms, privately told John that his wife, who looked no more than 1.6 ters tall and weighed no more than 50 kilograms, had been abusing him.

Nolan, finding it both amusing and ridiculous, comforted the husband, didn't take it to heart, and left after a brief diation.

However, that afternoon, he and his training officer, Talia Bishop, received another call from the sa location. When they arrived, they found the seemingly delicate wife straddling the burly husband, stabbing him in the neck more than ten tis with an ice pick. By the ti the two subdued the wife, the muscular husband had already died from excessive blood loss.

Nolan looked utterly dejected. "I held his neck, but there was nothing I could do. I could only feel his life slipping away, even though he was just talking to face to face a mont ago."

"I thought I was ntally prepared, but when sothing like this happens, I realize it's not like that at all."

Jack said, putting his arm around Nolan's shoulder and smiling. "I thought you'd feel guilty for not being able to help or bla yourself for the husband's death. If that were the case, I might have offered you a whole bunch of reasons to comfort you and convince you that it wasn't your fault."

"I'm glad you don't think that way. Then I don't know what to say. But I was in a coma when my parents passed away, and I didn't wake up for several days. So, all I can say is, let ti heal all wounds."

Nolan gratefully hugged Jack's shoulder tightly.

"Buddy, thank you. Sotis you really make feel like I'm not talking to a young man who's only three years older than my son, but an old friend I've known for years."

Jack's eyes swept strangely over the two girls beside him.

"Is this old guy taking advantage of ?"

The girls laughed heartily at the question.

"Tell about yourself," Jack said, pointing his beer bottle at Lucy. "How was your first day? Did Officer Bradford let you off the hook?"

Seemingly taken aback by the sudden question, Lucy looked conflicted, finally managing to squeeze out a sentence: "Officer Bradford didn't seem to be targeting on purpose. I think he's a soft-hearted person."

Hannah nodded. "He is indeed a tough guy with a kind heart. If you think he was making things difficult for you, it's just that he doesn't want to let any incompetent rookie get away with it. Being a street patrol officer in Los Angeles is a very dangerous job; incompetence can cost you your life."

"So, Lucy, how did you figure out he's a good person? You looked so down this morning." Jack's lips curled into a malicious smile.

Lucy hesitated for a long ti before speaking uncertainly: "I don't know if this involves his privacy, but I don't want this to get out of the four of us today."

"We swear." Everyone loves gossip, and the three of them said in unison, raising three fingers at the sa ti.

"Today, when we arrested a street drug dealer, a holess woman appeared. She was clearly a drug addict. Bradford spoke to her for a few minutes and then gave her all the cash he had. Back in the car, I asked him what happened, and he said it was his wife who had been missing for over a year. He looked very sad."

"Oh my God!" Hannah gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. "That must be Isabella."

Seeing everyone's gaze turn to her, Hannah continued, "Tim Bradford's wife is nad Isabella. She used to be an undercover DEA agent. She unfortunately beca addicted to drugs during a mission and ran away from ho a year ago."

She warned Lucy seriously, "Don't talk about this if Tim doesn't bring it up with you. Our colleagues in the departnt have actually been secretly helping to find Isabella. Only Tim thinks he's kept this secret very well."

Lucy nodded seriously, and everyone's attention then turned to Jack, who was examining a bottle of liquor.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at like that?" Jack tried to play dumb.

"Shouldn't you share your experiences today? We've told you everything." Lucy slamd her hand on the table angrily, demanding equality of gossip.

Jack said as he twirled his empty bottle: "Angela threatened not to tell anyone...unless you buy the second round of drinks."

"Miss, four more Budweisers, please." Nolan imdiately raised his hand to call out to a nearby waitress.

Jack took a slow sip and began to recount, "Today we arrested a pair of lesbians and then..."

"...Angela sprayed the entire bottle of disinfectant and then threatened to kill if I tell anyone."

Nolan and Lucy laughed heartily, but Hannah grabbed Jack's neck, her eyes flashing with jealousy: "You're calling Angela by her first na so quickly? Your relationship is progressing fast."

Jack hurriedly gestured to Hannah to be mindful of the occasion, while protesting, "Didn't you say our schedules were inconvenient and that I should quickly build a good relationship with Angela so she could teach how to shoot a pistol? I'll be getting up early every day to prepare breakfast for two and lunch for three."

Exchanging a glance with John, Lucy asked with interest, "So, what's your relationship?"

Jack quickly raised his hand to clarify, "Hannah and I used to be friends. Now she's my landlady, and I provide her with three als a day to cover the rent."

"Hmph!" Hannah snorted at him and said.

"The LAPD doesn't allow office romances. If one happens, one of them must apply for a transfer to another departnt or precinct. If they're a rookie, they might even be fired. But I've already applied to the FBI. Once I leave the LAPD, I'll pursue Jack. He's mine. I love him."

Jack coughed repeatedly, choked by Hannah's bold declaration of love, oblivious to Nolan and Lucy's instantly ashen faces.

As the party ended, Hannah belatedly realized the atmosphere was a bit awkward towards the end. She turned to Jack in the passenger seat and asked, "Nolan and Lucy, right...?"

Jack nodded. "Yes, they got together in the last two months of the police academy. They thought they could keep it a secret until graduation, but Zoe selected them both for the Wilshire Police Departnt."

Hannah wrinkled her small, cute nose and muttered, "Why did they went of one with such a large age gap?"

Jack guiltily scratched the back of his head, not daring to continue the conversation.

After a mont of silence, Jack broke the awkward silence.

"When I visited the police station's wall of honor today, I saw the nas of Detectives Rick Hunter and Dee Dee McCall. Do you know them?"