Chapter 12: Basic Skills

[Chapter 12: Basic Skills]

In the Los Angeles police precinct, Katherine stared blankly at Ian.

Then she glanced over at the black man.

Under Ian's direction, she noticed that the man's posture was indeed off.

So she stood up, picked up a pair of rubber gloves, and walked over, handing them to her partner while pointing at the man. "Take him to the examination room and check him out."

The man immediately froze, shouting, "What the hell! You can't do this to me! This is a violation of my rights!"

He was led away amidst his frantic shouting.

Katherine followed along, not getting involved but merely observing.

After a moment, the cop emerged with a small plastic bag covered in yellow filth, yelling, "What the heck! Doesn't this guy know how to wash himself?"

He turned to Katherine and asked, "How did you figure it out?"

Katherine turned her head defiantly and replied, "You have to be observant."

Ian Carr!

This guy had actually hit the nail on the head.

He was here for questioning, but he had also helped the police solve a case incidentally?

The dumb cop seemed ready to hand the plastic bag to Katherine, but she snapped, "Don't touch me with that disgusting thing!"

With that, she turned and returned to the lobby.

...

Sitting back at her desk, Katherine stared at Ian with wide eyes, not saying a word.

Ian grinned, saying, "No need to thank me."

Katherine ground her teeth and shot back, "I didn't say thank you to you!"

Not far away, Kate Beckinsale watched this unfold, equally impressed.

Ian Carr, you really have a way with things!

Noticing the complex look in Katherine's eyes, Ian smiled and said, "So you see, this could have been much simpler. After investigation, the LAPD confirmed that Ian Carr and Miss Beckinsale are innocent. And I, well, I will take responsibility for contributing to the confusion that led the LAPD to make mistakes. I will provide evidence gradually, and we'll grab the headlines while you'll get a perfect resolution to a kidnapping and murder case. If needed, I can also mention that some evidence was supplied by you guys. I can clear your names!"

Sometimes, investigations could be incredibly straightforward; gang wars were considered a qualifying way to close a case.

As long as this case was classified as gang-related, it could be considered resolved.

It was absurd, but that was reality.

The premise was that the police accepted this... They could be ineffective or quite capable, depending on whether they wanted to invest effort in it.

In films, the police seemed all-powerful, yet in reality, they were overwhelmed with cases!

Now Ian offered them a third option; if the police refused, he could always hire a lawyer to make demands.

Ian Carr didn't get a lawyer simply because... he was currently broke.

Damn it, Harnett hadn't sent the money yet!

Katherine scoffed, "I know what you're thinking, Mr. Carr. You're worried that if we spill the truth, Bloods will come after you, right? Have you even considered that even if the police actually closed the case as you suggested, I might inform crazy Jett that the so-called mysterious gunman is you? The police need evidence, but Bloods doesn't!"

Ian smiled slightly. "You have a point, Officer Brown. Fortunately, I still have some talent for reading people. From your eyes, I see that you have a strong sense of justice... As a justice-seeking officer, you wouldn't collaborate with a gang, correct?"

Not far away, Kate thought: But as a morally questionable journalist, Ian Carr, you would!

Katherine replied, "But don't think you can threaten me with that, Mr. Carr. I don't care about the police department's reputation."

Ian grinned wider. "But your boss will care. So, whether you like it or not, I'll be out of this precinct before tonight... that's the best solution!"

---

By dusk, Ian and Kate Beckinsale exited the police station.

With the evening breeze blowing, Ian, hands in his pockets, calmly looked at Kate Beckinsale beside him, saying, "Do you need a ride, Miss Beckinsale?"

Kate flipped her hair slightly.

This beauty had a unique classic charm, her eyes sparkling, though her gaze towards Ian carried a hint of... fear.

She shook her head gently. "Honestly, I don't want to be near you for even a second right now."

Kate was feeling quite conflicted towards Ian.

On one hand, she was grateful he had saved her; on the other hand, she was terrified of his recklessness.

A journalist rushed in to take down three gang shooters for a story and reported it. To avoid identification by the police and for a better story, he staged a high-speed chase, driving through a hail of bullets... Well, maybe not bullets, but he sure wished he could've had that!

How could he dare?

A deep-seated fear made her instinctively resist Ian, yet at the same time, the man's mystery and strength drew her in, leading to a whirlwind of emotions in her heart.

...

In the empty lot in front of the precinct, Ian and Kate stood side by side.

The cool breeze flowed, and Kate's hair danced, flourishing vibrantly in the sunset glow.

Ian smiled at Kate. "Tomorrow, more news about this will be released, and all your reputation will be restored."

Kate replied, "It doesn't matter. The police already know I'm innocent."

Ian said, "I'm not talking about the police; I'm talking about Hollywood."

Kate looked at him in shock. "What do you mean?"

She couldn't understand Ian's words and could only sense the inexplicable confidence radiating from him.

Ian replied earnestly, "Now, if you check your phone, there should be many calls. Then you'll inform them that you are innocent... So do you know what will happen next?"

He leaned close to Kate's ear, whispering, "According to Hollywood's standard operating procedure, the developments should go like this.

Kate Beckinsale encountered a kidnapping... They will say Charlie Mills died for you. This will be more appealing to the public than saying you were sold off!

Then, luckily, Ian Carr saved her. Although there were misunderstandings in the process, it ultimately heightened their bond.

They will exploit this incident for publicity, boosting your popularity while also elevating expectations for Pearl Harbor. A gangster died for a dame, and a journalist saved her and sparked a romance.

This would be a real-life movie plot and would be spectacular!"

Ian rambled on as if weaving a story, yet it all seemed reasonable.

Kate stared at Ian in disbelief. "You think Touchstone Pictures would exploit a romance between us? No way, that's impossible."

Ian smiled and shook his head. "On the contrary, the Charlie Mills case, under my direction, will yield at least five breaking stories. The first part would be Ian Carr reporting live on the gunfight scene with Kate Beckinsale as a suspect. The second part would involve a car chase where Kate attempts to escape. The police capture Ian and Kate. The third part reveals that Kate Beckinsale was actually kidnapped. The fourth part sees Ian Carr killing Charlie Mills to save you. The fifth part will hint that Charlie Mills was a cross-dresser who died for you, and his intentions behind the kidnapping were to be with you or something else... No need to clarify, leaving some suspense is better. One event, five headlines, along with the producer's death and other details..."

He grinned, "We will dominate the next half month's breaking news, and we'll both become famous. When you promote a romance with me now, it'll be the sixth hot story. So regardless of whether you agree, Touchstone Pictures and your agent will insist you do this. They won't pass up such a great promotional opportunity... If it weren't for Pearl Harbor already being wrapped up, they might even have me make a cameo!"

Ian shrugged. "If you don't believe it, go contact your agent."

Kate blinked. "Ian Carr, are you a devil?"

Ian smiled. "Just the basic skills of a top-notch reporter."

*****

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