ld''''''''vegorafficorpatrol.Anythingbuthomicide."

Sure,younggirlswouldgushoverhim,callinghim"BrotherLu"withthatmixofaweandgirlishfantasy.Butthatwasallitwas—fantasy.Noonewasfoolishenoughtothemselvestoamanlikehim.Womeoosmartforthatnow.

Whenhewasyounger,Luhadhalf-heartedlytrieddating.

Weird,hethought.Evensecurityguardsflirtingwithnannieshadbetterluckthanhim.

Hefoughtcrime,upheldjustice,hadadetfadrightastheycame.Sowhycouldn''''''''thendagirlfriend?Atleastifhediedinthelineofduty,theywouldburyhimiyrs''''''''cemetery.Thegoverwouldcutaheftycheck—forthefamilyhedidn''''''''thave.

Eventually,hegotusedtoit.

Noattatsmeanthewasalwaysfree.Noparents,ives,nopressuretocarryonthefamilyline.hometoworryabout,sohecouldthrowhimselfintoeverycasewithouthesitation.

Luhadclimbedtheranksquicklyinhisearlyyears,butaftermakingcaptain,hiscareerftlined.Everyoneknewwhy:noes,nobag.Thiswasasfarashewouldevergo.

Beingahomicidedetectivewasdangerous,exhaustingwork.Butsomeoodoit.Hisoldcolleagueshadwives,kids,reasonstostayalive.Luonlyhadthecase.

Heoftengrumbledthathewasborntosuffer.Yetnomatterhowmuchhepined,hewasalwaysthefirsttein.

Apartfromtheendlesssuspedcorpses,theonlythingtyinghimdownwasthestralegirthome.

Reya—hisoruesurprise.