Orty set down the muffin and took a sip of tea. "The client is named Fuan Cruise, who claims to be a farmer, but he and his children run many businesses. He's a wealthy old man."

In three days, Mr. Cruise is going to host an engagement ceremony at the farm.

Two days ago, he received a threatening letter, demanding that he cancel the engagement ceremony or else it could lead to a bloody disaster.

He wants to hire the best detective to ensure the ceremony's safety."

"What specifically does the client want? To ensure the safety of the engagement ceremony, or to find the person who sent the threatening letter?"

"Fuan Cruise didn't go into detail; he wants to speak with you in person."

"How old is he?"

"The information shows that he should be 75 years old."

"What about the bride?"

"It's unclear for now."

"When do we leave?"

Orty glanced at her watch, "I'll contact him now, and we might just make it in time for a countryside lunch."

"What are we waiting for then?"

Orty stood up, a light smile playing on her pretty face, "This is your first time taking on a case for the Detective Agency; it makes me feel somewhat honored."

Luke said, "Pleased to collaborate for the first time."

...

Luke and Orty drove towards the south of Los Angeles.

Blue skies and white clouds, endless wilderness, vibrant green vegetation in the farm, herds of cattle in the pastures, and only a few pointed-roof houses visible from a distance.

While driving, Luke said, "Taking a drive in the wilderness during a break isn't bad either."

Orty joked, "And here I thought you only liked to holiday by the beach."

"You're not wrong, the beach is definitely the first choice. Someday, we should hang out at the beach for a bit."

"Speaking of the beach, I still prefer Hawaii."

Luke looked at Orty, "Are you inviting me on a trip?"

Orty shook her head with a laugh, "No.

You should keep your eyes on the road. According to the navigation, you need to turn right ahead."

They followed the navigation directions, and after a few more minutes, they saw the sign for Cruise Farm.

The farm had only a narrow road, just wide enough for two cars to pass through. At this point, navigation was no longer useful, but fortunately, the crops around weren't tall, allowing the sight of the houses.

The car traveled another mile before they could fully see the house, a three-story villa, large in size and unlike any ordinary wooden house. It was a brick and mortar structure, looking from the outside like it was made of stone, somewhat like a European castle.

The villa was surrounded by a wooden fence enclosing a yard where flowers and lawns were planted, looking very beautiful, like a small garden.

For such a large house, the issue was no longer just about its cost; just the maintenance expenses alone would be beyond what ordinary people could afford.

Not far away, a man wearing a cowboy hat, riding a horse, came over and asked, "Who are you?"

Luke rolled down the window and leaned out, "My name is Luke Lee, and I am here to visit Mr. Fuan Cruise."

"Mr. Lee, please follow me." The man turned his horse around and rode off.

Luke drove behind him, turning to Orty to ask, "Can you ride a horse?"

"No, I still prefer sitting in a car."

Luke teased, "With those long legs of yours, it's a pity not to ride a horse."

"Yours is truly a unique way to compliment someone."

"As long as you like it."

Orty adjusted her seat, hesitated for a moment, "Luke... I think I should remind you.

You are now taking on this job as a detective, which compared to your previous method of investigation... might require a bit of restraint."

Luke laughed, "Don't have faith in me?"

"No, when I saw this assignment, the first person I thought of was you. I have absolute faith in you, but I worry that you're so accustomed to the police method of solving cases that it might unconsciously influence your work here."

"I'll be careful." Luke nodded, and Orty made sense; investigating as a detective indeed had significant limitations.

The horse in front stopped, and the man with the cowboy hat jumped off, pointing with a whip to a vegetable garden, "Mr. Cruise is just ahead."

Luke stopped the car and asked, "Cowboy, how should I address you?"

"Tom.

Follow me, I'll take you to him."

Luke and Orty got out of the car and followed Tom towards the vegetable garden, where a man wearing a cowboy hat was digging potatoes.

"Mr. Cruise, your guests have arrived."

The man slowly stood up, tall and large-framed, dressed casually in a shirt and blue jeans, looking to be in his seventies but still robust.

"You must be Captain Luke, the one who has solved many peculiar cases. You are even younger than I imagined."

"That's me.

Mr. Cruise, your farm is quite beautiful."

Orty also greeted, "Mr. Cruise, hello."

"Wow, this must be Miss Dean. I remember your voice. I didn't expect that you would be even sweeter than your voice." Fuan Cruise said, before slapping the dust off his hands,

"Sorry, I should have welcomed you inside the manor.

But I'm the kind that can't sit still, so I came here to prepare today's lunch ingredients. These potatoes are organically grown by myself, with no pesticides used, purely natural. I believe you'll like them."

Luke was somewhat amused. A wealthy man but still fond of potatoes? He had hoped for some exotic delicacies for lunch, but just this?

Afterward, Fuan Cruise led Luke and Orty into the manor in a black pickup truck.

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