金港烧烤的调查没挖出什么硬货。托马斯调了监控，可昨晚九点到十一点的记录"巧合"地坏了，画面一片雪花，原因是更换新的监控设备。科尔和迈克翻了账本，流水正常得像教科书，暂时没一点破绽。科尔站在柜台前，死盯着卡尔·罗森，眼神像要把人剖开。可卡尔还是那副趾高气昂无辜的模样，端着威士忌，冷嘲热讽："警官们，查完了？要不要我请你们吃碗白饭，省得白跑一趟？"他笑得一脸欠揍，保镖站在旁边，眼神吓人。
The investigation at Golden Harbor BBQ didn't dig up any hard evidence. Thomas checked the surveillance footage, but the recordings from nine to eleven o'clock last night "coincidentally" malfunctioned, the screen filled with snow, the reason being the replacement of new surveillance equipment. Cole and Mike went through the account books, the cash flow appearing as normal as a textbook, with no loopholes for the time being. Cole stood at the counter, staring fixedly at Karl Rosen, his gaze as if wanting to dissect the man. But Karl maintained that arrogant and innocent demeanor, holding a glass of whiskey, coldly mocking: "Officers, are you done? Would you like me to treat you to a bowl of plain rice, so you haven't wasted a trip?" His smile was infuriating, with bodyguards standing nearby, their eyes intimidating.
科尔冷冷回了一句："少废话，别以为你能糊弄过去。这事儿没完。如果能还能拿出高端酒水的购置税单和摩尔庄园的地产税款，以及海港停滞货物的关税缴纳单的话。"他语气硬得像铁板。
Cole coldly replied: "Cut the crap, don't think you can get away with this. This matter isn't over. If you can still produce the purchase tax bill for high-end liquor and the property tax for Moore Manor, as well as the customs duty payment for stagnant goods at the harbor." His tone was as hard as iron.
卡尔却眼神一冷，顿时严肃起来，说道："科尔警官，我不想再说一句，我只能去叫我的律师了。请你们离开。"
But Karl's eyes turned cold, immediately becoming serious, saying: "Officer Cole, I don't want to say another word, I can only call my lawyer now. Please leave."
科尔没再说话，手里的证据薄得可怜，只能憋着火转身走人。我跟在后面，临出门时忍不住多看了卡尔一眼。他的衬衫紧着的，露出肚子的轮廓，可那脸线和肩膀的线条却不像是肥胖的模样。我皱了皱眉，心里嘀咕：这家伙装胖子？
Cole didn't say anything more, the evidence in his hands pitifully thin, he could only turn around and leave with suppressed anger. I followed behind, and couldn't help but take an extra look at Karl as we were exiting. His shirt was tight, revealing the contour of his stomach, but the lines of his face and shoulders didn't look like those of an obese person. I frowned, wondering to myself: Is this guy pretending to be fat?
我们四个上了车，托马斯开车，科尔坐副驾，迈克和我挤在后座。他一路皱着眉，手指在膝盖上敲来敲去，显然对卡尔的印象糟透了。我靠着车窗，刚想闭眼歇会儿，余光却瞥见那个金发女人。她从街角闪出来，低着头，快步走进金港烧烤的侧门。她的身影一晃而过，像只受惊的猫。我心跳漏了一拍，脑子里嗡嗡作响。
The four of us got into the car, Thomas driving, Cole in the passenger seat, Mike and I squeezed in the back. He frowned all the way, his fingers tapping on his knee, clearly having a terrible impression of Karl. I leaned against the car window, just about to close my eyes for a rest, when out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed that blonde woman. She flashed out from the street corner, head down, quickly walking into the side door of Golden Harbor BBQ. Her figure flashed by, like a startled cat. My heart skipped a beat, my mind buzzing.
"卢卡斯，你看见什么了？"科尔突然开口，眼神锐利地扫过来。我愣了下，摇了摇头："没啥，可能看错了。"可那股别扭的感觉像根刺扎在心里，金发女人的泪水和卡尔的冷笑在我脑子里搅成一团。科尔没追问，低头翻着笔记本，嘴里嘀咕："这地方有问题，我得再挖挖。"
"Lucas, what did you see?" Cole suddenly spoke, his gaze sweeping over sharply. I was stunned for a moment, then shook my head: "Nothing, might have seen wrong." But that uncomfortable feeling stuck like a thorn in my heart, the blonde woman's tears and Karl's cold smile tangled together in my mind. Cole didn't pursue the matter, lowered his head flipping through his notebook, muttering: "This place has issues, I need to dig deeper."
回到警局，科尔直奔档案室，把卡尔·罗森的资料调了出来。他窝在办公室里，桌上堆满文件，咖啡杯摞了三个，熬了个通宵研究。卡尔的背景比预想得复杂：表面上是个富商，名下有饭店、码头仓库、地产，还有几家进出口公司，可档案里总有些地方模模糊糊，像被人故意抹平了。科尔咬着笔头，低声自语："这家伙不是普通老板，得找个突破口。"
Back at the police station, Cole headed straight for the archives room and pulled out Karl Rosen's files. He huddled in his office, his desk piled with documents, coffee cups stacked three high, staying up all night to study. Karl's background was more complex than anticipated: on the surface, he was a wealthy businessman, owning restaurants, dock warehouses, real estate, and several import-export companies, but there were always some areas in the files that were vague, as if deliberately smoothed over. Cole bit the end of his pen, muttering to himself: "This guy is no ordinary boss, need to find a breakthrough point."
第二天一早，我被叫到莱门斯办公室。他坐在椅子上，西装还是那么板正，手里拿着一份文件，抬头看了我一眼："卢卡斯，左臂怎么样？"我低声回："没事，能干活。"他点点头，笑眯眯地说："那就好。给你安排个差事，去海港外当三天安保，站街，维持秩序。"他顿了顿，笑了笑，"轻松点，别太累。"
Early the next morning, I was called to Lemons' office. He sat in his chair, his suit as rigid as ever, holding a document in his hand, looking up at me: "Lucas, how's your left arm?" I replied softly: "No problem, can work." He nodded, smiling and saying: "That's good. I have an assignment for you, go to the outer harbor for three days of security, stand on the street, maintain order." He paused, smiled, "Take it easy, don't get too tired."
我一听，火气蹭地窜上来。站街？三天？这他妈是打发叫花子！我盯着他，心里骂了无数句，可嘴上只能挤出个："是，警长。"莱门斯挥挥手让我出去，我转身时差点撞门框，满肚子气憋得胸口疼。安德利刚死，我还挂着伤，他们就给我扔这么个闲差事，像在告诉我：你没用了，靠边站吧。
Upon hearing this, my anger shot up. Standing on the street? Three days? This was like treating me like a beggar! I stared at him, cursing countless times in my heart, but could only squeeze out a: "Yes, Chief." Lemons waved his hand for me to leave, and as I turned, I almost hit the door frame, the pent-up anger in my stomach making my chest hurt. Andrey had just died, I was still injured, and they gave me such a menial task, as if telling me: you're useless now, step aside.
走出警局，我点了根烟，狠狠抽了一口。街上的风冷得刺骨，海港的方向隐约传来警笛声。科尔在挖卡尔的底，莱门斯在摆棋，我却要去站街，像个笑话。我吐了口烟圈，脑子里又闪过那个金发女人。她和金港烧烤到底什么关系？
Walking out of the police station, I lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag. The wind on the street was bone-chilling, with faint sounds of police sirens coming from the direction of the harbor. Cole was digging into Karl's background, Lemons was playing chess, and I had to go stand on the street, like a joke. I exhaled a smoke ring, with the blonde woman flashing through my mind again. What relationship did she have with Golden Harbor BBQ?