第二天，警局的新闻发布会开得热热闹闹。台上摆满了麦克风，闪光灯晃得人睁不开眼。波尔站在中间，声音洪亮地宣布："警员卢卡斯·维尔纳在大桥袭击中英勇保住了关键证据，为案件侦破立下大功。我们决定授予他城市英雄勋章！"台下掌声一片，莱门斯接过话筒，脸上挂着那招牌式的笑："卢卡斯展现了警察的果敢和担当，是我们警局的骄傲。"他顿了顿，瞥了我一眼，"年轻人，前途无量。"
The next day, the police station's press conference was buzzing with activity. The stage was filled with microphones, the flashbulbs so bright one could barely open their eyes. Paul stood in the center, announcing in a resounding voice: "Officer Lucas Werner heroically saved key evidence during the bridge attack, making a great contribution to solving the case. We have decided to award him the City Hero Medal!" Applause erupted from below, and Lemons took the microphone, wearing his signature smile: "Lucas has demonstrated the courage and responsibility of a police officer, he is the pride of our police station." He paused, glancing at me, "Young man, your future is bright."
我站在台上，手里攥着那枚勋章，脸上挤出个笑，可心里却五味杂陈。安德利死后也拿了这个，现在轮到我，多巧。科尔走过来，递给我一杯咖啡，低声说："干得不错，卢卡斯。上面已经在提你升职了，好好干。"他拍拍我肩膀，眼里带着点真诚的认可。众人围上来祝贺，我点头应付，心里却惦记着艾琳，想赶紧去找她。
I stood on the stage, gripping the medal in my hand, forcing a smile on my face, but inside, my feelings were mixed. Andrey also received this after his death, and now it was my turn, how coincidental. Cole walked over, handed me a cup of coffee, and said in a low voice: "Well done, Lucas. They're already talking about promoting you, keep up the good work." He patted my shoulder, his eyes showing genuine approval. People gathered around to congratulate me, I nodded in response, but in my heart, I was thinking about Erin, wanting to find her as soon as possible.
发布会一散，我直奔那家咖啡馆。艾琳坐在老位子上，低头翻着书，可我走近一看，心猛地一沉——她眼角青黑，嘴角还有干涸的血迹，像刚挨过一顿打。我扔下勋章，急忙蹲在她面前，低声问："艾琳，怎么回事？谁干的？"她抬头看了我一眼，眼泪刷地掉下来，低声说："昨晚……我爸又发火了。他知道我去看安德利死的地方，还知道我跟你见面，回来就……"她没说完，捂着脸哭了。
As soon as the press conference dispersed, I rushed to that cafe. Erin sat in her usual spot, head down reading a book, but as I got closer, my heart sank—her eye was bruised, and there were dried blood stains at the corner of her mouth, as if she had just been beaten. I dropped the medal, quickly crouched in front of her, and asked softly: "Erin, what happened? Who did this?" She looked up at me, tears suddenly falling, and said quietly: "Last night... my father got angry again. He knew I went to the place where Andrey died, and he knew I was meeting with you, when I got back he..." She didn't finish, covering her face as she cried.
我脑子里轰的一声，怒火烧得我手都在抖。"你的父亲叫什么？"我问。"卡尔·罗森。"这印证了我的猜想，我早感觉他们之间有不一样的关系，这个混蛋！我站起身，咬牙说："你在这儿等着，我去找他。"艾琳拉住我胳膊，声音发颤："别去，他不好惹……"可我已经听不下了，转身掏出手机拨给科尔："科尔，我要再去金港烧烤找卡尔。这家伙家暴她的女儿，我咽不下这口气。你能带人来吗？我想找找他的麻烦。"
My mind exploded with rage, anger making my hands shake. "What's your father's name?" I asked. "Karl Rosen." This confirmed my suspicion; I had long felt there was a different relationship between them. That bastard! I stood up, gritting my teeth, saying: "Wait here, I'm going to find him." Erin grabbed my arm, her voice trembling: "Don't go, he's dangerous..." But I wasn't listening anymore, turning to pull out my phone and dial Cole: "Cole, I'm going to Golden Harbor BBQ to find Karl again. This guy is abusing his daughter, I can't let this go. Can you bring some people? I want to cause him some trouble."
科尔那边顿了顿，低声说："我得去市长的会议，走不开。你找托马斯和迈克，他们跟你去。小心点，别冲动。不许使用私刑。"我挂了电话，心里的火越烧越旺。托马斯和迈克很快赶到，三人一合计，直奔金港烧烤。
There was a pause on Cole's end, then he said quietly: "I have to go to the mayor's meeting, I can't get away. Find Thomas and Mike, they'll go with you. Be careful, don't be impulsive. No vigilante justice." I hung up, the fire in my heart burning ever brighter. Thomas and Mike arrived quickly, and after a brief discussion, the three of us headed straight for Golden Harbor BBQ.
到了饭店门口，我皱了皱眉。这地方冷清得要命，平时热热闹闹的店面现在门可罗雀，连个服务员的影子都看不到。托马斯低声说："不对劲，太安静了。"迈克点点头，从车里拎出一支步枪，咔哒一声上膛："小心点，进去瞧瞧。"我也掏出配枪，手心有点汗，三人慢慢推门进去。
Arriving at the restaurant entrance, I frowned. The place was eerily quiet, the usually bustling storefront now completely deserted, not even a waiter in sight. Thomas said quietly: "Something's not right, it's too quiet." Mike nodded, pulling a rifle from the car, loading it with a click: "Be careful, let's take a look inside." I also drew my service weapon, my palm a bit sweaty, as the three of us slowly pushed the door open.
店里昏暗得像个洞，只有柜台后面一盏灯幽幽亮着。桌椅乱七八糟，地上散着几只破碗，像被人匆匆扫过。我压低声音："卡尔在哪儿？"迈克端着步枪，扫了眼后厨方向："那儿有动静。"我们贴着墙挪过去，心跳快得像擂鼓。空气里飘着股怪味，不是海鲜，是种说不上来的腥臭。
The inside of the shop was as dark as a cave, with only a dim light glowing behind the counter. Tables and chairs were in disarray, broken bowls scattered on the floor, as if someone had hurriedly swept through. I lowered my voice: "Where's Karl?" Mike, holding his rifle, glanced toward the kitchen: "There's movement there." We moved along the wall, our hearts beating like drums. There was a strange smell in the air, not seafood, but a kind of indescribable stench.
推开后厨的门，一股冷风扑面而来。我眯眼一看，后门大开，地上有一滩的血迹，通向外头的巷子。托马斯低声骂了句："操了！有人先我们一步！"迈克架枪在门口，托马斯小心翼翼举着枪走过去，检查了下血迹："刚留下的，没多久。"我咬牙，心里一股不祥的预感窜上来。
Pushing open the kitchen door, a cold wind rushed toward us. Squinting, I saw the back door wide open, with a pool of blood on the floor leading to the alley outside. Thomas cursed under his breath: "Fuck! Someone beat us to it!" Mike set up his rifle at the doorway, while Thomas carefully walked over with his gun raised, examining the blood: "Just left, not long ago." I gritted my teeth, a sense of foreboding rising within me.