警局人手严重不足，大桥袭击和金港枪战死了太多人，我被临时抽调到行动组，不能每天陪着艾琳了。跟我搭档的是个叫梅尔·格林的小子，二十九岁，比我小七岁，刚进警局时跟科尔一批，可到现在还是个七级实习警员。他个子不高，瘦得像根竹竿，嘴里总叼着烟，比我以前抽得还狠。我因为艾琳戒了烟，她嫌烟味儿熏，每次闻到就皱眉，久了我也就不抽了。梅尔却是个小烟鬼，一根接一根，车里老是弥漫着呛人的烟雾。
The police station was severely understaffed; too many officers had died in the bridge attack and the Golden Harbor gunfight. I was temporarily reassigned to the action team, which meant I couldn't accompany Erin every day. My partner was a guy named Mel Green, twenty-nine years old, seven years younger than me. He had joined the police station in the same batch as Cole, but was still a level seven trainee officer. He wasn't tall, as thin as a bamboo pole, always with a cigarette between his lips, smoking even more heavily than I used to. I had quit smoking because of Erin; she disliked the smell and would frown whenever she smelled it. Eventually, I stopped smoking altogether. Mel, however, was a real chimney, chain-smoking one cigarette after another, with the car constantly filled with choking smoke.
梅尔这人圆滑，审时度势挺有一套，嘴上却不爱多话，眼神里总带着点正气。可干起活来，心理素质差得让人头疼。有次行动组查了个窝点，他端着枪手抖得跟筛子似的，差点走火。我问他："你行不行啊？"他咬着烟，硬撑着回："行，习惯就好了。"可我看得出来，他压根没准备好当刑警，估计是家里塞进来的。
Mel was a smooth operator, good at reading situations, though he wasn't much of a talker. His eyes always carried a sense of righteousness. But when it came to actual work, his psychological resilience was frustratingly poor. Once, when the action team was investigating a hideout, he held his gun with hands shaking like a sieve, almost firing accidentally. I asked him, "Can you handle this?" He bit down on his cigarette, forcing himself to reply, "Sure, just need to get used to it." But I could tell he wasn't at all prepared to be a detective, probably pushed into the job by his family.
我俩被分到海港外围巡逻，任务是盯着几个可疑点，防止漏网之鱼再搞乱子。梅尔开车，我坐副驾，他抽着烟嘀咕："这破地方，晚上冷得跟冰窖似的。"我没搭腔，心里惦记着艾琳。她昨晚还跟我窝在家里，笑着说："你忙归忙，别忘了回来。"我点点头，可现在只能每天打个电话，心里空得慌。
We were assigned to patrol the outskirts of the harbor, tasked with monitoring several suspicious spots to prevent any escaped targets from causing more trouble. Mel drove while I sat in the passenger seat. He puffed on his cigarette, muttering, "This dump is as cold as an ice cellar at night." I didn't respond, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of Erin. Just last night, she had curled up with me at home, smiling as she said, "You can be busy, but don't forget to come back." I had nodded, but now I could only call her daily, leaving an emptiness in my heart.
与此同时，欧文和科尔在老地方——那家偏僻的酒吧又碰了头。桌上摆着两杯啤酒，气氛沉得像铅。欧文靠在椅背上，低声说："咱们总是慢一步，肯定有叛徒。警局内部的情报，时刻被人卖出去。而且我感觉不止是警察局，还有安全局也被渗成筛子了。"他顿了顿，瞥了眼科尔，"你觉得呢？"科尔皱着眉，手指敲着桌子："我怀疑过卢卡斯。他跟卡尔的女儿艾琳搅在一起，关系太近了。"
Meanwhile, Owen and Cole met again at their usual spot—that secluded bar. Two beers sat on the table, with an atmosphere as heavy as lead. Owen leaned back in his chair, speaking softly: "We're always one step behind. There must be a traitor. Intelligence from within the police station is constantly being sold. And I feel it's not just the police station; the security bureau has also been infiltrated like a sieve." He paused, glancing at Cole, "What do you think?" Cole frowned, his fingers tapping on the table: "I've suspected Lucas. He's involved with Carl's daughter Erin, and their relationship is too close."
欧文点了根烟，吐了口烟圈："卡尔有家暴史，我调查过艾琳·罗森，她常年在首都上学，很少和家里联系，因为家暴和离婚问题艾琳跟家里不和，卡尔每个月给艾琳卡里打五万元，但至今她没花过一分钱。他们没理由帮卡尔做事，而且他为了救出证据差点死在大桥上，他为什么这么做呢？我们检查了卡尔的遗体，他的肚子是假的，胖子是他装的，里面有个暗格，里面肯定藏了东西，但是被取走了。"科尔点点头："我也查了他们的账户，确实没啥异常。对了！除了卢卡斯跟报社那家伙马丁的交易——那篇头条估计是他卖的。"欧文眯了眯眼，低声说："莱门斯和我已经联系好了，马丁那儿我来搞定，挖挖他嘴里还能吐出什么。你接着查卢卡斯，看看他到底藏了多少。"
Owen lit a cigarette, blowing out a smoke ring: "Carl has a history of domestic violence. I've investigated Erin Rosen—she's been studying in the capital for years, rarely contacting her family. Due to domestic violence and divorce issues, Erin's relationship with her family is strained. Carl deposits fifty thousand into Erin's card every month, but she hasn't spent a penny of it. They have no reason to help Carl, and he almost died on the bridge trying to save evidence—why would he do that? We examined Carl's body; his belly was fake, the fat was a disguise, with a hidden compartment inside. Something was definitely hidden there, but it's been taken." Cole nodded: "I also checked their accounts, and there's indeed nothing unusual. Oh! Except for Lucas's deal with that newspaper guy Martin—that headline was probably sold by him." Owen narrowed his eyes, saying softly: "Lemons and I have already made arrangements. I'll handle Martin, dig into what else he might spill. You continue investigating Lucas, see how much he's hiding."
科尔抿了口啤酒，眼底闪过一丝冷光："就这样，行动吧。"欧文哼笑一声："这案子要是再拖下去，咱们都得玩完。"两人碰了下杯，各自起身，背影消失在酒吧的昏光里。
Cole took a sip of beer, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Alright, let's move." Owen snorted a laugh: "If this case drags on any longer, we're all done for." The two clinked glasses, then got up and walked away, their silhouettes disappearing into the dim light of the bar.
我这边，坐在巡逻车里，盯着窗外的海港发呆。梅尔又点了根烟，车里烟雾弥漫，我皱眉开了窗。他瞥了我一眼，笑了："戒烟了？为了女人啊？"我没好气地回："少抽点，熏死我了。"他耸耸肩，没吭声，继续开车。手机震了下，是艾琳发的消息："想你了，晚上回来吗？"我回了句："尽量。"
On my end, I sat in the patrol car, staring absent-mindedly at the harbor outside the window. Mel lit another cigarette, filling the car with smoke. I frowned and opened the window. He glanced at me and smiled: "Quit smoking? For a woman?" I replied irritably: "Smoke less, you're suffocating me." He shrugged without a word and continued driving. My phone vibrated—a message from Erin: "I miss you. Coming home tonight?" I replied: "I'll try."