Chapter 87

If someone's dreary life suddenly got a spark of hope, all difficulties would seem pointless.

It wasn't rush hour, so the road was way less crowded than usual.

Howard shot me a text: [Bring Alan at the end of the year, let's have a reunion dinner, and Zoey too. Live well, or I'll dock your pay. Don't hide anything from me. I'm pretty well-known in Silverlight City, helping out won't kill me. Reply to my message, I'm being so sincere here.]

I chuckled and sent a voice message back, "You talk too much."

I hit the gas and headed straight to the True Love Entertainment Club.

When I was almost there, it was around 4:30 PM. I turned left off the main road and spotted the "Ronald Food Truck" still parked there.

Ronald, with his greasy hair, was sitting on a chair, puffing on a cigarette.

He noticed a car coming, glanced my way, and slowly got up.

Seeing it was me, he grinned, "Remember me? What brings you here today? Want another meal? It's on me. I felt bad about that pack of cigarettes last time."

I nodded, "I'll take the same burger as last time, but I'm still paying. If it weren't for you, I might've ended up working at this Entertainment Club, and that would've been a nightmare."

"You must be kidding. You seem smart. Even if I hadn't said anything, you'd have figured it out." With that, Ronald started making the burger with practiced ease.

In no time, the burger was ready.

I had already eaten earlier, but since it was made by Zoey's dad Ronald, and judging by his expression, he probably didn't know I had figured out who he was. Plus, it smelled amazing and was packed with meat.

"Eat up, it's on me." Ronald was confident in his cooking. He lit another cigarette and kept smoking happily.

I couldn't resist taking a few more bites; the seasoning was spot on.

Maybe it was because I had confirmed Alan was still alive, my mood was way better, and so was my appetite. While munching, I said, "Sir, you really have a knack for this. It tastes fantastic!"

"When you're in a good mood, your appetite naturally improves. If it's not enough, I can whip up another one." Ronald grinned and chuckled.

"How do you know if I'm in a good mood or not?" I asked.

"It's obvious. People, whether happy or not, can't fake it. When they're truly happy, their eyes sparkle. When they're not, every move they make shows their sadness." Ronald kept smoking and said, "That's my experience from years of running this food stand."

I thought about how Howard often took Zoey to eat when she was little and said, "If your kid has eaten your burgers, they must be really happy, just like you said, their eyes would be full of smiles."

Ronald was taken aback for a moment, then smiled awkwardly and nodded, changing the subject.

He leaned in mysteriously and asked, "Miss, can I ask you something? Last time I saw you with the police here, something must have happened. There was even an ambulance. Did someone die?"

"No, but Lally got hurt. My apprentice and I took her to the hospital that day," I replied.

"Was it serious?" Ronald asked, sounding concerned.

"Not too bad, she woke up pretty soon. But now she's missing, and we can't find her. Do you know her, sir?" I looked at him with a half-smile.

Ronald turned around, wiped his sweat with the towel on his shoulder, and started cleaning the cooking utensils he had just used.

I finished the burger quickly; my appetite was unusually good today.

"Want another one?" Ronald asked.

"No, actually, I already ate earlier. But I wanted to see you. Last time we parted in a hurry, and I felt there were many things left unsaid." I wiped my mouth and sat on the small stool, smiling.

Ronald quickly cleaned the cooking area and finally responded, "What do you want to say?"

"I was just thinking, if Zoey ate your food, she would be very happy, right?" I said.

Ronald paused, glanced at me, and his eyes changed completely. That sharp, eagle-like gaze flashed by. This was the demeanor honed by years as a professional detective.

Zoey was the person he cared about the most. Earlier, he didn't use his real identity to talk to me, naturally appearing as a simple food stand owner.

But now, when I mentioned Zoey's name and revealed his identity, that natural paternal vigilance immediately surged up, instinctively alert.

The look in his eyes disappeared in an instant because he had seen Zoey and me together last time.

He continued working without saying a word.

"When did you find out Joseph had a problem? Was it the True Love Entertainment Club murder case or the child trafficking case at the old steel factory in Sand Village over twenty years ago?" I asked.

"Who are you?" Ronald looked up, scanning me up and down.

Although he looked greasy and unkempt, his demeanor had completely changed. That upright aura was overwhelming, and his voice was no longer lazy but naturally firm.

"Didn't Howard tell you? I thought he mentioned it. Nancy, editor-in-chief of the Silverlight City Legal Journal." I stood up and handed him the plate, "I really like Zoey. She's my apprentice, and I treat her like a sister."

"Not that. I guessed your relationship when you and Benjamin came that day."

Ronald shook his head, then suddenly thought of something and smiled, "Benjamin, that guy, has grown a lot over the years. If it were before, he would have come over to chat right away. Too obvious. That's why he's not suited to be an undercover cop. He can charge into battle and investigate clues, but with that brain, he'd be dead on the second day as an undercover cop. His apprentice seems to be the same. Like master, like apprentice."

I chuckled, "You have a keen eye. Benjamin's mentor said the same thing."

"Because Benjamin's mentor, Albert Turner, is my friend. When Albert was selecting apprentices, I picked Benjamin for him." Ronald said with a smile, putting down his work, "Enough reminiscing. I'm grateful for your care of Zoey, but why are you interested in this case? Who are you?"

"My husband's name is Alan," I replied.