13: Chapter 13 New Mission

While Shaun was wondering, Brown didn't seem to have any intention of explaining.

He simply continued the introduction: "The people from the Fifth Precinct couldn't find him last night."

"He never went back after responding to the call. At four o'clock this morning, someone found him in an alley in the French Quarter."

"The surveillance shows him driving away from the manor alone, and then... there was no 'then'."

"There's a gap of nearly several hours in between."

Hearing that he hadn't died at the manor, for some reason, Shaun felt a sense of relief in his heart.

But Brown's questioning continued: "Shaun, you went to that manor yesterday afternoon. Tell me, what's inside?"

[Writing up to this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name wkan.com, your choice of reading]

Shaun didn't hesitate at all and answered directly: "A group of women, rehearsing a play."

Brown frowned. "That's it?"

"That's it."

Brown stared at him, staring for a long time.

"Shaun," he said, "I've worked in this precinct for twenty-eight years. I can tell when someone is lying, and you're lying right now."

Recognizing it as a bluff, Shaun listened without saying a word...

Brown stared straight at him and continued, "I don't know what's in there, but I know that White was a good cop."

"He didn't smoke or drink, and he went home on time every day to be with his wife. He shouldn't have died like this."

As Brown spoke, he placed his hand on the table, very close to Shaun, and said coldly: "If you know something, tell me."

Shaun looked into the Sergeant's eyes.

In those eyes, there was anger, and a slight hint of pleading.

Shaun opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But he couldn't say it.

What could he say?

Say 'Sergeant, that's a group of witches who have lived for hundreds of years and can kill with a glance'?

Or say 'I just slept with one of them last night, her favorability is at 78, and she might become my girlfriend'?

He couldn't say any of it.

He could only say: "I don't know anything. Everything was normal when I went there yesterday afternoon."

"Oh right, Otis was with me, he can testify to that."

Left with no choice, Shaun decided to 'sell out' his teammate at the critical moment.

Hearing this, Brown stared at Shaun, again for a long time.

Then he withdrew his hand and leaned back into his chair.

After a while, he said: "Fine, then you help me handle this case."

Shaun was stunned for a moment and asked: "What?"

Brown said directly: "White's case. The Fifth Precinct is shorthanded, and since you went to that manor yesterday, you're familiar with the situation. From now on, you're temporarily transferred to the Major Crimes Unit to specifically follow this case."

Transferred for an investigation?

Shaun was definitely unwilling.

This matter was clearly a landmine, a trap; he must not agree.

But Brown gave Shaun no chance to refuse, standing up directly and picking up a slip of paper from the table to hand to him.

"This is the address of your new partner. Go pick her up, then head to the scene."

Shaun took the paper and looked down at it.

A name and an address were written on it.

Renee Ballard.

427 Royal Street, French Quarter.

Shaun stared at the name, feeling like he had heard it somewhere before.

But he couldn't recall it for the moment.

"Go on," Brown waved his hand, "call me if there are any problems."

Shaun was helpless.

In this line of work, sometimes one really has no choice.

As for this case, he had to take it whether he wanted to or not.

However, Shaun had also made a decision in his heart; when the time came, he would just play dumb, and no one would be able to do anything to him.

...

Shaun came out of the Sergeant's office, clutching the slip of paper with his new partner's address.

In the hallway, Gray was still standing there, leaning in with a gossipy look: "Well? What did the Sergeant say?"

"Did he give you a good lecture?"

Shaun ignored him and walked straight to his workstation.

Otis was sitting there, holding a cup of coffee, slowly flipping through yesterday's dispatch records.

Seeing Shaun approach, he lifted his eyelids slightly.

"Got scolded?"

"No." Shaun sat down next to him. "I've been transferred."

Otis's movement paused.

"Transferred? Transferred where?"

Shaun didn't hide it: "Major Crimes Unit, temporary assignment for a case."

Otis looked at him without speaking.

Shaun felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze: "What is it?"

Otis said immediately: "White's case."

It wasn't a question; it was a statement.

Shaun was stunned for a moment: "How did you know?"

"Guessed it." Otis took a sip of his coffee. "Someone from the Fifth Precinct died last night, and today you're transferred to Major Crimes. Even an idiot could guess it."

Otis stared at him for three seconds, then sighed, his voice lowering as he asked: "Shaun, we've been partners for three months. What do you think of me?"

Shaun was taken aback by the sudden question: "You're great, an old cop, reliable."

Otis nodded and gave a bitter smile, saying: "I've been a cop for twenty years. My greatest strength is knowing what matters to mind and what not to. What can be investigated and what cannot."

"That manor, Robichaux Manor."

"When you went in yesterday, what did you see?"

Shaun didn't want to lie to his old partner, but he couldn't tell the truth either, so he immediately chose silence.

Otis waited for a bit, and when he didn't get an answer, he sighed again.

"Fine, if you won't say, I won't force you."

Otis stood up and patted Shaun's shoulder, advising him with considerable earnestness: "But let me tell you, that manor has existed in New Orleans for over a hundred years."

"Over a hundred years. How many cops have gone there, how many cases have been linked to it? Guess how many people have actually investigated it thoroughly?"

That was it!

These words served as a reminder to Shaun!

This world wasn't just a standalone American Horror Story world. Since it had merged, why was no one managing this manor?

He didn't believe for a second that witches could be so law-abiding.

Besides... why did White go there alone?

No cop responds to a call alone!

Many things were still unclear, but he felt that everything was bizarre and far from simple.

Seeing Shaun lost in thought, Otis said directly: "Not a single one. It's not that it can't be investigated; it's that it *must* not be investigated."

"Shaun, you're a good kid, better than I thought when I first met you."

"But in a place like New Orleans, some things can't be solved just by being good."

"White is dead, and you've taken his case. Do you know what that means?"

Shaun shook his head.

"It means someone, or something, wants this matter to continue being investigated. White's death is a hook."

A chill ran down Shaun's spine.

He roughly understood what his old partner meant.

Indeed, for a manor that has existed for a hundred years, it was hard to say that nothing would happen.

Furthermore, the witches must have a set of methods for dealing with the police; it was impossible that killing was their only option.

Unless...

This cop *had* to be killed!

But regardless, he was definitely going to keep a low profile!

So Shaun gave his old partner a firm nod, looking serious...