The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 262: The Youth Thieves and Their Parents]

After hearing Hawke and Erica's discussion, Edward slowly parked the car on the side of the road so they could keep observing.

There were five kids: four girls and one handsome boy. Apart from the boy, they all looked to be under 14 years old. Four were white, and one was Korean.

Typically, groups like this were usually led by white kids, with Korean children often playing supportive roles. However, in this group, the Korean girl with the round face was clearly the leader.

Erica quietly said, "The detective agency overlooked one thing: minors!"

Hawke added, "Savior said he encountered these kids in Sherman Oaks before the Golden Globes. Have someone check for reports of celebrity thefts during that time in Sherman Oaks."

...

Erica pulled out her phone and made a call. Moments later, the other end rang back.

"After the Golden Globes, Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston reported a theft. She lost her gown, lingerie, jewelry, and other items, but at the time, she was going through a divorce with Brad Pitt and had just moved from Beverly Hills to Sherman Oaks. She had been out traveling, and the West Division concluded it was likely lost during the move; the case was ultimately dismissed."

"Thanks," Erica hung up.

...

Hawke said, "Let's focus on these kids or any other minors recently spotted in the area."

Edward chimed in, "Would they really be involved? They have some nerve knowing the police are around and still dare to come back."

"Some criminals enjoy returning to the scene after committing a crime; it happens more often than you'd think," Erica replied, glancing back. "If they are indeed suspicious, they might be scouting for more."

Hawke recalled a case where a driver hit someone and fled, only to return to the scene soon after to see the cops handle it.

The twelve- or thirteen-year-olds were dressed to impress, clearly children of affluent families. Walking in such a wealthy neighborhood, they really were inconspicuous, making them hard to suspect.

It was like how drug dealers from Mule gang manipulated pregnant women and elderly men; children were also targets of society's better-off.

Erica had already picked up her phone, dialing her colleagues for backup.

...

Meanwhile, the round-faced girl flagged down a car, and the owner, a woman, seemed friendly towards them. The round-faced girl and the boy climbed in while the other three girls remained behind.

Hawke instructed Edward, "Follow them."

Edward waited a moment before driving at a safe distance behind.

Hawke used the car's radio to call Raul and Guti, who were trailing behind him, "Keep an eye on those three girls by the sidewalk. Yeah! The ones with backpacks."

...

In no time, the vehicle came to a stop near the intersection of North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, and Beverly Hills, parking in front of Buckley Private School.

Before the round-faced girl and the boy exited the car, Hawke already had his camera and camcorder ready, capturing both photos and footage with Edward.

"They must be Buckley students," Erica observed.

"With these photos and videos, it'll be easy to track them down," Hawke replied.

Soon, additional cars arrived; members of the detective agency were providing support.

"I'm on duty now," Erica stated.

Hawke nodded, "You do your thing."

Erica exited the vehicle, waved to her subordinates, and headed into the school.

Hawke didn't rush to leave; instead, he waited outside. If those two were indeed connected to the case, the school would notify their parents.

...

Before long, Erica's phone rang.

The round-faced girl didn't say anything.

But the boy had poor composure. When Erica flashed her badge, he panicked, spilling more than he intended without considering whether the parents were around.

The case implicated them.

The school's staff managed to keep the students secure, insisting that parents and lawyers come in before discussing anything.

They had to wait for the parents to arrive.

Private school teachers took their responsibilities much more seriously than those at public schools.

...

After a while, when Hawke ended the call, Edward remarked, "Look at how they're dressed; they're clearly rich kids. Why would they steal?"

"They might be short on allowance and want extra pocket money, or maybe they're just after some excitement," Hawke speculated. "Another possibility is they're fans of stars like Paris Hilton, stealing her stuff as keepsakes."

Edward replied, "At least the kids from Compton are straightforward; they commit crimes just to put food on the table."

Hawke casually mentioned, "When a person is hungry, they only have one worry. Once they're fed, a thousand concerns spring up..."

Edward thought back to his past, "A broke person has one worry: being broke."

Hawke pointed out the window.

...

A Lexus pulled up alongside the school entrance, and a friendly-looking man in a suit stepped out, walking toward Buckley.

Hawke recognized the man from photos and videos he had seen before.

He distinctly remembered the first time he saw this man; he had been investigating Broderick when he first discovered the Super Star Performance School. While Campos focused on a girl connected to Broderick, they found out this man had taken a beautiful student named Mia to a Venice Beach club.

Later, a Fox reporter named Harley Wayne had chased a lead to that club, resulting in a crash and a series of events. Hawke received a dossier from Guerrero, which included this man's name and picture.

His name was Andy Carroll.

Recently, Hawke had asked Campos to dig into Carroll, who worked at the Ackerman Foundation and maintained a close relationship with Broderick.

Carroll entered Buckley.

Edward captured it on the camcorder and said to Hawke, "Boss, isn't that Carroll?"

Hawke nodded affirmatively. "That's him; no doubt."

Edward considered further, "What if Carroll is a parent of one of those kids?"

Hawke raised an eyebrow. "The intel we received suggested Carroll was single."

Edward scratched his head. "Did he get married and have kids that quickly?"

"Maybe there's a new development," Hawke remained calm, knowing patience would reveal the truth.

...

Not long after, a white couple arrived and entered the school.

Hawke didn't recognize them.

Soon, two more cars pulled up, and men in suits stepped out, carrying briefcases.

They were clearly lawyers.

Edward speculated, "Boss, that Carol specializes in collecting beautiful women and transporting them to the Venice Beach Club. The victims of this crime are all children. Could they also be involved with children?"

Hawke replied, "The Ackerman family's business scope is vast."

"Churches, Hollywood, lobbyists, politicians, celebrities, and the wealthy..." Edward, who came from Compton, shook his head. "Los Angeles really looks like Los Santos in some games, a veritable city of sin."

He added intensely, "If I were a victim's family member, not only would I seek revenge, but I'd also set fire to this city of wickedness!"

Hawke commented, "Just like the Venice Beach club; maybe it wasn't the victims but rather someone wanting to cover their tracks."

That club, laden with the sins of the Ackerman family and certain affluent politicians, could turn to ashes in a roaring fire, leaving no trace but the ruins behind.

The only remnants left might be those items collected by Guerrero's girlfriend.

...

Shortly after the two lawyers entered, Hawke received a call from Erica.

She said, "Things are a bit complicated. I need to take them back to the LAPD. We can talk when I get home tonight."

"Okay," Hawke hung up.

...

After waiting a bit longer, a Hyundai pulled up to the school entrance. A round-faced Korean woman jumped out, hurriedly entering the building.

As she stepped inside, the police led out the round-faced girl and another boy, followed closely by their parents and the school representatives.

The round-faced woman approached Carroll, accompanying the girl out of the school.

Hawke pieced it together; Carroll and the round-faced Korean woman were likely a couple or married and probably the girl's parents.

This development involving Carroll surprised Hawke.

They needed to see how things unfolded with Erica.

...

Once the police cars left, Hawke instructed Edward to drive away from there.

On the road, Raul called with updates.

The LAPD found the three girls, notified their parents, and followed protocol to take them in.

Hawke pondered for a moment and decided to have Raul and the others head to the LAPD to keep tabs on Carroll.

Because the suspects were minors, the interrogation protocol required the presence of a guardian and lawyer throughout.

...

Carroll's fiance, Veronica, was infuriated with their daughter's actions but followed Carol and the lawyer's advice to get her obstinate daughter to agree to a plea deal with the police.

The others followed suit.

Then, the LAPD searched the bedrooms of these teens, discovering a series of stolen goods.

Apart from a few stolen pieces of jewelry, most of the items remained.

They had stolen from seven Hollywood actresses, targeting primarily clothing and jewelry.

The outfits and accessories of these stars were in such abundance that many were worn just once and then left in closets, making it unnoticeable when lost for a short period.

Paris Hilton, who first realized her items were missing, had reported it as her fifth time being hit by this juvenile thief ring.

Lindsay Lohan had also been a victim three times, while Jennifer Aniston's items were stolen once before getting reported.

The other victims included Paris's neighbor Rachel Bilson and Kate Beckinsale.

The stolen underwear and clothes were kept for personal use.

The round-faced girl, Rachel, was the leader of the gang, orchestrating the thefts for show-off and star-chasing.

She was a huge fan of Paris Hilton, especially her glamorous lifestyle, making Paris her first target.

*****

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