At noon, Luke took out the grill, ready to whip up a small barbecue.

Lamb chops, lamb kidneys, chicken wings, lobsters, grilled eggplants, enoki mushrooms, slices of bread...

Sipping on a cold beer while grilling the sizzling lamb chops, Luke hummed a tune,

'My heart, my emotions, you don't need to understand,

as long as I treat you well,

do you want such gentleness...'

A one-person barbecue seemed somewhat desolate and lonely, yet it was a rare pleasure for Luke.

When it comes to playing, it's all about relaxing however you like.

"Shh..."

Luke heard a faint noise, like someone stepping on grass, and turned his head to see a familiar figure.

"Judge Walker, did you catch the scent?"

"Exactly, I came to freeload," Walker sighed, "My tent's a mess, and that damn bear wrecked my food, all my plans are disrupted."

Luke handed him a beer, "This might make you feel a bit better."

"Thanks." Walker took the beer and pulled out a bottle of rum from his backpack, "This is a gift for you."

Luke looked at it, it was a bottle of high-grade rum aged about ten years, not cheap, "Fine drink, I really hope for more freeloaders like you."

Walker smiled, "I am picky with my food; if it's not good, I definitely won't come again."

"Then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, my barbecue skills are indeed mediocre." Luke, having lived two lifespans, was fine with cooking, but because of limited conditions in his previous life, he had almost no experience with barbecuing.

Walker came over to look, "The ingredients are good, very fresh." He rolled up his sleeves, "Let me do the grilling, don't waste these ingredients."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't think of a judge as a life novice, that's discrimination too."

"OK." Luke handed the grill tongs to Walker, happy to relax.

Walker flipped the meat skillfully with the tongs, his posture far more professional than Luke's, and soon a lamb chop was ready, which he placed on Luke's plate.

Luke cut into the lamb chop and took a bite, crisp on the outside, tender and juicy inside, indeed better than his own grilling.

Does every older man in Los Angeles have a secret barbecue skill?

Luke felt he should practice more in the future.

If he can't barbecue, he would be embarrassed to host parties in the future.

Walker asked, "How's the taste?"

Luke gave a thumbs up, "You should consider becoming a chef."

"Haha..." Walker laughed, "The most important things about barbecuing are the quality of the ingredients and the control of heat; you don't need too many seasonings, the natural flavor of the meat is the best."

Walker was a deft man, first grilling the foods that needed to be flipped, then placing those that did not need frequent attention on the grill, checking them occasionally.

Luke raised his glass, "Judge Walker, facing this beautiful scenery and delicious food, we must toast."

"Walker, just call me by my name."

"Me too."

The two clinked bottles and took a drink.

Luke bit into a piece of garlic lobster, "It's just how I like it."

"Is this the lobster you caught fishing the other day?"

"Right, I also caught a nearly seven hundred pound bluefin tuna."

"Are you kidding me?"

"You're out of the loop, those guys are posting pictures all over the world, you'll see when you get back."

"Sorry I missed your welcome party."

"I sometimes don't really like... such occasions, it's just that compared to you, I don't have the luxury to refuse."

Walker smiled, "When you get to my age, you won't have such troubles."

"Perhaps."

Luke went over to the grill, checked on the enoki mushrooms and eggplants, and brought them to the table, "Let's eat."

"Smells good." Walker, although often barbecued, wasn't skilled at grilling eggplants and enoki mushrooms, and rarely ate them before.

"Try these, these dishes are done right, even tastier than meat." Luke grabbed some eggplant and enoki mushrooms for himself, their aroma making him involuntarily swallow.

"Not bad." Walker took a bite, showing a satisfied expression, drank some beer, "Luke, this morning you texted that the bear attack wasn't an accident, what did you mean?"

Luke explained, "This morning, while I was swimming at Big Bear Lake, I heard a bear roar, worried you might be in danger, I rushed over to help.

There was a black bear trashing a tent, but the tent's owner wasn't you, it was a white woman in her forties.

I felt it was too coincidental, so I asked her if she was here treasure hunting.

She admitted it."

Walker countered, "If it was orchestrated, how did this person control the black bear? Surely the bear isn't domesticated."

Luke thought for a moment, "It didn't seem like it."

"Was the black bear that attacked me last night the same one you saw today?"

Luke said, "They shouldn't be the same one."

"Then why would the black bear attack my tent?"

"I don't know."

"No suspicious clues at the scene? You are a professional."

"I didn't examine the scene."

"That's not like a good detective."

"I came here camping to relax, not to constantly remind myself I'm a cop; always thinking about the scene, the criminals, the evidence…

It's too exhausting.

I just... wanted a relaxing vacation."

Walker sighed, "You're right, I can understand how you feel."

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