Roosevelt's office at the police station wasn't big and looked very cluttered.

There are all kinds of case files piled up on the desk, and not only that, but there are also many on the chair and on the floor.

And Roosevelt himself was in the pile of these files.

"It's a busy business." Chen Jianqiu stepped through the office door.

He had to keep an eye on his feet, or he would have to leave a footprint on the case file on the ground.

Roosevelt raised his head, saw that it was Chen Jianqiu, and hurriedly packed up a chair and came out.

Then, he moved out his chair again and sat down face to face with Chen Jianqiu.

"New York law and order is a mess right now, with robberies, stealing, alcoholism, murder, happening every day."

As he spoke, Roosevelt found that he still had a case file in his hand and threw it back on the table.

Chen Jianqiu originally wanted to say that the lower town of Manhattan, New York, has always been so chaotic.

He had already received a detailed portrait of New York from Holiday in the city.

The hellish place in Downtown is the prototype of "Gotham City", with many gangs and "talents".

"Your predecessor was much more relaxed than you, and his philosophy was: take care of the security in the upper city, and then let the civilians in the lower city fend for themselves." Chen Jianqiu put it on the back of the chair and said.

Similarly, for the former sheriff, Chen Jianqiu may be more familiar than Roosevelt.

The Border Detective Agency was able to gain a foothold in New York, and Holliday worked his former sheriff.

However, after Roosevelt took office, Chen Jianqiu, who knew him well, made Holiday change the way he did things.

"He can do this, I can't." Roosevelt stared at Chen Jianqiu and said firmly, "In my eyes, the job of the police is to maintain order in the city, which has nothing to do with the region, whether it is a rich area or a slum, it should be within my jurisdiction." ”

"What, do you need outsourcing? Then just go to Holiday directly. Chen Jianqiu said to Roosevelt with a grin, "But as far as I know, they are better at solving cases than at maintaining law and order." ”

After all, the way the Border Detective Agency handles things is not very suitable for policing.

This has something to do with Holiday Ward, the leader of the New York branch.

When he was in the west, he was always dark.

Together with Chen Jianqiu, this benevolent brother succeeded in turning a sheriff in a western town into a wanted bandit.

"Last week, I killed a sheriff." Roosevelt's voice suddenly sank, "Died in my own home, electrocuted while taking a shower." ”

"The wires for the lights broke, and the bare end fell into the bathtub." He said, "There is no trace of the scene, and the murderer has not been caught until now." ”

Chen Jianqiu touched his chin.

This technique is very much the essence of the people in the border detective agency, and pays attention to a local situation.

"Did he offend anyone?" Chen Jianqiu asked.

"I sent him to shut down bars in the lower city because it was against selling alcohol on Sundays." Roosevelt took a deep breath, "He is a very executive person, although he is not a high police officer, but he is very responsible, and he does a good job." ”

"I hurt him." He sighed and looked at Chen Jianqiu at the same time, "If it were you, the gangsters over there would probably not have a single living person." ”

"But you're not me." Chen Jianqiu understood very well, "Didn't you investigate? ”

"The investigation report is sloppy and says it was an accidental death, but that's hard to accept." Roosevelt took out a few thin pieces of paper from the case file on the table and handed them to Chen Jianqiu.

After Chen Jianqiu hastily swept the report, his eyes stopped on the name of the person who issued the report: Mitchell Walker

"Have you checked this person?" Chen Jianqiu pointed to the name and asked, "This kind of report is obviously perfunctory, and it can't be explained at all." ”

"That's what I want to say, too." Roosevelt owes himself, "He may be the only one in the police department who is connected to the gangsters, and as far as I know, they have been collecting money from the gangs." ”

"I could have found a reason to replace them all and replace them with a new batch. However, this movement is too big, and I can't find anyone who can be trusted and able to pass the test for the time being. ”

"So, I want you to check it out for me."

Chen Jianqiu didn't speak.

He was really tempted to tell Roosevelt that almost every police officer under him took black money.

This is an unwritten rule in New York and the entire American police community, from east to west, from south to north.

That's true in New York, it's true in San Francisco; It's true in Boston, and it's true in Philadelphia.

"I can't sit idly by and watch corruption destroy the foundations of this city, and I can't stand by and watch America's largest city because of these people." Roosevelt said bitterly.

His fists clenched.

"So, I'm hoping to start with this case and at least do something for the city."

If someone else said these words, Chen Jianqiu would still be a little unimpressed.

He has seen too many people who are righteous and righteous on the surface, but behind the scenes, they are all kinds of reluctant, or they are ambitious, but in the end they still succumb to reality.

But Theodore Roosevelt was not that kind of person.

Without this ambition and determination to be more than human, his portrait would not have been eligible to be carved on Capitol Hill along with Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln.

"Okay, leave it to me."

Chen Jianqiu stood up.

He took the investigation report with him.

After leaving the gate of the police station, Chen Jianqiu walked directly towards 34 Bell Street.

This address is now well-known throughout New York.

The Border Detective Agency is located here.

It has completely replaced the down-and-out Pinkerton Detective Agency as a force to be reckoned with in the city.

There are many cases that the police can't solve, and they will take action.

However, compared with the police, the way they treat suspects is not very procedural justice.

The police station is not far from the detective agency.

After passing through two blocks, Chen Jianqiu quickly reached his destination.

The snow at the door has been swept away, and the two stone lions are still majestic.

After Chen Jianqiu glanced up at the signboard, he stepped into the door.

The doorman on duty at the door changed into a thick winter uniform and was in a daze.

When he saw Chen Jianqiu in a coat, he was stunned for a moment.

On weekdays, Chen Jianqiu will also come over, but usually someone will notify, but no one told him that the boss would appear today!

"What? I'm not welcome to come? Chen Jianqiu took off his hat and glanced at him.

The doorman picked up the telephone receiver hanging on the wall behind him as quickly as he could.

"Boss, the boss is here!"

Before the doorman finished the call, Chen Jianqiu had already walked up the stairs and came to the door of Holiday Office.

To his surprise, Holiday was no less cluttered than Roosevelt's.

It was also full of tables and chairs, and at the same time there was no place to settle on the floor.

Holiday didn't know when he put on his glasses, and was holding a pen to sketch on the case file, when he saw Chen Jianqiu coming, he immediately put down the pen in his hand and stood up.

Chen Jianqiu walked around the pile of case files on the ground and came to Holiday at his desk.

"Have you taken on more cases in the past two days?" He glanced down at the case files.

"Yes, kidnappings are the majority." "I just fished out the son of a German businessman last week and took out a little gang. ”

Chen Jianqiu nodded.

"Can you still aim with your glasses on?" He glanced at Holiday and quipped.

Holiday took off his nose-clipping glasses and put them in his breast pocket: "It's okay, I don't have to do it myself most of the time." ”

"Even if you do pick up a gun, it's not a big problem." He pointed his finger at the location of his heart, "You know, at our level, the gun is no longer relied on the eyes, it is here." ”

Regarding Holiday 's idealistic remarks, Chen Jianqiu did not refute it, but handed him the case file in his hand.

"I just got from Sheriff Roosevelt, do you know about this case?" Chen Jianqiu asked.

Holiday put his glasses on again.

"We only know about this matter, but we don't know the details, but their police station will definitely not be able to find out on their own." The "doctor" shook his head slightly, "The police station has long been rotten, and this report is either perfunctory, or it has been instructed to deliberately cover up. ”

"Well, that's what I thought too." Chen Jianqiu took back the report in his hand, "So, Roosevelt wants to entrust us with this case." ”

"Their police department still has the funds to take over the case." Holiday chuckled coldly.

"Huh?" Chen Jianqiu was a little unsure.

"The New York City government is about to go bankrupt, according to our intelligence." Holiday motioned for his boss to follow.

He took Chen Jianqiu down the stairs all the way to the basement.

The hallway in the basement is brightly lit.

The two of them walked up to a steel gate that looked quite thick.

Holiday took a key from his jacket pocket, inserted it into the keyhole in the door, and turned it several times; Then he took another key out of his pants pocket and inserted it into another keyhole.

The door was opened.

The two walked in.

"The Detective Agency's Confidential Intelligence Room." Holiday touched his hand and turned on the light on the wall.

It is a large room with rows of cabinets more than two meters high compactly placed.

Each cabinet is labeled with letters of unknown meaning.

"A lot of New York City's secrets are hidden here." Holiday and Chen Jianqiu weave through the rows of cabinets together, "including but not limited to internal government documents, property records of parliamentarians, and lists of members of many unofficial organizations"

Chen Jianqiu looked these cabinets up and down.

"You usually carry your keys with you?" He asked suddenly.

"No, one is on me, and the other is in the clerk's custody, which I just brought in the morning." Holiday replied.

He walked to a cabinet marked "Fn", silently counted the number of layers of the lattice, then opened the third column, a drawer on the second floor, and took out a document from it and handed it to Chen Jianqiu.

By the light of the incandescent lamp, Chen Jianqiu began to read the document.

It's a copy of the New York City government's internal budget report, with a big "confidential" at the bottom.

As can be seen from the report, New York City's fiscal situation has long been beyond its means, and the debt level has naturally climbed to an outrageous level.

Behind the report is a copy of a loan document from the city to Morgan Bank.

The city government borrowed more than $2 million, otherwise the municipal bonds would not have been able to be repaid.

If the money is not borrowed, the city government will be on the verge of bankruptcy, all municipal services will come to a standstill, police officers will not be paid, and the city will be completely disordered.

"Is it because of the financial crisis?" Chen Jianqiu asked.

"I'm afraid it's not just that." Holiday swept his gaze over the other drawers, "Since the resurgence of the Tammony Society, only they can tell where the New York City government's money has gone. ”

"Well, you go back and compile a copy of the Tammoni Association and send it to my residence." Chen Jianqiu returned the documents in his hand to Holiday and said, "Let's discuss Roosevelt's case first." ”

The two men walked out of the confidential information room.

Holiday turned and locked the door again.

Chen Jianqiu took out his gold pocket watch and looked at the time, it was almost noon.

"Do you have lunch scheduled?" Chen Jianqiu turned his head and asked Holiday who was locking the door.

"Not yet, everyone is usually very busy, usually not at the headquarters, and those who stay at the headquarters usually eat some bread, cheese or sandwiches, and then go home in the evening to have something good with their families." Holiday straightened up.

"Let's go, let's go to the restaurant outside for some food, and talk while eating."

New York is still busy after the snow.

The carriage hurried by, and the bells collided and made a "jingle bell" sound, reminding passers-by to avoid.

The snow on the road was simply cleared, but so simply that the melted snow mixed with the dirt on the road, making the road muddy.

Pedestrians passing by should be very careful, otherwise they will be splashed with mud by passing carriages.

Chen Jianqiu and Holiday crossed the street and finally found a restaurant called "Daddy Downey" on the corner of the street.

Two men walked in, each ordering a steak, and one asked for a glass of wine.

"Who covered those bars that were investigated?" Chen Jianqiu asked as he cut the steak, "I mean, in whose sphere of influence?" ”

"Gang of Five."

Holiday replied. 、

"An Italian gang, but it's a very mixed group of Italians, Irish, Jews and Eastern Europeans, and it's mainly in Lower Manhattan, Harlem and Brooklyn."

Holiday told the gang about it.

He was already familiar with these things.

"The founder is an Italian-American named Paul Vacarelli, but he died at the time of the fire, and the current leader is called John Torrio, who is a very ambitious guy and very capable, and the Five Points Gang has also become the largest gang in Downtown New York under his leadership."

"But this man is a little crazy, and," Holiday said suddenly.

"And what?" Chen Jianqiu stuffed a piece of steak into his mouth.

"This man told someone that his idol ,,, you, and he didn't know where to learn about you in New Mexico, and decided to follow your example and become an underground legend in New York!"

When Chen Jianqiu heard this, he almost choked on the beef in his mouth.

He quickly took a sip of red wine.

"Nonsense, when did I build a gang? What underground legends, who is spreading them blindly? Chen Jianqiu picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth.

"Maybe it's with Scott, I don't know the rest." Holiday glanced at Chen Jianqiu.

Yes, you've never seen a gang, but you're not missing anything you should do, and it's not wrong for the gang leaders of the new immigrants to idolize you.

"Let's start with the officer named Mitchell Walker and this John Torrio."

Chen Jianqiu stood up and made a decision.

Mitchell Walker is not a rookie police officer, on the contrary, he can be said to be an old fritter.

Before Roosevelt became New York police chief, he was already in the police department.

At first, he was just a patrol police officer in charge of Xiacheng District, which is commonly known as the "film policeman", but because of his long experience and rich experience, the investigation of many cases was also handed over to him.

Like other police officers in New York, a large part of Walker's income also comes from the "tribute" of the people below, so he naturally has an inexplicable relationship with the gangsters in his jurisdiction.

Although Roosevelt didn't say anything on the surface of the report, he knew that this thing would definitely not fool Roosevelt.

But he also has unspeakable secrets.

After much deliberation, Walker decided to talk to John Torrio.

(End of chapter)