Chapter 856
Before coming, Hector had been thoroughly briefed by the chief over and over again. He’d taken every word to heart. This time, the chief hadn’t even bothered calling the lead officer over. And since Hector was the main officer in charge of this case, the chief concluded that, all things considered, Hector was the most suitable person to receive such an important guest. There was no doubt about it.
As Lucas and Desmond approached, the chief and Hector moved forward to meet them. The moment the chief saw Lucas in person, his smile deepened so much that the wrinkles around his eyes seemed to stick together. “Ah, Mr. Carter, it’s truly an honor to meet you in person. It’s far better than just hearing your name!”
The chief extended a hand for a handshake, but Lucas didn’t move at all. Instead, he gave Desmond a subtle look, and the latter immediately stepped forward and took hold of the chief’s hand that had been hanging awkwardly mid-air. Desmond smiled and said, “We’re honored to meet you too, Mr. Warren. We’ll be counting on you for what’s ahead.” As he spoke, Desmond slipped a blank check from his sleeve and passed it to the chief through the handshake. The moment the chief felt what it was, his eyes lit up noticeably.
Forget it, big shots always had their quirks. If Lucas didn’t want to shake hands, that was perfectly normal. He had just been a little too eager. So, the chief and Desmond continued chatting away comfortably. As for Lucas, he simply stood there, quietly watching the two of them talk, his brows slightly furrowed.
Desmond picked up on it right away. Their top priority right now was finding the holding cell. Time was limited–they couldn’t afford to waste it. Desmond quickly steered the conversation back on track. With someone like the chief, if they didn’t pull the reins quickly, things could easily spiral. If he hadn’t jumped in fast enough, they might’ve been stuck there even longer.
The chief glanced at Lucas’ stern expression and immediately understood why he was here. He patted Hector on the shoulder and chuckled. “Alright, alright, I just tend to talk too much. But when it comes to business, I haven’t forgotten a single thing.”
Desmond actually felt pretty at ease dealing with someone like the chief. As long as money could smooth things over, there was nothing to worry about.
After spending so much time around Lucas, Desmond had picked up a thing or two. He’d learned to treat money as a tool–something to be wielded, not worshipped. Be the master of money, not its servant.
Desmond offered a polite, diplomatic remark, “Everyone knows the director of the regional bureau here has a reputation for being sharp and dependable.” “And clearly not one to cut corners,” Desmond added with a respectful nod. “Today, I can see it firsthand.”
The praise went straight to the chief’s head—he was practically glowing. He hadn’t expected such a sharp and articulate assistant to be standing at Lucas’ side. Clearly, this assistant held a significant place in Lucas’ inner circle.
The chief brought Hector forward and said to Lucas, “Mr. Carter, this young officer here is the one in charge of the Julian Hayes case. He’s been on it from the very beginning and has handled everything personally.” He reassured them once again, “Any questions you have, you can direct to him. He’ll be the one bringing you to Julian shortly.” Desmond immediately caught on and nodded at Hector. “Officer Hector, we’ll be counting on you then.”