Blackstone Code

Lynch's car soon pulled into the parking lot of the Sabin City Tax Office. From the stance and demeanor of the armed guards at the entrance, it seemed more like a police station than the actual police station.

After waiting for a few minutes, Lynch got out of the car. He smiled reassuringly at the slightly nervous Vera and then walked to the other side of the parking lot, where he got into another car.

If anyone had noticed, they would have seen a familiar figure enter an unfamiliar car a short while ago. Yes, it was Director Johnson, but no one could say for sure whose car it was, only that it frequently appeared and disappeared from this location.

As Lynch closed the door, the heavy sound created a sense of security in the small space.

Seated in the back, Director Johnson couldn't help but complain, "You shouldn't have come here to find me, you know that..."

He was referring to the fact that many people in the tax office recognized Lynch due to his relationship with Michael. If word got out that Lynch and Johnson were meeting, it could cause trouble, even if it didn't lead to any major issues.

Not long ago, there were rumors circulating in the tax office that Michael was imprisoned because of Johnson's scheming, with the goal being Michael's young and attractive wife. These rumors were a headache for Johnson. He had tried to catch the people spreading them but was unsuccessful, and the rumors eventually died down on their own.

He didn't want new rumors to start, like "Michael was imprisoned because of Johnson's close relationship with Lynch," which might trigger an internal investigation by the tax office.

Lynch waited for Johnson to finish complaining before asking, "Do you know the chief of the police department?"

"Fix, did the police catch you doing something?" Johnson's tone was initially mocking and schadenfreude-like, but he quickly furrowed his brow.

If Lynch got into trouble, would he be implicated? If Lynch's issues couldn't be resolved quickly, would he still be able to get money from Lynch in the future?

Johnson's child had unfortunately lost their job as well. His salary now had to support himself, his family, and his children, leaving no room to help Michael's wife and children. Once he retired or transferred and his salary decreased, he wouldn't be able to support such a large family.

Seeing Johnson's furrowed brow, Lynch calmly made a request, "I want to have a chat with Chief Fix. The security in Sabin City has been poor lately, and I've heard that the city's budget for police has been cut significantly. As a citizen of Sabin City, I feel it's my duty to contribute to the city's safety."

This was clearly a lie, but Johnson understood the gist of it. He was just unsure of Lynch's intentions and didn't dare to agree easily. If by any chance Lynch's intentions were of an excessive nature that Chief Fix would absolutely not agree to, and if some conflict arose between the two, even if it were just raising their voices in a way that sounded like arguing, Chief Fix would end up blaming Director Johnson as well.

Lynch saw through his concerns and smiled, saying, "I just want to make a friend with Chief Fix. Making friends isn't a bad thing. Even if he doesn't want to befriend me, that won't create any rift between us, don't you think so?"

With Lynch's assurance, Johnson hesitated for a while before arranging the meeting for noon. Although Johnson thought it should be at some evening a few days later to be more formal, Lynch's schedule was tight, so they settled quickly.

With the city just regaining order, security was a top priority. The retired soldiers had played an irreplaceable role in maintaining Sabin City's law and order, which allowed Chief Fix of the Sabin City Police Department to breathe a sigh of relief.

During the general strike, his performance was not great, and even the police went on strike under his watch. The mayor was not a soft person and had shown his firm stance and methods against the Listoan Group. Chief Fix had been anxious, fearing that at any moment, he might receive an order to hand over his badge and gun or be reassigned to some mundane post, like managing the evidence warehouse.

He worked diligently to protect himself while secretly trying to find people to help him through this difficult time. When Johnson called him, he was sitting in his office, racking his brain for solutions. Upon hearing that Lynch wanted to meet him, he perked up immediately.

Everyone knew that Lynch's Interstellar Trading Company and his second-hand goods auction had achieved great success, backed by Sabin City's Mayor Langdon. Lynch was also close to the mayor's nephew and proxy, Mark. Therefore, viewing Lynch as someone close to the mayor was not a stretch.

So, Chief Fix readily agreed to Johnson's proposal.

At noon, in a restaurant that had resumed business in the city center, the two sat down together.

Chief Fix appeared to be in his forties. He didn't fit the typical image of a police officer—fat and greasy. Though evidence suggested that a strong physique could intimidate people, it was clear that many police officers confused fat with strong.

He wasn't overweight, just slightly chubby, but not to the extent of obesity. He had a full head of dark brown hair and a regular appearance, but he exuded an air of authority that came from his position and power.

When people could naturally look down on most around them, their casual arrogance and disdain mixed into something special. Some believed this was the origin of a commanding presence.

"Sorry, I'm late..." Chief Fix was actually very punctual, arriving two minutes before the agreed time. He apologized for his "lateness" as he pulled out his chair and sat down. The restaurant wasn't crowded. Few could afford to dine out in these economic times—middle-class folks were saving money for the recession, and the wealthy preferred the safety of home dining.

As for ordinary people, restaurants were out of the question for at least a couple of years unless something significant happened.

After some brief pleasantries, Lynch shared his thoughts. "I've noticed that patrol cars are quite rare in Sabin City. There are more mounted police."

Chief Fix nodded. "That's true. Sabin City has four precincts, but we have very few police cars. Each precinct has only three to five cars, and the district police department has just six."

With less than thirty police cars in total, it seemed quite shabby, but this was typical for most second- and third-tier cities. In some remote western cities, the number of police cars might even be in the single digits, with many officers still patrolling on horseback.

Funding had always been an issue for the police department's development, but it was also a common tactic used by local leaders to control the police.

This was a peculiar social phenomenon. People's safety and public order depended on the police's work, but ordinary people were happy to see the police being restrained. This had become an implicit societal demand.

Many mayoral candidates campaigned on making the police and their work more regulated, implying they would restrict police power if elected. From any rational perspective, this was absurd, but people bought into it, enjoying the sight of the police being shackled.

Thinking for a moment, Lynch asked, "In my personal capacity, I'd like to donate ten cars to the district police department. Chief Fix, do you think that's appropriate?"

Chief Fix was momentarily stunned, then his face lit up with joy. Appropriate? It was perfect!

The situation at the district police department was worse than outsiders imagined. The retired soldiers turned police officers formed their own faction, looking down on the regular officers and resenting Chief Fix. Some even suggested military drills for the police and wanted to purge those who didn't meet physical standards.

This was absurd—police weren't soldiers and didn't need such measures!

But the current situation was delicate. Chief Fix's control over the system was waning, facing challenges from within. He needed to do something to change the current state. Otherwise, the mayor or others might find reasons to remove him, like failing to control his subordinates.

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