C486 The Inside Story

After some time, Mark began drafting the statement. He carefully put together a believable explanation that could satisfy the public without revealing anything about the Lions or the real events surrounding Charlie Kinlore. He especially included that Charlie Kinlore left to Colombia a week before and that her whereabouts are unknown because she returned to Scotland only to find that her husband was murdered. He left the witness portion to the Mayor. Once everything was prepared, Mark left the police station. Meanwhile the Mayor who had left earlier didn't return to his office. Instead, he drove toward the busy roads of the city. For several minutes, he said nothing. His hands remained firmly on the steering wheel as he drove through the traffic. Eventually, he reached a familiar corner. He slowed down. Then he stopped. The people standing there were not the same people he remembered. The Mayor remained inside his vehicle for several minutes, studying them. He knew the location. He knew who controlled this block. But the faces had changed.

Finally, he switched off the engine and stepped out. He looked around carefully. Nobody seemed to recognize him. He walked toward the group. “Take me to your boss.” The men looked at him. For a moment, nobody moved. Then one of them recognized him. Their expressions changed. The Mayor continued. “I have business with your boss. Hurry up and take me to him.” He turned around and walked back toward his car. The men exchanged glances. After a few seconds, two of them followed. They climbed into the Mayor's vehicle. The Mayor started the engine and drove away. The two men guided him through a series of roads before eventually leading him toward a private estate. The Mayor followed closely. When they finally arrived, he stepped out of the vehicle. The moment Charlie saw him, she froze. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The Mayor. Standing at her estate. A faint smile appeared on the Mayor's face. “So…” He looked at her. “Charlie Kinlore.” He paused. “You really are the new boss of the Harris Cartel.” Charlie remained standing outside, still trying to understand why the Mayor had come. He looked at the two subordinates who brought him to the estate but they also had no answer.

The Mayor walked past her as if he already belonged there. “Your uncle and I had some business together.” Charlie immediately followed him. They entered the estate and walked into the main room. Charlie sat in the main chair. The Mayor sat opposite her. He slowly looked around. His eyes moved across the room. “It doesn't look like Willy is gone.” Charlie raised an eyebrow. The Mayor smiled. “Why do I feel like the Harris Cartel has actually been upgraded?” Charlie smiled faintly. “Mayor, how can I help you?” The Mayor chuckled. “Mmm. Straight to the point.” He leaned back. “Well…” He paused. “Willy and I had a partnership.” Charlie became more attentive. “He paid me for protection.” Charlie stared at him. “And in return, I protected him from the police.” Charlie froze. “What?” The Mayor smiled. “Do I have to repeat what I said?” Charlie swallowed. “You worked with my uncle?” “Yes.” He said it without hesitation. Charlie took a moment to process what she was hearing. The Mayor smiled "So I am here to ask if you will require the same protection." Charlie froze. “So, if we still want your protection…” She paused. “How much does it cost?” The Mayor smiled. “And what exactly does your protection include?”

The Mayor nodded. “Willy used to pay me one hundred thousand dollars a month.” Charlie listened carefully. “What I do is actually very simple.” He leaned forward. “If one of your men gets arrested, I make sure he gets out.” Charlie remained silent. “And if they did something serious…” He paused. “Something like murder, for example…” His expression remained calm. “I negotiate their situation with my superiors.” Charlie stared at him. The Mayor continued. “Even your uncle's nephew.” Charlie frowned. “What about Jack?” “When the police confiscated his body, I was the one who helped Willy retrieve it.” Charlie was shocked. “That one hundred thousand dollars does not just cover me.” He smiled. “I have a few police officers working under me. The money also cover them.” The Mayor looked at how confused Charlie was and he smiled. "My job also make me warn you to run away whenever police comes your way." Charlie sat quietly. For the first time, she began to understand how deeply her uncle's organization had been connected to the authorities. “Mr. Mayor…” She paused. “I understand what you're saying.” She looked at him carefully. “But I'm finding it difficult to believe that someone like you was working for my uncle.”

The Mayor smiled. “But you also need the help of someone inside the police.” Charlie nodded slowly. “Yes.” The Mayor leaned back. “Well…” He smiled. “That is exactly why I'm here.” Charlie watched him carefully. “Don't worry.” The Mayor's smile grew. “I have something in mind that will prove my loyalty.” Charlie became curious. “What is it?” “The newspaper headlines.” Charlie immediately understood. “The newspapers?” “Can you get rid of them?” The Mayor nodded. “I can.” Charlie stared at him. The Mayor continued. “It is already in progress.” Charlie smiled. But then the Mayor raised one finger. “There is one thing you should know.” Charlie waited. “The protection fee has increased.” “Willy used to pay me one hundred thousand dollars.” He paused. “I want one hundred and fifty thousand dollars per month.” Charlie froze. “One hundred and fifty thousand?” “Yes.” Charlie thought about it. “I need to discuss that with my partner, Ann.” The Mayor nodded. “Of course.” He stood up. “Once I prove my loyalty, you can contact me and tell me whether you agree to the new arrangement.” Charlie nodded. “No problem.” The Mayor walked toward the door. Charlie watched him leave. She still wasn't completely convinced. But if the Mayor could really suppress the newspaper reports, then having someone inside the police could be extremely valuable. The Mayor left the estate.

The moment he was gone, Charlie reached for her phone. She called Hanna. The call connected almost immediately. “Ann.” Hanna's voice came through. “Charlie, what is it?” “The Mayor came here.” Hanna immediately frowned. “What?” “He just left.” Hanna's expression changed. “What does the Mayor want?” Charlie explained everything. “He said he used to work with my uncle.” Hanna remained silent. “He provided protection for him,” Charlie continued. “Now he wants to know if I'm willing to continue the partnership.” Hanna laughed. “You actually believed that the Mayor is dirty?” Charlie frowned. “Why are you saying that?” Hanna smiled. “Go on.” Charlie continued. “He said that to prove his loyalty, he will deal with the newspaper headlines. Then we can if we still need him.” Hanna's expression became thoughtful. “And how much does he want?” “One hundred and fifty thousand dollars a month.” Hanna laughed softly. “Mmm.” She paused. “Not bad.” Charlie waited. “Let him deal with the newspapers first.” Hanna's voice became more serious. “Then we will decide whether we want him.” Charlie nodded, even though Hanna couldn't see her. Then Hanna asked the question she was most concerned about. “You didn't tell him about me, did you?” Charlie frowned. “Why wouldn't I?” “I told him I would consult with my partner.” There was a pause. Hanna's voice became sharper. “What?” Charlie replied calmly. “Yes, Ann.” “If he's going to work for us, he needs to know who he's dealing with.”

Hanna was silent for a moment. Then she relaxed. “Okay.” She paused. “Let's wait and see what he does.” The call ended. Charlie put her phone down. But Hanna remained staring at her own phone. A grin slowly appeared on her face. “Charlie is really stupid.” She laughed quietly. “Thankfully, I never told her my real name.” Meanwhile, the Mayor drove away from the estate. Once he was far enough away, he picked up his phone. He made a call. “Frank Potter.” The call connected. “Just like we discussed.” The Mayor smiled. “Charlie Kinlore took the bait.” Frank Potter's voice came through. “Good.” “Now I'll use my authority to suppress the news about her.” The Mayor looked through the windshield. “And when the time comes, we will take over the Harris Cartel and all of their contacts.” Frank smiled. “Very good, Grandpa.” The Mayor's expression changed slightly. “But she said she will speak to her partner first.” He paused. “I'm not feeling good about that.” Frank laughed softly. “Ann Smith?” “Yes. She said her name was Ann” “I met with her today.” Frank's voice became more confident. “She isn't easy to deal with, but I can handle her.”

The Mayor nodded. “Fine. Fine.” He paused. “Deal with it.” Then his voice became serious. “But remember...” “I want forty percent of every income after we take down the Harris Cartel.” There was a long silence. Frank's expression changed. “Grandpa. We will discuss that later.” “What does that mean?” Frank sighed. “Didn't you tell me you failed to warn Willy Harris that the Lions were coming because you wanted us to take over his organization?” The Mayor said nothing. “But look what happened.” Frank continued. “Those juniors killed him. And instead of the cartel collapsing, it became stronger.” He paused. “So how am I supposed to trust your word again?” The Mayor tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “But I'm fixing my mistake.” He sounded defensive now. “I went there myself.” He paused. “I didn't care whether someone saw me.” His voice became firm. “I will earn their trust for you.” He laughed softly. “Isn't that worth forty percent?” Frank was silent for a moment. Then he laughed. “Fine. Do what you have to do.” The call ended.

The Mayor lowered the phone. A smile slowly appeared on his face. “Well…” He looked ahead. “Now we will take over Scotland.” The Mayor's name was Keegan Litchfield. But there was another part of his story that very few people knew. Frank Potter was not his biological grandson. He wasn't related to the Mayor by blood at all. The Potter family had once been one of the drug families that suffered heavily under Harry Harris and later Willy Harris. Their organization had been destroyed. Frank was only fifteen years old when Keegan Litchfield took him in. Keegan adopted him and raised him. But he never changed Frank's surname. Frank was already old enough to understand who he was and where he came from. And because of that, Frank never accepted Keegan as his father. Instead, he always called him one name. “Grandpa.” Now Frank was thirty-five years old. For twenty years, he had carried the memory of what happened to his family. And he had never forgotten the Harris name. His goal was no longer simply revenge. He wanted everything. The drug network. Their territory. And now, with Keegan Litchfield inside the government and Charlie Kinlore unknowingly standing at the head of the Harris Cartel, they finally had the opportunity they had been waiting for. The Mayor looked through the windshield as the city passed around him. He had convinced Charlie that he was offering protection. He had convinced Mark that he was protecting the Lions. And he had convinced almost everyone that he was simply doing his job. But behind closed doors, Keegan Litchfield was playing a much bigger game. He wasn't trying to destroy the Harris Cartel. He was trying to inherit it.