Chapter 229: I Will Never Betray the Mayor
“No, no, no, Mr. Trappett. I just want to be friends with you, isn’t that right?”
“That doesn’t require you to give me anything. I simply want to be a good friend.”
“And between friends, helping each other out is only natural, don’t you think?”
Davey lifted the brandy on the table and filled Trappett’s glass.
He didn’t reveal his true intentions right away.
“Yes, I believe we’re already friends. If Mr. Land ever needs my help, please feel free to say so.”
“As long as it’s something within my ability, I’ll certainly do what I can.”
Trappett still felt uneasy. He had no idea what Davey wanted from him, and no matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t see how he could be of much use.
At most, his status as a police officer might help smooth over a few minor issues.
But he knew Davey’s background well enough. His position as an officer was practically meaningless to someone like Davey. Compared to what Davey was offering him, it was negligible.
The United States valued equivalent exchange these days, and Trappett understood that perfectly.
“I’ve heard, Mr. Trappett, that you’re quite close to the mayor?”
After circling around for a while, Davey finally revealed his real purpose.
In the original game’s storyline, during the Golden Birdcage banquet, Trappett was responsible for security at the mayor’s residence. He had once told the mayor’s butler, Pierre, that Bronte was unreliable and that he would keep a close eye on Bronte and his men.
Davey had long wanted to infiltrate the Saint Denis Police Department. However, according to the intelligence he’d gathered, the current police chief, Benjamin Lambert, had been closely tied to Bronte for a long time.
Bronte donated large sums of money to the Saint Denis Police Department every year—something everyone in the department knew.
But Trappett’s stance made it clear where his loyalty lay: with the mayor.
That was precisely why Davey had arranged this meeting.
“Mr. Land, I’m sorry. The mayor has treated me very well. I can’t betray him.”
“I used to be just a patrolman. It was the mayor who promoted me to my current position.”
“Even though your coffee and bread are excellent, Mr. Land, I’m afraid my wife and children won’t be able to enjoy them.”
Trappett immediately understood Davey’s intentions. Yet he refused without the slightest hesitation, even though the offer was extremely tempting.
In a sense, Trappett could already be considered one of the mayor’s trusted men.
Davey showed no strong reaction. What was interesting was that, despite his refusal, Trappett didn’t stand up and leave right away.
Even though his tone was firm.
“As far as I know, Mr. Trappett, the city government is already drowning in debt, while the mayor himself has accumulated enormous wealth. You should know this better than I do, shouldn’t you?”
“And yet, Mr. Trappett, even though you work for the mayor, I hear your wife and children are still squeezed into a small, rundown apartment right next to the slums.”
“It seems that in the mayor’s eyes, you’re not all that important. He eats his fill of meat but won’t even leave you a mouthful of soup. Isn’t that so?”
“I imagine Chief Benjamin is well aware of your situation. And since he’s close friends with Bronte, your work at the police department probably hasn’t been very smooth either.”
Davey’s words left Trappett silent.
It was all true. The city government was deeply in debt, even facing the risk of bankruptcy, yet the mayor himself was rolling in money.
But the mayor was a stingy man. He wasn’t willing to share the wealth he’d gained through illegal means with his subordinates.
As a result, Trappett’s living conditions weren’t bad, but they were nowhere near upper-class. They were roughly the same as those of an ordinary police officer—which, by itself, wasn’t a problem.
The difference was that Trappett was working directly for the mayor, standing in opposition to Chief Benjamin. That made things entirely different.
With the mayor’s influence, even a small amount of support could have greatly improved Trappett’s life. Yet Mayor Henri Lemieux had never done that.
Seeing Trappett begin to waver, Davey pressed on.
“Mr. Trappett, there’s some information you should know. According to word from the city council, given the current state of the city’s finances, Mr. Henri may not be able to secure another term in the next election.”
“Mr. Henri’s family is based in the major cities of the East. Once he steps down, he’ll naturally return there.”
“I doubt Mr. Henri would take you with him to the East, even considering your loyalty.”
“If that happens, Mr. Trappett, your situation would be rather worrying, wouldn’t it?”
“And who knows whether the next mayor would continue to support you? If not, your circumstances could become very bleak indeed.”
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