Chapter 253: Intelligence Network
Martelli had assumed this matter would go smoothly. After all, the hatred between Colm and Dutch was irreconcilable. With a chance to wipe out the Van der Linde Gang right in front of him, how could Colm possibly refuse?
What Martelli didn’t realize was that Colm was now looking for a way to wash his hands of it all and come ashore clean.
“All right, you’re right. Mr. Land really is a major problem.”
“But honestly, you don’t need to worry too much. Since Mr. Bronte sent me here, he’s already prepared countermeasures.”
“Besides, once you’ve dealt with the Van der Linde Gang, what can Mr. Land really do to you?”
“He’s already entered Saint Denis. There’s no turning back for him now. With Mr. Bronte’s support, these are all minor issues.”
“Of course, if Mr. O’Driscoll needs any additional help, you can say so. As long as it’s not too excessive, I’m sure Mr. Bronte will agree.”
Martelli understood Colm’s meaning perfectly. As long as the Van der Linde Gang was taken care of, spending some dollars wasn’t a problem at all.
“I need Mr. Bronte to help me deal with the Pinkertons.”
“They’re still searching for me in New Mexico, but if they hear news from here, they’ll definitely come rushing over.”
“I trust Mr. Bronte’s capabilities. As long as he’s willing to handle the Pinkerton problem…”
Colm laid out his request without the slightest hesitation.
Money wasn’t what concerned him most.
The O’Driscoll Gang operated very differently from the Van der Linde Gang. Colm had always been focused on making money for the gang, even skimming profits from lower-ranking members.
He had more than enough dollars. In that regard, he far surpassed Dutch.
“This is a serious matter. After all, we’re talking about the Pinkertons.”
“I’ll need to report this to Mr. Bronte. Only after he makes a decision can I give you an answer, Mr. O’Driscoll.”
Martelli frowned slightly. He hadn’t expected Colm to make such a demand.
Of course, Bronte did have the influence to put pressure on the Pinkertons. After all, he was Mafia, and the Pinkertons had long since lost their real bite.
Still, this wasn’t a simple matter. In the end, it all depended on whether Mr. Bronte was willing.
“I’ll await your news, Mr. Martelli.”
...
Saint Denis, the Land mansion.
Davey was listening to Abbas’s report.
Information and intelligence were the things Davey valued most. He couldn’t expect Mac—a man with more muscle than brains—to gather anything useful.
That was why the construction of an intelligence network in Saint Denis had always been entrusted to Abbas and Donal.
Abbas was the brother of Davey’s personal maid, while Donal had once been a small-time leader in the Valentine branch of the O’Driscoll Gang. By now, both of them were core members of the Land Group and among the earliest people to follow Davey.
At least for now, their loyalty and alignment of interests were beyond question.
“Mr. Land, our people have received intelligence related to the slave trade. Mr. Arthur stumbled onto it by accident—there’s evidence in the basement of the Saint Denis black market.”
“This information came from Bronte’s side. We’ve heard that Mr. Martelli has already left Saint Denis, so it’s difficult for our people to track him.”
“Based on the direction, he seems to be heading north. We may need to wait for them to return before we can learn what they’re planning.”
Abbas delivered the report respectfully, without adding any personal speculation.
If Bronte could buy off children and turn them into informants, then Davey could do the same. And in this area, Davey was far more willing to spend money than Bronte.
The results were already showing. Some of Bronte’s men had been turned and were now acting as moles for Davey’s side—including one of Martelli’s trusted aides.
There was no helping it. Davey simply paid too much. Very few people could resist that kind of money, especially when most gang members’ incomes weren’t all that impressive to begin with.
“Very good, Abbas. I’m satisfied.”
“Keep it up. Expand our network as much as possible—especially within Bronte’s circle and around the mayor.”
“Don’t bother with the arrogant ones. People at the bottom are easier to work with.”
Davey patted Abbas on the shoulder in approval.
Abbas looked excited, then added with a hint of awkwardness.
“Thank you for your trust, Mr. Land. However, progress at the mayor’s residence hasn’t been very good. Many people refused our offers, and some conflicts even broke out because of it.”
“To prevent the situation from being exposed, we had no choice but to eliminate them.”
The situation at the mayor’s residence was different from Bronte’s. Most of Bronte’s people had no real moral restraints, while the mayor’s staff were largely lower-middle or middle class, with decent pay and stable lives.
They didn’t want to betray the mayor, especially given the power he wielded.
“Maybe you could try starting with one of the maids. That might be a good entry point.”
Davey recalled a scene at the mayor’s mansion—one of the maids had been slapped and scolded by the butler. She might be worth approaching.
As for Mayor Lemieux himself, Davey wasn’t overly concerned.
With Trappett’s help, Marc’s progress in gathering evidence had been going smoothly. It probably wouldn’t take long to bring the mayor down.
But those matters were not something Davey could share with Abbas and the others.
Author's Note
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