A Bumpy Road to Power

Chapter 770 - 770

A face full of terror, retreating awkwardly outside.

Dirk Carter let out a long sigh, getting off Melody Holloway.

He plopped down on the sofa.

At that moment, the two locked eyes.

If it weren't for the listening device, they would probably laugh out loud.

When Liam Zane told Jabez Shaw exactly what he had witnessed, Jabez Shaw's heart, hanging with anxiety, finally settled.

He wasn't afraid of Dirk Carter being a playboy.

What he feared was someone unyielding.

Even more worried, Dirk Carter could be a plant from above.

That would be a headache for him.

"Boss, since Dirk Carter is that kind of person, regarding our suspended industries here..."

Liam Zane hesitated to speak.

Jabez Shaw paused, pondering.

Said: "Louisa can act on her side, but as for Hawkeye and the other side, don't move them for now."

Liam Zane was stunned.

Asked: "Boss, Dirk Carter is such a character, what are we afraid of? This one-day stop is quite a loss, besides, if Dirk Carter doesn't know his place, let him end up like Esau West, wouldn't that be the case?"

Jabez Shaw glared at Liam Zane.

Said: "You think Dirk Carter is like Esau West? That kid has connections; can we always use the same tricks? Besides, the matter with Iris Baldwin hasn't been clarified; there could be some hidden agenda inside—I'm still not at ease, I need to test him."

"How to test? Isn't one Melody Holloway enough?"

Liam Zane asked.

An icy smile surfaced on Jabez Shaw's face.

Said: "Of course not enough, organize a dinner and invite Britt Ford as well."

No wonder Liam Zane was Jabez Shaw's secretary.

As soon as the name Britt Ford was mentioned, Liam Zane knew what he intended.

A smile emerged on his face, said: "Boss, I understand, you want Vice Secretary Britt to probe his depths?"

Jabez Shaw felt somewhat proud.

Said: "Just a while ago, Britt said to me, he's tired of this chick Britt Ford, time to dump her, if she gets involved with Dirk Carter, we'd have leverage—it'd be easy to keep this woman under our thumb…"

"Hahaha…Boss, brilliant, truly brilliant tactics—you're high-level, I'll go notify them both now."

With that said.

Liam Zane turned and went out.

Dirk Carter and Britt Ford received the notification one after the other.

This aligned with Dirk Carter's initial judgment.

Indeed, Jabez Shaw was a suspicious person.

Although his passionate clash with Melody Holloway had relieved some of Shaw's defensiveness.

Yet, to completely dispel his concerns about himself, a second round of testing was indispensable.

In the afternoon.

Arlo Yarbrough brought explosive news.

He had found out about Houston Marshall's daughter's situation.

Houston Marshall hadn't spoken; he indeed had just one daughter, named Yana Marshall.

This year, she is 24, working as a director at Helios County TV station.

This Yana Marshall is young and beautiful, with quite a good figure. Having such a daughter is indeed fortunate for Houston Marshall and his wife.

No one expected.

A change happened six months ago.

After working at the TV station for half a year, Yana Marshall met a young, handsome boss, named Kahlil Sutton, through work opportunities.

This Kahlil Sutton was portrayed as a second-generation wealthy.

His parents were engaged in the jade business elsewhere.

He came to Helios County to expand the market.

Usually spending lavishly, always accompanied by luxury cars.

Along with his domineering temperament.

Yana Marshall soon fell in love.

No one expected Kahlil Sutton to be a con artist.

He actually was just an ordinary jade dealer, no wealthy parents—the entire persona he constructed was fictional.

If he were simply a swindler, that would be manageable.

Houston Marshall didn't expect Yana Marshall, concealing from him, took out hefty loans from the bank for her boyfriend to squander.

But that wasn't enough, within just half a year.

When the bank refused to lend further.

Under Kahlil Sutton's persuasion and manipulation, she took a 500,000 high-interest loan from Cat Master.

Now with interest compounding, it's ballooned to around 800,000 to 900,000.

To secure this loan, Yana Marshall noted in the contract that if the money wasn't repaid upon maturity, she would sell herself to repay it at Cat Master's establishment.

After the repayment deadline.

Kahlil Sutton disappeared abruptly.

Yana Marshall couldn't repay the money and could only turn to her father for help.

Upon learning the cause and effect, Houston Marshall flew into a rage, fiercely beating the woman, but what's the use in just beating her? It couldn't solve the problem, only find connections to smooth things over.

Later, Jabez Shaw intervened.

Helped Houston Marshall resolve the issue.

This is why Houston Marshall was so deferential in front of Jabez Shaw.

"That's it?"

Dirk Carter asked.

Arlo Yarbrough nodded, said: "Yes, that's the situation I heard about."

"Don't you see a problem in this?"

"What problem? Young girls in love brains are immature; such situations aren't uncommon at all."

Arlo Yarbrough asked.

Dirk Carter smiled faintly, said: "This debt was settled three months ago, three months ago also happened to be the time the previous County Committee Secretary Esau West resigned due to health reasons. You don't sense a coincidence here?"

Arlo Yarbrough was enlightened.

Said: "You mean...Esau West's resignation has a connection with Houston Marshall?"

Dirk Carter nodded.

Said: "Before I was appointed, I already reviewed some data on Esau West. This Esau West was transferred from Pembrook City, only 43 years old, at his prime; how could he possibly resign due to health reasons? So, I concluded there must be a reason for his resignation. Now that you mentioned Houston Marshall's situation, I feel there could be some link between these two events. Moreover, Esau West had only been in Helios County for half a year before encountering such issues—you don't find that abnormal?"

Arlo Yarbrough nodded.

Said: "I get what you mean, Esau West must have done something against Talon Group, and since Houston Marshall was the County Committee's head secretary, he must have done something to pressure Esau West to resign, right?"

"That's possible."

Dirk Carter said.

Arlo Yarbrough snapped his fingers.

Said: "Then it's simple, we just need to talk face-to-face with Esau West, and wouldn't everything become clear?"

Dirk Carter chuckled, said: "Issues that forced Esau West to willingly give up the County Committee Secretary's position to resign, do you think Esau West would tell us?"

"Then what should we do? Are we just going to stop investigating?"

Arlo Yarbrough asked.

Dirk Carter's gaze became profound.

Said: "Investigate! Of course, we must investigate! If our hunch is correct, then Cat Master and Kahlil Sutton have significant issues. First, tell me, who is this Cat Master?"

Though called "Master," Cat Master is actually a woman.

Her real name is Penny Sullivan, 34 this year.

If Louisa Wagner is one of Brett Summers' prominent generals.

Then this Penny Sullivan is undoubtedly the top general under Louisa Wagner's command.