North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws-Chapter 74 - 72: You’re Sleeping with Me Even Though You Have a Partner?_1
Chapter 74: Chapter 72: You’re Sleeping with Me Even Though You Have a Partner?_1
The sun was already high in the sky.
Laura finally succumbed and fell into a deep sleep.
Supporting his stubborn old back, Dean took a shower before sitting in front of the computer and searching for news from Arkansas.
Marcus must have been a child persecuted in the foster home, and he also knew that young priest from back then. That’s why, as an adult, he meticulously planned to get back at the Shane Family. After all, the Shane Family had been accomplices back in the day. Marina had said before she killed herself that all the money in her family had been transferred by Marcus. He took that money, doubtless in a bid to exact revenge on Christianity in Arkansas. A junkie, reliant on drugs to numb himself, holding one or two million US dollars—what means could he possibly use to retaliate against a religious body entrenched within multiple layers of networks?
Online news! It’s only through this channel that he could effectively smack the Christian community there hard. The internet connects the entire United States, and the real-world disturbances it faces are still not that significant. One or two million US dollars could do a lot of things.
The reason Dean was so certain Marcus had already made his move was because of a threat Dean had orchestrated. Based on an understanding of human nature, Dean guessed Marcus was at the priest’s graveyard. So he hired someone via phone to deliver Marcus a rope and a message. If Marcus didn’t want his plan of vengeance to fail, he had no choice but to follow the script Dean provided for the final curtain!
Indeed. When Dean opened the news network for Arkansas, the same headline was already circulating like wildfire among netizens.
"Behind the Holy, Lies and Filth Abound!"
Under each headline was a signed short story. Most of the protagonists were boys, a few were girls, but the contents were all about their unbearable childhoods in the ’Holy Home’. These narratives detailed their tragic experiences with great specificity. They continually mentioned their orphan status, their emotional wounds, and how they eventually sank to the lower echelons of society, willingly degenerating... The myriad misfortunes depicted in daily life easily resonated with reading netizens, and the content of the stories then guided their feelings towards anger. These emotions were all directed at the Christian organizations in Arkansas because the ’Holy Home’ was the face of the local Christian community!
Not everyone likes Christianity. Netizens also took the opportunity to drive the narrative.
Dean browsed around briefly and, for a moment, couldn’t help but feel admiration. The internet army handling Marcus’s job is highly skilled. What a waste for them not to write novels.
The key point was, none of these articles mentioned any politicians, wealthy people, or well-known local figures, so those websites wouldn’t deliberately block the netizens’ gossipy instincts. Before they could react, Marcus would probably use himself as the final spark to ignite the flame of public opinion that had already been fanned and fueled. A single spark can start a prairie fire. When it becomes uncontainable... Heh. Christian organizations from other states, in a bid to save their last shred of face and to avoid implicating figures from all walks of life tied to them, will certainly strike with lightning speed to silence all Christian management in Arkansas forever!
By then, Marcus would die content. Dean could also harvest his own Experience Points without getting mixed up in some messy affairs. Killing two birds with one stone, perfect!
After reading through these posts, Dean yawned, rubbing his overburdened back. Finally succumbing to fatigue, he turned off the computer, climbed into bed, and fell into a deep sleep holding Laura.
「...」
「The sun set behind the mountains.」
DING-DONG.
The doorbell rang incessantly.
Dean was groggily awakened from his deep sleep by the noise. He picked up the remote control from the bedside table, aimed it at the TV at the foot of the bed, and the screen flickered on, revealing the surveillance footage from outside the door.
On the screen, a blond, pompadoured man appeared, pressing the doorbell with an air of anxious uncertainty.
Damn it, could some young hunk be trying to edge in on my sugar mama while I was away? Could Dean put up with this? freewebnøvel.coɱ
He sprang out of bed and got dressed quickly. Dean habitually reached for his gun, only to remember that his service weapon was still at the detective bureau.
Forget it. No need to pull a gun to deal with a pretty boy!
Dean cracked his knuckles, ready to confront the pretty boy outside.
At that moment, Laura finally woke up. She looked at Dean, somewhat groggy. "Darling, are you going to... FUCK!"
Before she could finish, she caught sight of the surveillance on the TV, uttered a universally understood expletive, and, as if electrocuted, dressed with a speed even Dean found astounding, tidying up the messy bed in the process.
A feeling of unease rose in Dean’s heart. "Hey, Laura, why are you acting like you’ve been caught cheating?"
Laura smoothed her disheveled hair with both hands and, after stuffing the scattered condom wrappers out of sight, regained her composure. "Because the man outside is my fiancé."
... She has a fiancé and still sleeps with me? What a slag!
Seeing Dean rendered speechless, Laura said with an easygoing expression, "Don’t worry, he’s just a simpleton. I’ll go open the door. Just play along with me later; he won’t suspect a thing."
Dean sighed. Wasn’t his last name Lee? Why was he now the one sleeping with another man’s fiancée?
While Laura went to open the door, Dean used his professional skills to quickly clean up some of the obvious traces.
By the time Laura returned with a blond pretty boy, Dean was sitting upright at the table. On it was a recording pen, and next to the pen, a half-empty glass of water...
The pretty boy, who had been hugging and laughing with Laura, changed his expression upon seeing Dean. "Laura," he asked, "who is this, and why is there a man in your room?"
Good gracious. This simpleton hadn’t even noticed an extra pair of men’s shoes when he entered.
Without waiting for Laura to speak, Dean stood up, gave the other man a scrutinizing look, and stated forcefully, "I’m Detective Dean from the police department, currently asking Miss Laura about the details of a murder case. If you’re not a member of Miss Laura’s family, please wait outside!"
The pretty boy was taken aback by Dean. He glanced at the water glass and the recording pen on the table, then looked at Laura with concern. "Laura, is this true? You’ve been through a murder case? Why didn’t you tell me?"
Laura hugged him, her voice trembling with unshed tears. "Ross, you’ve been working so hard on business trips abroad. How could I bear to worry you?"
As she spoke, she still had her arms around the pretty boy’s neck. She blew a kiss towards Dean, a silent praise for his quick thinking.
... Indeed, every woman is a born actress. However, the thrill of cheating right in front of someone’s fiancé, thrilling though it may be, doesn’t align with Dean’s principles for wooing women. His first rule is not to touch those who are taken. He isn’t short of women. Besides, it makes him an easy target for a sneak attack. His life is precious, after all. Looks like his gig as Laura’s kept man is over.
After pacifying his girlfriend, Ross, in his capacity as the fiancé, joined in the "interview." He learned that Laura’s gym, named after him, had recently been the scene where three female members were murdered in home invasions. This spooked him enough to tightly grasp Dean’s hand in thanks.
Laura also chimed in pitifully, "Ross, these past few days, it’s all thanks to Detective Dean frequently coming to the gym to investigate. Otherwise, I would have been too scared to step outside. We should really thank him."
Ross nodded, then very generously said, "Laura’s right, Detective Dean. Thanks for looking after my fiancée during this time. How about this: a friend of mine just opened a car dealership. I’ll give you a car as a token of my gratitude."
When he mentioned ’fiancée,’ he stressed the word, clearly recognizing the threat posed by Dean’s good looks and declaring that Laura was already spoken for.
Dean nodded and packed up the recording pen. "Alright then," he said. "Since that’s the case, I won’t disturb your pleasant evening further. Goodbye."
A car as a breakup fee. That should soothe my wounded soul. Pfft, slag!
Having left Laura’s villa, Dean, with nowhere else to go, hailed a cab, planning to stay at his own home for a few days until he found a new place.
But just as he got out of the taxi, he witnessed a somewhat amusing scene.
