The Shadow of Great Britain

93: Chapter 53: Fred’s Big Business 93: Chapter 53: Fred’s Big Business In the Blackpool Detective Agency, Jones was bound tightly to a chair, his eyes bruised purple and blue, his white shirt stained with nosebleed everywhere.

Fred sat across the table from him, one hand holding a knife and the other a fork, patiently cutting the roast meat in front of him.

He tasted a sizzling piece of roast meat, seemingly finding it a bit greasy, so he picked up his teacup and took a sip.

But as soon as the tea touched his mouth, Fred couldn’t help but spit it out.

“Pfft!”

He wiped his lips, opened the lid of the teacup, and took a look inside— the originally greenish tea leaves had faded.

Fred, angry, threw the teapot to the ground, and with a loud bang, he cursed, “Damn!

These swindlers dare to trick even me!”

Having said that, Fred lost his appetite, leaned back in his chair, and looked at Jones, whose consciousness was fading from the beating.

“Speak up, what did you come here for today?”

Jones caught his breath and raised his head to speak, “Nothing… nothing much.

Today, Superintendent Hastings received a report that a Frenchman went missing in his jurisdiction.

I thought it over, and figured that the only one likely to be in this kind of business is you.

I came to ask if you were involved in this case.”

Fred licked the meat stuck in his teeth with his tongue, “Oh… you’re quite smart.

Yes, I did catch a French fatty, but this matter has nothing to do with you, you can go back now.”

“It really was you!”

Jones was just about to stand up when the gun pointed at his forehead forced him to sit back down obediently.

Enduring the soreness all over his body, he tried to reason with Fred in the calmest tone possible.

“Listen to my advice, release him quickly.

Superintendent Hastings is now flourishing at Scotland Yard, and he is highly valued by Sir Peel, even Chief Rowan has to be very polite to him.

Didn’t I relay Clemens’ request last time?

He told you to keep a low profile for a while and not to engage in those businesses for now.

The missing case in St.

Giles might seem closed for now, but as far as I see it, Superintendent Hastings probably hasn’t given up yet.

Moreover, even if you don’t take our advice and insist on dealing with indentured servants, you could easily find them in other areas!

Why specifically pick Superintendent Hastings’ jurisdiction to mess with?

Aren’t you just inviting trouble for yourself?”

Fred, hearing Jones bringing up Clemens as a big shot, warned, “Kid, do you think Clemens is omnipotent?

Whatever he tells me to do, I must do?

To tell you the truth, my business runs larger than he imagines.

I have a few hundred brothers under me, all of whom rely on me for their livelihood.

If I don’t open for business for a day, are you planning to have them feed on the water of the Thames River?

If you really want me to release that Frenchman, it’s not entirely impossible.

You pull out three thousand pounds now, and I’ll let you take him away right now.”

“Three thousand pounds?!” Jones exclaimed angrily, “Fred, you’re overcharging!

An indentured servant sold to North America only goes for thirty to forty pounds, and you ask for three thousand just like that?

You love money so much, why not just rob a bank in the Financial City directly?”

Fred shrugged, “Rob a bank?

I would like to, but alas, I don’t have the capability.

Besides, if you can’t come up with three thousand pounds, then I’m sorry.

If you won’t pay, there are plenty of others who will.

To tell you the truth, that Frenchman is worth that much.

Someone has paid a lot for his life.”

The middleman told me that if I delivered that fat man alive back to France, I could get a commission of two thousand five hundred pounds, and even if I only delivered the body, I would still get a hardship pay of one thousand five hundred pounds.

“They are spending so much money, and I’m only asking for three thousand pounds to break the contract, truly valuing our past friendship and good cooperative relationship.”

Jones still thought Fred was scamming him, and he couldn’t help but curse.

“Fred, you’re on a suicide mission!

We just need to get through this period smoothly, and we could continue doing business as usual, Wellington will soon be unable to hold on!

Once the Tory Party is down, that Hasting Police Superintendent will have no support, and then we can do whatever we want to him!

And here you are, damn it, for a bit of petty profit, planning to send us all in?”

“Petty profit?” Hearing this, Fred raised an eyebrow, stepped forward, and slapped Jones across the face.

A smack sound was heard, and Jones was left dizzy.

When he came to, he saw Fred holding a bright white cheque in front of his eyes.

“Look closely, Rothschild Bank, a reliable big brand, five hundred pounds, and that’s just the down payment for capturing him.

Do you still think I’m just messing with you?”

Seeing the cheque, Jones’s mind gradually cleared, and he was inevitably startled.

“What’s the story with that Frenchman?

What makes him worth so much?”

Fred pursed his lips, “I don’t know about that.

I only know that the guy behind the scenes is very generous with money and acts decisively, much better than all you poor ghosts at the Greater London Police Department.

Dealing with you is troublesome, dozens of guns, some insignificant stolen goods, yet I have to front the commission for you.

Sheesh, if it weren’t for the fact that you could cover for my indentured servant business, I’d hardly continue trading with you.”

Having said this, Fred gestured to his men to untie Jones.

He took out a stack of bills from a drawer, counted a few, and stuffed them into Jones’s jacket pocket, then put the rest into his trouser pockets.

“Superintendent Jones, don’t be too upset about today.

The twenty pounds in your jacket is my apology, and the two hundred pounds in your pockets is for Clemens.

Tell him when you go back that I’ll be shipping out the goods soon, as the owner has paid a lot and is in a hurry.

If Clemens has some stock on hand, have it delivered to me in the next few days, and I’ll take it all out with me then.”

Although Jones was initially furious, seeing the bulging bills at his chest, he had no choice but to swallow the blood in his mouth.

“Alright, I agree.

But I have to warn you, if you insist on making this deal, you’d better be careful.

Lastly, next Wednesday, Hasting will lead a team to Liverpool for the railway inauguration’s security work.

Shall we do the transaction that day?”

Hearing this, a hint of a smile finally appeared on Fred’s sleepy face.

He patted Jones on the shoulder and said with a laugh, “Brother, if you had just spoken like this earlier, why endure a beating for nothing?”