After sending Hannah off on a flight to Florida, Jack sat in his car, finishing the files on the Elmar cartel and Raymundo Salazar before calling Danny.
This drug cartel, while not massive, was only small in comparison to their Mexican counterparts. According to the information, they were ruthless back in their Peruvian stronghold, especially when dealing with witnesses willing to testify against them—dousing them in gasoline and burning them alive without hesitation.
Jack didn't know much about Peru. Aside from Machu Picchu, which he learned about while playing the Civilization series, the only thing that came to mind was the high wall in Lima separating the affluent areas from the slums.
If Danny intended to testify as a direct eyewitness to Raymundo Salazar committing a murder in broad daylight, the risks were substantial. Jack felt it necessary to warn him.
The DEA had been monitoring the Elmar cartel for over a year, but Raymundo Salazar was elusive and operated with extreme caution. Despite providing a mountain of tracking data and reports, much of it was of limited use.
After learning Danny's location, Jack drove to the Manhattan District Attorney's office.
When he arrived at Erin Reagan's office, he was just about to knock when the door suddenly opened. A tall, slim, middle-aged white man in an expensive suit walked out. The man politely nodded to Jack before striding away, allowing Jack to step inside.
He greeted both Danny and Erin, who were standing side by side at the desk.
"Who was that guy?" Jack asked casually, noticing Danny's sour expression, which suggested the prior conversation had not gone well.
"Lyle Greenney, special prosecutor for narcotics cases. He came by specifically to deliver materials after hearing Danny was willing to testify against Raymundo Salazar."
Erin, who had a favorable impression of Jack, extended her hand for a handshake. She wasn't much older than Zoe and Maureen, but she looked like she was from another generation. The meticulous makeup couldn't hide the early aging common among Caucasians; her eye bags and crow's feet were pronounced.
The only thing worth noting was her model-like figure. It was hard to believe she was the mother of a 14-year-old daughter. Standing next to Danny in high heels, she was even half a head taller than him.
"The prosecutor for the Elmar case? I heard they've been running into a lot of trouble—witnesses being eliminated one after another."
Jack shrugged. He'd just read Greenney's name in the files, and as the special prosecutor for the Elmar cartel, Greenney's record was far from impressive.
"They've been watching as the Elmar cartel's influence spreads across Harlem, with weekly cocaine shipments increasing from just a few thousand dollars to the current $400,000.
This isn't just running into trouble—it's outright negligence. You could put a donkey in his position, and it'd do a better job."
Danny's bluntness earned a disapproving glare from his sister. "Can't you be a little more polite? Lyle Greenney is still on our side, after all."
Seeing the siblings about to argue like children, Jack handed over the documents in his hand to cut them off. "Regardless, this case is now in the hands of the NYPD. Danny will definitely find Raymundo Salazar.
Here's the FBI's report on the Elmar cartel. Most of it overlaps with what you just received from the DEA, but it might be useful as a reference."
Danny took the files from Jack, weighing them in his hands with a look of disdain. "Even the FBI's files are more detailed than what that guy gave us."
He turned to see Erin's brows almost rising in frustration and quickly shrugged. "Alright, I get it. I'll be nicer next time.
I looked into the kid who got killed last night. He didn't have a criminal record. He was a teacher who specialized in helping children with learning disabilities and autism. A decent guy—it's such a waste."
Knowing her older brother was an emotional person who wore his heart on his sleeve, Erin softened. She hugged him around the shoulders.
"Fine, you're just like this. If you ever act differently, I'll be more worried. I'm just glad you were safe last night."
She turned to Jack. "Please keep an eye on him. Raymundo Salazar isn't easy to deal with. One hero in the family is enough."
Jack gave her a thumbs-up before leaving with Danny.
In the parking lot, Jack retrieved a soft, close-fitting bulletproof vest from the trunk of his Dodge Hellcat and tossed it to Danny, who shot him a resentful look.
"Put it on. Be glad this isn't L.A.," Jack said, knowing Danny hated the heat. But compared to Los Angeles, New York summers were more bearable. Besides, with Americans' love for wasting energy, air conditioning was everywhere.
"Any ideas on how to catch Raymundo Salazar?" Jack asked as Danny adjusted his vest and fastened his seatbelt. Jack started the car and drove toward the NYPD precinct.
"The kid who was killed, David Talley—after you left last night, my partner Jackie and I went to his apartment and met his mother and older brother, Mark Talley.
David Talley had a clean record and had only been in New York for six months. No issues so far. But his brother, Mark Talley, works at a financial firm and is suspected by the DEA of laundering drug money for the Elmar cartel into Wall Street accounts.
He's a minor player, but he probably knows something. Jackie's bringing him to the station now, so we'll see him in the interrogation room soon." Danny seemed to have a plan.
"You think he knows why his brother was killed?" Jack asked, already suspecting the answer.
"At the very least, he should know something." Danny wasn't entirely sure. If Raymundo Salazar thought Mark Talley was a liability, he would've gone after Mark directly, not his brother.
Their relationship wasn't one of equals, and the Elmar cartel could've easily killed Mark if they wanted. After all, he only handled a small fraction of their money laundering, so it wasn't as if they had much to lose.
"There's definitely something we don't know. Even if Mark Talley is clueless, we might still use him to find a way to flush out Raymundo Salazar."
Perhaps influenced by Castle's story from the previous night, Danny's thinking had grown more strategic. But his straightforward style hadn't changed.
As they talked, they arrived at the NYPD headquarters on Police Plaza. They headed straight to the detectives' office on the second floor, where Danny's partner, Jackie, had also just returned.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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