Chapter 273 - 275
Chapter 273: Dutch’s Revenge
Benjamin, Chief of the Saint Denis Police Department, was under enormous pressure.
Complaint letters flooded both the police station and City Hall. The media went wild with coverage.
Nearly two hundred officers had been deployed to take down three outlaws.
Not only had more than twenty officers been killed and over fifty wounded, the three fugitives had escaped.
Public confidence in the Saint Denis Police Department plummeted.
Some newspapers went so far as to openly accuse the officers of being useless freeloaders, living off taxpayers’ money for nothing.
City Hall was dragged into the fallout as well.
Mayor Lemieux hurriedly called a press conference, vowing to capture the criminals and bring them to justice.
Benjamin also declared that the department would intensify its efforts to apprehend the fugitives.
As the largest and most populous city in the central western region, Saint Denis hadn’t seen a gunfight of this scale in years.
Past shootouts had been gang clashes, and even then they tried to avoid crowded areas. Never had shots been fired so brazenly in the heart of the city.
Inside the Land mansion.
Davey received the latest news.
He understood clearly—the Van der Linde Gang was finished.
This was the turning point.
What Cornwall had suffered before had only been robberies. But now the Van der Linde Gang had killed so many officers. That wasn’t just crime anymore—it was open defiance against the entire West, against Saint Denis itself.
Milton had long wanted law enforcement authority. Even temporary jurisdiction would allow Pinkerton to regain some breathing room during this difficult period.
Now he had his chance.
Chief Benjamin, having witnessed firsthand how dangerous these western outlaws were, would inevitably discuss with the mayor granting Pinkerton temporary law enforcement authority to handle the case.
Elisa walked in.
“Mr. Land, there’s a call for you. It’s Miss Catherine.”
Davey went upstairs to answer it.
Catherine’s worried voice came through the receiver.
“Davey, it’s such a relief to hear your voice.”
“I heard about the Saint Denis shootout. I was really worried.”
As a media professional, Catherine received internal news quickly. Less than two hours had passed, and the East Coast already knew what had happened.
“Don’t worry, Catherine. I’m fine. Nothing could’ve happened to me.”
“There was indeed a gang that robbed a streetcar station, and they were surrounded by police.”
“But in the end, they shot their way out. The police suffered heavy casualties.”
Davey briefly outlined what had happened.
Catherine sounded relieved.
“I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“By the way, Davey… do you know any inside details?”
“Sorry—I called because I was worried. But if there’s inside information, it could really help with my graduation.”
Davey chuckled.
“I do know something. About the police.”
“This was a planned operation. They had set up an ambush in advance. The cash at the streetcar station had already been moved. The outlaws were never going to get any money.”
“They originally just planned to grab some cash and run. They only opened fire after being surrounded. They didn’t even kill any of the station staff.”
“A bunch of incompetent fools trying to corner hardened western outlaws. It was laughable.”
Catherine’s tone brightened.
“That’s great, Davey.”
“This is important. It’s very useful.”
These days, reporters didn’t need much evidence. With even a rough lead, they could spin a full story—proof or no proof.
After chatting a bit longer, Catherine hurried off to prepare her report.
Davey hung up with a faint smile. This was an opportunity for him as well.
The police department was facing a crisis of public trust, and Benjamin was at the center of it.
He had been Bronte’s staunch ally. Buying him off had always been difficult.
Bronte had operated in Saint Denis for years and surely held leverage over Benjamin.
If cooperation wasn’t possible, then he would simply replace him.
If handled properly, public opinion—combined with the connections Davey had built in Saint Denis—could force Benjamin to resign.
Officer Trappin was Davey’s collaborator and carried significant authority within the department. Elevating him wouldn’t meet resistance from Mayor Lemieux. In Lemieux’s eyes, Trappin was his man.
Everything would fall into place naturally.
Catherine moved fast.
The very next day, eastern newspapers began publishing extensive coverage of the Saint Denis shootout.
The reports focused heavily on Chief Benjamin’s incompetence.
Some articles even claimed the entire operation had been Benjamin’s plan, accusing him of underestimating the strength of the western outlaws.
They framed it as reckless disregard for civilian safety in pursuit of personal political credit.
According to the papers, Benjamin had far better options for handling the robbery.
Saint Denis Police Department.
Benjamin was on the phone with the mayor.
Public opinion had nearly been contained, but reports from the East had thrown City Hall into an even more passive position.
Lemieux, now under scrutiny himself, vented his anger directly at Benjamin.
“I don’t care what you were doing with Bronte, but let me make this clear, Mr. Benjamin.”
“You have seventy-two hours. If you can’t calm public anger within seventy-two hours, then resign, you idiot.”
Benjamin’s face darkened.
After hanging up, he dialed another number.
The line connected.
“Hello, Pinkerton Detective Agency.”
At this point, Benjamin had no choice but to rely on Pinkerton.
He had no intention of resigning.
If even Pinkerton couldn’t deal with these western outlaws, what could he possibly do?
That would give him an excuse.
After all, he couldn’t claim the Saint Denis Police Chief was more capable than Pinkerton.
If Pinkerton succeeded, he would keep his position.
Benjamin had his own calculations.
...
Elsewhere.
Dutch was furious—completely furious.
Arthur’s sarcastic voice kept echoing in his ears.
“Fifteen dollars.”
“Oh, and twenty-five cents.”
“Don’t forget the twenty-five cents.”
Dutch now understood. This had been Bronte’s trap. He had been made a fool.
Many had opposed the plan from the start. He had insisted on his judgment, convinced it was solid.
Reality had proven him wrong.
Hosea neither mocked nor blamed him. Instead, he took the opportunity to propose robbing the Lemoyne Bank.
“We’re already being watched. We need to leave as soon as possible.”
“There’s a lot of cash in the bank. If we pull it off, we’ll have enough money.”
“To get out of here. To leave the United States.”
Dutch agreed to Hosea’s plan.
But his face remained dark as he said,
“Before that… there’s one more thing we need to do.”
...
Chapter 274: Collaborating with High-Level Leaders in Pinkerton
Dutch couldn’t figure it out.
He was only after money. There were no other conflicts of interest between him and Bronte.
So why had Bronte suddenly decided to go after him?
Why send the police to arrest him?
“What did we ever do to him?”
“What did I do to him?”
Arthur thought for a moment before answering, “I think he’s just used to being king around here.”
“He doesn’t like people like you.”
Dutch’s face darkened. “We just need money. One big score, then we disappear.”
Arthur didn’t understand the rules of the city, but after causing such a massive uproar, it was obvious nothing good would come of it.
“Even now?”
Dutch replied firmly, “Especially now.”
Hosea nodded in agreement. “They won’t expect us to strike again at a time like this.”
“Most people will assume we’re lying low.”
“Which makes this the perfect opportunity.”
With Hosea backing him up, Arthur had no reason to argue further.
After tidying up briefly, Dutch mounted his horse, preparing to head out again.
Arthur asked, “What are you going to do, Dutch?”
Swinging into the saddle, Dutch replied, “Scout around. Pick up some information.”
“I won’t be long. I’ll be back soon. Wait for me at camp.”
Neither Hosea nor Arthur thought much of it.
What they didn’t know was that the fury inside Dutch was already close to spilling out of his eyes.
Especially after hearing Arthur’s words.
He had always seen himself as a major figure. The Van der Linde Gang had built a real reputation out in the West.
To be looked down on like this—humiliated—
Dutch couldn’t accept it.
He would have his revenge.
…
Pinkerton moved with astonishing speed.
It proved that at this stage of the United States—and across the West in particular—Pinkerton still wielded unmatched authority.
They remained the largest armed force and intelligence agency around.
Less than ten hours after Davey signed the contract, Pinkerton had already tracked down the stolen cargo.
This time, Milton showed none of the restraint he had when dealing with the Van der Linde Gang.
Pinkerton’s senior leadership took this cooperation very seriously. They had made it clear that Land Security Company needed to see what Pinkerton was truly capable of.
As a result, the small, unknown gang that had robbed Davey’s equipment was completely wiped out.
Once again, Pinkerton’s name thundered across the West.
At the Land Mansion, Milton paid another visit.
“Welcome, Mr. Milton. Mr. Ross.”
Ross looked noticeably uncomfortable this time.
Milton didn’t dwell on it. With Davey hosting, they sat in the living room and discussed the next phase of their cooperation.
“Mr. Land, my apologies for the intrusion.”
“Our senior executive, Mr. Samuel Grayson, is very interested in the cooperation proposal you’ve put forward.”
“If possible, Mr. Grayson would like to come to Saint Denis personally to meet with you and discuss the details.”
This was also a test. After displaying their strength, they wanted to see whether Davey was truly willing to expand cooperation with Pinkerton.
Davey smiled. “Mr. Milton, I would be honored to welcome Mr. Grayson.”
“I’ll host a dinner at the Saint Denis Grand Hotel and look forward to his arrival.”
It was an unexpected gain. Davey had already intended to use this partnership to connect with more of Pinkerton’s senior leadership.
At this time, Pinkerton’s upper ranks held tremendous influence across the United States, especially in the East.
Many high-ranking federal officials employed Pinkerton for security.
They were professionals who had even provided protection for the President.
Pinkerton was a large corporation with a tightly structured organization.
Internally, it was divided into management, senior leadership, and department heads.
Below them were operational divisions: Detective and Investigation, Security, Crisis Management, and Intelligence.
Milton was merely a senior agent within the Detective and Investigation Division.
Above him stood the department head, and above that, senior leadership.
As long as he remained with Pinkerton, Milton had no choice but to follow orders from above.
“If possible, please set aside time the day after tomorrow.”
It was clear Milton had come with specific instructions.
Davey nodded. “Of course.”
With the matter settled, the two men took their leave.
Outside the Land Mansion, Ross couldn’t hide his confusion.
“Why would Mr. Grayson take an interest in him—and even come in person?”
Samuel Grayson was a major figure throughout the East, hardly comparable to a small-time player like Land.
Even for cooperation, a phone call would normally suffice.
Making the trip personally showed tremendous sincerity. It meant they took this very seriously.
Milton shook his head slightly. “There’s a struggle inside the company. Mr. Grayson wants to open things up quickly.”
“The East isn’t easy right now. If he wants broader support, he needs results.”
“Davey’s cooperation may not look large in scale, but it suits Mr. Grayson perfectly.”
Milton spoke in fragments, but Ross understood.
Pinkerton was facing a crisis, and internally there were two camps.
The conservatives wanted to spend more money building ties with the federal government to regain law enforcement authority.
The reformists wanted to expand cooperation channels, restructure the company, and reduce dependence on law enforcement power.
Samuel Grayson belonged to the reformist camp. By partnering with Davey, he hoped to show the rest of Pinkerton’s leadership a new source of revenue—then use that to push broader reform across the company.
On Davey’s side, once the equipment was returned, large-scale hiring began.
He no longer needed to visit Mrs. Berry personally.
After hearing that Davey had opened additional factories, Mrs. Berry came to him instead.
The last three hundred jobs for women had significantly boosted her standing within the Women’s Rights Association and earned her more support.
Naturally, she wanted more opportunities to secure employment for women.
This time, Davey did not host Mrs. Berry at his estate.
Instead, he chose the upscale café where the Women’s Rights Association often gathered.
The café belonged to him.
When Davey arrived alongside Mrs. Berry, it immediately caused a stir.
News of the Land factories’ hiring expansion had already spread.
Everyone knew that a large number of women’s positions would likely be allocated to Mrs. Berry through Davey.
The Women’s Rights Association championed the slogan that women could live well without relying on men—they demanded equal rights to work.
But in reality, most factories hired men, not women.
Factory owners weren’t fools.
Pregnancy concerns, additional leave, and generally lower physical strength made hiring men the more cost-effective choice.
On top of that, most industrial work was physically demanding, and many women had no prior job experience, requiring additional training.
That was why the relatively lighter, more suitable positions in Davey’s factories were so highly sought after.
Inside the café, Mrs. Berry reveled in the atmosphere.
Her impression of Davey improved even further.
After making her request, Davey agreed without hesitation.
He was willing to provide another three hundred positions for women.
Mrs. Berry beamed.
“Mrs. Berry, have you heard about yesterday’s station robbery?”
Davey steered the conversation there naturally.
“Of course I have, Mr. Land,” she replied.
“The Saint Denis Police Department is utterly incompetent. Over two hundred officers, and they couldn’t catch three criminals—while suffering so many casualties. Perhaps it’s time women were allowed to serve as police officers.”
“They might do a better job.”
No matter the topic, she always brought it back to women’s rights.
Davey didn’t mind.
“Have you heard what the eastern newspapers are saying?”
Mrs. Berry nodded. “Yes. Reporters in the East are very capable. They’ve uncovered inside information before we even knew what was happening here.”
“Mr. Benjamin is hardly a competent police chief. I’ve heard the Committee is already discussing removing him if he fails to handle this properly.”
Saint Denis was politically complicated. As a gateway city to the East, its police chief held considerable authority and armed power.
Though nominally under the city government, the mayor did not have the authority to appoint or dismiss the chief.
That decision required a vote by the Committee.
Mrs. Berry’s husband was one of its members.
“I’ve heard there’s an officer in the Saint Denis Police Department named Trappett. Quite capable.”
“If he became chief, things certainly wouldn’t be as bad as they are under Mr. Benjamin.”
Davey took a sip of coffee and smiled.
Mrs. Berry understood perfectly well that nothing from Davey came without conditions.
She had no reason to refuse.
“Since Mr. Land is recommending him, I’m sure Mr. Trappett is a fine candidate.”
“I’ll speak to my husband and have him nominate Mr. Trappett at the meeting.”
“Of course, whether Mr. Trappett can actually be elected will depend on support from other quarters.”
...
Chapter 275: Crocodile: Finally, I Can Have a Second Helping
Davey couldn’t personally kill Bronte.
That would break the rules.
After all, in the city—especially in the eastern United States—when gangs clashed, you didn’t just go straight for the other side’s boss.
Once someone became a boss, the whole point was to enjoy a better life. Why risk your neck in bloody fights when you had plenty of underlings to do that for you?
So over time, an unspoken understanding formed between gangs.
Most conflicts stayed at the level of the lower ranks and didn’t reach the upper leadership.
Of course, that wasn’t absolute. If two gangs reached a point of no return, then rules no longer mattered.
Davey had to follow the rules. The Italian Mafia was a massive force.
Though he was strong now, he was still far from being able to match them.
If he personally killed Bronte, the first consequence would be the backlash from much of Saint Denis’s political circle. That would create serious obstacles for his later plans to control the city.
The second consequence would be retaliation from the Mafia.
When it came to cultivating die-hard assassins, the Mafia had a fearsome reputation.
So Davey had no intention of interfering in the tram station affair.
He would let Dutch, just like in the original story, give in to his anger, take revenge on Bronte, and kill him to vent his fury.
After Bronte’s death, Dutch would continue with the bank robbery plan.
It was obvious that the Saint Denis Police Department—even with the Pinkertons added in—couldn’t possibly wipe out all of Dutch’s people.
When those gun-wielding outlaws pulled off another major job,
Police Chief Benjamin of Saint Denis would have no choice but to resign and take responsibility.
Meanwhile.
Dutch had returned.
He had already scouted the route and found someone willing to help.
With everything arranged, Dutch laid out his revenge plan to Hosea.
On the second-floor balcony of Shady Belle.
Hosea sat in a chair while Dutch stood beside him, trying to persuade him.
Hosea opposed Dutch’s desire for revenge.
The two began to argue.
Hearing the raised voices, Arthur came over as well.
Seeing Arthur, Hosea said, “Arthur, the deciding vote’s yours.”
Arthur, still unaware of what was going on, instinctively asked, “Deciding what?”
Dutch said, “Do we swallow this humiliation and scatter like cockroaches?”
“Or do we settle the score properly?”
Hosea shot back, “We don’t need revenge. We barely even know the man.”
Dutch immediately replied, “This isn’t about revenge, Hosea.”
“Angelo Bronte doesn’t mean a damn thing to me.”
“We’re talking about robbing a bank on his turf.”
“A bank he’s clearly protecting…”
“In a place where his men will be shooting at us. Before we make a move, we have to cripple him.”
It was obvious Dutch was blurring the line, tying the Lemoyne bank robbery together with revenge.
“I’m against it!” Hosea cut him off firmly.
“There has to be an easier way.”
Dutch continued pressing his case. “There isn’t. I know his kind. A grudge-holding fixer with just enough power to throw his weight around, controlling everything through fear.”
“If we stir up trouble on his turf, we’re dead.”
“If we want to leave this place—leave this country—we need that money.”
Hosea shook his head. “It just doesn’t feel right, Dutch.”
Dutch tried to soothe him. “All right. This will be our last job.”
“By the end of the year, we’ll be harvesting mangoes in Tahiti.”
“Living as farmers.”
“But we need money for seeds, and money for the trip out of here.”
“You know it, I know it—this has to be done. Isn’t that right, Hosea?”
Hosea was growing frustrated. “Sorry, Dutch.”
“I’m in no mood to think about harvesting mangoes.”
Dutch cut him off. “Enough.”
He turned to Arthur. “Trust me, Arthur.”
Arthur felt uneasy under Dutch’s gaze. Hosea looked at him with expectation, hoping he would take his side.
They had argued back and forth long enough. The deciding vote was Arthur’s.
After a brief hesitation, Arthur said, “If this is business… then business is business.”
Clearly, Dutch’s tactic had worked.
He had successfully convinced Arthur that taking revenge on Bronte and robbing the bank were the same thing.
If they didn’t eliminate Bronte first, he might interfere again—just like he had during the tram station robbery—and sabotage their plan.
So killing Bronte became part of the bank robbery itself.
Hosea’s expression turned helpless.
Dutch tried to reassure him. “Angelo Bronte is standing between us and our future.”
But Hosea wasn’t convinced.
Though he hadn’t witnessed the tram station robbery in person, he already knew that Dutch, Arthur, and Lenny had killed a number of officers while escaping Saint Denis.
That was bound to cause a major uproar in the city.
Striking at Bronte now would push the Van der Linde Gang from the edge of the storm straight into its center.
One wrong move, and they would be doomed beyond recovery.
Bronte’s death would only make the bank robbery even harder.
Not to mention the Pinkerton detectives who had already appeared in Saint Denis.
Before robbing the bank, they should be keeping their heads down—not committing such a brazen murder, especially of a highly influential figure in Saint Denis.
It would make them enemies of the entire city.
“You’re going to get us all killed, Dutch!”
Dutch glanced at Hosea calmly, then turned away. “Come on, Arthur.”
Arthur could no longer tell right from wrong.
All he could say was, “You’d better be right this time, Dutch.”
Dutch replied, “I will be.”
Arthur couldn’t help but answer with a trace of sarcasm, “That’s what you always say—‘I’m always right.’”
Dutch was used to Arthur’s sharp tongue. “If that’s what you think.”
“Don’t question me, Arthur. It won’t do you any good.”
Author's Note
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