In Grande's office, Blake looked up from the messy files in front of the workbench on one side. The young public relations officer in the mayor's office moved his neck and stretched his slightly sore shoulders.
In front of Blake were the records of Grande's cooperation with the prison. Comparing them with the official records in his hand, he added up the money that Vincent had eaten up just for funerals. But these are minor matters, as these were Grande’s records before the cemetery was privatized.
Obtaining the specific amount of the gap is just to prove that the problem of the prison has existed in the past, and use this to put aside the relationship with the current mayor. What is really useful is Grande's formal contract with the prison.
Under the formal contract between Barton Prison and Grande Funeral Home approved by Anthony, there was an additional agreement that clearly spelled out the cost of each Grande's 'attendance'.
The sale must be thorough, Zach asked Madison to send this additional agreement that was kept in the mill, and gave it to Blake for backup.
The terms of the agreement were what Zach and Vincent casually discussed on the phone like good friends and then left it to Madison to handle. Now, under Zach's instruction, Madison naturally vented all her complaints against her boss on the prison.
Madison told the prison how powerful they were when signing the contract, regardless of Grande's interests to lower the price...
Blake has gained a lot. Based on the information he has compiled now, he can already calculate the amount of money Vincent has swallowed up in funerals alone. Because of Grande's active cooperation, all the evidence has been secured, and this aspect alone can make the warden resign.
But this is not enough. The mayor's enemies obviously want to use Vincent to make a big fuss, so the mayor can only do more. Completely close the gaps in Vincent's body and block all places that may be exploited by the enemy.
Funeral homes are just one aspect. There is also a fixed annual allocation for the maintenance of government facilities. There are also various reasons for assistance, such as where are the repair costs for burst sewer pipes caused by the last heavy rain. There are also problems with the prison itself. For example, as far as Zach knows, people are released from the 'Black Room' in the summer to prevent serious prisoners from being heated to death...
If Anthony is to come out of this incident unscathed, the team behind the mayor still has a lot to do. You have to finish it before the enemy! So now that Blake is part of the mayor's team, his job is far from easy.
Moving his neck left and right, Blake continued to lower his head, pressed his fingers on the documents in front of him, and continued to compare the data...
Blake raised his head, looked at Zach behind the desk, and frowned. Working too carefully, he neglected Grande's master, now that he thought about it. It seems that the last time he moved his body, Zach put his hands on his chin and sat there maintaining this posture.
The last time Blake moved his body was two hours ago.
Blake followed Zach's line of sight in confusion. The hour hand of the clock had passed the 'twelve' position and was about to align with 'one'.
"Are you expecting any guests?" Blake had a smile on his face. It was interesting to see someone like Zach waiting so persistently for something.
Zach raised an eyebrow. He lowered his crossed arms and looked at Blake with a smile. "Yes, old relatives from the past."
"Relatives?" Blake was stunned. He had seen Zachary Grande's information. His mother died of illness during the war, and Zach and Benjamin came to Barton to look for their biological father. A few years ago, the old owner of the funeral home. Grande Sr. also died, and Zach's only relative in the world was Benjamin.
Zach tilted his head and smiled, "My relatives on my mother's side." Zach's tone seemed to be entering memory mode. Well, sentimental, "A long, long time ago."
"Oh." Blake realized that this was not what he should ask about, lowered his head and stopped asking.
But Zach seemed to have no intention of stopping, he chuckled, "You know before Benjamin and I came to Barton, we were 'bastards' (illegitimate children), right."
Blake raised his head again, put down the pen in his hand, and pretended to listen carefully. What a nice guy.
"No one wants us." Zach looked at Blake, "So we just..." Zach paused and raised his eyebrows, "We are self-reliant." Zach nodded, "As the world wanders, there is no place to go. When I go back, I have nowhere to go, I’m always on the road.”
This abstract description perfectly fits Zach's two identities, making it impossible to tell whether the vampire's emotions at this time are real.
Blake looked at Zach seriously and frowned slightly, "Do you know, um, these relatives? From your mother's side."
"I know." Zach smiled, "I don't know either." He took a deep breath and shook his head, "I've always known about their existence." He winked at Blake, "But we never really knew each other. ,do you understand me?"
Of course I understand! The other party is Gangero, who has always been ignored by Toledo. How can he recognize him? !
Blake nodded, he understood. What he understood was that relatives on Zach's mother's side regarded Zach as a 'bastard' and did not want to know him.
Blake smiled, "You look like you're looking forward to them coming."
"Of course." Zach smiled, looking very sincere, "The past is in the past, at least they are willing to come here, right?"
Blake smiled, it sounded like a nice heartwarming ending. He now felt closer to the owner of the Grand House. Okay, enough interruptions, Blake picked up the pen again, lowered his head, placed his fingers on the items he had just compared, and he was going to continue working.
Zach glanced at the clock for the last time. How many five minutes had passed? The vampire didn't want to wait anymore. He twitched the corners of his mouth and looked at Blake. Now Zach needs a distraction to quickly get rid of the negative emotions caused by Gangelo's letting him go.
"Blake." Zach called.
"Huh?" Blake raised his head again, "What's wrong?"
Zach looked like he was thinking, "Grand is just a small funeral home." He pointed to the documents on Blake's desk, "These are just some of the things that Warden Vincent does. A small part, what else do you need, can we help?" Zach blinked and emphasized, "'Grand' can help."
Zach still couldn't sit still. He wants to help Anthony! Urgent!
Anthony didn't want foreigners to get involved and got Blake from the West District. Well, the foreigners' methods were abandoned, but now Grande is not just a funeral home inhabited by foreigners, but also a funeral home mixed in the gray professional circle!
Zach still has other ways to help Anthony!
Of course, Zach was helping Blake. He is the owner of a small funeral home. I don’t have the dignity to help the mayor yet.
Blake was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud, watching Zach helplessly shake his head, "Sorry, I'm still young and still training. I don't want to rely on helpers too early, so I haven't entrusted it to you for the time being. But thank you Your proposal."
Zach twitched his lips, okay. This reason was convincing enough, and the vampire was quite disappointed.
Blake, who had just lowered his head, raised his head again, thought about it, and said hesitantly, "If you don't talk about the commission, can I..." He looked at Zach's expectant eyes, shook his head, and lowered his head again. "Forget it, I shouldn't have said this."
Zach pursed his lips. "It doesn't matter, what is it?" The vampire had a smile on his face, "You know, even if you don't tell me, I will still know it from some friends."
Blake lowered his head and thought for a moment. Zach is right, now the mayor's team is competing with their opponents to see who can control Vincent's fate first and gain an advantage. Blake wanted to work out on his own, without help. It doesn't mean your opponent can't. And Zach is in that circle of 'helpers'.
Blake organized his words and looked at Zach, "The mayor wants to get hold of the evidence of all Vincent's crimes and then control him."
Zach nodded, and it seemed that Blake was convinced.
"We will arrange an agreement, coerce Vincent to cooperate, ask him not to talk nonsense, and control the impact of this prison incident on the mayor's reputation." Blake twitched the corner of his mouth slightly, as if he thought of something helpless, and then continued, "Vincent's biggest problem is the management of the prison. The information here at your funeral home is actually only superficial. It is enough to convict him, but it is far from enough to control him. We need something inside the prison."
Zach narrowed his eyes and thought for a while, "Do you need a clue that can lead to the inside of the prison management?"
Remember those 'routine questions' from the police that Wes brought? It is a helpless and stupid way to cast a net and ask civilians to describe their impressions of the prison staff, trying to find out the threads inside!
Perhaps Vincent should be given some praise. The prison he serves is really tight!
The two parties eyeing him can only scratch his itch on the surface. If it weren't for Grande's private relationship with Blake and Anthony, no one would be able to break through the funeral home alone. Remember that Zach really likes simple villains like Vincent!
Blake nodded and sighed helplessly, "If you hear anything, I can't ask you to tell me, but..."
He was probably going to say next that as Grande, who maintains good relations with the people in the West End, would like to give some advice to some colleagues who received the wrong commission in the gray professional circle, not to go against the mayor and Stone.
But he didn't need to finish. Zach raised his eyebrows and curled his lips, "I have the clues you want. Exclusive."
Blake was stunned for a moment before he could respond.
Zach had already picked up the phone, "You need to hurry, I don't know if the police will find them in front of you."
Zach put down the phone again and started rummaging through the drawers. Uh, where did Wes's phone number go
It is necessary to explain.
The clue Zach was talking about was the urn occupying a small area in the north garden of the cemetery.
Grande helps Vincent and stops the prison delinquent. The family members were not notified, and the unauthorized cremation of the prisoners was covered up.
Let’s look back at the scene when Earthbinder reenacted his death in Madison’s trunk, and the prison guard’s description. Brielle's brother was murdered in prison.
Anthony needs a clue that can lead to the internal management of the prison, and there is no more ideal clue than this. (..)