This was supposed to be our vampire's first one-on-one conversation with John, a guy with a bunch of identity attributes. Zack was looking forward to it lasting a little longer.
Unexpectedly, John was too fragile. He was stunned on the spot and figured out what Zach meant, then turned around and ran away.
Zach carried the coffin, raised his eyebrows, and shook his head helplessly.
Ben also hoped for some distraction, but Zach also knew that he was expecting something useless. What Zach said was just that, no matter from a historical perspective or from Grande's current situation, the person who is directly and truly in an unfair role for Grande is John himself.
John had the upper hand in terms of morality, ethics, and law, and he was not qualified to judge whether Zach could carry the coffin more easily, which was unfair to human labor.
Zach should have been aware of it a long time ago. After all, John had a dark history of running away once he encountered a problem, otherwise he wouldn't call himself John now. It's funny.
After preparing the coffin, Zach stood in the backyard that turned dark red, thinking if there was anything else that could distract his mind. A guest came, and it was Blake.
Zach watched Blake get out of the car with a smile and walked towards him with a complicated expression.
"I'm glad you're here." Zach said sincerely, "I'm still worried that you will misunderstand me about something."
This worry is not small. Yesterday, when Zach and Louise were cooperating to spread the news on the phone, Blake, as the public relations officer of the mayor's office, called on behalf of the mayor. But the content was very cautious, and could even be said to be out of touch. The only personal issue mentioned in the conversation was concern for old Hank.
In addition, the truth about Grand that Blake knew was only a small part, and it had not touched the scope of the aliens. The half-knowledge was the most likely to lead to misunderstandings.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to create such an impression." Blake seemed to be afraid to look into Zach's eyes.
Zach waved. He signaled that it was okay and sat down on the bench in the back corridor. "The office is a mess, so I won't invite you in. Sit here."
The real reason was that James' case folder and Grande's fan letters were still spread out on the table. Zach didn't want to add unnecessary pressure to the expected buffer. Yes, just conceal it.
"Did Anthony send you?" Zach asked.
"Forget it, forget it." Blake sat next to Zach, feeling a little uncomfortable.
Zach raised his eyebrows and thought for a while, "Have the police found you?"
This is the clue Zach gave to South District Police Chief Pers. Remember, the two people who came to Grande met by chance. One party's delegation is rejected, and one party exits after its delegation is accepted. The former was left on the memo, the latter was tied to some agreement Grande couldn't say.
Blake frowned and nodded hesitantly, "I was summoned by the police in the afternoon. The mayor helped me deal with it. After discussing with me, he asked me to come over and ask..."
Zach curled his lips. Although I guessed that the police process would be delayed due to various constraints, it was really slow. But fortunately, the thread was finally tied. Once Herman's name officially appears on the table, James' wild road will be able to turn around and become a key clue to the information from all parties, completely uncovering what is bound by the confidentiality agreement.
Zach smiled and shook his head, "Come and ask. You see, Mayor Anthony is so helpless." Zach leaned against the wall of the back porch. “If he wanted to, he could get me to talk with just one phone call.”
Zach was making his point. The mayor was too 'shy' and refused to have a good conversation with Grande, causing a lot of trouble. Between the two, an insider is needed - Blake to act as a buffer!
Blake pursed his lips, glanced at Zach, hesitated for a moment, and then asked an unspeakable question, "Bishop or Herman."
Zach glanced at the troubled Blake. He could only blame Jackson's death. It was at the same time as Grande was attacked. Some people in the gray professional circle in the dark were suspicious, and people in the open would naturally be suspicious as well.
Not to mention Blake, who saw Zach reject Jackson's commission with his own eyes. Before Herman's name was officially revealed, Grande's attack was full of blind spots, and he had every reason to be suspicious. Perhaps this is Blake's true heart.
Zach felt a little comforted. Asking so straightforwardly at least showed that Blake was still willing to be honest with him.
"It's not Bishop." Zach answered directly, "In fact, Grande took over Jackson's funeral today." Zach smiled, "Benjamin and I hung out in the North District for a long time. I thought this bias should be eliminated.”
Blake should also be a little surprised by Zach's directness. He looked at Zach's side face and thought for a while. Then he pursed his lips and shook his head, "No, the Bishop family's affairs are in the upper echelon of Barton. Everyone knows that there are two forces in the Bishop family. We don't know which side Grande is on." Politician Family - Stone Blake, the family's most promising offspring, became serious.
Zach needs to get serious too.
"Is that so?" Zach frowned, which undoubtedly confirmed his suspicion that the Bishop family was about to split. Zach thought for a moment, "I should probably tell you something other than what you're here for."
Zach waved his hand. The reason for saying this was that since he had just denied that it was Bishop, he had told Blake that the name of the person he needed to respond to the police was Herman. This question is over, now we have to detour: "The person who called Grande to arrange the funeral was Mr. Bishop. The person who received Benjamin and me was..." Zach narrowed his eyes, "Ms. Sher."
"Ciel?" The surprised expression was instantly replaced by understanding. Mrs. Bishop's real name was not a secret after all. Blake thought.
Zach gave Blake time to think. This was related to the power shift of Barton's upper class. Zach could consider himself a small funeral home or a paid helper, and barely remained a bystander and watched the changes, but the city Not the Changhe Stone family.
Regardless of whether Blake agreed to be Grande's buffer, Zach was already sending him information.
This thought took some time, and when it was over, Blake turned his head, said thank you, and was about to leave.
In addition to confirming that the attack on Grande was related to Herman, he also learned of the official split of the Bishop family. The harvest is not small.
Footsteps sounded in the stairwell, and 'Cook's Kitchen' ended. Alice entered the kitchen, and Benjamin pushed the door open. He glanced at the carpentry shed behind the warehouse, which had been set up to prepare coffins for tomorrow. He looked at Zach and Blake on the bench, nodded, and walked towards the hammock. , wandering leisurely.
Blake, who had already stood up, was reminded by Benjamin's gaze and looked at the displayed coffin, his expression hesitant again, "Jackson's funeral..." the protracted coda finally disappeared.
Zach guessed Blake's meaning and responded tentatively, "Ms. Sher will confirm the guest matters when she goes to the Holy Child Church to make arrangements tomorrow. Don't worry, you should be invited."
Blake glanced at Zach, looked away, and nodded sadly. Obviously, that's not what he wanted to say, "I just..." He pursed his lips, "In the last time I spent with him, the only thing I did was to explore, test, and observe. I felt that I was not qualified to be with him. Farewell…”
Do you know what Blake means? Isn't this what Zach said to him, asking Blake to look at Jackson to evaluate Grande's 'ability' as a criterion for whether to agree to Grande's invitation.
So what Blake wants to express is that in the last life of Jackson, in Blake's eyes, Jackson was a test animal, a tool that existed to verify something. This is the guilt of the human heart.
Zach looked at Benjamin on the hammock. Benjamin's eyes were half-squinted as if he were concentrating, but his eyes were also looking at Zach. The vampire and the alpha were thinking the same thing.
"This is not a farewell." Zach curled his lips, and he made a decision - to push Blake.
Death is never farewell. As long as you have a sound worldview, you can know the truth.
Zach, who didn't want Blake to continue to be in a tangled state of neither good nor bad, decided to make up for this part of the truth. (..)