Chapter 658

After understanding the basic situation, Luke dialed Maggie’s number, but the phone was no longer reachable.

Luke thought for a moment and sent another text message to Maggie with a simple content, “Maggie, if you are in danger, you can contact me directly.” Luke wasn’t sure if Maggie would be able to see the text message, but he did what he could.

Luke opened the bathroom door, saw Barron Ackerman curled up on the floor, and said, “Man, you’re in big trouble this time, it’s not just a simple matter of two threatening letters, it’s being involved in a major case of a terrorist attack.”

Baron Ackerman shook his head with a panicked look, “I swear, I didn’t even know or think about being involved in a terror attack before, I just delivered two letters, that’s all.”

“Think about it with your head, if it was really just two letters, how could that Martin guy give you eighty thousand dollars. That amount of money could buy two lives on the black market.” Luke grunted, “Once you’re involved in a terror attack case, you’re guilty as charged.”

To give you a friendly advice, prepare for jail in advance. By the way, the eighty thousand dollars, we need to recover that too.”

“No No No, please don’t do this, otherwise, my life will be completely ruined. Please, Officer Li, please spare me. I really didn’t think of harming you, and I didn’t think things would be this serious.”

“I’m giving you a chance now, as long as you follow my instructions, I can help you turn into a tainted witness.”

“I’m willing, what do I need to do?”

“It’s simple, ask Martin out for me.”

“Like I said, he doesn’t usually have his cell phone on, I can’t reach him.”

“Then send a text message, as long as he turns on his cell phone, he will naturally see it.”

Baron Ackerman was a little worried, “I haven’t texted him before, if I offer to meet now, will he get suspicious.”

“That’s a possibility.” Luke nodded, “So use some tricks when you ask him out.”

“What tricks.”

“Don’t initiate the meeting or ask him where he is, just the money.”

Baron Ackerman was silent for a moment and said, “I’ll tell him that I owe too much money, and that eighty thousand dollars is not enough to pay off the debt, and that my creditors have come back to me for more money, making it impossible for me to deal with Officer Li with peace of mind. I still need a sum of money to pay off my debts.”

“That’s the idea, and highlight some more of the urgency to get the money. Tell him in no uncertain terms that if he doesn’t pay the money, this whole thing could go south. When that happens, he’ll initiate a meeting with you.”

“I see.” Baron Ackerman nodded his head in a hurry.

Eight o’clock in the evening.

Las Vegas, Bertram’s Bar.

Barron Ackerman sat at the bar with a somewhat tense expression, holding a glass of whiskey in both hands, taking a sip of the drink from time to time, his eyes glancing around.

A white man with a baseball cap and a beard approached Barron Ackerman and tapped him on the shoulder with a rough palm.

Barron Ackerman was startled and rushed back, “Martin, you’re here.”

Martin didn’t say anything and tapped the bar table with his right index finger, “A Gibson.”

The bartender quickly made a drink and placed it in front of Martin.

Martin left ten dollars and cocked his head at Barron Ackerman while picking up his glass and heading to the corner table.

Barron Ackerman gulped, picked up his glass as well and followed, sitting across the table.

“Martin, I need money.”

Martin stared at the other man, took a sip of his drink, and grunted, “I already gave you eighty thousand dollars, you greedy bastard.”

“I owe too much money, eighty thousand dollars is not enough, I need your help.”

“You’re not asking for help, you’re blackmailing me.”

You shameless villain.”

“I really didn’t think of blackmailing you, but there is really no way out, only you can help me now.”

Martin stroked his beard, “How much do you want?”

“Fifty thousand dollars, just fifty thousand dollars is enough.”

“What the fuck! Fifty thousand dollars, you think I run a bank? Who gave you the courage to flippantly say that number. Don’t even think about it.”

“But I really need the money, and if I can’t pay it back, those asshole creditors won’t leave me alone.

I worry that they will go to the hotel to make trouble …… probably affect your big event.”

Martin looked at Baron Ackerman with an icy gaze, “Damn bastard, you are actually threatening me.”

“I’m not threatening you, I’m telling the truth. Consider it as me borrowing it from you, I will definitely return it later.”

“I’m crazy to believe a gambler would pay back.” Martin let out a long breath, as if restraining his anger, “Twenty thousand dollars.”

“I’ll give you another twenty thousand dollars to smooth out those creditors and get it done.

Never let that cop leave Las Vegas before Thanksgiving, understand?”

“Understood, just get the twenty thousand dollars and I’ll get it done.”

“Huh.” Martin laughed softly, only the smile was a little cold, “You’re such a greedy bastard.”

“When are you going to pay me?”

“Wait here, I’ll get the money.” Martin finished the wine in his glass in one gulp, stood up, and patted Baron Ackerman on the shoulder with his right hand, “Remember, there’s no next time.”

“I know.” Barron Ackerman nodded and took a sip from his glass.

Martin walked out of the bar and turned into a side alley, which had a gray Buick sedan parked not far from it.

Martin opened the back door of the car and got into the vehicle.

In the driver’s side, a man of Mexican descent craned his head and asked, “How’d it go?”

“That asshole opened his mouth for fifty thousand dollars, and I agreed to give him twenty thousand.”

The Chicano man cursed, “I can’t believe we’re being blackmailed by a dumbass.”

“What the Boss told us is important, we’ll talk about the rest later.” Martin opened the box in the back seat and pulled twenty thousand dollars in cash out of it.

“After Thanksgiving, I’m going to hammer his dog’s head in, I swear.” The Chicano man swung his fist hard.

“Count me in.” Martin smiled and took the money and left the car.

The Chicano man lit a cigarette and the car quickly turned smoky.

After a while, the door in the back of the car opened, someone sat in the car, and the Chicano man turned his head and said, “Back so soon ……”

However, before his words were finished, he saw a shadow in the back row swinging quickly toward his head, “Bang!” The sound of a muffled sound, he directly fainted.

Luke got out of the back row, dragged the Chicano man out of the driver’s side, handcuffed him, and threw him directly into the trunk of the car.

After doing this, Luke locked the car and hid in the shadows.

Five minutes later, Martin entered the alley, walked over to the car and pulled on the door, not yanking it open.

“Open the door.”

There was no response.

Martin was startled and touched his right hand to his waist.

“Don’t move! Or I’ll shoot.” Suddenly a voice came from behind him.

Martin stopped the movement of his hand.

“Raise your hands!”

Martin, in a cold sweat, slowly raised his hands.

Then a huge force came from behind him, holding him down in the car and searching him.

The pistol, cell phone, and dagger on his body were all searched.

He didn’t dare to resist, let alone look back, he could vaguely feel a cold gun barrel against his back.

“Go to the cab, slowly.”

Martin went to the driver’s side as instructed and opened the door, his Chicano accomplice was no longer inside, “Who are you?”

The voice behind him didn’t answer and commanded, “Get in.”

Martin took a deep breath and, though resigned, sat in the cab as instructed, and then a cold handcuff was thrown at him.

“Cuff your left hand to the steering wheel.”

Martin cuffed his left hand to the steering wheel as instructed, and turned his head to look at the man who had hijacked him, a tall, dark-haired young man.

Luke Lee.

“How did you find me? Where’s my companion?” Martin asked two questions in quick succession as he panicked.

However, Luke didn’t answer and sat in the back, instructing, “Drive.”

Martin took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, then slowly started the car, “Uh, where to?”

“Outside of town. Drive well and don’t try any tricks, I don’t have the burden of shooting at someone like you. Understand?”

“Look, Officer Lee, I think there might be some kind of misunderstanding here, and there’s absolutely no need to do this.” Martin’s voice held a hint of supplication.

“Being willing to pay a hundred thousand dollars for a misunderstanding, that’s pretty smart of you.” Luke smiled, “From now on you can shut up, drive properly and if you want to talk, do it when you get to the place.”

Martin’s left hand was handcuffed to the steering wheel and there was a pistol pointing at his back, there was no room for resistance.

He could only follow Luke’s instructions and drive the Buick towards the outskirts of the city.

The more he drove, the more desolate the surroundings became, and the more panicked his heart became.

Half an hour later, the car drove to a vast wasteland, and Martin drove the car into the wasteland as instructed, which gave him an even worse feeling.

Stop the car and pull the handbrake.

Luke threw Martin the handcuff keys and told him to unlock the cuffs and get out of the car.

Martin stepped on the sand and looked at the dark desert around him, his heart sank, “Why did you bring me here?”

Luke didn’t answer and threw him a shovel, “Dig a hole.”

Martin froze in place and shook his head, “Please, don’t kill me, I never meant to harm you, there’s really no need to do this.”

Luke pointed to the trunk, “Your partner is right there, if you don’t dig the hole, then I’ll let him do it. And you, just lie in it.”

“Please, spare me. Killing me won’t do you any good.”

Luke shrugged, “Maybe, but it won’t do any harm.”

You drove the car, you dug the hole, and then, you were buried alive by your Chicano companion.

Your companion ran deep into the desert to avoid capture, or possibly fled to Mexico, no one can find him, and this will forever be an unsolved case. I’ve thought of the motive for the crime for you, split the spoils.”

Hearing this, Martin’s legs went weak and he directly paralyzed on the ground, praying, “I’m just a small person, it’s not even worth your effort to do this. I’ll give you whatever you want, and we’ve got thirty thousand dollars in the car, so you can have it all.”

“You should know the cost of my commission, do you think I’m here for that thirty thousand dollars?”

“I’ll do anything you want if you’ll leave me alone.”

Luke asked, “What’s your name?”

“Martin Simic.”

“Why did you let Baron Ackerman trick me into coming to Las Vegas?”

“It was at the behest of our boss.”

“Who is your boss?”

“Bobby Lucero.”

“Why did he do it?”

“It’s not you he’s after, it’s Walker Baruch’s father and daughter.

Walker Baruch’s daughter is your brother’s girlfriend, and our boss was worried that you might interfere with the operation, so he tricked you into coming to Las Vegas.”

“Why do you want to deal with Walker Baruch father and daughter?”

“The father and daughter joined the Witness Protection Program three years ago, and we were tasked with capturing or killing them before Thanksgiving.”

“Why did this father and daughter join the witness protection program?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why do you want to catch them before Thanksgiving?”

“I’m just a minor player, I was in charge of the mission to lure you to Las Vegas, I don’t know anything else about the situation.”

“Now how far along is your mission?”

“According to the previous news, our people found the whereabouts of the father and daughter, but they had someone protecting them, so they escaped. It’s still being tracked now.”

“What about my brother?”

Martin gulped, his forehead covered with fine beads of sweat, “The Boss sent people to track him, hoping to find Maggie through him.”

However, don’t worry, your brother is not in danger.

We know you’re very powerful in Los Angeles and won’t touch your family.”

“Where is your boss?”

“Los Angeles.”

“I don’t know exactly.”

“How do you contact him?”

“He’s usually the one who calls me, his cell phone number is 310-854-2734.”

“How many men are under Bobby Lucero?”

“I’m not sure of the exact number, I was just recruited in by him on a temporary basis.”

“Since father and daughter Walker Baruch joined the Witness Protection Program, how did you know their whereabouts?”

“Bobby Lucero didn’t say, but my guess is that he should have inside information.”