Chapter 1034 - 1034

This Polly Linden is also from Rivenhall.

They're not from the same county, but still count as folks from back home.

When people from back home meet, their eyes get all teary.

So Polly took really good care of this sister who'd just joined the song-and-dance troupe.

A few months ago.

Polly was shifted to the "second line."

The so‑called "second line" is another dance team under the troupe.

In other words, it's basically the women Brent Lowell has played with until he's bored.

Polly told Nancy Sharp that the few of them were arranged to attend a dinner, with quite a few leaders present. That night she spent the night with one of the leaders, and afterward the dance troupe gave her ten thousand yuan as a payoff.

To be honest.

About that ten thousand.

Polly was actually a bit smug about it.

But who could've imagined that about a month ago Polly suddenly vanished.

Nancy looked all over the dorms, all over the whole grand theatre, and still couldn't find her.

No choice.

She could only run to the troupe leader, Jessica Lancaster.

Jessica told her that Polly had already resigned and gone back home.

Even though there'd been all that talk before about "confinement," the troupe doesn't actually restrict personal freedom; anyone who doesn't want to do it anymore can resign, as long as they don't leak any of the troupe's secrets.

It's not like no one ever resigned before.

But Nancy didn't believe it.

Even if Polly wanted to quit she would've given her a heads‑up in advance. Besides, her phone wasn't going through either.

Jessica's explanation was that Polly had been working here so long, and for a woman it's a past she'd rather not revisit, so changing her phone number is normal.

No matter how solid Jessica's reasons sounded.

Nancy just didn't buy it.

She tracked down the dance team members who'd gone out with Polly that day.

One of the sisters told her Polly had been assigned to spend the night with a big leader, and it was after that night that she never showed up again.

This news cast a shadow over Nancy's heart.

"And that's why you chose to blow the whistle?"

Dirk Carter asked.

Nancy nodded.

She said, "I still believe Sister Polly wouldn't just up and leave without a word. She disappeared after spending the night with that big leader, I… I think she… she might…"

"You mean, she might have had something happen to her?"

Dirk asked.

Though Nancy didn't nod, the resolve in her eyes already said it all.

Dirk let out a long breath.

Polly's been missing for over a month now; if it's really like Nancy says, then she's probably already been killed.

"Alright, I'll get to the bottom of this. Tell me about that Ironhead."

Dirk said.

Nancy gave a little "mm," and said, "Ironhead's real name is Jarvis Sutton. His public identity is the head of security for the troupe…"

Jarvis Sutton is 33 this year; he used to be a good‑for‑nothing punk in Majestic Peak Town, spending his days nothing but eating, drinking, fooling around, and getting into fights. At nineteen he even went in and did a few years in prison for intentional assault.

He's a ruthless piece of work and has a lot of underlings, so after Brent Lowell picked him, he became head of security.

In name he's a security guy.

In reality he's a full‑on gangland enforcer.

A lot of things Brent didn't want to show his face for, he'd have Jarvis go handle.

He's pretty loyal, too, so Brent values him a lot.

Up to this point.

Dirk had a much clearer picture of Brent Lowell.

Of course, you have to take things step by step.

He glanced at his watch.

It was already getting late.

Dirk slapped the arm of the couch and said, "Okay, I've got the general situation. Before I start my investigation on him, you guys stay here in this apartment for now. It's still safe, and there are enough rooms, just pick one each."

"I don't need to."

Xiao Ye stood up and said.

Dirk asked, "You're sure you haven't given yourself away at all?"

"Of course. I'm flawless when I work; their people won't be able to find me."

Xiao Ye said, absolutely confident.

Dirk said, "Then walk me through the whole thing."

Xiao Ye immediately perked up.

She rattled off the rescue operation in great detail, and judging by how animated she was, she'd obviously embellished parts of it.

Dirk listened and laughed.

He said, "Not bad, you've got brains. But the car you rented, did you use your ID card?"

"Yeah, why? Without an ID who's gonna rent you a car…"

Before she could finish.

Xiao Ye froze.

She whipped her head toward Dirk, smacked herself on the forehead, and said, "Crap, if they track down the rental company we're screwed…"

Dirk smiled faintly.

He said, "Alright, you'd better stay here for a while. Even if they trace your identity, they won't find you. Worst case, with my identity backing you up, they can't really do anything to you, right?"

"No, I have to go make a call right now."

Xiao Ye dashed upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.

Clearly she was going to do emergency damage control.

Dirk said to the three who were left, "You guys should get some rest too."

With that.

Dirk went back to his own room.

He picked up a cloth bag from the corner of the room.

He took out a piece of medicated plaster from inside.

Then he smeared some thick liquid from the various bottles and jars onto the plaster.

This plaster.

He'd prepared it for Braulio Golding.

Because when they came in, Dirk had noticed Braulio's left arm looked a bit off, and Mona had asked about it—apparently it'd been sprained when Ironhead grabbed him.

Once the plaster was ready.

Dirk stepped out of his bedroom.

He walked up to Braulio's room door.

He knocked a few times, but got no response.

Dirk opened the door and walked in directly.

The bathroom door was open, with the sound of water rushing inside.

Dirk didn't think anything of it.

He walked straight up to the bathroom door, just about to speak, when the scene before his eyes stunned him.

Ever since Braulio showed up.

Dirk had always assumed Braulio was a man.

But what was in front of him now was actually a woman's naked body.

A thin, frail frame, two not‑too‑big, not‑too‑small white rabbits on her chest, and that patch of dark hair between her legs, with straight, fair thighs—all of it showing off her shapely figure.

It wasn't just Dirk.

Braulio also saw Dirk standing in the bathroom doorway.

After a brief moment of shock, she immediately crossed her arms to cover her chest.

Then she remembered her lower half wasn't covered either.

She freed up a hand to cover down there as well, while letting out a shouted "Ah!"

"I… I… sorry… I…"

Dirk was scared witless.

He turned and bolted.

Right then Mona rushed in too. Seeing Dirk, she asked anxiously, "What happened, what happened?"

"Pervert! Pervert! He spied on me in the shower!"

Braulio's voice came from inside the bathroom.