American Tax Officer

David turned to the other two, "What about you?"

"We will pay as well."

The two men didn't even think before admitting it directly.

Since Director David had called them here, and if he had been able to investigate Augustus that thoroughly, did they even need to think?

All their transaction information must have been investigated as well.

Instead of continuing a futile verbal struggle, it was better to save some breath and admit it directly!

"Very good!"

Director David seemed satisfied, and then continued, "I need another favor from you, I want some information about your supplier."

Upon hearing this, the three of them became distressed.

"What's the matter, unwilling to help?"

"It's not that... it's just that our supplier is sick, currently being treated in Deutschland."

David questioned, "The smuggling group you're interacting with isn't small, surely he's not your only contact?"

"They are very cautious, during all this time, the three of us have only dealt with a senior member of their group named Kirwell; we don't know any of the other seniors!"

"If that's the case, how will you get your goods going forward?"

Director David was still unconvinced.

"Kirwell said there will be a shipment coming in a few days, and someone from their group will contact us then."

"In a few days? Is there a precise time? What route will it take?"

"I'm not sure about that..."

Director David's expression darkened, and his gaze shifted to the other two. Suddenly, he noticed that a woman named Sharon, who was acting as a broker, seemed unusually nervous, and he immediately asked, "What about you, Sharon, anything you'd like to add?"

"No... no..."

"Bang!!!"

David suddenly slammed his hand on the table, not only startling Sharon but also scaring Augustus and the other man considerably.

"Speak up if you have something to say, don't try to hide it from me, it's not in your best interest, do you understand, Sharon?"

Faced with the imposing David, and recalling how he had dramatically stormed the Indian Tribe with armed forces, Sharon couldn't hold back anymore, and tremulously said, "Once when I was meeting Kirwell to get the goods, he was one hour late.

I later found out his truck driver had a heart attack on the way there, and since I happened to have a friend who was an unemployed truck driver, I recommended him. Maybe my friend knows the route..."

"Fine, ask him where he is now and get him to come here!"

Sharon seemed uneasy, then said, "This... Director David, after all, he is my friend, I don't want him to know I'm the one who's sunk him, I hope you understand... "

After pondering for a moment, David replied, "Alright then, give me his phone number, name, address, and such. We'll handle it ourselves."

"Okay!"

Sharon, relieved, immediately took pen and paper and began to write, then tore off the paper and handed it to Director David.

"Look into it, then give him a call, don't make it obvious, just fish for information."

Director David took the paper without looking and handed it to Simmons, who immediately exited the interrogation room.

About ten minutes later, Simmons returned, saying, "He's got a fever, a severe one, and he's at home now, can't come here."

Director David frowned, then stood up, walked out the door, and while going out said to Simmons, "Take me to his house!"

...

Half an hour later.

In a residential area of the city, a modest community.

Simmons, driving the car, stopped in front of house number 102.

The car door opened, and David stepped out first, approaching the door and ringing the bell.

Quickly, an 11 or 12-year-old girl opened the door and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"Is Mr. Aubrey at home?"

"You looking for my dad? He's got a fever."

"We are from the Revenue Service, and we would like to ask your father a few questions."

As David spoke, he pulled out his badge.

The girl hesitated for a moment but eventually turned around, leading the two men upstairs to a room door, then walked in.

A middle-aged man lay on the bed with a towel on his forehead, looking extremely weak.

[Name: Aubrey Jamie.]

[Occupation: Truck driver.]

[Income: Forty thousand US dollars.]

[Income Details: Earned through the salary from a smuggling ring...]

[More Details:...]

[Tax Due: Ten thousand US dollars.]

After verifying with his golden touch that Sharon hadn't deceived him, David spoke, "Mr. Aubrey, we are from the IRS, and we would like to ask you some questions!"

Hearing someone speak, Aubrey in the bed slowly opened his eyes, sizing up David and Nisen who had appeared in the room.

But at that moment, his expression was one of confusion, as he had clearly not heard David's earlier remarks clearly.

"You go out first, I need to talk to your daddy about something."

The girl nodded and then walked out.

David then spoke again, "Mr. Aubrey, we are from the IRS!"

"The IRS!"

Though he had been very weak, Aubrey's demeanor suddenly tensed upon hearing these three words, and then he tried to feign confusion, asking, "Gentlemen from the IRS, what do you want to know?"

"We have already investigated and found that you work for a smuggling ring, but we are not here to trouble you. Just tell us where this group hides their goods and the smuggling route, then I will turn around and leave. As for the taxes you owe... consider it a reward for your cooperation!"

David couldn't be bothered now with the mere ten thousand US dollars in taxes.

"I... I haven't worked for any smuggling ring, and I don't know any routes. You must have investigated the wrong person!"

Seeing Aubrey still defiant, Simmons immediately stood up and said, "Mr. Aubrey, according to our investigation at the IRS, you've been unemployed for half a year, and all of your accounts have had no funds deposited into them for six months."

"Interestingly, in September, you paid twenty thousand dollars for your daughter's tuition. We've also checked your natural gas and fuel bills over the past few months, expenses totaling over twenty thousand US dollars. Aren't you going to explain the source of that money?"

Aubrey, who was already pale from fever, turned even paler upon hearing this, yet he remained silent.

Simmons continued, "If you keep this up, I'll have no choice but to arrest you for unexplained wealth and tax evasion. Think about your daughter. If you go to prison, how will she survive!"

When his daughter was mentioned, Aubrey could no longer stay silent, and through gritted teeth, he said, "They change the storage location every time, I don't know the new location now, but the smuggling route, it's always come from the Redwood Valley."

"Redwood Valley?"

David knew the place; it was about ten kilometers out from the Indian Tribe, an area sparsely populated.

"When is the next time, and at what hour?"

"Today at 2 a.m. They have a shipment coming in!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, because they initially notified me to go, but this morning I suddenly came down with a high fever and couldn't make it, so I had to call in sick."

"Alright, then Mr. Aubrey, you rest up now!"

On their way back, Bucky suggested, "If we're going to 'intercept' the shipment tonight, should we not call in some extra hands from another team?"

Though smugglers weren't deemed extremely dangerous, he felt it prudent to take precautions.

"Call in other team's hands?... Forget it, we don't need them!"

Calling on another squad's manpower would inevitably require tax money as compensation.

Now this case was splitting the tax with the major division.

So why not use the major division's men?

Keanu was always telling him to ask for help if needed, so not asking would be a wasted opportunity!

He then pulled out his phone and dialed Keanu's number.

"What's the situation, Director David?"

The call connected quickly, and Keanu's voice came through with his inquiry.

"Inspector Keanu, we have a lead on the smuggling case, I need you to arm two squads tonight and come out to support me on a mission!"

"No problem, at what time?"

Keanu was clearly pleased to hear about such significant progress in the smuggling case and agreed readily.

"Let's meet at 11 p.m."

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