A Bumpy Road to Power

Chapter 759 759:

On the way back.

When Dirk Carter told Arlo Yarbrough that the woman they saved was Iris Baldwin.

Arlo Yarbrough slammed on the brakes, stopping in the middle of the road.

If it weren't night with hardly any traffic,

there would have been a rear-end collision.

After regaining composure, Arlo Yarbrough continued driving.

He asked, "That's strange, you knew she was Iris Baldwin, why didn't you save her? It's not like you to act that way."

Dirk Carter's gaze was profound.

Watching the streetlights flash by.

Asked, "Haven't you noticed that ever since we arrived in Helios County, everything that has happened seems bizarre?"

"Bizarre? What's bizarre?"

Arlo Yarbrough asked.

Dirk Carter shook his head.

Said, "From being stopped for money at Britt Ford's place, to being extorted by police in Newfield Village, then to the USB containing Iris Baldwin's recordings left on the table, and finally to us unintentionally saving Iris Baldwin—it's like an unseen hand is orchestrating everything, leading our attention toward Brett Summers."

"Aren't you being overly sensitive? You arranged for us to come to Helios County, how would outsiders know when you'd arrive? Plus, our saving Iris Baldwin was a spur-of-the-moment decision, if we hadn't saved her, she'd be in trouble, wouldn't she?"

Arlo Yarbrough asked.

Dirk Carter knitted his brows.

It seemed plausible.

His route from The County Committee guesthouse to his dormitory was random, and the timing uncertain; if saving Iris Baldwin was premeditated, wouldn't that mean their movements were constantly monitored?

Bear in mind.

There is a shadow behind them.

If they were indeed being tracked, even if Arlo Yarbrough couldn't perceive it, The Leopard Cat would have.

So his suspicion, should not hold.

"What is this?"

Dirk Carter's gaze fell on a bag on the passenger seat.

Arlo Yarbrough glanced at it through the rearview mirror.

Said, "You forgot, it's the souvenir Melody Holloway gave when we left The County Committee guesthouse."

"Oh."

Dirk Carter opened the bag.

Inside was a box.

Upon opening it, a pen appeared before his eyes.

It looked ordinary, likely not that expensive.

He fiddled with it in his hand.

Casually asked, "Did every departing guest receive one today?"

Arlo Yarbrough shook his head, said, "Didn't pay attention, seemed like they didn't, probably specially prepared for you as a newcomer."

Upon hearing this.

Dirk Carter was startled.

He quickly opened the pen cap and examined, finding nothing amiss.

Then.

He turned on the car's interior light.

Under the light, he looked inside the unscrewed pen cap and his face fell instantly.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Arlo Yarbrough noticed his unusual reaction and asked.

"There's a tracking device inside."

After Dirk Carter finished speaking.

Arlo Yarbrough's car slowly entered a residential complex.

After parking.

Arlo Yarbrough took the pen cap, mimicking Dirk Carter's inspection, sure enough, inside the pen cap was a sophisticated small device, flashing a faint red light.

"What's going on?"

Arlo Yarbrough asked.

Dirk Carter shook his head.

But his mind was racing.

Could this pen be a tool used to monitor his whereabouts?

His mind immediately thought of Jabez Shaw.

Yet Dirk Carter found it improbable.

After all, he had just arrived in Helios County, posing no threat to Jabez Shaw; tracking him now would be akin to stripping to fart—unnecessary and redundant.

If it's not Jabez Shaw.

Then there's only one explanation.

Besides Jabez Shaw's faction, there's another group "keeping tabs" on him.

Considering tonight's encounter.

Dirk Carter let out a long sigh.

Said, "I know why we bumped into Iris Baldwin."

Arlo Yarbrough raised his head abruptly.

Asked, "You're saying our movements have been tracked by this device, and wherever we appeared, the car incident might happen there, right?"

"Mm, that seems about right."

Dirk Carter said.

Paused, then continued, "The USB was meant to inform me about Iris Baldwin, then Iris Baldwin escaped from the disciplinary committee and was saved by us, leading to interactions with me. They believed I would surely investigate Iris Baldwin's case, but they didn't anticipate I'd sense the abnormality and refuse."

"So you're saying Iris Baldwin's case was a deliberately laid trap?"

"Yes, I feel that way; someone wants to create conflict between me and Jabez Shaw's faction, but one thing remains unclear—the purpose of this trap should target the faction of Jabez Shaw and Darien Griffin; who is pulling strings behind everything?"

The protagonist is Iris Baldwin.

And this pen was given by Melody Holloway.

The two are unrelated.

Following this line of thought.

Dirk Carter thought of another woman, Britt Ford.

If not for the toy within Britt Ford.

Dirk Carter wouldn't have ended the banquet early.

Nor followed Britt Ford to the restroom.

Without going to the restroom, time wouldn't have been delayed, causing him to miss the departing guests, unraveling Melody Holloway's suspiciously singular gift.

Could everything that happened tonight be orchestrated by these three women?

Is that possible?

What connection might they share?

What's their motive?

Dirk Carter couldn't figure it out.

"All right, let's stop thinking and go to sleep, shall we?"

Dirk Carter waved his hand and said.

Arlo Yarbrough was stunned, asked, "Just let it go like that?"

Dirk Carter smiled slightly, said, "Of course not, if someone intends to draw us in, the carefully laid plan won't go to waste; tomorrow I'll personally probe these women, and the truth will surface..."

At this time.

In the room where Iris Baldwin was staying.

A knock suddenly sounded.

Iris Baldwin jumped off the bed.

Moved to the door.

In a low voice, she asked, "Who?"

"It's me!"

A similarly low voice came from outside.

Iris Baldwin immediately opened the door.

Then.

A person wearing a black jacket, mask, and a peaked cap slipped inside.

The individual was about 1.7 meters tall, wrapped in loose clothing, making it hard to discern their figure.

Yet judging from the eyes visible, she seemed to be a woman.

Upon entry, she asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

Iris Baldwin shook her head, said, "I'm fine, but things seem to have gone awry; Dirk Carter might not want to deal with this matter."

"Could it be that Dirk Carter isn't what the rumors say?"

The woman in the peaked cap murmured.

Iris Baldwin sneered, said, "Power protects power, none of them are good, it seems we need to change our strategy, relying on him is less dependable than relying on ourselves."

The peaked cap woman paced around the room twice.

Stopped abruptly.

Said, "No way, perhaps he sensed tonight's peculiarity, didn't he?"

"How could that be? Is there really someone that smart in the world? Our arrangements are impeccable; if he can see through them, he must be Sherlock Holmes."

Iris Baldwin said contemptuously.

The peaked cap woman's gaze was profound.

Said, "At least he did save you today, didn't he? Even if he simply doesn't want to get involved, it's fine. We just need to let Jabez Shaw know you're in his hands, right?"