Chapter 238 Courting Death
Looking at Jack's face, you could tell things were serious. Lily asked, "Based on your judgment, did he really do it?"
"Want the truth?"
Lily said, "At this point, there's nothing we can't talk about."
Jack glanced at Leopold and said, "I met him last night. He said he didn't know there were drugs in the box, but he couldn't provide any evidence. However, when I talked to him, he hesitated in answering some questions. He must be hiding something. I can't tell for sure whether he did it or not right now."
Leopold raised an eyebrow. "What questions was he hesitant about?"
Jack gave two examples. "Like when I asked him where he met the friend who asked him to store the box, and how that friend brought up leaving the box in his room that night, he was very vague. One minute, he said they met at a bar, the next, he said a friend introduced them, but couldn't say which friend. Before I left, he told me not to worry, that someone would get him out."
At this, Leopold's eyes narrowed dangerously, and his expression turned cold.
'Idiot!' Leopold cursed in his mind.
Leopold asked Jack, "Can you help me arrange to see him?"
Jack said, "I'll try my best, but don't get your hopes up too high."
The car stopped at the hotel entrance, where the lobby manager was already waiting. After the three got out, he had a staff member park the car.
The three entered the elevator, and Leopold pressed the button for his floor. Every hotel he managed had a fixed room for Leopold's rest and work.
As they walked and talked, Leopold lowered his voice and asked, "Didn't he say who would get him out?"
Jack shook his head. "But he seemed pretty calm, like he wasn't worried about this at all."
— Leopold was almost amused to anger by Dash. "He has a really big heart. His mother is at home with a heart attack that's almost killing her."
Jack was also puzzled, but he'd had a theory all along. "I have a guess, not sure if I should mention it."
Leopold opened the door, invited the two inside, closed the door, and said, "Go ahead."
Jack said, "I suspect he might have gotten involved with some organization that has influence here."
He'd heard about these unconventional organizations abroad during his study abroad days, but he'd never had any contact with them and didn't know if they were like what was shown in the movie "The Godfather."
Lily said, "If he's got those connections, I'd actually be impressed."
Before coming here, Leopold thought this matter could still be negotiated, but after hearing what Jack said, he felt at a loss about where to start.
"Jack, you're not an outsider, so I'll be straight with you. I have to take Dash back. Name your price for the lawyer fees."
Jack smiled gently. "Mr. Wipere, we haven't just met yesterday. If I could handle this, I definitely wouldn't say this on purpose. It's not about money. The problem now is that Dash won't cooperate."
Leopold said, "I understand what you mean. You've been handling all the legal issues for our hotels in Italy, and after so many collaborations, I personally trust you completely. That's why I contacted you first when Dash's situation came up. We can't just accept your extra effort without showing our appreciation, and besides, I'm expressing gratitude on behalf of Dash's family."
Jack didn't refuse again. Representing this kind of case did take time and energy.
"Thank you in advance, Mr. Wipere."
"No need to thank me, it's only right," Leopold changed the subject. "I still need to trouble you to try your best to arrange for me to see him."
Jack nodded. "I understand."
Lily walked Jack downstairs. Jack said, "We haven't seen each other in a long time. Let me take you to dinner when I have time."
Lily smiled. "Anytime you're free."
Leopold checked the time and sent Preston a WhatsApp message, roughly explaining Dash's situation, making it clear that this case wouldn't be easy to handle, and telling Xavier to prepare for the worst.
Lily returned, entering with a serious expression. "From what Jack said, I'm afraid Dash won't be easy to save this time."
Leopold leaned against the window, lit a cigarette, looked toward the distant city, slowly exhaled a stream of smoke, and said, "Dash has gotten to where he is today thanks to Xavier. A leopard can't change its spots. The first time he embezzled from the hotel, Xavier didn't blame him."
"Instead, like he'd discovered a money-making secret, the two of them plotted together about which chain hotel in the group had more to skim and was easier to exploit. After doing so many things to betray the company, naturally, he had more money in his pocket. It's like a greedy wild dog—once it's tasted fresh meat, it's hard to go back to dog food."
Lily was somewhat worried. "What if we can't get him out? How do we explain this to Mr. Anderson?"
Leopold laughed. "Can't get him out, and that's our fault? That's funny. Did we tell him to deal drugs? This isn't about skimming from the hotel and us finding out—he broke local laws. Am I, Leopold, more powerful than Italian law? Give me a break. If he really did it, he'll have to deal with it. He should go in and get educated."
Lily nodded. That's right, no one, no matter who they were, could be above the law.
"Should we report the situation to Mr. Preston Wipere? So he knows what's going on, and so Mr. Anderson can be prepared."
Leopold said, "I already told him."
He tapped off the ash, his gaze deep. If Jack's guess was true, how did Dash get connected with these people?
Leopold stubbed out the cigarette and said to Lily, "Go rest for now. This afternoon, have the manager come over for some questions."
Lily said, "Okay."
She left the room and closed the door.
Lily was staying next door to Leopold. Back in her room, she first contacted the lobby manager of the Eldoria hotel and arranged a time for questioning.
Leopold returned to his desk, opened his laptop, and searched for information about related organizations in Italy.
Sure enough, he found a lot of news about such organizations, but much of it involved violent behavior, and some news even mentioned local prosecutors being in danger.
The more he learned, the more worried he became about that fool Dash. With his limited brain, he wanted to deal with gangs? That's suicide. Those people could play him like a fiddle, and in the end, he wouldn't even know how he died.
But for now, he could only wait for Jack's news. If he could really meet with Dash, he would pry Dash's mouth open even if he had to, to find out what the hell he was doing!
During the afternoon rest period, Lawrence, the lobby manager of the Eldoria hotel, came to Leopold's room.
Leopold poured a cup of coffee and placed it on the table. "Lawrence, who has Dash been in contact with here?"
Lawrence hesitated, clearly reluctant to discuss Dash's private affairs. Leopold naturally noticed this. "As you know, Dash was taken away by the police. I want to know who he's been meeting with recently, or if he's made any unusual friends. I'm here to help him on behalf of his family, so what you tell me doesn't involve his privacy, and neither Dash nor his family will hold you responsible."
Lawrence's eyes were clear, obviously knowing some inside information.
"Since you left last time, Dash has often brought around a guy named Mario. He's a member of a criminal organization."