After sharing a Spanish dinner with Winston and talking over glasses of red wine for quite a while, Winston checked his watch and saw that it was almost 10 PM. He handed William the drawing tube that John Wick had turned in.
"Are you sure this is the real one? Before dinner, I had Garon look into it, and it seems the genuine article was stolen by another group."
William looked at the drawing tube in Winston's hand and shook his head with a smile. "I don't want it. Please dispose of it for me."
Winston wasn't surprised by William's reaction. He chuckled and casually tossed the tube aside. "So, you already knew. It seems your intelligence capabilities aren't bad. The Special Services in Washington were played, and not many people know about it yet. Or... is the real one actually with you?"
William smiled but said nothing. He was still debating whether to hide the Declaration of Independence or return it after erasing the numbers and patterns on the back.
This document was incredibly important to the USA. If it remained missing, William, as a participant, would always be under suspicion and surveillance.
After taking a sip of wine, William suddenly asked, "Winston, have you heard of the Templar treasure? Do you think it really exists?"
"Hehe, you sly fox. Don't worry, I'm not interested in the treasure. Let me be clear to you, so you won't doubt or test me in the future. I'm old and don't have the time or energy to waste on you. Do you know how much money I have now?"
William, not embarrassed by being called out, smiled and shook his head. He guessed Winston had millions and threw out a number he thought unlikely. "A hundred million dollars?"
Winston laughed heartily. "Haha, I have more than a hundred million in cash in the bank. Let me think, it's about 300 million dollars. Including assets, it's probably five or six hundred million."
"That much?" William was genuinely surprised. "Is the assassin business that profitable?"
"Haha, you're still young and have grown too fast. In any industry, once you're at the top of the pyramid, money isn't the main problem. My wealth isn't small, but do you know how much I spend in a day?"
"Ten thousand?"
"No, it's zero. I haven't spent a penny in five or six years." Winston shook his head with a sigh. "Surprised?"
"Of course. Why is that?"
"Hehe, because I have nowhere to spend it. A few years ago, I thought about having a test-tube baby to leave a legacy, but after nearly ten years and millions of dollars, not a single attempt succeeded. The poison my enemies gave me completely destroyed my fertility. Although I'm still capable, I haven't had the desire to find a woman for years. Now, I spend 360 days a year at the Continental Hotel. Do you think I need to spend money?"
"Don't you have any other hobbies? It would be a shame if you met your maker with unspent money."
"Hahaha," Winston was pleased that William wasn't after his money. "Alright, enough about that. I shared all this to ease your doubts about me. Without heirs and not lacking money, I wouldn't covet the Devonshire family's secrets. The treasure is yours to find. I even suspect you've already found it. Is it that the Da Vinci code left by Henry contains the treasure's location?"
Despite Winston's openness, William's cautious nature kept him skeptical. He didn't fully trust Winston, thinking he might covet something else. Secrets are secrets because no one knows them.
William laughed, "No, what Henry left me was just a coordinate. That's the place I went to a few days ago, Barrow Point. I've realized there's no need to hunt for the legendary treasure now that the Devonshire family is wealthy. Let it rest in peace as a tribute to the six founders of the Templars. After all, I'm a descendant of the Templars, and I must honor my ancestors' pledge."
Raising his glass to the sky, William toasted, "Templars forever," then downed his wine in one gulp. "Well, Winston, I should head home. I haven't spent much time in my Upper East Side house. Maybe tonight I'll meet a beautiful woman, talk about life, and get some exercise. Goodbye, Uncle Winston."
"Heh," Winston rolled his eyes, not believing William's excuses. But he was still gratified that some things remained unspoken truths.
"William, you're truly a Devonshire. Your family is naturally suspicious. Good luck, kid. Think carefully about your actions. In a few days, you'll be under watch. Some things don't require evidence, understand?"
"Thank you," William knew what Winston meant. Once Sedes failed to find the Declaration within three days, the USA would shift their focus to other suspects. William would surely be closely monitored.
All his recent efforts were to destroy the lead about the Declaration. Without evidence of the treasure's existence, the USA wouldn't dare openly arrest him.
The Declaration wasn't stolen by him; Bill Gates and the non-existent black-clad thief would take the blame. If the USA still tried to arrest him without evidence, William would ensure they regretted it, even spending a hundred million to drag the case out. As for surveillance, William thought, "Let them watch."
Exiting the hotel's secret elevator, he found Garon waiting by the car that had brought him. Garon politely opened the door for William.
"Thank you, Garon," William said as he settled into the car. "Take me to the Upper East Side. Do you know where my house is?"
"Yes, Mr. Devonshire. Mr. Winston has informed me. We have records of all your properties in New York. If you need anything, you can always contact me. I'll be at your service."
"Thanks."
The two spoke little during the ten-minute drive to the Upper East Side's main street. William admired the night scenery but thought about the treasure. He considered creating a teleportation point in Trinity Church's basement tonight and moving the treasure to Castle Hill when the heat died down.
As the car drove down XX Street, William suddenly saw a uniquely designed building. It felt familiar. Where had he seen it before?
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter