Chapter 227: Embarrassing News

The commercial vehicle's door swung open, and White returned first, announcing, "I've discovered something the media hasn't reported. Martin Davis was involved in a shootout in his neighborhood."

"A gunfight?" Alex perked up, clearly intrigued.

White continued, "Several African American drug traffickers attempted a break-in at the Carter family's house at night, and Martin drove them away. He even gave one of their leaders a good spanking, shooting him on his backside. That leader is currently serving a prison sentence and won't be out for over a decade."

Alex's interest waned; this wasn't the news he was seeking.

White added, "Then there's Martin's father, who kidnapped his ex-girlfriend's mother. That guy is a complete scoundrel. Maybe we can use that angle."

Alex inquired, "Do you know where he is?"

White sighed, "Rumor has it he fled to Australia or New Zealand."

A knock on the car window interrupted their discussion, and Albert returned with information that closely resembled White's findings.

As Alex listened, his frown deepened. The neighbors' accounts didn't align with what had been publicly reported in the newspapers. It was a stark contrast.

The only details that hadn't been thoroughly reported were the gun dealer and Martin's father.

White asked, "Should we start with Martin's father?"

Alex questioned, "Are you suggesting we go to Australia or New Zealand to track him down?"

White fell silent.

Albert proposed, "Boss, what if we publish the news we have?"

"Publish this useless information?" Alex shook his head but then raised his voice with conviction, "Do you have no professional integrity? We're journalists, and we have a duty to uncover the truth behind the scenes. This is the power entrusted to us by the public!" After this impassioned declaration, he added pragmatically, "You know how handsomely the newspaper society rewards us for breaking news like this."

White and Albert seemed uninterested in the former but lit up at the prospect of financial rewards. The newspaper might not openly encourage unscrupulous methods, but it didn't discourage them either.

Alex concluded, "Martin Davis's ex-girlfriend and her family are the key. Find them." He checked the date on the newspaper and said, "If we don't find any new leads in the next two days, we'll return to Washington and put our unique skills to work."

White chimed in, "The honorees are all staying at the DC Hilton Hotel this time. We've covered that place several times, and it's a hotspot for news sources."

Since 9/11, they had been chasing leads relentlessly. Alex whispered, "There's no news that the News of the World can't obtain."

...

Washington, D.C. National Airport.

Martin and Bruce disembarked and spotted their chauffeur waiting for them. They got into the vehicle, which soon crossed the Potomac River and merged onto Pennsylvania Avenue.

Through the car window, Martin caught sight of the Washington Monument, resembling an obelisk, and the dome-shaped Capitol Building.

The Secret Service agent assigned to escort them outlined their schedule, mentioning a media interview upon arrival at the hotel. He concluded, "I'll pick you up at 9 a.m. on Independence Day to take you to the White House for the Independence Day celebration, which includes the awards presentation."

"Thank you," Martin nodded politely. "May I have your name and contact information?" The Secret Service agent handed him a card with the name "Jonathan."

Martin reciprocated with his business card, saying, "Whenever you're in Los Angeles, feel free to give me a call."

Jonathan accepted it, saying, "Thank you."

As they arrived at the Hilton Hotel, Bruce pointed out a location: "That's where Reagan was shot."

Martin murmured, "It's always unsettling when fans become obsessed."

He tried to recall the name of the Beatle who was killed by a fan, but it eluded him.

Inside the hotel, Kate, the assigned female reporter from the Washington News, awaited them in the lobby lounge.

The interview was routine, with Kate asking standard questions while Martin promoted his business ventures. He also praised the LAPD and Los Angeles, speaking favorably of the local authorities.

Jonathan remained nearby until the interview concluded.

Kate was about to depart and suggested, "Could we exchange contact information?"

Martin readily agreed, recognizing the importance of maintaining multiple channels for communication with the media.

They swapped contact details, and Kate even made a call to Martin for good measure.

The hotel had prepared a spacious suite, and Martin and Bruce proceeded upstairs together.

Bruce surveyed the room and commented, "The accommodations are quite good."

Martin inquired, "Have Duke and Murphy arrived?"

Bruce checked his phone and reported, "They're here. We'll check in after confirming their room."

After a brief inspection, Bruce shared the room number and mentioned a few rooms that would be suitable for Duke and Murphy. "It's Washington; ordinarily, the Russians won't cause trouble," he noted.

Martin quipped casually, "I'm more worried they'll drink too much."

He vaguely remembered the name of the Beatle who had been killed by an obsessed fan.

These two possessed a knack for keen observation, especially when it came to identifying potential stalkers. Martin was quite pleased with their abilities. In Atlanta, they were the ones who had spotted Pratt and tracked him.

As Duke used his room card to unlock the door, Murphy, who had lagged behind, discreetly snapped pictures of the hotel employees responsible for this floor, pinned to the bulletin board.

In a hotel like this, each floor had its dedicated staff.

Inside the room, Martin had just finished packing his belongings when he strolled out to the master bedroom's balcony, offering a view of the White House.

Bruce joined him and commented, "Everything seems fine over there."

...

Atlanta, Northville.

Lily, recently transferred to a different school, emerged alone from her private middle school. She walked along the sidewalk, her clown pendant swaying as she moved with her long strides.

The weather was warm, prompting her to step into a nearby cold drink shop where she ordered a skim ice cream.

With her ice cream in hand, Lily settled at an unoccupied table, ready to enjoy her treat. However, before she could start, a stylish man in his twenties, wearing a friendly expression, approached and took a seat across from her.

Albert cautiously greeted her, "Hello, I'm a friend of Martin's."

Lily took a bite of her ice cream and quipped, "That fool and scoundrel have friends like you?"

The moment she spoke ill of Martin, Albert sensed he had found the right person, someone with a strong negative opinion of Martin.

He elaborated, "Martin is a celebrity, and I work in the media industry."

Lily grasped that he was a reporter and altered her demeanor, adopting a more innocent and charming facade.

Albert continued, "I'm here primarily to gather some basic information about Martin and craft a comprehensive news report. Martin will soon receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom."

Recalling a video she had seen in which Martin courageously saved unrelated people, Lily commented, "That idiot, aside from doing foolish things, what else can he do?"

Albert probed further, "Do you have a strained relationship with him? Has he ever done anything excessive to you?"

Lily didn't respond directly. Instead, she blinked her innocent eyes and asked, "Which newspaper do you work for? Could it be a bad one?"

Albert glanced at the harmless and beautiful middle school student and presented his work ID: "News of the World."

Though Lily had never read this newspaper, the name piqued her interest. "News of the World?" she repeated. "Is that a risqué publication?"

Albert clarified, "Yes, it's a publication with a global presence."

Lily didn't hesitate to share, "We don't get along that well. He relies on my family for a living. Back when my family was very poor and struggling to put food on the table, we had to steal to survive."

Albert felt somewhat disappointed, yet he kept probing, "Anything else? He stayed at your place for a while, and your house isn't very big. Girls have their personal things. Did anything embarrassing happen?"

Lily knew exactly what Albert was after, but she wasn't willing to divulge such details. "Embarrassing things?" she mused. "I think there was one incident..."

Albert leaned in, eager to hear more.

Lily, not one to be like Martin, took her time crafting a story. "There were some troublemakers near our community who liked to harass girls. Once, they targeted me, and Martin saw them. He gave them a good beating and made them call me 'big sister.' Now, whenever those troublemakers see me, they stop and call me 'big sister,' and it's a bit embarrassing."

Albert maintained his composure, but he couldn't extract any more useful information. He realized that Martin Davis's over-the-top actions only made his image more heroic.

Several minutes later, Albert had to concede defeat. The stories Lily shared didn't help their cause; they only painted Martin Davis as a hero trying to escape his past.

The Clayton community operated in this manner, and so did Lily Carter...

Albert concluded that White would likely encounter similar challenges in the House of Beasts.

"Thank you," Albert bid Lily farewell in a friendly manner before exiting.

He crossed the street and entered a car parked diagonally across from Lily's location. He shook his head at Alex and stated, "It was futile."

"White's side didn't yield any results either," Alex reported.

Albert suggested, "Boss, should we consider changing our target?"

Alex objected, "Don't you find this situation abnormal? Stars like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, who have risen from humble beginnings, all have plenty of skeletons in their closets. But why has Martin Davis recently taken such positive actions to lift himself out of poverty? Doesn't it strike you as odd?" Alex was resolute and unchanging, much like certain politicians and the families of 9/11 victims, as well as veterans wounded in the Afghanistan war.

He had a determined mindset that wasn't easily swayed, similar to those mentioned earlier.

Alex emphasized, "This is the path we've chosen, and we won't deviate easily. Just like certain politicians, the victims of 9/11, and the families of wounded veterans in Afghanistan, we hold onto our convictions."

With his convictions unwavering, Alex had no intention of altering their mission. He saw no reason to change their course.

Albert, with his disappointment evident, reported, "Call White and instruct him to return to the hotel immediately. Let's head to Washington."

On the other side, Lily didn't waste any time. She pulled out her phone and sent a text message to Martin.