Chapter 68 Satisfied

"Sorry, I can't give you an answer to that question."

After listening to the whole story, Goodman shook his head and handed the decision back to Carter.

"I can only tell you that we couldn't find any tax arrears for their family. But the latest state tax bill for $8.7 has come out, and if you want, you can make sure they don't receive this tax bill."

Not receive this tax bill?!

Carter understood Goodman's implication.

The state tax bureau issues the tax bill and then makes it temporarily disappear for a period of time. After 21 days, they can start the forced tax collection process, even if you haven't received it! To the U.S. tax authorities, the countdown starts the moment they issue the tax bill. If you haven't received it, it's your problem! The U.S. tax authorities are that domineering!

Having thoroughly understood the formidable strength of the U.S. tax authorities through Goodman, Carter immediately grasped Goodman's implied question: Should he still take action?

So, should he?

Carter nervously tapped his leg as he stared at the desktop in front of him, pondering.

On one hand, there was his sympathy for Gein's mother; on the other hand, there was his anger towards Gein. Carter's leg trembled uncontrollably. After a while, Carter spoke:

"Are there any vacant properties in Douglas City?"

"No, you know, it's just a small town, with not many job opportunities, so outsiders rarely stay here for long."

Property information, the bank must have gathered. Goodman gave the answer without hesitation.

"Please inform Duderderick for me. Breaking his left hand is enough. How much money do I need to prepare?"

"No money at all, unless you want their house."

Goodman smiled with relief. Just before leaving, he turned back:

"I'm glad to see you like this, Carter. Overly kind businessmen won't do, but being too ruthless won't either. Your choice is good and appropriate."

"Thank you for your praise."

Carter smiled bitterly as he watched Goodman leave to execute his decision. Carter felt ironic.

Was he being kind? Definitely not, but it didn't seem ruthless either. Carter admitted that at the last moment, he softened. Leaving Gein with his right hand intact, at least he still had the ability to do some simple work.

Carter didn't know if what he did was appropriate, but he let it be!

In the afternoon, Carter returned to school to continue his classes. In the following days, even if Gein returned to school the next day, everything remained calm.

Faced with Carter's support from a group of black "little brothers" in school and the backing of the city police outside, Gein's family couldn't find an opportunity to strike. And Mary, extremely disappointed in Carter, was also powerless.

Even if she expelled Carter, would it solve the problem? With money in hand, where couldn't he go to study? Expulsion wouldn't threaten Carter at all. Mary even worried that if she expelled Carter, it would make him even more angry, thus intensifying his retaliation against Gein's family.

As for waiting for the 21-day grace period to pass, Carter temporarily had no intention of getting involved. For a while, the situation inexplicably calmed down. Everyone minded their own business.

Time passed quickly, more than twenty days had passed. Just when Lickliss and Mary wondered if Carter had truly given up on revenge, a distraught woman suddenly appeared on campus.

The woman stumbled into the principal's office, and soon, Gein also went to the principal's office. In less than an hour, Gein dropped out of school and announced that they were moving away from Douglas.

"Carter, did you do this?"

In the corridor on the fourth floor of the teaching building, Carter stood by the window, quietly watching Gein and his mother leave. He didn't even pay attention to Kazeem's exclamations beside him.

Carter just silently watched the two's dejected backs until they disappeared from sight, then he withdrew his gaze. To be honest, Carter didn't feel any sense of satisfaction in getting revenge. Instead, he felt like a huge stone was lodged in his heart, making him feel suffocated.

"Let's go, it's time for class."

The next afternoon, Mary, looking through Carter's student information on the desk along with his exam scores and homework from this period, sighed, took off her glasses, and rubbed her forehead with some pain.

When she first heard the news, Mary was furious and wanted to immediately kick Carter, the rat's excrement, out of Almond. But then, Mary gave up that idea.

Was it still meaningful to expel him now?

"Okay, Mary."

"Consider it as if you didn't hear anything, Carter. You're not the same Carter as before. If you dare to do this, there's definitely no evidence we can catch, and besides, we're not the police, we have no law enforcement power. As long as you don't cause trouble at school, that's enough. In two years, you won't be here anymore."

Looking through Carter's student information and the records of his exam scores and homework from this period, Mary sighed, took off her glasses, and rubbed her forehead with some pain.

Mary understood that Carter had changed.

"Good, Mary. Thanks for understanding."

"Okay, you can go back to class now. Study hard, maintain your grades, and get into an Ivy League college. Do you understand what I mean? Your stage isn't in Douglas."

"I understand, Mary. I'll leave now!"

Yes! His stage wasn't in Douglas, and after these days of calm contemplation, Carter also understood how ridiculous his initial idea was.

If he treated every member of the team as he did with Gein, even if Duderderick was the one who did it, he would definitely be in big trouble. No evidence or not, but everyone knew that he was the one who instigated it.

Only Gein's family was still within the rules, or rather, within the acceptable range. After all, they were the ones who started it. But if he wanted to expand the involvement, more than twenty people, that would be more than twenty families!

How many households were there in Douglas? Probably not even ten thousand!

If he really did that, he feared that even the mayor would come to confront him that night. And he, along with his Black Bank, would become the public enemy of Douglas.

So, even if he wasn't satisfied, he had to be satisfied! And he had to be completely satisfied!

Carter understood this principle, and he believed that Mary understood it too. Today, she called him over just to confirm it in person, for her peace of mind.

Carter was willing to give Mary peace of mind. She had her stance and her difficulties.

Carter could understand the old lady.