Do we really have to wait until they kill a police officer or kill Grace Bennett before we can arrest them and convict them?

"Be cautious!"

After pondering for a while, Jack Foster finally spoke.

"Edward York, you have to be especially careful with this matter. You might not know much about Henry Dawson, since you just returned from the army not long ago... but he’s quite a character. Even our District Chief Harris has to listen to him."

This was a "secret" that wasn’t all that secret.

Over the years, Henry Dawson had paved his way with money, befriending countless big shots. As for District Chief Harris of Yangguan District, he was especially close to him. It was said that District Chief Harris’s rapid promotion was more than half thanks to Henry Dawson.

Could grassroots police officers like them really afford to provoke such a big shot?

Edward York just smiled.

"Instructor Foster, how am I supposed to be careful with this? They already pulled knives and tried to kill me... I understand how you feel. Don’t worry, I’ll get to the bottom of this."

"No matter who’s behind these guys or who’s pulling the strings, first we need to figure out the whole story and take the initiative."

Don’t be fooled by Edward York’s youth—he was more than capable of making decisions.

Jack Foster still felt uneasy about this, but couldn’t say much more, so he just reminded him to pay attention to his methods.

This so-called "pay attention to your methods" was just a euphemism. In reality, it was a reminder to Edward York that some tactics couldn’t be used—don’t give others any leverage.

How could Jack Foster not know the working style of these young brothers at the station?

After finishing his talk with Jack Foster, Edward York opened the door and walked out, only to immediately spot Grace Bennett. She was still wearing her soaked clothes, arms crossed, pacing in the hallway outside.

"What are you doing here?"

Edward York asked. Wasn’t she supposed to be waiting for him in the main office?

Grace Bennett glanced at him and said softly, "I’m scared..."

Edward York was slightly taken aback, but then understood.

Of course she was scared!

Even though Tang Youfu, Huang Mao, and the others had already been arrested, they were all in the same office. Who knew if they might suddenly lash out?

These people were crazy.

Only when she was with Edward York did she feel safe.

After all, she had witnessed Edward York’s strength with her own eyes.

"Don’t worry, this is the police station. They wouldn’t dare do anything to you here."

Edward York reassured her.

Grace Bennett nodded.

"Come on, let’s get you into some dry clothes. You’re soaked—you’ll catch a cold."

As Edward York spoke, he headed toward the dormitory area in the back.

Grace Bennett didn’t hesitate at all and followed closely behind him.

The Bajing Police Station had two buildings. The one facing the street in front was a four-story office building, and behind it was a six-story dormitory building.

But not all the police officers lived at the station.

Many officers had built their own houses.

Throughout the 1990s, cities all over the country experienced a boom in self-built housing. The depth of Chinese people’s feelings for their homes is something people from other countries can hardly imagine.

Whenever there’s a chance, people are determined to own their own house.

Edward York, however, didn’t have this idea.

He was too young, had just transferred from the army, and didn’t have much of a sense for these material things yet. Usually, he stayed in the single dorm at the station, and if he had time, he’d go back to Dahua Machinery Factory to be with his parents.

But ever since his father’s health improved, Edward York spent much more time at the station than at home.

He was just too busy.

As a grassroots police officer, if you want to get things done, there’s never a moment of leisure.

Edward York was the type who didn’t like to nitpick, a habit left over from his time in the army—obey orders, follow commands, no questions asked.

So he was busier than most of his colleagues, with the most cases on his hands.

Edward York’s single dorm was on the first floor, but he led Grace Bennett up to the third floor and knocked on the door of the household registration officer Paul Walker’s home. Paul Walker was a woman in her thirties, who used to be a cadre at Dahua Machinery Factory. Later, through connections, she was transferred to Bajing Police Station. Back at the factory, Paul Walker’s family lived not far from Edward York’s, so she had practically watched him grow up. At the station, she always looked after him.

Edward York had often gone to Ms. Walker’s house for meals.

This time, bringing Grace Bennett to change clothes, there was no way Edward York would take her to his own single dorm.

Such situations that could cause suspicion must be avoided.

On his first day at the station, the leadership had talked to him: don’t make low-level mistakes. And issues of conduct were definitely low-level mistakes.

If you’ve never worked at a grassroots police station, you’ll never know what jaw-dropping things those feisty female colleagues can do.

In just a few months since transferring to Bajing, Edward York had already encountered two incidents during stability maintenance tasks where female colleagues stripped in public and made a scene.

Grace Bennett didn’t seem like the type to make a scene, but it was still important to avoid suspicion.

It was already past ten at night. Paul Walker had already gone to bed, but was woken up by Edward York’s knocking. She opened the door, bleary-eyed, and asked in surprise, "Wu Si, what’s going on?"