North America Gunman Detective

Chapter 1550 - 831: The Troublesome Dave

For going to Dave's house, it definitely won't be as casual as visiting the in-laws, so Jimmy turned the car around and headed home. The family changed clothes, and when the time was right, they left the house with a bottle of wine and a gift bought along the way.

This was the first time the whole family visited, so there were bound to be many pleasantries exchanged. Jimmy and Dave, and Lucy hugged and greeted each other, while Lucy's eyes first fell on the chubby little Liam. It seems people at an age to be grandparents can't resist chubby little ones, whether they're from their own family or others.

This gathering was clearly prepared on the fly, as Jimmy and his family realized there were three outsiders in the room when they arrived: two middle-aged men in white chef uniforms and a waitress, all busy in the kitchen.

After sitting in the living room for a while, Dave invited everyone to the dining table. Dinner was ready, and those three left the house after preparing it.

Luckily, with little Liam as the center of attention, Dave's wife Lucy was too busy to pay attention to Jimmy and Dave. Even during dinner, the little guy was between Lucy and Nia. Although he couldn't eat anything on the table, he was still reaching out and making noises, making it a lively scene, well, at least on their side.

Dave and Jimmy talked about Jimmy's recent business trip while enjoying wine and dinner. The food was indeed delicious, and Jimmy joked with Dave about getting the restaurant's number so he could hire them for his own gatherings.

After dinner, they got up and went straight to the study room; it was time to talk business.

Jimmy noticed that whether it was Dave's or Kevin's study, the sitting area was quite similar: three single sofas surrounding a small coffee table in the middle, making for a comfortable chat. He thought he might consider setting up one of his own, though he doubted he'd let others into his study.

In fact, Dave had a dedicated meeting room at home, but he brought Jimmy directly to the study. Dave's study was much larger than Jimmy's. They opened the fridge, took out an ice bucket, poured some drinks, and stood by the window, looking at the brightly lit Manhattan night scene.

Dave's home was also in Manhattan, with a distinctly modern renovation. Clearly, this place wasn't his main residence; perhaps it was purchased after being transferred to New York. Although high-rise apartments in Midtown Manhattan aren't as expensive as the historic ones on the Upper East Side, they're still unaffordable for the average person.

The so-called never-sleeping city of Manhattan has severe light pollution. Although it's beautiful, if you look at it long enough, it loses its novelty.

Dave was the first to speak, "Jimmy, where did you go the previous month?"

"I went to a quiet place for some relaxation, building log cabins and life facilities, enjoying the undisturbed solitary life. You should try it; it really calms you down."

"I'll pass; a person like me would probably become dinner for those wild animals if I stayed in the wilderness for a while. Was that all? Nothing else?"

Jimmy glanced at Dave, then looked back out the window, "Of course, I also met up with some former colleagues for a chat."

Dave: "Oh, I remember you used to be a police officer for a while."

Jimmy smiled, raised his glass, and took a sip. Dave suddenly realized something and promptly asked, "How are your former colleagues doing?"

Jimmy: "They're fine, even though we belong to different organizations now. It's always nice to meet up."

"Different organizations." Dave repeated, realizing his previous assumption was wrong. He recalled Hughes' speculation from back then, "Do you have any thoughts about your job?"

Jimmy casually waved his hand, "Not really, I just have more time to spend with Nia and Liam. I neglected them due to frequent business trips, so taking them out with me gave them a chance to travel and meet friends—it was like a family vacation."

Dave: "What about after that?"

Jimmy: "Who knows what the future holds? Take it one step at a time. I'm still young, right?"

Young, Dave looked at Jimmy. From his face, there was no discernible anxiety; in fact, tonight he seemed completely unconcerned about being sidelined, fully focused on spending time with family. Yet he had managed to disappear for a month, with no one knowing his whereabouts, not even how he returned home. It was hard to believe he was unconcerned about everything else.

Dave: "Being young is good; it means more opportunities than others."

Jimmy was tired of playing word games; conversations with these people were exhausting: "Yeah, there are many roads to Rome. Sometimes looking around can reveal other opportunities."

Dave sipped his drink, looked out the window, thought for a moment, and said, "So, are you planning to switch paths?"

Jimmy: "I can't just stand still waiting when the road ahead is closed for construction. You know me; I'm quite good at climbing over walls."

Dave: "Do you have a better option?"

Jimmy: "Of course not. The kids are still young; I need to take care of my family. It's pretty good as it is now."

Dave: "Hughes mentioned he hopes you can help him out. Have you thought about it?"

Jimmy: "Oh? Does he want to contact the former Agent Association officially?"

"No, it's just a personal suggestion."