Chapter 160: Party and Umbrella (VII)

"Wiggin Umbrella Shop? Oh... that's really ancient history."

In the office of the Cat Getan Police Department, Bullock was lighting a cigarette, leaning against the filing cabinet, and said to Gordon, "You know, I'm from the East District, a native Gothamite, a child from the slums."

"I remember when you first came to Cat Getan... that should have been a few years ago? That's right, at that time, the East District was still very glorious. There were four major families, rows of high-end clubs, all kinds of bars and clubs, and even the strippers were the best."

"Don't think it was a broken-down slum." Bullock changed hands to hold the cigarette, took a puff, exhaled smoke, and fell into memories.

"The East District was glorious for a good while. Centered on Green Street, it spread out to dozens of streets, including the central area where gangs gather now, Elizabeth Street. But at that time, Elizabeth Street couldn't even be ranked. If we're talking about prosperity, of course, Green Street was second to none."

"But now, that place is a bit..." Gordon frowned, touched the corner of his mouth, and said, "I went to see it when I handled that case two days ago. It really doesn't fit what you said..."

"Of course, I said, that's all in the past. About five or six years ago... or seven or eight years ago, it was still the most prosperous commercial center in the East District. Wiggin Umbrella Shop opened in the tail alley there. Don't think it was remote; actually, that was the best location."

Bullock exhaled another puff of smoke and recalled, "That was the most special shop in the East District. Under gang rule, commercial streets were usually full of bars, dance halls, and high-end restaurants. An umbrella shop opening there was somewhat out of place."

"However, the customers of that umbrella shop were all high-end, because the old umbrella maker Wiggin had excellent craftsmanship. The handmade umbrellas he made were the symbol of status for Cat Getan gang bosses at the time. Whoever could take an umbrella with the Wiggin emblem out meant that he was an upper-class figure in the Cat Getan gang world."

"I know." Gordon nodded and said, "When I first came to Cat Getan, there was a craze for handmade products, a retro trend, leading the aesthetics of the East Coast and even the whole country. Everyone was saying that things made by machines were cold and soulless, and only handmade things had taste."

"Perhaps that's the case, but not entirely." Bullock walked over, sat in the chair, and continued, "You know this ghostly weather in Cat Getan. Umbrellas are indeed very practical things."

Gordon leaned his elbows on the desktop, pressed his full weight on the table, flipped through a file, and said, "This old umbrella maker's craftsmanship should be very good, right? It's a pity he died."

"Indeed, all the gang bosses in Cat Getan would only go to him to buy umbrellas, so many other umbrella makers stopped doing it. By today, he was the only handmade umbrella maker left in all of Cat Getan."

"His craftsmanship was indeed nothing to say, but his temper was also very strange. When I lived in the East District, I once heard that his umbrellas were only sold to some people, while others, no matter how much money they spent, couldn't buy an umbrella."

"Really?" Gordon looked at Bullock, questioning, "That group of gang bosses aren't pushovers. This old umbrella maker dared not sell them umbrellas—wouldn't they go and cause trouble?"

"I don't know about that, but it seems there wasn't any conflict." Bullock shrugged.

"I think you shouldn't be able to find any clues from him. He might have just been accidentally injured."

Gordon said unwillingly, "Kevin's death is related to Fish's death, but I can't find any clues from Kevin, so I can only start from others. Do you think, could it be..."

Gordon sighed, overturned his own guess in his mind, and said, "Forget it, it's unlikely. Now the handmade product craze has passed. Gang bosses like Kevin who haven't been to school won't go for any handmade custom umbrellas. Our informants have never said he knew the owner of Wiggin Umbrella Shop. They might just be strangers."

"But I always feel that they died in the same case, which is a bit strange." Gordon straightened up, put his hands on his hips, and said, "In the past, there were many cases where gang shootouts affected others, but I just feel that this case is very strange..."

"Your intuition has always been accurate." Bullock said to Gordon, "How about this, I'll go to that umbrella shop again later. After all, I grew up in the East District and am more familiar with it. If there are any clues, I'll tell you..."

"That's all we can do."

Just as Gordon finished speaking, a small police officer knocked on the door and said, "Chief Gordon, Mr. Little Falcone has arrived."

Gordon and Bullock hurried out the door and came upstairs, seeing the police chief chatting with Evans. Evans was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, followed by several bodyguards.

The situation looked as if he were the master of the police station.

Evans inherited his father's good looks, tall and straight, handsome, and also inherited a beautiful head of blonde hair from his mother. However, his image didn't look much like a gang Godfather, but rather like that kind of star actor, or a passionate artist.

Seeing Gordon come, he turned around, shook hands with Gordon, and said, "Detective Gordon, I've heard of you for a long time. I've heard about you from my classmates and teachers. You're a good cop..."

Gordon and Bullock accompanied the chief and Evans to chat.

That's how it is in Cat Getan. Even if Evans was the biggest suspect in a murder case, all the police had to be polite to him, even treating him as an honored guest, because his surname was Falcone.

Just as they were about to invite Evans to the reception room, Evans said, "No need, I have something to say here..."

In the basement of a hotel on Elizabeth Street, Ma Luoni let out a scream. Batman broke his leg with a steel pipe. Ma Luoni cursed loudly, "You damn meddling weirdo..."

Batman's voice was as cold as ever: "I stopped your action of killing the hotel owner, but this isn't because I just happened to pass by. Obviously, I have something to find you for, and you'd better cooperate."

Ma Luoni glared at him viciously and said, "Don't expect me to tell you anything! You son of a bitch..."

Ten minutes later, Ma Luoni lay on the ground, all four of his limbs broken. Batman asked him, "Did you shoot and kill Fish?"

Ma Luoni didn't seem to expect him to ask this question. He made a short panting sound in place. The pain almost made him faint, but Batman gave him a shot of stimulant to keep him awake.

"You'd better cooperate, otherwise I don't know which part will break next." Batman kicked his arm. Ma Luoni let out a scream like he was dying. Finally, he surrendered and said, "It was me... it was indeed me..."

"Why did you do that?"

"I have a grudge against Fish."

Batman stepped on his broken arm again. Ma Luoni let out a violent scream. He trembled and said, "Someone threatened me... I had no choice..."

"Who threatened you?"

Ma Luoni was silent for a long time. No matter how Batman tortured him, he refused to say that name.

Finally, Batman said, "I know the base of the Ma Luoni family, and I also know where your core power and wealth are hidden. If you don't want a fire to happen there suddenly with no survivors, you'd better cooperate with me..."

Ma Luoni lay on the ground, as if dead. Just when Batman thought he wouldn't speak again, Ma Luoni spat out a name with a hoarse voice:

"Evans Falcone."

In the ward of Arkham Asylum, Shiler pulled his arm back, put down the umbrella, and then propped the umbrella tip on the ground. He said to Cobblepot, "... Don't tell me you bought this umbrella. You should be clear that you can't afford this thing."

"So, did you steal it, or did you rob it?"

Cobblepot looked like he had been humiliated. He pursed his lips and glared at Shiler, saying, "This is what I deserved in the first place!"

Shiler folded his hands on the umbrella handle, stood in place, and asked Cobblepot, "Why do you say that?"

Cobblepot turned his head away and didn't answer.

Just then, the door of the ward was knocked. Shiler turned his head and said, "Please come in."

It was Gordon who came in. After entering, he first scanned the situation in the ward, looked at Cobblepot, and finally stopped his gaze on Shiler, saying, "Little Falcone has pleaded guilty."

The atmosphere in the room froze for a moment. Cobblepot was like being electrocuted, almost bouncing off the bed. He turned his head and glared at Gordon, shouting, "What did you say?? Who pleaded guilty??"

His tone was full of disbelief. Gordon swallowed and said to Cobblepot, "I know you can't believe it, because now I can't believe it either."

"But the fact is, before I came here, about a few dozen minutes ago, the Godfather's own son, Evans Falcone, came to the police station..."

"Then he admitted that he instructed Ma Luoni to kill Fish Mooney."

Cobblepot's movements froze in mid-air. His eyes almost popped out of his sockets, and then he fell back onto the bed as if doubting life, muttering to himself in disbelief: "... He instructed Ma Luoni to kill Fish, then what did I do? What did I do?"

*rice ball. *

"I..." Cobblepot was like being choked. From his expression, it could be seen that within a few short seconds, he had gone through all his plans and actions in his mind, and then he said very affirmatively, "Impossible, how could Little Falcone... this doesn't make sense at all."

Gordon sighed and said, "Who says it isn't? Bullock and I were both stunned. Evans stood in the police station full of police and told us he was here to surrender, that it was he who instructed Ma Luoni to kill Fish."

"He has no motive to do so." Cobblepot looked at Gordon and said, "Aren't you police the most particular about criminal motives? What reason does Little Falcone have to do this? What good does killing Fish do for him?"

He just finished asking, and then said in disbelief, "Alright, killing Fish might indeed do him some good, such as being able to deter others, but he shouldn't..."

"I know what you want to say. Even if the Godfather's son is stupid, he wouldn't use this method to get rid of his competitors. More importantly, even if he did this, there is no reason to surrender."

"Gang assassinations are common in Cat Getan." Gordon frowned deeply. One could feel that the deep lines between his brows were almost carved into them. He said, "Everyone knows that this kind of thing happens every day, but this is not the reason for him to bring this kind of thing to the table."

"What on earth does he want to do? Why involve the police station?"

When Gordon said this, he felt it was absurd himself. What reason is there for a murder case to involve the police station? God! What is he saying? Is he still a policeman?

But in Cat Getan, this was clearly a truth that everyone defaulted to. Gang assassinations wouldn't have anyone calling the police. That would be looked down upon by other peers and would greatly damage prestige.

But now, the Godfather's own son ran to the police station and grandiosely said he murdered Fish. The nature of this matter was completely different.

If he didn't admit it, then no one could force him to admit it, because his surname was Falcone. But now he admitted it, so everyone couldn't turn a blind eye to it, also because his surname was Falcone. ===== CHAPTER 161 =====