While Danny had someone go to the prison to collect Dick Reed's fan letters, he also went to his mother's house. He insisted on knocking on the door and seeing for himself that Reed was home before he could rest assured.
Although he looked like a powder keg, he could be quite quick-witted when working on a case. And beneath his rough-hewn exterior, he possessed a delicate heart.
If it weren't for his family of police officers and his age, Jack would have seriously considered recruiting him to join the FBI on his own task force.
While his marksmanship was mediocre, his physical fitness and fighting skills were less than ideal, he was unconstrained by rules and regulations and possessed a strong sense of justice, making him the kind of partner you could trust with your back.
As the night wore on, Jack made an appointment with Danny to meet the next day. He first went to the courthouse to pick up Irene, then drove to a small alley at the intersection of Chinatown and Little Italy.
The alley was deserted, with few shops visible at first glance. However, one large sign stood out: a large wooden revolver hung beneath a white sign with red lettering.
This was Giovino's, one of New York's most famous gun shops and one of the few remaining in the city. It was founded in 1906 by John Giovino, a renowned Mafia boss.
Five years later, in 1911, the shop was sold to the Imperotto family, but the name remained unchanged and continues to this day.
Interestingly, despite strict gun control laws in New York, this gun shop, still owned by a Mafia family, survives today because a major source of its customers is the New York City Police Department.
According to Henry Reagan, when he was Commissioner, the NYPD headquarters was across from the gun shop, even connected by an underground tunnel. Back then, officers could simply walk through the tunnel from the station to buy guns.
Jack had come to pick up a gun. Frank's business card had given him the contact information for the gun shop. He was already curious about this legendary shop, so he decided to pay it a visit.
The gun shop manager was a Chinese man in his sixties with a full head of white hair. He wore an antique .380 caliber Beretta 84FS at his waist. Jack noticed that his holster was on his left belt buckle, and he appeared to be left-handed.
Upon meeting Irene, the Chinese man greeted her warmly. They seemed very familiar with each other, and Irene addressed him as "Uncle Charlie."
If Jack were buying a gun for personal use, even with the Commissioner's daughter by his side, he wouldn't be able to complete the entire process in a single day. New York State's gun control policies are extremely strict, and the procedures are surprisingly complex.
However, official business was a different matter. Jack presented his ID, and Old Charlie simply checked with the intercom on the table before readily handing him the documents for signature.
After completing the formalities, Jack had time to survey the gun shop. He discovered that the seemingly ordinary shop was actually quite secretive. The glass doors were all thick bulletproof glass, covered in sensor strips connected to the alarm system.
The exterior display counters were similarly equipped with two cameras on each wall, and the hallway leading inside was also covered in cameras, leaving no blind spots untouched.
Even the intercom next to Old Charlie was interesting; judging by his recent conversation, it connected directly to NYPD headquarters. While seemingly an ordinary gun shop, it held a hidden agenda.
Of course, Jack and Irene weren't just there for the ride. Besides picking up the Sig Sauer P320-XTen guns Frank had given him and purchasing a batch of 10mm Auto pistol ammunition, Jack also bought a Beretta BU9 Nano semi-automatic pocket pistol.
This gun was for Irene's personal protection. She had a firearms license but had never carried a gun. After someone explained the implications, the young woman finally agreed to carry the gun for self-defense, at least for the time being.
Old Charlie enthusiastically invited them to the indoor shooting range behind the store to test their guns. After firing a few magazines, Jack discovered that Erin's shooting skills were surprisingly good, at least as good as Danny's. It seemed that even if she didn't become an NYPD officer, she still inherited the Reagan family bloodline.
The next morning, as agreed with Frank, Jack and Dana Moger went to his office together, and as expected, they met a familiar person.
By the time Secretary Baker ushered the two into his office, Frank's confrontation with a certain city councilwoman was nearing its end.
"So you're here to settle some old scores? Those were just political tirades, nothing personal." Although the councilwoman didn't know Jack or the FBI Assistant Director, their attire and demeanor were enough to make her feel uneasy. "
In fact, Ms. Collins, I've benefited greatly from what you said earlier about the old police methods."
Frank stood up and nodded slightly to Jack and Dana Moger, motioning them to take a seat on the guest sofa. He made no move to introduce them. Secretary Baker stood beside him, holding several documents.
Frank slowly removed his reading glasses and leaned against his desk, one hand supporting a thick stack of documents, looking down at the nervous councilwoman.
"That's basically it. I was just looking through some files and found that you were once under investigation for being awarded a city contract without a bid. However, for some well-known reasons, it was later described as a 'gross' misunderstanding. I wonder if you still remember it?"
The councilwoman, known as Ms. Collins, glanced uneasily at the two people sitting on the sofa not far behind her, then tried to suppress her anger and the volume of her voice.
"That's all in the past, and I'm cleared now."
"That's true, but it also reminds me why you deliberately provoked me at the press conference earlier. Whether it was out of good intentions or bad, it still keeps me up at night.
You know I have many old friends in this city, so I asked them to help investigate the company called 'White Tip Cotton' that's causing trouble for New York City. I was surprised to find your husband's name among the actual partners of the company."
"I don't need to sit here and listen to your nonsense." The councilwoman instinctively started to stand, but Frank stepped forward to block her, and she fell back into her seat.
"I haven't finished, Ms. Collins." Frank smiled and nodded to his secretary, Baker, who laid out the documents in front of the councilwoman.
Baker, with dark bags under her eyes that even foundation couldn't hide, was in high spirits. With a smile, she spread the documents out before her and pointed out the circled numbers one by one.
"I've noticed that a significant portion of the special grants approved by the Public Safety Committee for various NYPD departments, particularly support and the forensic lab, is missing. This amount coincides with some of the figures in your campaign fund."
"That's enough. I don't want to hear this. I don't know when the NYPD started moonlighting as DOI (New York City Department of Investigation, responsible for anti-corruption) investigators."
The councilwoman stood up angrily, grabbed her bag, and was about to leave when Baker blocked her path. Although she was Frank's secretary, she was also a member of the NYPD and a detective.
"The consequences of misappropriation of public funds are serious. I only conducted a brief investigation. Of course, the NYPD doesn't have the authority to do this, so I've called in the head of the FBI's New York office, Ms. Moger. I apologize for my inconsiderateness in not introducing you both earlier."
After saying this, Frank's smile faded, and he gestured to Jack and Dana Moger to leave.