Consultation

Driving back to the office, that older woman was still busy at her own desk.

Old Tom first had the guest sit down, then casually picked up an old backpack, emptied its contents, and handed it to Henry. "Put your money in this bag. I'm giving you the backpack."

"Why switch?" Henry asked, puzzled.

"That bank gives out the same bags to customers who withdraw cash and don't have anything to carry it in. So anyone walking around with one of those bags is basically telling people, 'I've got money, come rob me.'"

Henry frowned. "Is the bank in cahoots with outsiders?"

Tom explained, "No, the bank isn't that low. But no matter how they change things, they'll always get targeted by sharp-eyed people. Only a clueless greenie would run around with a bag like that.

"You're someone George sent over. I don't want you walking out my door and getting robbed right away. That'd be me failing at my job."

Understanding the situation, Henry didn't bother switching bags. He just stuffed the bank's bag into the backpack Tom gave him. As long as that conspicuous handbag wasn't visible on the outside, how he packed the money didn't matter.

Seeing Henry was done, Tom tapped the table with his finger. "Since I've helped you withdraw the cash, let's talk business. For getting your necessary documents and procedures sorted, my fee is two thousand dollars."

"Two thousand!" Henry's eyes widened in surprise. "That's cheaper than I thought. Are these real documents, not fakes?"

Tom smiled. "Trust me, getting real ones is cheaper than fakes. The reason most people can't do it is they don't know who to ask; and even if they find someone, that person might not know how to handle it.

"The law opens many doors for those who understand it. If you take the right path, why waste money on unnecessary expenses? But most who know keep quiet about it. They have no obligation to help others for free, do they."

Some say the way to make money is written in the penal code. That's both right and wrong.

Right, because illegal things can be profitable! But the price is paid elsewhere—like getting caught and all that.

Wrong, because in the eyes of those playing high-end games, what they earn isn't just trouble—it's small change...

Tell me, can an ordinary person rob a bank of a hundred million in one go and not get chased by the cops afterward?

Henry wasn't exactly shocked by such things, but he didn't find them remarkable either.

As the saying goes, 'Let him be strong, let him be fierce; the gentle breeze brushes the mountain ridge.' As long as I lie flat enough, wind resistance is low! That's physics, scientifically proven.

Though he didn't know if Tom was as capable as he claimed, Henry still chose to trust George's recommendation. That old geezer wouldn't just set someone up to swindle back his own salary, would he?

So without a second thought, Henry reached into the bag, pulled out a stack of cash, placed it on the table, and pushed it over.

Tom picked up the bank-strapped bundle of bills and said half-sarcastically, "Oh, kid, you want me to count this myself?"

"I have some questions I'd like to ask. If you can help with that, even better." Henry pointed at the floor-to-ceiling window outside. "Consulting firm, isn't it?"

Tom set the bundle of cash down, pushed it back to the middle of the table, and looked at the young man with a steady demeanor. "Talk. I can't do everything."

"Is there a car rental place here? I want to rent a car."

"A car? Not in town. You'd have to go near Hooper Bay Airport for a private rental company. Why not just buy one? Those rentals are for tourists—expensive."

Henry said honestly, "After crab season, I'm planning to try my luck in Hollywood."

"Oh, chasing the star dream."

"Not necessarily. Maybe just to see the world. Either way, I won't stay here long. Buying a car and then selling it later is a hassle. Having someone look after it is the same."

Tom said seriously, "If you want my advice, I'd say buy a car. I don't know how many more times you'll go out on a crab boat, but without a bank account, trust me, you won't want to take that bag through airport security." He pointed at the old backpack beside Henry.

"So the best option for you is to take the ferry. Another perk of the ferry is that for an extra shipping fee, you can drive your car on board and take it to your destination.

"That saves you the trouble of finding local transport and avoids unnecessary headaches."

Henry frowned. "Would domestic airport security really be a problem?"

Tom shrugged helplessly. "You never know how those with public power will use the authority they're given. All I know is, smart people actively stay away from trouble.

"Compared to that, the ferry is simple. Buy a ticket, drive on board; arrive, drive off. Done. Even if you loaded a whole trunk full of explosives, as long as you don't set them off, no one cares."

Tom leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Of course, the ferry's one downside is it takes longer. If that doesn't work for you, I've no objection. I'm just giving advice."

"Alright then, help me buy a car. Or tell me where to find a used car lot."

"Any requirements for the car?"

"Four wheels, runs when you put gas in it."

With a chuckle, Tom unhooked a car key from his keychain and tossed it to Henry. "The used car lots in town only sell junk. You'd better drive this beauty."

Henry looked at the key in his hand with disdain, then back at Old Tom.

The grumpy old man said indignantly, "Hey, that's a Cadillac DeVille, a '65 classic. Who wouldn't love this beauty? Besides, driving this car has one advantage."

Huh, twenty-five years old. That car's condition wasn't that of a well-maintained antique—just kept reasonably clean.

Though his standards weren't high, it felt like picking up scrap. Henry asked, less than satisfied, "What advantage?"

"Just by looking at the plates, the cops on the road won't pull you over. Even if they do, tell them Old Tom is still handling the paperwork and transfer, and no one will bother you."

So the real value was in the license plate. Henry silently pocketed the key.

"Anything else I can help with?" Tom asked, satisfied. Whether it was joy over getting a new car or the profit he'd made from this deal was anyone's guess.

New book request for follow-up reads, collections, recommendations, thanks~~