America 1881: Legend of the West

Pinkerton Detective Agency, America's first private detective agency.

It was founded in 1850 by Alan Pinkerton, a former Scottish criminal, cooper, and Chicago police detective.

During the American Civil War, they formed an organization for President Lincoln's Union Army to collect military intelligence from the southern separatist forces, thus gaining the support and trust of the Union.

After the Civil War, when people began to head toward the vast world of the West, Pinkerton also seized this opportunity.

They took advantage of the weak law enforcement in the west and the inconvenience of law enforcement between states, and began to provide security assistance to a large number of industrial owners.

In addition, many of their agents have outstanding abilities and are very good at penetrating into the enemy.

Therefore, the Pinkerton Detective Agency gradually developed and expanded.

They established an intelligence base in Chicago that was quite advanced at the time to provide their branches across the country with the intelligence they needed.

And Harry Rivers, at this time, was holding an analysis report sent from Chicago.

"Chen Jianqiu, a Chinese businessman, has become a popular figure in Lincoln County, New Mexico in less than a year."

In his office in Santa Fe, he shared the information with the other detectives in the room.

The detectives sat around a large table, their eyes wandering between the information on the table and their leader.

The office was filled with smoke, but all the smoke came from Harry's pipe.

"Chief Lynch is said to have been keeping an eye on this person before he disappeared." A detective said.

"Why 'supposedly'?" Harry caught the detective's wording keenly.

The detective was a little embarrassed and had to answer honestly: "Because when Chief Lynch was in charge of the Western Area, the information and materials were sealed internally and kept secret from the outside. Only he and the people around him knew about it."

"What about those who know?"

"All, all disappeared with Chief Lynch."

Everyone present gasped.

"This man was wanted in Wyoming and Colorado and had committed some pretty horrific crimes in Denver that were well known locally."

Another detective pulled out another piece of information and said.

"Didn't he even change his name?" Harry took a drag on his pipe.

"No change, exactly the same."

"Then let's just go and arrest him," someone suggested.

"Arrest him? Have you pigs ever been to Lincoln County and Roswell? Have you ever been to Denver?"

A hoarse voice suddenly sounded from the end of the table.

The speaker was a detective in his thirties.

His image was very sloppy, his hair was messy, and his face was pockmarked and stained, as if he hadn't washed his face for a long time.

Just now, when everyone was studying information and listening to Harry's "teachings," this man crossed his legs, leaned back in his chair and covered his face with a hat.

No one in the office knew whether he was asleep or not, or in other words, no one noticed him at all.

"The wanted warrants in Colorado and Wyoming have been withdrawn a long time ago! Even the files have been processed! The person handling these matters is a veteran of wiping butts, and there is no trace at all!"

"There's no one in Lincolnshire who doesn't say good things about him, at least the ones I've come into contact with; as for Roswell? Do you know how many Chinese there are there? Do you know how many militiamen there are?"

The pock-marked detective put his hands behind his head and was half-lying on the back of his chair, with a cynical look on his face.

"Chinese? Militia? Then we have more reason to accuse them of threatening national security. I think we can inform the federation about this through relationships."

The detective who proposed the arrest began to make amends for himself.

"Do you think Washington doesn't know these things?" Pockmarked said with disdain, "New Mexico is not even an official member of the federation now!"

"It was approved by the Republican governor, and the U.S. Army is stationed nearby. The citizens of this state didn't say anything. What's the use of saying it? Who do you think you are? A politician?"

"The Pinkerton Detective Agency is in such a mess right now because of you trash who only know how to talk all day long." He seemed to be getting angrier as he spoke.

"That's enough! White! Come out with me."

Harry interrupted the pockmarked detective and led him outside the office door.

"White! If you have this attitude every time you attend a meeting, it will be really difficult for me to let you stay here! You may have to go back to Austin."

He smoked his pipe and said to the pockmarked face in front of him.

"That's best. I can't bear to work with these idiots." Pockmarked White deliberately amplified his voice and told the people in the conference room to listen.

Honey wanted to say something else.

Suddenly a clerk came in from the door.

"Mr. Rivers, someone is looking for you, saying that he was introduced by Chief Pilot and wants to discuss business with you."

Harry thought for a long time and couldn't remember who Pile was.

"The Sheriff of Lincoln County, I gave him your contact card when I went there." White turned and left, leaving a message for Harry.

"How dare you impersonate me?!" Harry, no matter how good-tempered he was, couldn't bear it anymore and angrily shouted, "Where did you get my contact card?"

But White only left him with a back view and no explanation.

"You study first, I'll come back later." Harry said as he stuck his head into the conference room, and then walked toward the reception room with his pipe hanging.

His anger was still lingering, his heart was beating very fast, and his face was still red.

However, when Harry walked into the drawing room, his blood pressure rose even higher.

A Chinese businessman in a black robe was sitting on the sofa. Behind him stood a woman and several armed cowboys.

The Chinese businessman was looking at him with a smile.

As for this man's face, Harry had just seen it on the information given to him in Chicago.

"Hello, Mr. Rivers! My name is Chen Jianqiu, nice to meet you!"

Chen Jianqiu stood up and extended his hand to Harry.

Harry Rivers subconsciously held Chen Jianqiu's hand, his face a little confused.

When he reacted and returned to normal, he found that Chen Jianqiu was observing his face with interest.

"Oh, Mr. Chen, right? What's the matter with you coming to me?" Harry Rivers asked.

"My bank was robbed. According to the preliminary judgment at the scene, it was the thief Jesse James. I heard that you are very experienced in hunting down such people, so I want to hire you to catch this person for me." Chen Jianqiu said .

"So, may I ask how much money you were robbed of?"

"One hundred and ninety-eight dollars and forty-four cents, sir."

Harry Rivers almost choked on the smoke from his pipe.

His first reaction was that he didn't want to take the job, because generally speaking, there shouldn't be much commission for a case with this target amount.

But then I thought about it, this was an opportunity to get close to Chen Jianqiu.

"Okay, let's take the case." Harry took a long drag on his pipe.