Rock shook his head and sighed.
"Jonathan raised a good son. A WWII vet makes it impossible for any cowboy to get close."
Ben curled his lip in disdain. Just typical—no real heavy hitters in this small-town backwater.
If Hyman Ross's top enforcer Johnny Ola were here, Michael wouldn't live to see tomorrow.
Lately, Ben had been feeling a growing sense of unease.
He hadn't been able to reach his classmate—Eddie, the governor's son and director of Lendo Construction.
"Our work has hit one snag after another.
Sometimes I wonder… maybe Carlo was right—
Maybe it is those ambitious young men in town causing all this trouble.
My butler tells me they're always gathering together."
Rock nodded gravely. "Then what are they after?
It can't just be revenge for some idiot, can it?" Ben asked.
"Exactly. Carlo was a fool.
And now it seems we won't be able to deal with Michael.
The court hearing is tomorrow. There's no way we'll secure 100% of the shares anymore. We'll have to find another way later."
After the banquet ended, Patrick pulled Leo aside.
They found a random classroom to talk.
Patrick looked furious.
He opened with a direct accusation:
"Kid, you weren't honest with me.
Your ties to the church run much deeper than you let on yesterday.
You're setting up a veterans' association—what are you really trying to do?"
Lynchburg had a permanent population of 12,000.
Of those, over 3,000 were military veterans—a full quarter of the town.
As mayor, Patrick knew those figures by heart.
And he knew exactly what kind of political force such a group represented.
If this force aligned with the already powerful church…
then whether Lynchburg remained under the Odo family's control would become a real question mark.
Patrick felt his authority being threatened.
Right now, he was like an angry lion.
"You misunderstand, Patrick. I only became involved in the association at Desmond's request."
Patrick's face gradually shifted—from fury to a cold, stony glare.
"Leo, I'm giving you one last chance.
Spare me your lies. Those tricks might fool others, but not me.
Don't underestimate the Odo family.
From the moment you came into my view, I got everything on you and your friends.
Major Leo—I know exactly how you brought them back from a battlefield littered with death.
Desmond, Jonathan, Sean, Daniel… they all follow your lead.
Now tell me again—do you still want to claim that this association wasn't your idea?"
Patrick had made up his mind: if Leo said anything that rubbed him the wrong way,
he'd make Leo experience in Lynchburg exactly what he'd faced in New York—and worse.
Leo rubbed his temples.
Never underestimate a seasoned fox.
Turning Patrick into an enemy was not something Leo could afford.
Back in Richmond, Michael had once casually mentioned that during the Great Depression,
Patrick had brought in the National Guard to suppress a certain "unmentionable" red movement.
His family connections had made that happen.
Many members of the Odo family held government posts in Washington.
They weren't high-ranking, but they were indispensable civil servants in their respective fields.
The Odo family—a noble clan hidden in the countryside.
Leo took a deep breath.
"My fault, sir. What would you like me to do?
But… what's done is done. The association will be formed.
I can't afford your wrath—but I also can't face the church's backlash."
Leo strategically invoked the church—the only force that could temper Patrick's fury.
Sure enough, Patrick's glacial expression eased slightly.
"First—your association must not be registered at the county level.
It will be registered under Lynchburg.
It must count as my political achievement."
Leo had anticipated this. He nodded quickly.
"No problem. That's how it should be."
"Second—I must be named honorary chairman, just like Father Lesterwen."
"That's doable. However…"
Leo hesitated. Not because it was difficult, but because negotiation requires resistance—even when you're losing.
"The association's honorary president title must go to someone who makes a major contribution."
Patrick narrowed his eyes.
"Letting your association exist isn't enough of a contribution?"
"It is," Leo replied earnestly. "But that explanation won't convince your three thousand voters."
Patrick's momentum faltered slightly at the word voters.
He glared at the young fox in front of him—one who had stood toe-to-toe with him and not yielded once.
"And what has the church contributed?" Patrick snapped.
"Don't count those empty promises!"
"Besides the donations today," Leo replied smoothly,
"the church has contributed an additional $20,000 to support veterans."
Patrick blinked.
He hadn't expected Father Lesterwen to back Leo so generously.
As mayor and the largest landowner in town, $30,000 shouldn't have been a problem for Patrick.
But only he knew just how tight money really was.
Behind the powerful façade of the Odo family were countless bloodsucking relatives.
In Washington alone, the family supported over forty civil servant members.
To maintain their social status, Patrick had to fork out $300,000 a year just in PR expenses—plus vacation perks and other benefits.
Even though not all the money came from him,
as the watchdog of the family estate, he bore the lion's share.
That was just the personnel expense.
The family had many businesses, but not all of them were profitable—especially during the war, when price controls and stagnant income drained them dry.
This was why Patrick had recently begun robbing his own allies.
The family couldn't survive without fresh revenue.
Patrick clenched his teeth.
He was going to give the money.
But just as he reached that decision, Leo added:
"The association isn't short on funds.
What we do lack is a location.
You mentioned earlier the police station is relocating.
I think that building would make a perfect headquarters for the association.
What do you think, Mayor?"
Leo watched carefully—just to enjoy the show.
You pressure me? Then I'll make you squirm first.
Patrick's face darkened.
"That was your plan all along, wasn't it?
You really are a cunning little fox."
He sighed.
"In a few days, Jonathan will handle the handover.
City Hall will fast-track your association's paperwork."
Leo smiled to himself.
He hadn't intended to involve Patrick at first, but getting free real estate out of the deal was a nice bonus.
Still, he didn't feel much joy at binding himself more closely to the mayor.
This was America, after all.
Everyone has a price.
And the cheaper a friendship seems, the more expensive it usually becomes in the long run.
Leo didn't believe for a second that Patrick had schemed his way into the association just to be an honorary figurehead.