The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1017: Chapter 65: The Big Fly on the Spider Web

Law is like a spider’s web; the big flies tear through it, while the little ones get caught.

—— Montesquieu ”Spirit of Law”

”Did you settle things with that girl Clara?”

”Not really settled, she doesn’t call the shots in this kind of business. But she’s willing to introduce me to Gervais, who might be willing to let me test the waters. Of course, based on what I know about these thugs, if our first job is successful, they’re bound to jump in and demand a cut. But if the cops catch wind of the first job, we’ll be the ones doing time in prison.”

In a small café in the Saint-Germain district, Arthur and Victor exchanged brief updates on the progress of their respective work.

Arthur was brought before Gervais by Clara the moment he was released from prison yesterday.

However, this crime syndicate boss didn’t seem very interested in Arthur’s grand plan.

There are quite a few people in Paris making a living through fraud, but most of them are limited to petty theft, and they usually work alone without forming an effective fraud system.

The reason is simple.

Because once fraud operations get big, they easily catch the attention of the Great Paris Police Hall. Or more precisely, they get noticed by the Security Department, and in the end, they fall into the hands of Francois Vidocq, the living hell of the Paris underworld, after a playful chase.

Had Vidocq still been in the Security Department, Gervais would have certainly not dared to have any ideas of making a big splash in the fraud industry chain.

But unfortunately, Vidocq has already left the Security Department. And even though Alar, Vidocq’s successor, is a seasoned veteran in the Paris police force, the Great Paris Police Hall faces the same problems as Scotland Yard.

The Greater London Police Department now bears the ’Royal’ prefix, but in the half year since receiving this honor, their work in crime investigation has been a complete mess.

Arthur’s sudden departure threw the entire crime investigation system at Scotland Yard into a tailspin. On the surface, many of the departments and anti-crime mechanisms he established are still functioning, but everyone is fighting their own battles.

But we can’t blame the diligent officers, because when Sir Arthur Hastings was still around, all department heads reported directly to him. During his era, these departments often employed methods beyond their official duties to get the job done.

As ironic as it sounds, the reality is that efficiency and compliance are inherently contradictory. If you pursue efficiency, it’s hard to remain legal and compliant. If you want to stay legal and compliant, you can’t expect to be efficient.

During the two years Sir Arthur Hastings was in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department and the Police Intelligence Department, these two departments experienced a period of wild growth, frequently receiving recognition from higher levels. But the cost was that these people did many unsavory things.

And Arthur’s sudden departure also left a lot of valuable data and routine investigation methods from that era in a rather awkward position. Past experiences couldn’t be continued, and much of the criminal data couldn’t be used due to legality issues.

Moreover, due to the negative reputation brought by the parliamentary reforms to Scotland Yard, the media on Fleet Street has been scrutinizing this police institution more and more closely.

This made it understandable why anti-crime work at Scotland Yard was in total chaos.

Fortunately, even though Arthur left, he left a valuable legacy for Scotland Yard—his old subordinates.

Led by Ledley King, Hastings’ old team embraced the principle that ’solutions are always more than difficulties’ and, after studying the legal documents Arthur left them in depth, they quickly found several gray areas to work in. After a few months of maneuvering, Scotland Yard’s anti-crime department was back on track.

However, the Great Paris Police Hall was not as lucky as Scotland Yard. They not only cut staff to the bone, but more seriously, they not only forced Vidocq into retirement but also purged Vidocq’s capable Security Department aides who had criminal records.

This is precisely why people like Gervais have been having such a smooth time recently, even harboring ambitions to enter previously untapped fields.

”What we need to do now is give Gervais confidence. Make a successful hit in Paris and let him realize there is great potential in this field.”

Arthur stirred a spoon in his teacup. ”Have you made contact with the Great Paris Police Hall? How do you plan to set him up?”

Victor lowered the brim of his hat while puffing on his pipe, leaning forward. ”I admit I had this idea before, but their actions at the detective agency and what they did before I got imprisoned made me reconsider.”

”Reconsider?” Arthur pondered as he sipped his tea. ”You’re worried the Great Paris Police Hall might turn the tables on you?”

”Exactly!”

Victor snapped his fingers. ”Talking with a smart person is just easier. My friend, we’re on the same page. The Paris Police Chief, Jusco, prioritizes catching assassins, but that doesn’t mean those below him feel the same way. Compared to dealing with Royalists, they prefer messing with me.”