Chapter 371: Arthur Has Been Waiting

Frederick asked, “Are you sure?” He froze, struggling to believe Claire could actually be saved by Arthur. However, recalling how Arthur had knelt before Nathan to plead for him at the Hawthorne Manor, he realized it was true. He had wondered why Arthur defended him that day. Now he understood.

With only two days left before his appointment with his father, he felt pressured. When the seven days were up, if he couldn’t explain to Elizabeth, he risked facing his father with nothing to show. Although he had a desperate solution that could barely comfort Elizabeth, it would cost him dearly and jeopardize his presidential campaign. But today was already the fifth day, and with the appointed date with his father only two days away, he really couldn’t think of any good solution.

Now, with Claire alive and in Arthur’s villa, the situation had changed. “Yes, General Hawthorne. All evidence points to Arthur, and Ms. Prescott is indeed at his villa,” Richard confirmed. It involved Arthur, so he didn’t dare take it lightly. He had already conducted countless multi-party verifications. He wouldn’t report to Frederick without solid proof.

“Is it near my Halfmoon Manor?” Frederick asked. He originally thought he had escaped a desperate situation, but when he heard that Arthur had placed Claire in a villa so close to him, he suddenly felt a little uneasy. Two possibilities explained Arthur’s behavior—he might be hiding her in a place he believed was safe due to its danger, or he had an undisclosed plan that Frederick couldn’t yet discern.

“Yes, General Hawthorne. We should head there immediately. We might lose track of Ms. Prescott if Arthur senses our move. And with only two days left, time is running out. How are you going to explain to Mr. Nathan Hawthorne then?” Richard urged, anxiety creeping in.

“What if Arthur is expecting us?” Frederick frowned, walking to the window to smoke. Richard tensed, knowing Arthur was unpredictable.

Otherwise, Frederick would not have been restricted for so many years.

Richard suggested, “I understand your concerns, but we have only two days left. You must be at the Hawthorne Manor by the morning after tomorrow.” “We can’t afford to wait. I can take people there directly. If something happens to me, you can openly use the power of the Kingstown Security Department.” Richard felt the weight of the Military Order Frederick had issued.

“Richard, during this presidential race, you can’t afford any risks,” Frederick reminded him, contemplating various scenarios about approaching Arthur. Richard was his most capable assistant. Losing him would significantly diminish his chances in the campaign. With Richard, the chances of winning the presidential race would increase by ten percent, but without him, the chances would be reduced by twenty percent.

“If we can’t go in or out, what are our options?” Richard asked, aware that waiting was not an option. “Let’s focus on gathering intelligence for the next two days. Mobilize all our resources to investigate and keep a close watch on Arthur’s villa. The morning after tomorrow is our deadline. Even the last hour can be crucial,” Frederick said, finishing his cigarette in front of the window.

“Alright, I’ll mobilize our forces to investigate,” Richard replied, taking a deep breath before leaving the office to issue orders. Within ten minutes, a comprehensive network of surveillance was established across Kingstown.

Meanwhile, Shawn contacted Arthur. “Mr. Arthur Hawthorne, Frederick has initiated a comprehensive network of surveillance. They’ll locate you soon.” “Okay, got it,” Arthur replied with a smile, then hung up the phone. He thought, “A comprehensive network of surveillance? Perfect! This is exactly the outcome I desired from Frederick’s efforts.”