She is a natural disaster.

Chapter 60 First Meeting

As evening approached, a carriage drove through the magnificent wrought-iron gates and out of the luxurious Montague estate.

The carriage moved steadily along the wide road, with neat, square houses receding into the distance, and soon entered the bustling city center.

It was rush hour in the Upper East Side, with horse-drawn carriages and trams shuttling back and forth, and the streets teeming with pedestrians. Montague's carriage had to slow down and move slowly toward the police station.

Anastasia looked out the car window at the familiar street scene and couldn't help but think of Le Bon Dupont that night.

That night, Anastasia faintly smelled blood in the air, found the young waiter lying in the back alley of the restaurant, and also found the obese Le Bon Dupont.

That same night, Anastasia learned of the existence of the woman in white from Dupont and even hung Dupont's body on a street lamp opposite the police station.

Tonight, Lopez and Gibson have chosen the same restaurant where Dupont had his last meal.

Anastasia wasn't sure why the two had chosen this place; perhaps it was because it was close to the police station, or perhaps it was because of Dupont and the mysterious woman in white.

As the sun set and the lanterns were lit, the carriage finally arrived at the restaurant and came to a stop in front of it.

The chubby Tobias Gibson had been waiting in front of the restaurant for a long time, and as soon as he saw Montague's carriage, he immediately went to greet it.

The carriage came to a stop, and Anastasia and Mike stepped down one after the other.

"Sorry, Mr. Gibson, we're a little late," Mike said. "The traffic's been a bit congested tonight."

"We've arrived too early, Mr. Montagu," Gibson said with his usual smirk. "This restaurant is right next to the police station; we can walk here."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Tobias Gibson stepped aside and led Anastasia and Mike into the brightly lit restaurant.

A group of waiters stood on either side of the restaurant entrance, welcoming the three people as they entered.

Anastasia glanced at the uniformed waiters, and then she thought of the young man who had collapsed in the back alley. She wondered how he was doing now.

Next, Anastasia looked around the bright and clean interior of the restaurant.

It was lunchtime, but the restaurant was empty except for one customer holding a menu and talking to the waiter next to him.

The guest just happened to look up at that moment, his gentle eyes meeting Anastasia's gaze.

The man stood up. He was not tall, but his every move exuded nobility. He was not handsome, but his smile was kind and approachable.

"We've finally met, Montague."

The identity of the only customer in the store was self-evident; he was none other than Detective Chief Inspector Leon Lopez of the Uptown Police Department.

Leon Lopez strode over, extended his right hand to Mike, and said, "Leon Lopez, the current chief of the Uptown Police Department."

Mike also reached out, and the two hands clasped together, shaking them up and down. Leon Lopez looked very enthusiastic.

"Mike Montague, unemployed," Mike said. "I am very grateful for Mr. Lopez's help to me at the Vanessa Theatre the other night, and also for Mr. Gibson."

"Mike, I'm a few years older than you, so I'll just call you that," Lopez said. "Although I'm just coasting along as the commissioner, protecting citizens and maintaining order is my duty. I hope you won't blame me."

"It's not Mr. Lopez's or the police department's fault that I was attacked. It's those thugs who were too rampant and lawless," Mike quickly said. He still felt some blame for Leon Lopez, but he could only keep his thoughts to himself and not say them out loud.

The two exchanged a few more meaningless pleasantries before finally separating their clasped hands.

"This must be Miss Anastasia Angel," Lopez said, looking at Anastasia. "Miss Angel is even younger and more beautiful than I imagined."

"Mr. Lopez is not what I expected," Anastasia said, extending her right hand. "I thought Mr. Lopez would be a very dignified person, but I didn't expect him to be so kind and approachable."

Like attracts like. Tobias Gibson is a smiling tiger, while Leon Lopez is even more approachable; the two are on the same page.

"I've already told you, I'm just coasting along as the commissioner. I've never even been to police academy." Lopez smiled and briefly shook Anastasia's fingertips before their hands parted.

It wasn't that Leon Lopez treated Anastasia differently or wasn't enthusiastic enough; it was simply a matter of gender.

"Look at me!" Lopez said apologetically, "I was so busy talking that I forgot all about the important matter. Please come in, please come in!"

As Leon Lopez spoke, he invited Anastasia and Mike into the store.

On the surface, Leon Lopez seems like a friendly and easy-going person, without any airs. But anyone who thinks he's easy to talk to or can be easily manipulated is a real fool.

You're right, Senior Inspector Gregory Barnes?

That was enough small talk; it was time for dinner, which was what Leon Lopez called the real business.

However, the four did not sit at the same table, but rather in pairs, sitting on opposite sides of the restaurant, inside and outside.

Mike and Leon Lopez sat at the same table. Their seats were located on the inner side of the restaurant, in a more private environment, which made it easier for them to discuss important matters.

Anastasia and Tobias Gibson sat at the same table. As fellow Beyonders, they also had security responsibilities, so they were seated closer to the restaurant door to be able to handle any emergencies.

Anastasia had no objection to this; she seemed completely unconcerned that young Mike would be devoured by Leon Lopez.

"Miss Angel, here is the menu," Tobias Gibson said.

Tobias Gibson took over the waiter's service and very considerately handed the menu to Anastasia.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Mr. Gibson can arrange it as he sees fit," Anastasia said. She didn't have any favorite foods, nor did she dislike any.

"Does Miss Angel have any dietary restrictions?" Tobias Gibson asked, flipping through the menu.

"No, I'm not a picky eater," Anastasia said. For her, food was just something to fill her stomach; it was best if it tasted good, but it didn't matter if it didn't.

"Then I'll take the liberty of ordering," Tobias Gibson said as he placed his order, while the waiter beside him bent over and quickly wrote down every dish Gibson mentioned.

Soon, Gibson closed the menu after ordering, and the waiter bowed and quickly left.

"This restaurant is near the police station, and the senior detectives from the station often dine here," Tobias Gibson said.

“I know, I saw LeBon Dupont here,” Anastasia said. “If I remember correctly, he also injured a waiter at this restaurant that night.”

The matter of Le Bon Dupont had already been discussed openly, so Anastasia no longer needed to hide anything.

Tobias Gibson thought for a moment and then slowly said, "That night, someone shouted 'Fire!' and pedestrians on the street rushed over to put out the fire. They didn't find the fire, but they did find an unconscious young man in the alley behind the restaurant."

On the night Le Bon Dupont was found hanging from a streetlamp, the Uptown Police Department thoroughly investigated his movements before his death, naturally uncovering the fabricated fire and the fact that Dupont had assaulted a young waiter at a restaurant before his death.

Such illegal and disorderly conduct is not uncommon in Xincheng, but it is more accurate to say that no one cares. If the people don't report it, the officials won't investigate, and even if they do, they may not be held accountable.

"I was probably the first person to see that young waiter, and I was the one who yelled 'Fire!'" Anastasia said.

"That young waiter should really thank Miss Angel," Gibson said. "He was badly injured; if he hadn't been taken to the hospital in time, he might have died in the alley behind the restaurant."

"No need for thanks. I didn't intend to save him; I just wanted to cause chaos on the street," Anastasia said. "He got medical treatment and was taken to the hospital in time because he was lucky; it has nothing to do with me."

Anastasia did not lie, nor did she need to. She did not help the seriously injured waiter; she merely set fire to the garbage heap.

"In any case, he should still thank Miss Angel," Tobias Gibson said.

This statement isn't entirely wrong. If it weren't for Anastasia, that poor young man wouldn't have been discovered and would probably be lying in some cemetery right now.

Before the food was served, Tobias Gibson brought up another matter.

"Miss Angel, we've obtained some information about that mysterious woman in white," Gibson said in a low voice.

Anastasia perked up immediately; she had been eager to find out the identity of the woman in white.

"Ever since that idiot Dupont got into trouble, the police have been investigating his movements before his death, and that's when we discovered this mysterious woman," Gibson continued.

Anastasia nodded; Tobias Gibson had mentioned this at the Vanessa Theatre.

"In addition to the overt investigation by the police, Mr. Lopez also used his connections to conduct a covert investigation into her background," Gibson continued. "Fortunately, Mr. Lopez's investigation has made good progress."

"Have you found out who she is?" Anastasia asked. This was very important to her; she needed to know who her potential enemy might be!

"We only found her name and her affiliations..." Gibson sighed, "and nothing else."

Tobias lowered his voice again, speaking in a tone only Anastasia could hear: "Her name is Catherine Caplet, and she belongs to the Security Bureau."