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"George Kurle must be dealt with!"
The dim light illuminated the grand hall of the Korla Bar, its doors firmly shut at this moment, with Donnie and Robert seated at the center, surrounded by swirls of smoke.
After listening to Donnie's account of the events following George Kurle's recent visit, Robert pulled out his pistol.
"I can guarantee I'll take out this George Kurle without anyone being the wiser, guaranteed no suspicions!"
Donnie realized George Kurle must be dealt with, but even if they disposed of him now, they couldn't let the blaze trace back to them.
"You can't be the one to act, although not many in Atlantic City are aware of your situation now, as soon as you make a move, if someone wants to investigate, they will definitely find some clues, and then we'll have to abandon everything we've built in Atlantic City!
Moreover, George Kurle has just looked for us and then got taken out, the people behind him will definitely suspect us!"
At this moment, Robert's usual playful smile had vanished as he asked, "Even if we got people from our village to act, it could still be found out. If we hire a hitman, there are several issues, first, we don't have the connections, second, we don't have that much cash!"
As Robert spoke, he looked helplessly at Donnie, feeling as if he had entered a dead-end. To protect their foundation in Atlantic City, they had to take out George Kurle. But at this moment, whether they did it themselves or had others do it, the people behind George Kurle would end up suspecting them.
The people behind George Kurle didn't need evidence to act on their suspicions, suspicion alone was enough!
Donnie, however, already had some ideas in mind and said to Robert, "Starting tomorrow, you won't go next door anymore, you'll secretly follow George Kurle...."
"I understand!" Robert interrupted before Donnie could finish, believing he had grasped Donnie's intent, "Even if it means giving up our base in Atlantic City, George Kurle must be taken care of."
"No one can stop our plans to make a fortune," Donnie said coldly, "George Kurle must die, but we do not need to leave Atlantic City."
Before Robert could grasp what Donnie meant, Donnie had already moved on to the next part of his plan.
"Two men came with George Kurle today. They must be George Kurle's trusted aides in Atlantic City. What you need to do is use the next two days to follow them, to know everything about them!"
Even though Donnie had explained it to Robert, he still did not understand Donnie's intent.
Even knowing they were the only two people there, Donnie still lowered his voice, sharing his plan in a whisper that only the two of them could hear.
After listening, a bright smile immediately appeared on Robert's face, and he excitedly said, "If that's the case, indeed no one will suspect it was us!"
Then, with a touch of worry, Robert asked, "Should we call John over?"
Donnie shook his head, "No need, George Kurle is already aware of how Atlantic City deals with the Prohibition, and I believe the big shots of Atlantic City have already begun to make their moves. We must race against time."
"Okay then," Robert agreed.
.
It was the same evening.
Nucky was at the Ritz Hotel's second-floor casino, nonchalantly throwing a $200 chip while provocatively lifting the chin of the short-haired woman with a smoke in her hand by his side, eliciting giggles from her.
Nucky's hand moved to caress her peak, gave it a strong squeeze, and then the dealer rolled the dice and took away Nucky's chip. Nucky paid no attention to the outcome.
Just as Nucky was about to place another bet, Louis approached and whispered something to him. After hearing this, Nucky lifted the woman up from his lap, placed her on the ground, and left the casino with Louis.
In Nucky's ninth floor study,
"After Donnie refused Hori's offer, George Kurle went to Donnie's Korla Bar. Initially, Donnie didn't want to...."
Louis relayed the full details of the afternoon's events at the Korla Bar to Nucky.
After listening, Nucky frowned, "Such a thing has happened, this foolish George Kurle is sabotaging my plans!"
Louis asked, "Boss, should we help Donnie out?"
Nucky looked up at Louis, "Has Donnie come to see me?"
Louis shook his head, "No."
Nucky slightly raised his eyebrows, "Keep an eye out these next couple of days, if Donnie comes to see me, inform me immediately!"
Louis nodded in agreement, then asked, "And if he doesn't come to see you?"
Nucky, with a far-reaching gaze, said, "If he doesn't come to see me, then tell Joe to go collect the money from Donnie in three days."
The loan to Donnie from Nucky was for three months, and barely a month had passed since Donnie took the money, leaving two months until repayment, but Nucky couldn't wait any longer.
He had to get either the money or Donnie!
.
Two days flashed by, and that evening, Donnie and Robert reported the information they had gathered from their surveillance over the past two days.
"Bill Cody, married, both parents alive, and has a seven-year-old son. It was already three in the morning yesterday, but he still went home. It seems no matter how late he stays out with George Kurle, he always makes sure to return home on time."
As Donnie revealed his findings, short-handed as his team was, he knew he had to participate in the surveillance himself.
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"Ralph Rivers, unmarried, living alone at home; these last two nights, he slept in different places, but both were bed-and-breakfast apartments,"
Robert also shared his findings with Donnie.
They had only followed these two men for two days, hardly enough time to learn anything more useful, but now, this information was sufficient.
Donnie looked at the time in his hand—it was just eight in the evening—and said to Robert, "I need a car!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Robert replied, "No problem, the car will be in the alley behind the back door in an hour!"
Donnie shook his head, "No, that won't do. The car shouldn't appear on our side. Park the car near Bill Cody's place."
Robert nodded, "No problem!"
Leaning back in his wooden chair, Donnie said, "Go ahead with the plan, and we'll make our move at dawn!"
"Got it!"
.
In the wee hours!
Having just enjoyed himself at the bed-and-breakfast, Bill Cody's pale face was flushed from the alcohol as he shakily unlocked his front door.
Bill Cody was a family man. Even though the outside world was fascinating, he still preferred to enjoy a peaceful night at home.
As he opened the door, the lights at home were already off. Bill didn't bother turning them on, and with the aid of the moonlight shining through the living room window, he intended to check on his beloved son in his room as he always did.
However, just a few steps in, he was suddenly overwhelmed by an intense sense of danger that made the hair on his body stand on end.
Instinctively, he looked towards the sofa in the living room, where a figure was sitting.
"Who's there?"
In his panic, Bill Cody tried to draw his pistol.
"You'd better not move!"
As the voice fell, the lamp beside the sofa lit up, and Bill Cody saw his wife being held at gunpoint by a man, which left him uncertain about what to do with the pistol he had just partially drawn.
"Your parents and child have already been hidden away by me. Now, I need you to place the gun on the floor and kick it over to me, then we can go somewhere else to talk properly!"
Seeing his wife's frantic nodding with her mouth gagged, Bill Cody realized the man was telling the truth.
"Donnie, what on earth do you want to do?"
By this time, Bill Cody had recognized the man sitting on the sofa—it was Donnie Block, the one George Kurle had described as a pushover, someone easy to bully. Bill had even visited Donnie's bar with George Kurle before.
"That's not the question you should be asking right now. Do as I say, or you know the consequences!"
As Donnie spoke, he pointed his gun at Bill Cody's wife, causing her face to turn pale and her body to shiver uncontrollably.
As Bill Cody bent to place the gun on the floor, he said, "It's George Kurle who forced you into this, not me!"
Donnie pointed with his gun at the pistol at Bill Cody's feet, signaling him to kick it over, "Whether it involves you or not is for me to decide!"
Bill Cody could only follow Donnie's instructions, kicking his gun over to him.
Donnie stood up, pulled Bill Cody's wife to her feet, then bent to pick up the gun and smiled, "All right, now you can go with me to a place where we can have a quiet chat!"
Under Donnie's coercion, Bill Cody reluctantly left the room and the building to see a car parked at the curb.
Donnie approached the car and knocked Bill Cody's wife unconscious with the butt of his gun.
At the sight of Donnie's action, Bill Cody couldn't help but protest, "You..."
"Come on, put your wife in the back seat, so you can see your family!"
Bill Cody, feeling helpless, did as Donnie instructed. When he placed his wife in the back seat, he saw his parents and son already passed out there!
"Now, get in the car, we'll go somewhere we can have a quiet chat," Donnie commanded.
With the threat of Donnie's gun looming, Bill Cody had no choice but to comply.
The engine started, and Bill Cody started driving, with Donnie sitting in the passenger seat, keeping a close eye on Bill Cody. Soon, under Donnie's instruction, the car arrived at a cliff by the sea, three kilometers outside Atlantic City.
When Bill Cody got out of the car, he saw Ralph kneeling at the cliff's edge with a gun to his head.
"Go greet your partner," Donnie said, gesturing with his gun for Bill Cody to walk over.
When Bill Cody knelt beside Ralph Rivers, Donnie squatted in front of the two men, the sea breeze blowing in with a faint saltiness.
"Now we can discuss your plan to take out George Kurle tomorrow morning!"