Visiting Frank today was a wise decision; Jimmy really hit the jackpot this time.

First, he clarified the arson case at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and also understood the situation of the body.

Second, Pat is still alive, and judging by his relationship with Frank, this big shot is very likely a senior agent.

Third, a new character entered the picture, Frog, who is now the head drug trafficker in the area. It seems he's taken over the entire region after cleaning out the old timers left by Nut.

Fourth, Nut is history now, a black man, in prison. This makes it very hard to find a corresponding person because there are just too many black people in American prisons, with new ones entering or preparing to enter every day.

Fifth, an unexpected gain, Pat's two subordinates. This isn't urgent, although Pat's disappearance has left them without a connection, inertia should keep them from fleeing immediately. Pat wasn't caught by the police but was killed, so they'll definitely want to establish new contacts, which means it's very likely they'll connect with Frog.

With so many gains in one go, Jimmy didn't know what to tackle first.

When quitting time rolled around, Jimmy went back to the station to end his shift, then went home to rest and think about what to deal with first.

The first issue was Cage's business. Colin is dead, and his subordinates have mostly disbanded. It will be difficult to find a specific person, so Cage can continue to interrogate Colin's subordinates. Asking more people should yield results. He doesn't need to get involved himself.

Then there was Frog. Frog is a boss-level elite now, and with the current information, it's impossible to take him down. However, it might be worthwhile to start with the subordinates he assigned to clean out Nut's safe house. That's a reasonable angle to pursue and also helps determine who Frog really is based on the pawn shop.

Last were Pat's two subordinates. He could go after them anytime, but it's best to have evidence before taking action.

The next day, after Jimmy went to the station, he visited Cage's home again.

Jimmy, "Cage, I have a question for you. You know about Nut, right?"

Cage, "Of course, Nut was a major drug trafficker around here, but we never managed to figure out who it was, so we couldn't catch him."

Jimmy, "I got some intel that Nut is already in prison. One of his subordinates, a guy named Frog, has staged a coup. We just don't know who Frog is yet."

Cage, "Frog? I've never heard that name before."

Jimmy, "I don't have any other information for now, but some suspect that Colin was taken out by Frog as well. The person you're looking for can only be confirmed through Colin's subordinates now; we have no way to pinpoint him just yet."

Cage, "Thanks, Jimmy. You've gone through a lot of trouble for my sake."

Jimmy, "It's nothing. As friends, that's what I should do. I don't have other news for now. I'll let you know if anything comes in. I'm heading back out to patrol."

Cage escorted Jimmy to the door, picked up his phone, and confirmed with his informant whether they had found that person, but the result was still negative.

Jimmy continued his patrol. He couldn't abandon his duty just because of Cage's affairs, especially since his patrol area had expanded.

As mentioned before, daily patrols are usually very boring if no major incidents occur. They consist of patrolling the roads and inspecting, or waiting at intersections like hunting from a blind. For the most part, you respond to calls directed by the dispatch center to deal with cases or provide backup.

The day passed uneventfully, and after his shift, Jimmy arranged to have a drink with Noah. Since the last time they went bowfishing with Cage, he'd participated in several outings. Although he had no prior experience, he picked it up quickly. But this time he had a purpose: to confirm some things with Noah.

Noah and Jimmy went to a bar next to the police station, a safe place near their work. The two found a secluded corner and ordered a couple of drinks.

Jimmy, "Noah, remember the last time we went to Double River Park?"

Noah, "Of course, the tip was wrong that time, and we wasted an entire afternoon."

Jimmy, "I've got some information, but I need to check it against what your informant has. Can you tell me who your informant's boss is? I don't need to know about your informant, just which group he's with."

Noah, "That's nothing secret; he's a street-level dealer under Colin, just a low-life, but his brother is in a higher position, so he gets some intel."

Jimmy, "Is he reliable?"

Noah, "He should be. I gave him a break once, and although he hasn't provided much info, most of what he has given checks out."

Jimmy, "Okay, I've got some new intel. Colin's dead, taken out by infighting. There was a murder case in Hot Spring County two months ago; the two victims were Colin and his son, executed by gunshot."

Noah, "That doesn't make sense. I didn't get any news, and the informant didn't report any changes in their team."

Jimmy, "The autopsy report has been faxed from the Hot Spring County police. We've checked against Colin's photos, and it's definitely him. The photos are from Sam, and we can be sure it's Colin."

Noah, "Then we've got a big problem. Such a significant event and even Colin's death two months ago hasn't leaked out. That suggests their team is under someone else's control, or someone is deliberately misleading us. Our sources haven't reported who the successor is; this new player will be tough to deal with."

Jimmy, "Yeah, that's why I needed to check this with you. I'm also looking for this person. We'll sync up if there's any news. Now, let's drink, no more business talk today."

After a couple of drinks, Jimmy promptly headed home, leaving Noah to his own devices.

Once home, Jimmy revised his plan. It was worth visiting Pinnacle Mountain State Park when he had the time, to check on Pat's two subordinates and see if there was any evidence against them. It would be a shame to waste this opportunity.

The biggest takeaway from the communication with Noah was the last part Noah mentioned. It gave Jimmy a new direction. Frog took over Nut's territory and also took out Colin. So, he would definitely want to keep Colin's former subordinates in hand, eliminate the uncooperative ones, and continue using the cooperative ones. After all, although there are many people on the criminal path, skilled workers are still very important.

Consequently, within the remnants of Colin's organization, a significant number have likely already pledged allegiance to Frog. It's even possible that they all have, while maintaining a façade of lingering loyalty to Colin to placate some people not yet under control or other powers.