Chapter 77 The Old Fox of IRS
Hannah's half-joking and half-testing plot didn't work, so she hung up the video with satisfaction.
Jack continued his French cooking. The preparation of beef bourguignon was a little complicated. He didn't buy authentic Charolais beef, so he simply used good beef tenderloin and slightly improved the production process.
If you exclude very expensive ingredients such as black truffles and caviar, the ingredients in many French dishes are actually relatively close to the people. Jack chose to focus more on the cooking process, otherwise he would buy an authentic Breton. Lobster (French blue dragon), simply boiled, can also be considered a big meal.
Then came the French onion soup, and finally after making the Nicoise salad and the cherry Basque cake, Jack let out a sigh of satisfaction, and it was almost time to wait for the guests to arrive.
Although master-level cooking skills cannot produce golden legendary dishes that are not perfect, they are enough to cope with the picky tastes of most gourmets.
Just after 8:30, the doorbell rang on time, and a skinny old man wearing a traditional suit and a bald head appeared at the door of Jack's house.
When Jack saw this old man, he couldn't help but feel happy. Batman left behind, and Commissioner Gordon came behind. He wondered if he could bring together all the famous characters from the DC and Marvel universes to play two tables of mahjong. That would definitely be the case. It'll be fun.
"If you may excuse me, Mr. Tavole, I'm Ray King, from the Ministry of Finance." The old man didn't know the messy thoughts in Jack's mind, so he introduced himself seriously.
"It's a great honor. Your Excellency, please come in."
Seeing the God of Wealth arriving, the smile on Jack's face became even more enthusiastic.
When Ray King walked into the living room and saw Jack's slightly weird-looking Eight Immortals table, he couldn't help but smile.
"I didn't expect Mr. Tavole to be so versatile. The workmanship of this table is very unique."
"Just call me Jack. It's just a small hobby. I also made the cabinets in the kitchen myself."
The old man's eyes were really vicious, and Jack was shocked. Although his carpentry skills were not yet proficient, he put a lot of effort into making this table. Not only did he use strong oak, but he also carved some exquisite patterns on it. As a result, Be seen at a glance.
"I also often appraise some antique furniture. It can be seen that although the craftsmanship of this table is still a bit immature, it is also unique and stands on its own."
As the saying goes, when you treat others with courtesy, you must ask for something. This old guy is so loud in his flattery, and he will probably be in trouble.
Jack took out two plates of pan-fried foie gras from the incubator as an appetizer. The Harlan Winery brought by Wesley's rich second generation last time came in handy. Although it was only the second-brand "Girl" of Harlan Winery, it was also It was worth a lot of money, and everyone just tasted it briefly before sealing it up.
“This is the best foie gras I’ve ever had on the West Coast.”
Jin Wei squinted his eyes and thought about it, then gave a heartfelt praise.
Although he did not strictly follow the French five-course procedure, Jack did not cook any of the appetizers, soups, hot appetizers, main courses, and desserts.
After tasting the cherry Basque cake, the final dessert, Kim couldn't help but sigh.
"It's such a shame that you're a patrol officer with the LAPD instead of being the head chef of a Michelin restaurant."
The old man realized that he had made an unexpected slip of the tongue and quickly made up for it.
"Of course, I don't mean to belittle your profession, I'm just an old man."
Jack smiled and made a pot of black tea, put milk and sugar on it, and signaled him to help himself.
"I understand what you mean. Maybe one day I won't be a policeman and I will really consider opening a restaurant. Of course, you are always welcome to be a guest at my home. In fact, I would rather invite my guests to try it than French food. More Chinese food.”
"I'm very much looking forward to it. Before getting into the topic, can I first know about your relationship with that person?"
Lei Jin took a sip of black tea. Although his eyes were friendly, they were a little scrutinizing. This may be his professional nature.
You need to be very alert when talking to such an elderly person. You are not afraid that the other person will not believe you, but you are afraid that the old fox will misunderstand you.
Jack thought about it in his mind before speaking.
"To be precise, I am Chris's 'doctor' and I am currently providing him with some psychological counseling. I am also one of his few friends."
Jack deliberately used a more familiar name to call Christian Wolfe. In the original play, the relationship between Ray King and the accountant was very delicate. Although they cooperated and both knew the details, they only met once and could not understand each other. Xuan also wanted to be on guard.
This answer obviously surprised Jin. He knew that Jack was quite versatile, but he didn't expect that he could not only be a good cook, but also have a side job as a doctor.
"Don't get me wrong, I don't practice medicine, and I never charge fees. It's just some ancestral craftsmanship."
Jack took out a pack of silver needles and showed it to him: "Add a little psychological suggestion to help him improve his sleep quality."
Lei Jin showed an expression of sudden realization, and he didn't know whether he really believed it or was pretending.
Jack was too lazy to talk to this kind of old fox about his made-up Chinese medicine theory. He didn't know much about this mysterious IRS director. As the saying goes, you will make mistakes if you talk too much. What if he met someone who really knew something? If not, it will show timidity.
These days there is everyone. In his previous life, he met a Canadian lady who was very fast at typing Chinese and whose ability to keynote was as good as his.
"Chris said you have some troubles. Although I don't understand why the IRS needs help from a small patrol officer, but since you are his friend, I will do my best."
The implication of his words is very clear, that is, the relationship between me and that person is closer than that between you and that person. There is no need to test. You are the one who comes to ask for help.
Ray King's face was consistent with his age, and there was no hint of embarrassment at all. He naturally followed Jack's words and clarified his purpose.
"One of my men fell silent while performing an undercover infiltration mission. It has been six weeks. The latest information shows that he has been near the LA County Museum of Art, but he has not taken the initiative to contact me. Now I need someone to help me find him. he."
Jack picked up the teapot and took the initiative to add some black tea for him. After thinking for a moment, he asked: "Since you are asking me for help, is there something wrong within you or do you suspect that he has betrayed?"
Ray Jin's wrinkled old face smiled even more, like a blooming chrysanthemum: "I like smart young people like you. Have you ever considered coming to the IRS?"
Jack spread his hands and said, "I'm sorry, you're late. Someone has already invited me before you. Besides, I know nothing about financial and tax laws, and I hate being an undercover agent."