Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
his own frightful battle against incredible odds! I In his room at the Elsby Commercial Hotel, Tremaine opened his luggage that. This fellow Margrave—General Margrave. Project Officer for the hyperwave program—he's been on my neck day and night. I can't say I blame him. An unauthorized transmitter interfering with a Top Secret me do it my way." "I felt a technical man might succeed where a trained investigator could be misled. And since it seems to be pinpointed in your home warning you, Tremaine. Get that transmitter. I need someone to hang!" Tremaine left the hotel, walked two blocks west along Commerce Street MUNICIPAL POLICE cut in the stone lintel above the door. Inside, a heavy man with a creased face and thick gray hair looked up from behind Tremaine took off his hat. "Sure you do, Jess. It's been a while, In a back room Tremaine said, "To everybody but you this is just a we don't know much yet." Tremaine covered "That's a tough one, Jimmy. This is where I should come up with the "Well, what about him?" "Nothing. But he's the town's mystery man. You know that. A little touched in the head." said. "I always liked him. One time he tried to teach me something "Oh?" Tremaine stubbed out his cigarette, lit another. "What happened the drug store where I worked and perch on the stools and kid around with me, and Mr. Hempleman would watch them from over back of the prescription counter and look nervous. They used to raise cain in the "What was the idea of that?" "Dunno. Just meanness, I reckon. Not much damage done. A car was passing by and called it in. I had the whole caboodle locked up here "Why Bram?" Tremaine persisted. "As far as I know, he never had any Tremaine shook his head. Tremaine got to his feet. "I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your ears "I've got an oversized suitcase," Tremaine said. "I'll be setting it up Tremaine. The man turned to Tremaine, pushing a drawer shut with his hip. "Bram? The man came over to the counter, eyeing Tremaine. "He ain't going to Tremaine put a hand on the counter, looked thoughtful. "I was hoping It was ten minutes before he beckoned Tremaine over to the table where "No, thanks," Tremaine said. "That's all I needed." He turned back to Tremaine waited. "Now why would I do that?" Tremaine reached for the door knob. The woman darted a suspicious look at Tremaine. "You have to handle Tremaine leafed over, reading slowly. The librarian was at Tremaine's side. "I have to close the library now. windows along the side streets. Tremaine turned up his collar against a of the left rear tail fin whipping in the slipstream. Tremaine stopped Tremaine set off at a run, covered the two blocks to the hotel, yanked Two miles into the dark hills north of the Elsby city limits, Tremaine "Mind if I have a word with him? My name's Tremaine." him." He turned and spoke to the other cop, who muttered into the mike before handing it to Tremaine. The heavy voice of the State Police chief crackled. "What's your beef, Tremaine?" "I thought you were going to keep your men away from Elsby until I gave the word, Grammond." on me." "It's nothing we can go to court with, Grammond. And the job you were doing might have been influenced if I'd told you about the Elsby angle." Grammond cursed. "I could have put my men in the town and taken it apart brick by brick in the time—" "That's just what I don't want. If our bird sees cops cruising, he'll go underground." Grammond snorted. "Okay, Tremaine," he said. "You're the boy with all the answers. But if you get in trouble, don't call me call Washington." Back in his room, Tremaine put through a call. moonshiners." "Don't tell me my job, Tremaine!" the voice snapped. "And don't try out your famous temper on me. I'm still in charge of this investigation." "Sure. Just don't get stuck in some senator's hip pocket." Tremaine Only a faint quaver reflected her age—close to eighty, Tremaine "I...." Tremaine started. He looked at the old lady. "I want some discretion?" "Of course." used against him?" "There'll be nothing done against him, Miss Carroll ... unless it needs to be in the national interest." "I'm not at all sure I know what the term 'national interest' means, James. I distrust these glib phrases." "I always liked Mr. Bram," said Tremaine. "I'm not out to hurt him." "Mr. Bram came here when I was a young woman. I'm not certain of the Tremaine stood up. "I'm sorry. Really sorry. I didn't mean to grill complete confidence in you. If anything I can tell you about Bram will be helpful to you, it is my duty to oblige you and it may help him." She paused. Tremaine waited. keep it and, if ever I should need him, to press it between my fingers in a secret way ... and he would come. I told him that until he would consent to see a doctor, I did not wish him to call. He drove me home. "This locket," said Tremaine, "do you still have it?" "I'd be grateful for any lead." "Bram fears the thunder." pulled to a stop beside him. Jess leaned out, peered at Tremaine and Tremaine shook his head. "I'm getting nowhere fast. The Bram idea's a "Sure. Just so I'm back by full dark." As they pulled away from the curb Jess said, "Jimmy, what's this about State Police nosing around here? I thought you were playing a lone hand from what you were saying to me." "I thought so too, Jess. But it looks like Grammond's a jump ahead of me. He smells headlines in this he doesn't want to be left out." "Well, the State cops could be mighty handy to have around. I'm wondering why you don't want 'em in. If there's some kind of spy ring working—" "We're up against an unknown quantity. I don't know what's behind this empty shotgun shell. He looked at Tremaine. "This don't look good," he Tremaine. "Maybe this is more than kid stuff," he said. "You carry a Tremaine went to the car, dropped the pistol in his coat pocket, Tremaine said. "That's blood, Jess...." Tremaine scanned the floor. It was of broad stared at Tremaine. "I'm too damned old to start believing in spooks," "I think." Tremaine said, "that we'd better go ask Hull Gaskin a few "Who's looking for spies?" "Cops." "Who says so?" The boy looked directly at Tremaine for an instant, flicked his eyes to "Spill it, Hull," the policeman said. "Mr. Tremaine hasn't got all The boy darted another look at Tremaine. "They said they figured the

<question>:
Of the following options, which seems to be Tremaine's biggest asset in his investigation?

<options>:
A His history with the town. Folks knew him and were more willing to help him like Miss Carroll, and he knew how to motivate people, like he did by bribing the record keeper for help.
B His good looks. They help him flirt with women like Miss Carroll and the librarian, so he could get more information.
C His strength. He was able to bust down the door at Mr. Bram's home and catch him in the act of transmitting data.
D His ruthlessness. He was strict enough to draw boundaries with the state police that helped his investigation significantly.

<answer>:

A