Free Web NovelChapter 202: Chapter 202 Police Station
Christina’s POV
Vic jumped like he’d been electrocuted. "Who the hell called the cops?!"
He whipped around to me, panic flooding his eyes. "It’s just a little scuffle. Why would anyone call the police?"
"Wasn’t me," I said flatly. "I was busy playing referee between these two morons."
Akira snorted in my head. This night just keeps getting better.
Cade stepped forward. "Probably another customer. The whole bar saw the fight."
Vic shot him a look of pure betrayal. "Why are you taking their side? Look what they did to my place!"
Cade nodded toward the server. "He spiked a drink. People don’t usually take that well. And everyone saw who knocked over the table. Pretty convenient way to get rid of evidence."
Vic’s face turned bright red. His gut strained against his shirt as he puffed up with rage. "You’re seriously backing them? I pay your salary."
Cade glanced at me before answering. "She’s my friend. I work here, but that doesn’t mean you own me."
The front door slammed open.
Two cops walked in, taking in the mess.
"What’s going on here? Who started the fight?"
Vic rushed over, hands up. "Officers, it’s really not that big a deal. Just a small misunderstanding."
The taller cop looked past him, unimpressed. "We got calls about an assault."
"It wasn’t that bad!" Vic’s voice went up a notch. "Just a little disagreement between a customer and staff. We can handle this ourselves."
I walked straight up to the officers, Akira’s rage giving me courage.
"We weren’t drunk, and we didn’t start anything. Someone drugged our drinks. That’s what you should be worried about."
The tall cop frowned at the manager, who went stiff.
"Nobody got drugged!" Vic protested. "We run a clean place. This is nothing, really. We can work this out ourselves."
"Let’s check the security cameras," the second officer said practically.
Cade stepped up. "There’s no camera in the back room. The outside camera only shows him taking drinks in and out, but I was in there when it happened. I saw him put something in the glass."
The server straightened up, his face blotchy and eyes bloodshot.
"I didn’t do anything!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "He’s lying! I never messed with any drinks!"
He looked barely twenty, scrawny with baby features now sporting a swollen, split lip.
People around us started whispering.
The tall officer sighed, looking around at the chaos.
"Everyone involved—down to the station. We’ll figure this out there."
Cade and I nodded right away.
Daniel tugged on my sleeve and whispered, "I hit him pretty hard. The cops might not like that. Can’t we handle this quietly?"
"His lip is split, not cracked open," I said back. "He’s not dying. If there’s money to pay, I’ll cover it. Let’s go."
Daniel nodded tensely, clearly not happy about it.
The server kept denying everything during questioning.
No matter how they asked, his story stayed the same: he hadn’t touched the drinks.
The bar’s security footage didn’t help much—just blurry shots of him going in and out of the back room.
Eventually, one officer walked over to us, rubbing his forehead. "There’s not enough evidence to move forward either way. We suggest you work out a settlement."
Typical, Akira growled. Someone tries to drug us and walks away clean.
I’d barely left the interview room when my phone buzzed.
Hudson.
"It’s ten o’clock. Are you still at dinner?" he asked, his voice carrying worry.
"Not exactly." I filled him in on what happened, ending with, "It’s not settled yet. Might be a while before I get home."
An officer called my name from down the hall.
"I have to go," I said quickly. "It’s nothing serious. Don’t worry about me." freёwebnovel.com
I hung up and walked into the room they’d set up for mediation.
The manager and server were already sitting across from each other at a cheap gray plastic table. Both looked miserable.
Vic forced a fake smile. "This was obviously just a misunderstanding. Since you know Cade Lawson, we’re practically friends. Next time you come in, drinks are on the house."
He sounded worn out, like he just wanted this night to be over.
I stayed quiet, thinking about what to do.
The server suddenly started crying.
"I’m just a student working part-time," he sobbed. "If they fire me, I can’t pay for next semester. My mom’s in the hospital. She needs medicine I can’t afford."
Cade leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. "You just gave us a motive. If you were really just doing your job, you wouldn’t be spiking drinks. Who paid you? How much?"
"I didn’t spike anything!" The server wiped his face with both hands, eyes red and voice shaking. "That cocktail needed powdered sugar. That’s all I put in. You saw it wrong."
"Bullshit. Sherry cobblers use fresh fruit, not powdered sugar."
The server glanced nervously at Vic. "Boss told us to use it. Powdered sugar costs less than muddling fresh fruit."
Vic glared at him but kept his mouth shut.
The server’s voice got louder. "You’re setting me up! And that guy attacked me! I’m the one who got hurt!"
His words echoed off the bare walls.
Chairs squeaked.
Someone coughed in the quiet. freewēbnoveℓ.com
The manager tried to jump in again, mumbling something about keeping the peace.
Cade rolled his eyes.
I stayed silent, weighing our choices.
We’re getting nowhere, Akira noted. No evidence, no justice.
There was no camera footage from inside the back room.
The drinks were long gone, spilled all over the bar floor.
All we had was Cade’s word, and no one else to back it up.
With the cops pushing for a settlement and no proof to support what we were saying, I gave up.
By the time we left the station, it was almost eleven.
Everyone looked completely drained.
We’d barely made it to the lobby when the front doors flew open.
Ysolde rushed in, hair messy, wearing a coat thrown over silk pajamas covered in moons and stars.
"What the hell happened?" she demanded. "Why are you at a police station?"
"How did you know I was here?" I asked, surprised to see her.
"Cade texted me. Are you okay?"
"I’m fine."
She turned to Cade. "And you?"
"I’m good. I’ve got it handled. You didn’t have to come."
"Of course I did. I was worried sick."
"What are you all doing here?" a deep, familiar voice asked from behind us.
