Chapter 4

Connor clapped a hand over his face and rushed forward, playing the victim.

"Officers, you have to hear me out. She's the one who told me to say it. I only told the truth, and she hit me for it, then called the cops on me. Where's the justice in that?"

The officer in charge looked at me.

"Did you hit him?"

Julius stepped forward.

"I did."

"But I already paid him forty thousand in compensation. He asked for it himself."

"Every guest here can testify to that."

He pulled up the transfer record and showed it to the officers.

"I—"

Connor tried to backtrack, to claim forty thousand wasn't enough.

But none of the guests wanted to cross the Simmons family, so they all chimed in at once.

"That's right, that's right, Connor asked for it himself."

"Twenty thousand a slap, that's a generous rate. If it went to mediation at the station, he might not even get that much."

The officer frowned.

"If you asked for it yourself, and he's already transferred the money, then what's left to talk about?"

Connor had nothing to say.

The officer went on.

"Now let's talk about the rumors you've been spreading."

Connor waved his hands right away. "I didn't spread any rumors. Everything I said is true!"

Diana spoke up loudly too.

"My son is a college instructor. He even has her medical report from school. There's plenty of proof!"

Connor tried to cover his mother's mouth, but it was already too late.

The officer's expression changed.

"A student's medical report from school is private."

"You're a college instructor, and you don't even have that much professional ethics?"

"I... I..." Connor had no answer.

I took the camcorder my friend handed me and passed it to the officer.

"I recorded everything this family just said and did."

The officer watched every clip on the camcorder, and his face went dark.

"Even if all of this were true, you have no right to spread it privately. Do you understand that you've broken the law?"

Diana only heard the first half.

"You hear that? Even the officer says it's true!"

"What's wrong with my son telling the truth?"

The officer went stern at once.

"I said even if. Whether it's true or false still has to be verified."

Diana shot back immediately.

"Verified? Verify what?"

"The facts are right in front of you. Her boyfriend's still here. Just ask him and you'll know!"

She shoved the Black man forward toward the officer.

The moment he saw the officer, his nerve broke. He waved his hands over and over.

"Don't ask me, I don't know anything!"

"I don't want to get deported. I'm leaving now!"

The officer blocked his way.

"You can't leave yet. You're coming back to the station with us for questioning."

Connor's face changed.

He leaned in and threatened me under his breath.

"Withdraw the report, now."

"Otherwise this blows up, and it does you no good at all."

The woman glowing with white light took my hand.

"Don't be afraid."

"It's your turn to fight back."

I nodded, steady, and looked the officer in the eye, saying it word by word.

"Officer, I request that all of Connor's electronic devices be sealed, and that you investigate the original leave slip at the school, the original links to the forum posts, and the medical report in the student records."

"Since Connor destroyed my reputation first, I request that the entire investigation be filmed and that I retain the right to make it public."

The officer didn't hesitate. "Granted."

The color drained clean out of Connor's face.

He swayed and nearly toppled off the stage.