“Luca from the Apex brought over three hundred people to Woodsea looking for trouble.”
“He ‘kindly’ told Noemi that for one hundred million, they could ensure Woodsea’s safety.”
“One hundred million to protect the safety of tens of thousands of people? Wow, what a lucrative deal.”
Darnell looked at Kendra as he continued, “Unfortunately, I had a bit to drink at the time and couldn’t stand the sight of Luca and his crew, so I rallied the villagers to confront them. Now that I think about it, I should have just agreed to Luca’s deal.”
“As long as we paid one hundred million a year, we could secure peace for Woodsea-something even the police can’t guarantee.”
Kendra’s cheeks flushed slightly in embarrassment. Even a fool could hear the sarcasm in Darnell’s tone. One hundred million for protection… The Apex was truly greedy.
Her voice turned serious. “You could have called the police.”
“We did call the police. We sought their help right away.”
Darnell replied earnestly, “Officer Adington rushed over, but he only arrived four hours after the fighting stopped.”
“He brought over twenty officers to apprehend the culprits. Two Apex officials, Gisselle and Hugo, pointed me out as the instigator.”
“I had a bit to drink then too, and in a moment of impulse, I asked to see Officer Adington’s badge. He had nothing to show and insisted on arresting me.”
“Worried he was part of the Apex and pretending to be a cop, I lashed out to drive them away.”
As Kendra’s face flushed again, Darnell feigned regret. “Looking back, I really shouldn’t have acted so impulsively. After all, what kind of bastard would dare impersonate a police officer?”
“When Officer Adington pointed his gun at my head, I should have advised him to check the weapon first.”
“That way, his gun might not have malfunctioned, and I wouldn’t be facing an additional charge of assaulting an officer.”
Darnell looked apologetic. “How could a police gun suddenly malfunction? My life isn’t worth less than Officer Adington’s. I feel sorry for him!”
“Ms. Wolmer, Woodsea has hundreds of security cameras. If you doubt me, feel free to check the surveillance footage. The truth will come to light.”
Kendra spoke coldly, “I know how to do my job without your guidance. Do you have evidence that James colluded with the Apex?”
Darnell grinned. “I never said James was in cahoots with the Apex. Officer Adington’s schedule is so busy that it’s normal for him to show up whenever.”
“Darnell, stop being cryptic.”
Kendra shot back, “I am someone who values evidence. I will investigate this matter thoroughly and will not jump to conclusions based on your personal inferences.”
Keith’s voice was equally stern. “Exactly! Until we clarify the situation, we won’t allow Officer Adington to suffer unjustly.”
“Well, feel free to investigate. Once you’re done, if there’s anything unclear, I’ll gladly elaborate.”
Darnell slowly closed his eyes. “In any case, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have resisted Luca and his gang’s oppression of Woodsea, nor should I have questioned Officer James’s badge.”
“If I and the villagers of Woodsea had been a bit more patient, none of this would have happened.”
With a pitiful expression, Darnell said, “Ms. Wolmer, it’s entirely my fault. If it makes the Apex happy and ensures James is safe, I’m willing to take the fall.”
“Come on, let’s wrap up this record. I’ll sign it, plead guilty, and ensure the police’s reputation remains untarnished.”
The atmosphere turned icy, leaving Kendra taken aback by Darnell’s unexpected attitude. She scrutinized him for a moment.
“Darnell, are you sure you want to plead guilty? Charges for brawling and malicious injury carry serious criminal responsibility.”
“If you don’t prove your innocence, you’ll be spending a long time in jail. I suggest you speak about the situation more objectively.”
Darnell waved his hand dismissively. “No, no, this is my fault. I am guilty. I plead guilty.”
Keith looked at Darnell with burning anger. “Ms. Wolmer, why be so polite with him? Since he’s here at the police station, we can use certain methods to make him reveal the truth.”
Keith’s eyes were sharp as knives. “Darnell, if you don’t confess soon, don’t blame me for being harsh.”
Amidst Keith’s menacing demeanor, Darnell sneered, “You’re just a little cop, and you dare to intimidate the people?”
“Ms. Wolmer, please tell your subordinate what kind of punishment awaits a police officer who intimidates citizens if exposed.”
Kendra stared at Darnell for a few moments with a cold expression before saying indifferently, “Keith, calm down. Don’t fall for his tricks. We’re here to investigate the case, not to argue with him.”
Following Kendra’s admonition, Keith nodded respectfully. “You’re right, Ms. Wolmer.”
Darnell chuckled, “They say that beauty can be brainless, but Ms. Wolmer, you’ve proven that saying wrong with your own example.”
How dare this bastard tease the woman Keith admired? Keith’s anger flared. “You…”
“Don’t lose your temper!”
Kendra shot Darnell a cold glare. “Darnell, do you really want to be so arrogant?”
Darnell closed his eyes, appearing indifferent.
Kendra’s face turned frosty. “Darnell, you’re testing my limits. If I were you, I would lay out the facts objectively.”
The situation became increasingly bizarre. Darnell was adamant about his guilt, while Kendra seemed to be defending him.
At that moment, the door was knocked open, and Bella rushed in with two uniformed officers, looking anxious as she called out to Kendra.
“Kendra, bad news. The Fayhurst task force just called. Zane has suffered a heart attack.”
Hearing this, Kendra jolted upright. “What? Zane had a heart attack?”
Bella nodded repeatedly. “Yes, it seems the situation is dire. His lawyer is requesting medical leave, and Elvis wants to discuss it with you.”
“Let’s go find Elvis.”
Kendra followed Bella out of the interrogation room, her focus shifting entirely to Zane’s case after hearing about the emergency.
Almost as soon as she left the interrogation room, the two uniformed officers who had followed Bella slipped inside, their smiles cold and sinister.
One of them skillfully turned off the surveillance cameras.
Keith seemed to know what they were up to, tossing aside his laptop and declaring, “I need to use the restroom. Darnell, you better behave.”
With that, he quickly slipped out.
Darnell looked at the two approaching officers with alarm. “What do you want? What’s going on?”
Without a word, the two officers grabbed their tasers and swung them at Darnell’s head.
Bang!
But instead of the expected outcome, Darnell caught both tasers firmly in his hands.
The two officers stared in disbelief. Darnell’s hands were handcuffed. How did he suddenly manage to slip free?
“It’s my turn now.”
Darnell grinned as he yanked the tasers from their grips. The two officers lost their balance and slammed into the steel chair, their foreheads immediately bleeding.
Before they could recover, Darnell jabbed the tasers into them a few times, eliciting screams as they collapsed to the floor, convulsing.
When hit by a taser, it typically took a person at least two minutes to regain consciousness.
As the two officers struggled to come to their senses and attempted to rise, Darnell zapped them twice more, sending them back down again.
“Come on, gentlemen.”
Darnell grabbed paper and pen from the interrogation table and tossed them in front of the officers with a wicked grin. “Write down everything about who sent you and what you were ordered to do, in full detail.”
“If you dare withhold any information or lie, I’ll zap him, and whoever writes less will face the punishment of the taser.”
The two officers gritted their teeth. “You’re asking for it, kid…”
Zzzzt!
Darnell zapped them again, and they screamed, clutching their behinds as they toppled back to the floor.
Then, he placed the tasers between their legs, an evil smile on his face.
“Just confess honestly. Otherwise… next time, I’ll zap this area.”
“Tell me, do you think they can withstand fifty thousand volts? Will they turn into lightning puffs from a zap?”
“Or will they get fried, turning into a pile of charcoal dust at the slightest touch?”
The two uniformed officers were furious, but fear began to creep into their eyes. This man was threatening to ruin them!
“Now, confess!”
Darnell slammed his hand on the table, his voice authoritative. “Speak!”