At dawn, after a heavy rain, Whiteville looked refreshed, and the air was crisp and clean.
Darnell, sitting in the passenger seat of Judith’s police car, ignored the clear sky and bustling crowd outside, focusing solely on his phone.
He was playing a game.
Just as he was getting into it, Judith climbed in with a bag of breakfast, slammed the door shut, and looked at the excited Darnell.
“Dear, what are you playing?”
Darnell’s smile froze. He wrapped himself in the bed sheet he was wearing and replied weakly, “A game called ‘Take the Man Down to Hell’.”
Judith leaned closer, her pretty face inches away. “This game should be no challenge for you.”
Darnell was momentarily stunned but then became ecstatic. “Captain Meech, I’m so excited that you’re finally acknowledging my skills.”
Judith’s smile remained bright. “As a man destined for hell, this game shouldn’t be difficult for you, right?”
Darnell rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Even if you don’t want to talk to me, you still have to.”
Judith picked up a slice of bread and gently stuffed it into Darnell’s mouth. “Don’t forget, you’re currently under my watch. You injured someone last night. I can arrest you anytime. What’s worse, you hid in my best friend’s bathroom.”
Darnell shuddered slightly and nibbled on the bread. “Captain Meech, didn’t Miss Fanshaw and I explain everything last night?”
“It was a misunderstanding. To avoid your pursuit, I hid in the bathroom with my eyes closed and covered with a towel. I didn’t see anything.”
“My head was wrapped twice. I was nearly suffocated. What could I have seen?”
“I trust Areli. She wouldn’t be interested in someone like you, but given your personality, I don’t trust you.”
Judith stuffed another slice of bread into Darnell’s mouth. “What emergency made you hide in the bathroom? You deliberately went in to take advantage of Areli.”
“Otherwise, why did you choose the bathroom when there were so many other places to hide? Unfortunately for you, she covered your eyes first.”
Darnell felt guilty but quickly retorted confidently, “Do you have evidence? Without evidence, it’s slander, blatant slander!”
“If I had evidence, you’d be dead by now.”
Judith remained as domineering as ever. “Without evidence doesn’t mean you are innocent. Forget it… I won’t pursue this matter.”
“I trust Areli’s character. She’s my best friend. Dwelling on this would only ruin our friendship. I don’t want our friendship to be ruined because of you.”
“Good that you’re not pursuing it.”
Darnell felt relieved and repeated himself before sitting up straight and glaring at Judith. “Wait a minute! Even if there was something between Miss Fanshaw and me, what does it have to do with you, Captain Meech?”
“Although you’re a cop, you have no right to interfere in my personal life.”
“I’m not just a cop. I’m also your girlfriend.”
Judith patted her waist where her gun was holstered and glared at Darnell menacingly. “You accepted Emily’s check, agreed to attend the family banquet, and just ate the bread I fed you. That means you’ve agreed to be my boyfriend.”
“Not every man gets to eat breakfast bought by me or enjoys being fed by me.”
“And most importantly, you stole a kiss from me at Whiteville Hospital.”
“Darnell, if you dare deny it, I’ll shoot you dead right now.”
Darnell wanted to spit out the bread in his mouth. It was clearly a big trap.
He sighed deeply, “Captain Meech, I know you want to deal with Emily and your parents, and I’m willing to cooperate, but you can’t force me into this.”
“Besides, the girl you saw at the club last night is really my girlfriend. If you force me to be your boyfriend like this, you’re being the other woman.”
“Don’t overthink it. I just need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for a while. Do you really think I like you? Don’t flatter yourself.”
“As for your little girlfriend, I’ll explain everything to her.”
“I’ll tell her we’re just pretending to be a couple. When needed, I’ll use you. When not needed, do whatever you want, for all I care.”
She was very domineering. “If she agrees, everyone will be happy. If not, I’ll arrest her.”
“So you’re determined to use me.”
Darnell looked helplessly resigned and knew he couldn’t escape her grasp. “Since I’m supposed to be your boyfriend now, can I go back to your place for some proper rest?”
“Sleeping in the car last night wasn’t comfortable at all. Besides, I need to change clothes. I’m wrapped in a bedsheet running around. It’s embarrassing!”
“Letting you sleep in my car last night was already doing you a favor. Otherwise, you’d be sleeping on the streets.”
“As for your clothes, sorry, I threw them in the trash out of anger last night. They’re probably at the dump by now.”
“This bedsheet is nice, long enough, warm, and certainly eye-catching.”
Judith looked smugly at Darnell. “Make do with it for now. We’ll pass through Woodsea later where you can go home and change.”
Darnell looked dejected. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Heh heh, you don’t want to talk?”
Judith stepped on the gas pedal and the police car slowly headed towards Woodsea. “Fine, then don’t. I need to discuss something serious with you anyway, so just listen.”
Darnell said nothing but grabbed the milk and started drinking noisily.
“When you were in custody, didn’t you meet a middle-aged man in the cell?”
Judith’s expression turned stern. “Elon Billingsley, Mr. Billionaire?”
Darnell shuddered slightly and nodded. “Yes, I know him and even fought with two of his men. I also cut him with glass shards.”
“Why?”
“I need to make it clear. I only know his name and nickname.” Darnell quickly clarified.
“I don’t know his identity, profession, or his family, and I have no collusion with him, so if he’s committed any major crimes, you don’t need to suspect me.”
“I’m not saying you’re colluding with him.”
Judith spoke calmly, “I can see he seemed quite nice to you. He was willing to protect you.”
“At least, you two get along well.”
“Of course, I’m likable. Everyone loves me…”
Darnell boasted briefly but soon squinted his eyes. “Captain Meech, what exactly do you want?”
Judith smiled sweetly, her voice exceptionally gentle. “Dear, can you do me a favor? Find a way to become friends with Elon Billingsley.”
Darnell shook his head immediately. “No way.”
Friends? Darnell wasn’t that foolish. It was obvious that the police wanted him to get close to Elon for information.
Although he didn’t know Elon’s exact identity, the fact that Judith would lower herself to ask him meant he wasn’t an ordinary figure.
Becoming friends was just a pretense. The reality would be becoming an informant. Darnell didn’t want to end up dead on the street, so he refused Judith’s request.
“Why not?”
Judith continued speaking softly, “I only hope you’ll become friends with him, not asking for anything else.”
“Aren’t we dating? Can’t even help with such a small favor? That’s heartless.”
Darnell chuckled, “You’re one to talk! You actually want to send your boyfriend to his death.”
“Besides, we’re dating, but there’s no benefit for me at all. Is this how relationships work?”
Darnell glanced at her captivating legs. “You should find someone else to befriend Elon Billingsley, but make sure they buy insurance first.”
“Elon Billingsley may look gentle, but when ruthless, he’s definitely formidable.”
He recalled Elon’s smiling face, and his eyes showed contemplation.
“It’s precisely because he’s formidable, that I need your help.”
At an intersection, Judith tilted her head slightly, squinting her eyes, and pouting her lips slightly, as if pleading, with her face glowing like peach blossoms, and lips bright red.
She looked like a playful yet capricious girl, bewitching everyone as she spoke, “Help me with this little favor. How about this? You help me, and I’ll let you touch me.”
Darnell began wavering. “What? No.”
Judith cunningly added, “And a hug?”
Darnell coughed. “This really… isn’t good.”
“I’ll let you touch, hug, and kiss me.”
Judith tilted her face upwards, that face radiant and fresh. “I’ll even do pole dancing for you, in uniform.”
Darnell’s eyes lit up, as if seeing Judith dressed in a police uniform, with a hat on, and licking her lips, swaying around the pole with seductive eyes.
That chest, that leg, that hip, and that drastically different charm from usual, made Darnell feel his blood boiling.
Judith played her trump card, adding, “I’ll wear nothing but the black cat-patterned underwear down below.”
Gritting his teeth, Darnell replied, “Alright… I’ll try my best.”