Chapter 149 Riley by the Book
Inside the Police Department.
Alexander never imagined that after picking up a kid, he would not only have to feed and clothe him but also help him with legal troubles. What made him even angrier was that the incident happened in the jurisdiction of the Fourth Squad, and the officer who responded was from Jasper's team.
If that were all, it wouldn't be a big deal because Pine City had plenty of such cases. One way to handle it was to dig deep, and another was to have someone in high places. But Penelope was a bit cunning. After she was caught, the first thing she did was mention Alexander to the investigating officer, saying Luke was Alexander's brother, hoping to use Alexander's name to solve the problem. She didn't expect that once Jasper heard Alexander was involved, he would throw them straight into the interrogation room.
In the First Floor Lobby.
John looked at Alexander with a strange expression and asked tactfully, "Are you really connected to that Penelope?"
"In what way?"
"Romantically."
"Don't talk nonsense. She's so much older, and do you think I have that kind of taste?" Alexander replied irritably, "She's just my neighbor; her shop is next to 88 Court."
"Then why did she mention your name if you two aren't connected?" John responded helplessly, "Originally, this was no big deal. I could have just talked to the investigating officer, and a compensation would have settled it. But once she mentioned your name, that damn Jasper got all excited. Even though he was off duty, he came back specifically to handle this."
"She doesn't understand the situation in the police department. She probably thought mentioning my name would solve the problem," Alexander said, feeling annoyed, "But it just made things more complicated."
"Exactly." John nodded. "Jasper has been looking for a way to cause us trouble, and now he's got it."
Alexander took out his e-cigarette, took a puff, and asked, "Where are they?"
"In the interrogation room," John replied, looking down. "If Jasper didn't know about this case, anyone else would have helped us out, letting us in to explain a few things. But since it's him, I can't just go see Luke and the others. If he snaps at me, there's nothing I can do."
"Yeah," Alexander said, holding his e-cigarette and speaking softly to John, "How about I go find Riley, say some nice things, and ask for his help?"
"Riley was sent to the police department to keep Samuel in check. Do you think he'll help you?" John replied quietly, "I've heard that he was transferred here because Terry had paid for it. Riley is actually on the same side as the others, Understand?"
Alexander pondered for a moment, frowned, and said, "He's a deputy director. Would he really mess with me over such a small detail? That would be too petty!"
"Hard to say." John shook his head. "But you have no choice but to find him because you and Jasper almost got into a fight today. If you go to him, you'll probably end up pulling guns on each other."
"Then I'll try Riley andsay some nice things!"
"You could ask Samuel for his opinion," John suggested as a last resort.
Alexander shook his head at this suggestion. "No way. I'm not a baby who needs to run to Samuel for every little thing. I'd be useless."
"Then go ahead. What else can you do?"
"Damn it," Alexander cursed reluctantly, "I just got back, but Luke is already causing me trouble, making me ask the last person I want to ask for help."
"He's your son. What can you do?"
"Get lost!" Alexander cursed and headed upstairs.
Inside Riley's Office.
Riley had just been transferred back and had a lot on his plate, so he hadn't gone home yet.
Alexander glanced around the office area, saw that Riley's office light was still on, hesitated for a long time, and then walked over to knock on the door.
After a moment, a voice called from inside, "Come in!"
Alexander took a deep breath, put on a wide smile, and pushed the door open. "Director, are you still busy?"
"Alexander." Riley habitually flicked his double-layered wig and nodded slightly. "Come in."
"Working so late, Director, you're really our role model," Alexander flattered insincerely.
Riley took a sip of water and smiled. "I heard you were on vacation. Why are you back so late?"
Alexander sighed, looking helpless. "I recently adopted a kid, and in a moment of impulse, he slashed someone on the street. I can't ignore this, so I came back to the station, hoping you could help me talk to Jasper. We made a mistake, and we should admit it and compensate, but the kid is too young. If we can avoid locking him up, that would be best. Pine City doesn't have a proper juvenile detention center. If you throw him in jail, his life is over."
"Is this kid the one who was caught with a few women?" Riley asked.
"Yes, that's him." Alexander nodded.
Riley flicked his wig again, his expression suddenly turning serious. "Alexander, I need to say something about this."
"Go ahead."
"Since this kid is connected to you, you should follow the principle of avoiding conflicts of interest and stay away from the case, not come to me for help. This sets a bad example," Riley said, looking at Alexander with a slightly gloomy expression. "Also, does the kid you adopted have residency in District Nine? Was he adopted through proper welfare channels?"
Hearing this, Alexander instantly understood that Riley not only knew about the case but that Jasper had probably told him many details; otherwise, he wouldn't ask such questions.
"Alexander, we are law enforcement officers. The scales of justice that everyone in Pine City can see," Riley continued to lecture, "Your habit of always seeking help will not get you far."
"Director, I asked about this matter." Alexander clenched his fists, his face no longer smiling. "The main reason Luke slashed someone was that the thug had been violently beating everyone in the shop for nearly ten minutes. For minors, reacting more violently out of fear is within the legal protection."
"If it's within legal protection, why are you coming to me?" Riley asked, crossing his arms. "What are you afraid of?"
Alexander stared at him, expressionless, and replied, "I'm afraid Jasper would deliberately cause trouble because Luke is connected to me."
"Impossible!" Riley slammed the table. "I know Jasper's personal qualities. He would never engage in such misconduct."
In the Interrogation Room.
Jasper, holding a teacup, looked at Penelope with a stern face and said, "Don't talk about irrelevant things. I didn't ask for case details. Just tell me, why did you keep that kid Luke in your shop, feeding and housing him, even though he's too young to do any work? Is it because your shop has a close connection with Officer Alexander? Has Alexander ever given your shop special treatment, or have you had any financial agreements with him?"
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