Chapter 325

The cop was thrown for a loop by Jason’s move. He was still a suspect himself, not cleared of charges, and now he wanted to press charges against someone else?

The officer scowled. “Who are you reporting?”

“Shermaine,” Jason replied.

The cop thought, ‘Talk about bold. “Why accuse her?”

“I think Shermaine spiked my mom’s beef and wine this afternoon. That’s why she’s in the hospital in bad shape,” Jason said.

“Think? So you have no proof, just a wild guess.”

Jason’s expression turned grim. “Just do your job and check.”

The officer didn’t feel like humoring him, but professional duty won out. ‘If the investigation turns up nothing, he will be hit with false reporting and defamation,’ he thought.

First, he verified Natalie’s condition–severe allergic reaction with hallucinations of bugs, now sedated and unconscious in the hospital.

But the probe came up empty. La Terraza Winery insisted their food hadn’t been tampered with from prep to table, and the hospital confirmed the allergy wasn’t triggered by food.

With the hospital’s findings, the cop had no reason to keep investigating. He returned to give Jason the news.

“That can’t be right,” Jason exploded. “Shermaine had to be behind this.”

The cop maintained a stern expression. “This is the official conclusion.”

“Useless,” Jason spat, his face darkening. “My mom was attacked, and you can’t find squat. Maybe you’re on her payroll too.”

The officer wasn’t riled–just certain Jason was headed for a cell. False reporting was one thing, but insulting a cop’s honor? That was crossing the line.

So that night, the lawyer failed to get Jason or Jameson released. Both ended up in the police station.

Jameson’s testimony that night completely cleared Jason and Natalie, manning up to take all the blame for the crimes. He was staring down prison time but wasn’t too worried. After all, years in Basterel had given him connections to weasel out of trouble.

Besides, blood was blood. He couldn’t believe Ross and Shermaine would be that heartless. He’d call Janice tomorrow. His mother wouldn’t let Shermaine put him behind bars.

But Jason had blown it, running his mouth and ending up in the police station. ‘The kid has no sense–nothing like Shermaine,’ Jameson thought.

Looking at Jason now, Jameson felt nothing but irritation.

Still, he’d coddled the boy his whole life. “Jason, rein it in next time.”

Gone was the dutiful son. Jason was all snarls. “What’d I do wrong? Shermaine did this to Mom. The cops are useless. They found nothing. What else are they but losers?”

Jameson might be an idiot when it came to family, but he saw straight there. “Shermaine outsmarted the cops. If you had half her brains, would we be sitting here?

“Instead of reflecting on yourself, you let your temper take over. I’m seriously disappointed.”

The second Jameson thought Jason couldn’t hold a candle to Shermaine, he’d already lost completely.