Hater slapped his forehead in realization. He was an entertainment reporter, and he had a camera on him during his ill-fated excursion. But now, after everything that had happened at the police station, he realized he hadn't seen his camera anywhere.
If he could just find the photos on it, he might be able to prove something. Maybe it wouldn't change the outcome of his involvement in the prostitution bust, but at least he could confirm he'd seen John Lopez enter the brothel.
He quickly hung up the phone and headed straight for the pink alley, hoping to retrieve his camera.
But his efforts were in vain.
Meanwhile, John Lopez, the ever-helpful citizen, was back at home, content after his little adventure. He was greeted by Queenie Yeats, who was eager to learn how the day had gone.
"How was it today? Did you have a wonderful time with Anita Moore?" she asked, her curiosity barely contained.
John Lopez shrugged nonchalantly. "What kind of interesting story could there be? It was just a regular reunion, a little bit of warmth, that's all."
"Is that all?" Queenie Yeats's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.
Of course, she didn't believe him. John Lopez was known for stirring things up whenever he met one of his sisters. The idea that nothing happened between him and Anita Moore was hard to buy.
John Lopez sighed. "Really, nothing happened…"
Then he smirked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Queenie, you seem really invested in what's going on between Anita and me. How about you play director and help us shoot a low-budget movie?"
"What kind of movie?" Queenie asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's the kind of movie in Kate Williams's computer," he teased. "Speaking of which, I've been wondering—Kate Williams's computer has been in your room for so long. Why haven't you deleted the videos on it yet?"
The mention of the videos immediately put a flustered look on Queenie Yeats's face. A moment of panic flashed in her eyes, but she quickly composed herself.
"I'm keeping the evidence," she said with feigned calmness. "I want to use them to criticize Kate Williams for her behavior."
"But you've already criticized Kate," John Lopez pressed further, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Why keep the videos? Are you… watching them secretly?"
"You—nonsense!" Queenie snapped, her face flushing red. She quickly stammered, "I just… I just forgot to delete them! I'll do it right now!"
Embarrassed, she rushed off toward her room, leaving John Lopez to watch her go. Her cold exterior couldn't mask her underlying flustered state. She was still a woman, after all, and curiosity was natural—even for someone like her.
But still, John had no right to say such things. Didn't he care about her image at all?
As Queenie Yeats disappeared into her room, Kate Williams suddenly appeared, rushing to protect the computer as if it were a child.
"No! No, Queenie, you can't delete those videos!" Kate cried, throwing herself in front of the computer dramatically. "Those are learning materials I've gathered for so long!"
"Kate, get out of my way!" Queenie snapped, her voice sharp. "I have to clean up this hard drive today—just in case anyone tries to use this against me!"
"But—John Lopez is right," Kate muttered. "One night when I came to see you…"
"Shut up!" Queenie immediately cut her off, her anger rising as she clamped her hand over Kate's mouth. She quickly shifted to scratching her armpit with her free hand, hoping to break her free of the situation.
The two women were now fighting, the tension between them palpable.
John Lopez watched the scene unfold with a quiet smile. To him, this life was cozy—full of banter and drama that kept things interesting.
He didn't know if Queenie Yeats had actually deleted the videos, but soon he heard the sound of her phone ringing.
It was Anita Moore, who seemed to be grumbling on the other end. "It's bad enough that Queenie Yeats secretly arranged for John Lopez to join the film crew, but did she really think it would be good for me? Did you check if there were any paparazzi following him home?"
Queenie Yeats responded, her voice seething with frustration, "If any paparazzi dare to follow him here, I'll smash their heads in!"
But what really made John Lopez speechless was the moment Queenie Yeats switched gears completely. "It's not me who's bad—it's John Lopez! He begged me to bring him to the film crew. He said he wanted to make fun of you and shoot a low-budget movie with you!"
It was clear that she was trying to throw him under the bus.
John Lopez wasn't going to let that slide. He barged into the room, snatched the phone out of Queenie's hands, and quickly corrected the record. "Anita, don't listen to Queenie. She's just being a troublemaker!"
"Nonsense!" Queenie Yeats shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't you dare say that out loud. Did you or did you not talk about making a low-budget movie?"
As if on cue, Kate Williams piped up. "Yes, yes, John Lopez said that. I heard him."
John Lopez gaped in disbelief, his eyes wide. "Kate, weren't you just in a fight with Queenie? How did you change sides so quickly? Do you even have a spine?"
"Ha! I'm just telling the truth," Kate Williams grinned.
"Really?" asked Anita Moore from the other side of the phone.
John Lopez scrambled for an explanation. "Look, Anita, I was just kidding. Queenie told me she was looking forward to something happening between us, so I teased her about it. It was all a joke!"
"Nonsense!" Queenie Yeats interrupted again. "Do you really think I'm the kind of person who's into gossip like that?"
The two versions of the story were completely at odds, but Kate Williams wasn't finished. "I can prove it! John Lopez is telling the truth. Queenie was the one who was curious about what might happen between them."
Both John Lopez and Queenie Yeats shot Kate a cold look.
It turned out that Kate wasn't just a waffler—she also had an extraordinary ability to eavesdrop. She had been listening in on their conversation in the living room while hiding in the bedroom.
John Lopez couldn't resist. He pinched Kate's baby-fat cheek playfully. "Kate, you know that a waffler like you is going to get squeezed from both sides, right?"
With a pout, Kate Williams shot him a playful glare. "I'm just explaining the truth."