Broken Cause [Book 1]

Chapter 1 (Part 3)

"Illegal gambling?" Sooyoung sat down at the table, setting the plate full of macarons down.

"Yes," Irene answered. She grabbed one of the sweet treats and took a bite. "And I blame this on you, Chae."

"What?!" The blonde was about to reach for the pink macaron. She looked at her pouting friend. "How is it my fault?"

"If you had shown up, I wouldn't have been there when those policemen arrived. Do you know how it feels like to be interrogated like you're some sort of criminal?"

"I didn't know, okay? I was seriously feeling under the weather."

"I assume they suspect me of running the whole thing at the bar?" Sooyoung calmly asked.

"Why did you think that?" Chaeyoung asked.

Sooyoung gestured with her head and both her friends turned around to see two women walking towards them.

"Good afternoon, ladies," Lisa greeted the group. "I'm looking for Miss Park Sooyoung?"

"Call me Sooyoung," The woman said and stood up. She extended her hand.

Lisa shook it, bowing a bit. "I'm Inspector Lalisa Manoban from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and this is my partner, Inspector Kim Jisoo." She showed Sooyoung her badge.

Jisoo bowed.

"We have some questions we would like to ask you regarding your sports bar in Itaewon," Lisa continued.

Sooyoung started to walk. "Let's talk in my office."

Lisa and Jisoo followed Sooyoung into the back of the café, towards a small office.

"Have a seat." Sooyoung gestured at the two empty chairs in front of her desk before taking a seat herself. She clasped her hands on the desk. "So how can I help you?"

"Miss Irene Bae is your friend?" Lisa asked.

Sooyoung nodded. "Does this have something to do with those people you arrested at my bar last night?"

"Yes. Do you know any of them?" Jisoo showed Sooyoung the photos in her tablet.

Sooyoung frowned. "Irene or Joohyun, is my friend. She was waiting for my other friend who canceled on her. I can vouch for her. She doesn't gamble. She's not that type. As for these men..." She stared at the screen then shook her head. "I've never seen any of them."

"How about these men?" Jisoo showed another batch of photos containing Kyujun and Jukchae's pictures.

Sooyoung winced when she saw the dead man's picture. "Is he dead?"

"Yes. We found him floating in the Han River a month ago," Lisa said.

Sooyoung was about to say something else when she closed her mouth again. "Wait. Show me that last photograph again, please."

Jisoo slid her finger on the screen to show Sooyoung the photograph of Jukchae.

Sooyoung frowned. "I think I've seen him a few times though I'm not sure where. At the bar or maybe at the club?"

"Your club The Beach?"

Sooyoung nodded.

"But you're sure you don't know him?" Lisa asked.

"I don't, Inspector. You can even strap me to a lie detector. I'm not lying. He's just one of the frequent customers, I guess, that's why his face is familiar."

"But you've never seen the dead guy?" Jisoo spoke again.

Sooyoung shook her head. "I'm sorry, Inspectors."