Chapter 170: The Trio's Bizarre Journey

"What's going on with you guys? Are you here to visit relatives or friends?"

After the duty officer at the Douglas Police Station checked the identity information of the trio, a small question mark instantly crawled across his forehead.

These three, two from Seattle and one from California. Let's not even talk about the distance, just between these two places, which one isn't better than Douglas? To come all this way and end up penniless, it's really something!

"No, no, officer. We came here for work through a referral, but when we arrived, we found out they weren't hiring anymore. And... we don't have money to go back, not even money for food."

"I can't help you with that. How much do you think my salary is? You three figure out if you can hitchhike back with the money for your plane tickets."

After shaking his head speechlessly, the officer returned the trio's documents. Meanwhile, he silently prayed for them, "Amen."

With no money, trying to hitchhike back to the Northwest from the Southeast of the United States while mooching for food and rides isn't realistic no matter how you think about it.

In a country where there's no such thing as "find the police when in trouble," Officer Hobbes wasn't obligated to help these three unlucky kids get back home. Offering a prayer for them was already being a pretty good Samaritan in Hobbes's view!

"Officer, officer, we haven't eaten anything for almost a day, do you have any cookies or something here? Could you please let us have something to eat first?"

Seeing the officer starting to show signs of wanting to chase them away, Gab hurriedly pushed aside Jon and Drew, who had been talking nonsense and avoiding the topic of food. With wide, hopeful eyes, he looked at Officer Hobbes.

"I don't have any food here either. We just ate, and it's all gone. Sorry, forget it, let me take you guys to get something to eat."

Moved by the disappointed expression on Gab's chubby face, Hobbes softened. After instructing a colleague to cover for him for a while, Hobbes started up the police car with the trio inside.

"The only places around here that serve food at this hour are a few pubs in town. After we go in, don't cause any trouble, alright? Don't make me regret helping you guys!"

"Thank you, officer! We'll definitely listen to you!"

After warning the excited Gab, who seemed to be enjoying his first ride in a police car and even sitting in the criminal's seat, Hobbes led them to the road.

"Can you guys serve food at this hour? Sandwiches or something? Give me three, how much is it?"

"Hahaha, Mr. Hobbes, are you doing a good deed? How can I let you do this? Let me handle it, let's make it four! Mr. Hobbes, aren't you going to eat something?"

Seeing Hobbes reaching for his wallet, Montbart laughed heartily. He quickly walked to the counter, whispered some instructions to the server, and then added, "Put two of the portions on their tab! This is on behalf of Mr. Black!"

The black men were about to applaud when they heard the first sentence.

Montbart, are you trying to use the police department's connections to make us black men foot the bill?! What kind of logic is this?!

But when they heard the next sentence, they shut their mouths simultaneously. Even the hands that were about to clap stopped midway and awkwardly retreated to their heads, sending dandruff flying.

After thinking about it, Hobbes felt he wasn't wrong. Regardless, he could wear his police uniform and walk into such a place without being thrown out immediately. That was already them giving face to Carter.

And on the other hand, Carter's identity as the biggest sponsor of the Douglas Police Department wasn't a secret in Douglas. Thinking about his stable income, Hobbes didn't feel he was being insincere.

However, now that it was like this, the two skinny ones and the chubby one behind him felt something was amiss.

Could it be that the job Paul introduced to them wasn't for Blake Bank, but for this Mr. Black? Or perhaps they were actually the same person—no, the same employer!

But on the surface, Mr. Black ran a bank. But behind the scenes, he brought them over to handle matters that weren't visible. That's why they couldn't get any results while at the bank?!