Hot Driver - S01 E67

Story 13 hours ago

Hot Driver - S01 E67

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 67

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{A Police Station – Later That Afternoon}

The detective returned to the interrogation room holding a printed report, his expression grim.

“The water supply tested positive for a toxic compound,” he said, setting the paper down in front of Celeste. “Deliberately introduced. Not contamination. Someone put it there.”

Celeste’s hands flew to her mouth.

“One of your kitchen staff confirmed she saw Hannah near the water tank shortly before the lunch rush,” the detective continued. “We’re still searching for her. She hasn’t returned to her residence, hasn’t answered calls.”

Before Celeste could respond, the detective’s own phone rang. He answered, listened, his brow furrowing deeper with each passing second.

He hung up and looked at Celeste properly for the first time since she’d been brought in.

“We’ve received instruction from higher up,” he said slowly. “Given the evidence pointing toward a single actor, and given that none of the victims have died — you and your staff are being released. Immunity granted, pending further investigation into the missing employee. However.” He held up a hand as relief flooded visibly across every face in the room. “The restaurant remains under lockdown until the investigation formally closes.”

Celeste pressed a trembling hand to her chest, tears spilling freely down her face — relief and grief tangled together so tightly she couldn’t separate one from the other.

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{Ivy Fashion Empire – Ivory’s Office}

“They’re going to release her,” Ivory said, setting down her phone with a satisfied exhale. “I spoke with someone. It’s being handled.”

Duane still looked pale, still unsettled, but something in his shoulders eased slightly at the words.

“And the victims?” he asked.

“Responding to treatment. No fatalities so far.” Ivory reached across the desk and squeezed his hand. “Breathe, Duane. It’s going to be alright.”

Miles knocked and poked his head in. “Ma’am, there’s a young man here, insisting he needs to see you. Says his name is Luis.”

Ivory sat up immediately. “Send him in.”

The door opened, and Luis stumbled through, face blotchy and tear-streaked, and the moment his eyes landed on Duane, he crossed the room in a rush and threw himself into his brother’s arms, sniffling hard against his shoulder.

“Hey,” Duane murmured, holding him tight. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

Luis pulled back after a moment, wiping at his face, and turned to Ivory. “Thank you,” he said, voice still shaky. “For helping my mum. Before, and — and now, I guess. Thank you so much, Ms. Bennett.”

Ivory crossed the room and gently wiped a tear from his cheek with her thumb. “Everything’s okay now, Luis. I promise you.”

He nodded, some of the tension easing out of his small shoulders.

“You know,” Ivory said, a small smile tugging at her lips, “Hazel hasn’t stopped talking about you.”

Luis’s face brightened instantly, curiosity chasing away some of the grief. “What does she say?”

Ivory laughed softly, mimicking Hazel’s exact breathless enthusiasm. “‘Ohh, you have to see Luis, he’s too cute, he has pink lips, handsomeness surely runs in their genes, Luis this, Luis that—'”

Luis burst out laughing despite himself, and Duane chuckled beside him, some of the heaviness in the room finally lifting.

Ivory’s phone buzzed again. She glanced at it and broke into a wide, relieved smile.

“She’s out,” she said. “Celeste’s been released.”

Luis’s face crumpled with fresh tears, but this time they were tears of relief, and he threw his arms around Ivory in a tight, grateful hug.

“Thank you,” he said again, muffled against her shoulder. “Thank you so much.”

He pulled back, and before he could say anything more, Duane closed the distance and pulled Ivory into his own arms, holding her so tightly her feet nearly left the floor. He kissed her hair, her forehead, the curve of her nose, before finally capturing her lips fully, deep and unhurried, utterly forgetting they had an audience.

Luis blinked, glanced down at his phone, and quietly began texting Hazel, giving them their moment.

Luis: you don’t have to worry, it was something urgent and everything is cool now and I’m in your sis empire.

He looked back up. They were still kissing.

He cleared his throat loudly, coughing in a way that was not remotely subtle.

Duane and Ivory broke apart at once, both looking faintly startled, as though they’d genuinely forgotten Luis was standing right there the entire time.

Ivory smoothed her hair quickly, cheeks pink, and retreated to her chair with as much composure as she could manage.

“I wish I could stay longer,” Luis said, grinning now, clearly delighted at having caught them.
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