Ben’s locked backpack and confiscated phone at the cafe — Then the security camera footage reveals who actually started the fight
Chapter 5 — Coworker testimony alters the timeline
Karen stood by the swinging kitchen door with her cleaning cloth balled up in her fist.
She looked from Sarah to Mark and then down at Ben.
“I was walking out with the sheet pans around four o’clock,” Karen said.
“I saw Mark standing right here by the register.”
Mark dropped his arms from his chest.
“Karen, get back to the prep tables,” Mark said.
“You have orders to finish.”
“I saw you pick Ben’s phone up off the wood,” Karen continued, ignoring the warning in Mark’s tone.
“You told him he was breaking the rule about devices.”
“And then where did it go?” Sarah asked, turning back to the baker.
“He walked it right over to the front office door,” Karen said.
“He unlocked the top drawer of the oak desk and dropped it inside.”
Mark stared at the baker with a tight frown.
“That was a temporary confiscation for a policy violation,” Mark said.
“The employee handbook clearly states that unauthorized electronics on the service floor will be held until the end of the pay period.”
“You don’t have the legal right to lock up a kid’s personal phone in a private drawer,” Sarah said.
“This isn’t about safety rules anymore.”
“This is about unauthorized property seizure.”
“It’s standard cafe protocol,” Mark insisted, stepping defensively toward the Dell monitor.
“Protocol doesn’t override the law,” Sarah said.
She pointed a finger directly at the wooden door leading to the administrative office behind the counter.
“Open that drawer right now,” Sarah demanded.
