Dalton shifted testingly. "Well?"
Rachel looked down once more at the bag. "Nothing illegal."
Dalton frowned. "Check again."
"I did."
"You barely touched it!"
Rachel rose slowly. "I searched it."
Dalton stepped closer. "There's something going on with these two."
Rachel looked toward Marcus and Daniel. Both men remained handcuffed beside the green iron bench. Marcus's wrists had turned red beneath the steel. Daniel's face was tight with restrained anger. Then Rachel looked toward the witnesses: the food vendor, the hotel worker, Clare with her phone held low, the older man clutching his newspaper. Something about the scene bothered her. Not one thing—everything.
"Start from the beginning," Rachel said.
Dalton stared at her. "What?"
"What did they do?"
"I already explained it!"
"No, you said they looked suspicious."
"They were watching vehicles."
"And?"
"They wouldn't properly identify themselves."
Rachel glanced at the wallet lying on the bench. "You searched them both. Found anything?"
Dalton's expression hardened. "Potential stolen property."
Rachel waited. "What property?"
Dalton's hand moved toward his pocket. He stopped himself. Marcus noticed; so did Rachel.
"A key," Dalton finally said.
"A key?"
"Yes."
Rachel looked toward Marcus. "Is it yours?"
Marcus answered calmly, "It came from my bag."
"That wasn't what I asked."
"Yes," Marcus said. "It's mine."
Rachel turned back to Dalton. "Why do you think it's stolen?"
"He won't tell me what it opens."
Rachel's expression changed slightly. "That doesn't make it stolen."
Dalton lowered his voice: "You weren't here when this started."
"No. That's why I'm asking."
Marcus watched something unfamiliar enter Dalton's face: resistance. He was accustomed to citizens questioning him; he wasn't accustomed to another officer doing it.
Dalton stepped closer to Rachel. "These two have been playing games since I walked over here."
Rachel didn't move. "What probable cause do you have?"
Dalton glanced toward the crowd. His voice dropped further. "You seriously doing this right now?"
"Yes."
"Back me up!"
"I am trying to understand what I'm backing."
The words landed heavily. Daniel looked at Marcus; Marcus remained still. This wasn't part of their plan. Rachel had been an unknown variable from the moment her patrol car entered the park. Now she was becoming something else: a witness with a badge.
Dalton pointed toward Marcus. "He's got an attitude."
Rachel looked at Marcus. Marcus almost smiled. Instead, he asked, "Is that an offense?"
Rachel's mouth tightened, but not at him. Dalton snapped, "See?!"
"I see a man asking a question."
"You don't know what happened!"
"Then tell me."
Dalton stared at her. The park seemed quieter than before.
Rachel looked at Daniel. "You?"
Daniel nodded toward Dalton. "He searched me. Found nothing. He searched Marcus's bag. Found a key. Put it in his own pocket without documenting it. Then he handcuffed us."
Dalton stepped toward him. "Watch yourself!"
Rachel moved slightly between them. It was subtle; Marcus noticed anyway.
"Eric." Dalton stopped. It was the first time anyone had used his first name. Rachel lowered her voice. "Where's the key?"
Dalton's hand covered his pocket. "Secured."
"Did you call it in?"
"I was getting to that."