Halverson edged closer, peering at the documents. "Sir, these appear to match."
"Could be forged," Rourke cut him off. But there was a new note in his voice. Not uncertainty, but something worse: determination. "In fact, this makes the situation more serious. These are high-level credentials. What are you doing with them?"
"Those are my legitimate credentials," Evelyn stated. "As you can see from the photos and dates, they're mine."
"You expect me to believe someone like you has this level of clearance?" Rourke's emphasis on "someone like you" hung in the air, heavy with implication.
A murmur went through the crowd. Someone whispered, "She's awful calm for someone with something to hide." Another voice responded, "Or awful calm for someone who knows she's right."
"Officer," Evelyn said, her voice carrying clearly across the parking lot. "I'm going to say this one more time: those are my legitimate credentials. I've broken no laws. Your suspicions are based on assumptions, not evidence."
Rourke's face flushed red. "Turn around and place your hands behind your back."
"On what charge?"
"Impersonating federal personnel," he snapped. "Using forged documents, resisting an officer."
"I haven't resisted anything," Evelyn noted calmly. "And those documents are genuine, as any check will confirm."
"Turn around," Rourke repeated, pulling his handcuffs free. "Do it now, or we'll add another charge."
Evelyn met his gaze steadily, then turned, keeping her movements slow and deliberate. The crowd had grown silent, phones still recording as the handcuffs clicked into place around her wrists. The metal was cold against her skin, but her expression remained unchanged.
"You're making a serious mistake," she said quietly.
"Keep talking," Rourke replied, tightening the cuffs a notch further than necessary. "Just keep digging that hole deeper."
Officer Halverson stood to the side, his discomfort now visible as he watched Rourke grab Evelyn's arm. The younger officer's hand moved toward his own phone, then dropped away, his face a mask of indecision.