Several heads turned. One officer stopped mid-conversation on his phone, his expression shifting from bored to concerned.
Rourke stepped forward, slapping a preliminary charge sheet onto the desk. "Booking her for obstruction, failure to properly identify, and suspected fraudulent use of federal credentials." His voice was loud, performative, as if trying to convince everyone within earshot.
"I require legal counsel," Evelyn said firmly. "And I'd like to speak with your commanding officer."
The booking officer glanced uncertainly at Lieutenant Wade, who stood near his office door watching the proceedings. Wade, a career bureaucrat more interested in following procedure than questioning it, merely nodded for them to continue processing.
"Counsel can be arranged once booking is complete," Wade said flatly. "Process her first."
Officer Halverson hovered near the edge of the booking desk, shifting his weight from foot to foot. His hand kept moving toward his pocket where his phone sat, then pulling back. The young officer's face showed clear discomfort, but he remained silent as Evelyn was photographed and fingerprinted.
"Remove any jewelry," the booking officer instructed.
With steady hands, Evelyn unclasped her necklace: a simple gold chain with her wedding ring threaded onto it, a habit from her intelligence days when rings could be dangerous in the field. The booking officer dropped it into a plastic evidence bag with mechanical indifference.
"I need to document these charges properly," Rourke insisted, hovering over the booking officer's shoulder. "Make sure everything's noted about her aggressive non-compliance at the scene."
"I was neither aggressive nor non-compliant," Evelyn stated calmly. "And I believe the bystander videos will confirm that."
Rourke's face flushed red. "You refuse to—"
"I refuse to accept unlawful detention," Evelyn interrupted, her voice level. "There's a difference."
Across town, Raymond Brooks' influence was beginning to land with seismic force. A Defense Department legal liaison was on the phone with the state's public safety office, his words carrying the full weight of Pentagon authority.
"We have a situation in Bellhaven that requires immediate attention," the liaison stated. "A retired federal intelligence officer with active clearance has been detained without cause. This is now a matter of military family security protocol."
The public safety officer's response was immediate: "Sending notification to Bellhaven command staff now. Who exactly was detained?"