“Don’t grab me.”
Granger watched closely.
“What do you do for work?”
“Consulting.”
“What kind?”
“Private.”
“Sounds fake.”
“It’s still my answer.”
Granger smiled.
“Trouble found you today.”
Devin called from across the street.
“Leave her alone.”
Every officer turned.
Derek laughed.
“Your boyfriend?”
Alicia ignored him.
Devin shook his head.
“I don’t know her.”
“Then shut up.”
Mason shoved him into the park bench.
Devin’s back hit the wooden edge hard.
Several pedestrians gasped.
Nobody moved forward.
Alicia’s thumb brushed the side of her phone.
An encrypted application activated.
No visible icon.
No sound.
No notification.
The phone began streaming video directly to federal servers.
Everything from that moment forward would exist somewhere the Red Creek Police Department could not erase.
Granger did not know that.
He nodded toward Trevor.
“Run her plate.”
Trevor crossed toward the gray sedan.
He laughed when he reached it.
“This thing yours?”
“Yes.”
“Looks like it survived three wars.”
“Still runs.”
He entered the plate into his mobile computer.
Waited.
Then frowned.
“Clean.”
Granger turned.
“What?”
“Registration matches.”
“No warrants?”
“Nothing.”
Derek shrugged.
“We’ll find something.”
Jacob Reed finally spoke.
“Sergeant.”
Nobody acknowledged him.
He tried again.
“Sergeant Granger.”
“What?”
Jacob looked at Alicia.
Then the sedan.
“We don’t have cause to search.”
For several seconds, nobody said anything.
Granger turned toward him slowly.
“What did you say?”
Jacob swallowed.
“I said the plate is clean.”
“That wasn’t what you said.”
Jacob looked toward the pavement.
“We don’t have probable cause.”
Granger smiled.
It was worse than anger.
“Probable cause has a funny way of showing up when people stop cooperating.”
Jacob said nothing.
Granger turned back toward Alicia.
“Unlock the car.”
“No.”
Derek laughed.
“She really likes that word.”
Granger nodded.
“Search it.”
Alicia stepped between them and the sedan.
“I do not consent.”
“Good thing permission isn’t required.”
Sharon locked the convenience store door.
Not because she feared customers.
Because she feared officers.
Alicia noticed.
So did Devin.
Granger walked toward the driver’s side.
Alicia did not move.
“Step aside.”
“No.”