The phone rang twice before it was answered.
"Harrison," Valerie said into the phone, her voice carrying clearly in the night air. "I apologize for calling so late. Are you awake?"
On the other end of the line, Police Chief Harrison Weber—a man who oversaw the entire Atlanta Police Department and had been on a first-name basis with Valerie for a decade—sat up in his bed. "Valerie? It's midnight. Is everything all right? You're supposed to be celebrating your promotion this week."
"I'm afraid I'm experiencing a bit of a delay," Valerie said, her eyes locked dead onto Miller's confused face. "I'm currently standing on West Paces Ferry Road. One of your officers, a Bradley Miller, badge number 7499, has just pulled me over without cause. He has subsequently dismantled the interior of my vehicle, destroyed my property, and is currently threatening to arrest me because I refused to sign a fabricated citation."
Miller's stomach dropped. He didn't know who Harrison was, but the way this woman spoke—the terminology, the complete lack of fear, the clinical precision of her complaint—sent a sudden, icy shard of dread down his spine.
"Who are you calling?" Miller demanded, though his voice lacked the booming confidence it held five minutes ago. "Hey! I said hang up the phone!"
Valerie ignored him entirely. "Yes, Harrison," she continued. "I would like you down here immediately. Bring Captain Reynolds from Internal Affairs. And Harrison... tell them to bring a camera. The Bureau is going to want high-resolution photos for the civil rights indictment."
"The Bureau?" Miller whispered out loud. The color completely drained from his face.
On the phone, Chief Weber swore loudly. "Valerie, I am so sorry. I'm leaving my house right now. I'm ten minutes away. Put the officer on the phone."
"He's right here," Valerie said. She held the phone out toward Miller. "Your Chief would like a word."
Miller stared at the glowing rectangle as if it were a live grenade. He looked at Jenkins; Jenkins looked like he was ready to faint. Slowly, with a trembling hand, Miller took the phone.
"Hello?" Miller stammered.
"Officer Miller!" The voice of Chief Weber boomed through the speaker, so loud that even Jenkins could hear it. "Do you have any earthly idea who you pulled over?"