Mercer turned sharply. “What are you doing?”
“Clearing the call.”
“I said I have it.”
“And the address already matches.”
Mercer glared at him.
The reply came before he could stop it.
Property registered jointly to Daniel Michael Bennett and Alicia Renee Bennett. Closing date September 14 of previous year.
Morris looked toward Daniel.
“You’re confirmed.”
Daniel nodded.
“Thank you.”
He lowered his hands slightly.
Mercer immediately raised his voice. “Hands stay up.”
Daniel froze.
“What exactly are you investigating now?”
“The original suspicious-person complaint.”
“You just confirmed I own the house.”
“That doesn't explain why the neighbor was concerned.”
Daniel nearly laughed. “The neighbor was concerned because she knew the previous owners.”
“She may know something we don't.”
“What?”
Mercer had no answer.
Daniel looked at him for a long moment. “What fact do you currently have that suggests a crime?”
“Your behavior.”
Morris looked over.
Daniel repeated, “My behavior?”
“You’ve been argumentative since we arrived.”
“I answered your questions.”
“You challenged every instruction.”
“I asked why you were giving them.”
“Exactly.”
Daniel nodded slowly, as if something had finally become clear. “So the address matched, the property record matched, and now my questions are replacing the burglary as the reason to detain me.”
“Don't put words in my mouth.”
“I don't need to.”
Mercer stepped closer. “Turn around.”
Maya gasped.
Daniel’s expression changed. “Why?”
“Obstruction.”
“By what act?”
“You’re interfering with an investigation.”
“What investigation?”
“Turn around.”
Daniel did not.
He kept his hands visible.
“I am requesting a supervisor.”
“You don't get to make demands.”
“I requested one.”
Mercer reached toward his handcuffs.
Maya started crying again.
“Dad.”
Daniel looked at her.
“It’s okay.”
Mercer smirked. “Tell her to stop crying and listen.”
Daniel turned back to him so slowly that even Morris moved closer.
“Do not tell my daughter to stop crying.”
“Then control your kid.”
“She was gardening in her own backyard when you sprayed her.”
Mercer unclipped the cuffs.
Morris stepped forward. “Ryan, stop.”
Mercer looked at him.
“The property is confirmed,” Morris said. “There’s no crime.”
“He’s obstructing.”
“How?”
“He’s refusing commands.”
“Which one?”
Mercer did not answer.
Morris continued. “He hasn’t touched us. He hasn’t tried to leave. He provided his name, date of birth, address. Parcel confirms him.”
“You taking his side?”
Morris stared.
“That’s not how this works.”
Mercer’s jaw flexed.
Daniel noticed the garden hose still in Mercer’s other hand.
“Put the hose down.”
Mercer looked toward it.
Then toward Daniel.
“You really want to keep telling me what to do?”
“I want you to stop holding something you already used on my daughter.”
Mercer squeezed the trigger.
Water slammed into Daniel’s chest.
Maya screamed.
The stream lasted only two seconds, but the deliberate nature of it changed everything.
Daniel did not move.
He closed his eyes while water ran down his face.
Then Mercer swung the nozzle toward Maya.
Morris grabbed his wrist.
“No.”
The stream struck the grass instead.
Mercer jerked away. “Get off me.”
Morris took the hose from him and dropped it.
“Enough.”
For several seconds, neither officer spoke.
Daniel wiped water from his eyes.
“You sprayed me after ownership was confirmed.”
Mercer said, “You refused to maintain distance.”
“I was standing still.”
“That's not how I saw it.”
Daniel looked toward the camera on Mercer’s chest.
“Good.”
Mercer stared.
Daniel’s voice remained level.
“Then we won’t have to rely on either of our memories.”
The sound of a car door closing came from the driveway.
Maya looked toward the house.
“Mom.”
Daniel’s eyes closed for half a second.
Not because he needed rescuing.
Because he knew exactly what his wife was going to see when she walked into that yard.
The rear patio door opened.
Alicia Bennett stepped outside carrying a paper bakery bag in one hand and a pharmacy bag in the other.
She stopped.
Everything froze.
Alicia was forty, Black, with shoulder-length curls, a camel-colored blazer over a white blouse, dark jeans, and low heels. She had expected to find her husband and daughter arguing about whether pastries counted as breakfast. Instead she saw Maya crying in soaked clothing, Daniel standing with his hands still raised, two police officers beside the garden, and a hose spraying uselessly into the grass.
The pharmacy bag slipped from her hand.
“Maya?”
Her daughter ran.
Mercer moved automatically. “Ma’am, stop!”
Alicia did not.
Maya collided with her mother and wrapped both arms around her waist.
Alicia crouched immediately.
“What happened?”
“He sprayed me.”
Alicia looked toward the officers.
“Who?”
Maya pointed at Mercer.
“He took the hose and sprayed Daddy too.”
Alicia stood.
The change in her face was almost frightening because there was no visible rage.
Only focus.
“Officer,” she said, “what is the legal basis for detaining my husband?”
Mercer looked at her.
“Identify yourself.”
“Alicia Bennett. I live here.”
His eyes flicked toward her clothing, then toward the driveway.
“Another homeowner?”
“Yes.”
“Convenient.”
Daniel almost laughed from disbelief.
Alicia looked at him.
“Has ownership been verified?”
“Yes.”
“By dispatch?”
“Yes.”
“And you are still detained?”
“Apparently.”
Mercer interrupted. “Your husband is obstructing an active investigation.”
Alicia looked at him.
“What investigation remains after ownership confirmation?”
Mercer’s expression tightened.
“You need to stay out of this.”