"I'm asking for your help."
That distinction cost Camille more than giving an order would have.
"I'll do it," Jordan said. "But we are not pretending this didn't hurt me, too."
The line disconnected before Camille could answer.
At the hospital, Van cuffed her left wrist to the rail while a nurse cut away the right sleeve of her riding jacket. A raw red patch extended from her wrist nearly to her elbow. The physician ordered wound treatment, knee imaging, and observation for a possible concussion.
Pike stood outside the curtain dictating his report. He emphasized the local vehicle caution and omitted Laya's statement about when it appeared.
By then, the city had released a short public notice describing Camille only as a woman claiming to hold county office during a suspected vehicle theft arrest. A television above the nurse's station showed the roadside video without sound. The clip began after Camille was already kneeling and ended before the county radio identified her. Underneath it, a banner questioned whether an armed impersonator had been stopped near the storm response route.
Van watched from the doorway. "They cut the beginning."
"A short clip can be accurate and still create a lie," Camille said.
He looked down at the notebook Pike had returned to him. One page had been bent at the corner, but it remained intact.
"Did you write down the original plate return?" she asked.
Van did not answer.
"You are not required to speak to me," Camille said. "But you are required to preserve what you recorded."
Pike entered, carrying a tablet. "The duty prosecutor accepted the charges for review. Until identity verification is completed through our command staff, she remains in city custody."
Camille saw Van close his notebook.
Pike placed the tablet before her. It contained a property acknowledgement listing the Harley, helmet, radio, credential case, and phone. The registration was absent. "Sign."