"Was Elaine Mercer the caller?"
His eyes narrowed.
"How do you know who called?"
"Because she has questioned whether I belong here before."
"You don't need to worry about the caller."
"I'm not worried about her."
Callahan stepped closer.
"I said show me identification."
"I told you it's inside."
"Then why won't you go get it?"
"You told me not to."
Price looked away.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Simone watched Callahan's face.
She saw embarrassment.
Then irritation.
Then anger.
She knew the progression.
It was a pattern.
A simple question had become a challenge.
A request for verification had become resistance.
The purpose of the encounter was changing.
It was no longer about determining whether a crime had occurred.
It was becoming about who would win.
Callahan pointed toward the sidewalk.
"Step off the lawn."
Simone actually laughed once.
Not loudly.
Not mockingly.
Just from disbelief.
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"You want the homeowner to leave her property because a neighbor says the homeowner looks suspicious?"
"I'm conducting an investigation."
"Then investigate."
Callahan's jaw tightened.
Price quietly said, "Brent, I can run the deed."
Callahan shot him a look.
"I've got it."
Price hesitated.
Simone heard those words and stored them away.
"I suggest you let him."
Callahan looked back at her.
"I suggest you stop giving orders."
Simone's voice remained level.
"I'm giving you an easy exit."
That sentence changed everything.
Callahan's face hardened.
He turned toward the driveway.
Simone initially thought he was reaching for his radio.
Instead, he picked up the green garden hose lying beside the outdoor faucet.
Simone stared.
"What are you doing?"
Callahan twisted the nozzle.
Water burst onto the driveway.
"Move toward the sidewalk."
Simone's expression hardened.
"Put the hose down."
"Last warning."
Price stepped forward.
"Brent, come on."
Callahan ignored him.
Simone took one step toward her house.
The stream hit her across the chest.
Cold water exploded against the white blouse.
For a second, she couldn't breathe.
She stumbled backward.
Her foot slipped on the wet grass.
She fell hard onto her hip.
Several neighbors shouted.
Price froze.
Callahan kept spraying.
"Move!"
Simone pushed herself up with one hand.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Off the lawn!"
"This is my property!"
The water struck her shoulder again.
Her hair came loose from its bun.
Her left flat slipped halfway off her foot.
Across the street, phones appeared.
A teenager began recording.
A middle-aged man stepped onto his porch.
"She lives there!" he shouted.
Callahan turned.
"Stay back!"
The man stopped.
But he kept filming.
Simone reached one knee.
Water ran down her face.
She wiped her eyes.
"Turn it off."
Callahan aimed the hose toward the ground in front of her.
"Get onto the sidewalk."
Price finally stepped between them slightly.
"Brent, stop. We need to verify."
Callahan snapped, "Get out of my line."
Price stopped.
Simone saw it.
The junior officer knew.
He knew the situation was wrong.
But he was afraid of his partner.
That frightened Simone more than the hose.
She stood.
Callahan lifted the nozzle again.
Simone reached into the back pocket of her soaked jeans.
Callahan's hand moved toward his sidearm.
"Hands where I can see them!"
Simone froze.
Slowly, deliberately, she pulled out a black leather wallet.
"Drop it!"
Simone opened it.
A gold shield caught the afternoon light.
Callahan's expression emptied.
The hose dropped toward the pavement.
Simone held the badge at eye level.
DETECTIVE INSPECTOR SIMONE CARTER
OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Price stared.
Then he looked at Callahan.
Simone's voice was low.
"Turn that hose off, Officer."
Callahan did.
Water continued dripping from the nozzle.
Nobody moved.
Then Simone stepped onto the wet brick walkway.
Her blouse clung to her shoulders.
Her jeans were soaked to the knees.
Her hair dripped down her back.
Callahan opened his mouth.
"Inspector, I didn't know—"
Simone raised one finger.
"Do not finish that sentence."
He stopped.
"If you tell me you would have behaved differently because you knew what badge I carried, you are going to make this considerably worse."
Callahan swallowed.
"I thought you were trespassing."
"I told you I owned the house."
"We had a caller—"