The internal Greenwood documents were gone.
Her phone buzzed.
One message.
NEXT TIME IT WON'T BE THE REPORTER.
Denise stared at it.
For the first time in twenty years, she felt afraid.
Not for herself.
For Jasmine.
Losing the Badge
The following morning, Internal Affairs suspended Denise.
The allegations were based almost entirely on Reigns's report.
Her badge was temporarily surrendered.
So was her duty weapon.
The news media reported that Captain Carter was under investigation for "misconduct during a mall incident."
Anonymous departmental sources described her as unstable.
Obsessed.
Difficult.
Determined to see discrimination where none existed.
Denise sat alone in her house.
Twenty years of service reduced to a badge sitting inside an evidence envelope.
She almost broke.
Then Jasmine arrived.
The teenager hugged her aunt.
"You okay?"
Denise forced a smile.
"I'm fine."
Jasmine shook her head.
"No, you're not."
She pulled out her phone.
The original mall video had gone viral.
Millions had watched it.
People were sharing their own encounters with Reigns.
Former defendants were speaking publicly.
More witnesses were coming forward.
Jasmine looked at her aunt.
"You're not alone."
Denise stared at the screen.
For the first time in days, she believed it.
The Missing Five Minutes
A protest formed outside Greenwood Mall.
Hundreds gathered.
Denise attended quietly.
No uniform.
No badge.
No authority.
Just a woman among a crowd.
A teenage girl approached her.
"I know you."
Denise recognized her immediately.
The girl from the boutique.
"I'm Tiana Brooks."
"You were recording."
Tiana nodded.