today."
"I assure you, Officer Miller," Maya said, turning her head slightly
to lock eyes with him, "you are the one who has messed with the wrong
person today."
Miller rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Everybody's got a lawyer,
everybody's gonna sue. Get in the back of the car."
He grabbed her shoulder to push her toward the back door of the
cruiser. But before he could open it, a sleek, black Lincoln Navigator
turned onto Elmwood Drive, rolling smoothly and silently to a stop just
a few yards behind the police cruiser.
he Navigator’s hazard lights blinked. The driver’s side door
opened, and a tall, distinguished-looking man in a tailored
charcoal suit stepped out. It was Thomas Sterling, the Mayor of
Oakridge. He was an early riser, heading to City Hall to prepare for the
10:00 AM swearing-in ceremony. He had decided to take the scenic
route through Elmwood to clear his head before the media circus.
Seeing a police cruiser with its lights flashing, and officers holding
a handcuffed suspect against the hood, Mayor Sterling instinctively
pulled over. He was a politician; visibility in matters of law enforcement
was important. He expected to commend his officers on a job well done.
As the Mayor walked toward the scene, Miller immediately
straightened up, his chest puffing out even further. He recognized the
Mayor instantly. This was a golden opportunity. He was going to look
like a proactive, tough-on-crime cop right in front of the city's boss.
"Morning, Mr. Mayor!" Miller called out cheerfully, saluting
sharply. "Sorry for the disturbance on your morning drive. Just
handling a situation here."
Mayor Sterling smiled warmly, approaching the cruiser. "Morning,
Officer... Miller, is it? Good to see our boys in blue out keeping the streets
safe early in the day. What do we have here?"
"Caught a prowler, sir," Miller lied smoothly. "Matched the
description of the recent burglaries. She was uncooperative, refused to
identify herself, and resisted arrest. We had to take her to the ground to
secure her, but she's in custody now."
"Excellent work, Miller. Proactive policing is exactly what this city
needs," the Mayor said, nodding approvingly. He walked around the
side of the cruiser to get a look at the suspect.
Maya was facing the hood, her back to the Mayor. She took a deep