Mulligan leaned closer.

"People like you always think talking confidently makes the story true."

Danielle held his gaze.

"People like me?"

"You heard me."

"What does that mean?"

Mulligan opened the patrol-car door.

"It means get inside."

Danielle didn't move.

He lowered his voice.

"You really expect me to believe somebody like you is the county's top prosecutor?"

There it was.

Danielle had encountered quieter versions of the same assumption throughout her career.

Court staff who thought she was a defendant's relative.

Attorneys who assumed she was a paralegal.

People who walked past her to shake hands with a younger white male assistant because they assumed he was in charge.

She had learned to recognize the moment.

But recognition didn't make it hurt less.

Danielle climbed into the patrol car.

As Mulligan shut the door, she looked through the window at her SUV.

The registration was still inside.

So was her identification.

So was the truth.

Mulligan simply hadn't bothered to look.

CHAPTER 2 — CERTAINTY BEFORE EVIDENCE

From the back seat, Danielle watched Mulligan walk around her SUV.

He peered through the windows.

Opened the driver's door.

Looked through the front seats.

He searched with the exaggerated suspicion of a man hoping reality would eventually justify the conclusion he'd already reached.

Danielle leaned toward the window.

"My purse should be near the console."

Mulligan ignored her.

A younger officer had arrived.

His nameplate read EVANS.

He approached Mulligan.

"What've you got?"

"Possible stolen vehicle."

Evans looked toward Danielle.

"Reported?"

"Working on it."

"Plate?"

"Not yet."

Evans hesitated.

Danielle watched his expression.

He knew something wasn't right.

"Officer Evans," she called.

Mulligan turned immediately.

"Stop talking."

Danielle ignored him.

"Please run the registration."

Evans looked at Mulligan.

Mulligan shook his head.

"She's been running her mouth since I got here."

Danielle almost laughed.

Instead, she said, "Because that's my vehicle."

Mulligan approached the patrol car.

"You want obstruction added?"

"For asking you to verify ownership?"

"For interfering with an investigation."

Danielle stared at him.

"Verification is the investigation."

Evans looked away.

That disappointed her more than Mulligan's anger.

Because Evans understood.

And still did nothing.

Mulligan opened the rear door.