"You may contact your supervisor through the normal channel. The incident is already being reported."
Derek backed away toward the walkway.
The colorful toy remained in his left hand.
Anna pointed to it.
"Please place that object on the porch table before you move."
Derek hesitated.
Marcus spoke quietly.
"It's my daughter's property."
The officer looked down.
The little plastic gun seemed even smaller now.
Its pink panels glowed in the sunlight.
There was no metal barrel.
No realistic ammunition chamber.
No attempt to resemble an ordinary police firearm.
It looked exactly like what it was.
A child's water toy.
Derek placed it on the table beside the spilled coffee.
Then he walked toward the cruiser.
Marcus remained seated until the officer had moved several yards away.
Only then did he lower his hands completely.
He noticed they were trembling.
Anna noticed too.
"Marcus?"
He looked up.
"I'm fine."
She crouched beside him.
"That wasn't what I asked."
For a moment, he tried to smile.
Then the expression disappeared.
He looked toward the window.
Renee was still standing inside.
Their daughter had appeared beside her.
The child wore pink pajamas decorated with stars, and her hair was gathered into two fluffy ponytails.
She stared at the porch through the glass.
Marcus's heart tightened.
"She saw it."
Anna followed his gaze.
He stood slowly.
His knees felt strangely weak.
"I'm going inside."
Anna nodded.
"Of course."
He turned toward the teenager.
"Evan."
The boy looked up.
"Yes, sir?"
"Thank you for staying calm."
Evan swallowed.
"I thought he was going to hurt you."
Marcus paused.
The words struck him more deeply than he expected.
He placed a hand gently on the boy's shoulder.
"You did the right thing by keeping your distance and documenting what you saw."
Evan nodded.
Marcus continued.
"Your parents should know what happened. And investigators may need to speak with you, with their permission."
"Okay."
The boy looked toward Derek's cruiser.
"Is he going to take my phone?"
"No," Anna answered from behind them. "Your recording can be preserved properly, and nobody should pressure you to erase it."
Evan finally exhaled.
Then Marcus opened the front door.
His daughter ran toward him.
"Daddy!"