"You put that in his truck."
The officer's expression changed.
His eyes widened.
Then narrowed.
"That footage is fake."
The son shook his head.
"Unedited. Original timestamp. Four cameras."
The sergeant glanced toward the house.
For the first time, he noticed the small security cameras beneath the porch roof.
One faced the driveway.
Another covered the garage entrance.
A third recorded the side gate.
And a fourth was mounted near the front door.
He looked back at the phone.
The recording continued.
It showed him closing the pickup's door, walking toward the house, and preparing to confront the elderly homeowner.
Then the son spoke again.
His voice was trembling with anger.
"First you planted evidence in my father's truck."
He gestured toward the old man struggling for breath.
"Then you tried to arrest him for it."
The sergeant swallowed.
For one moment, his confidence disappeared completely.
Then he lunged toward the phone.
"Give me that!"
The son stepped backward.
"Don't touch it!"
The officer reached again.
But before he could grab the device, another voice interrupted.
"Sergeant! Stop!"
A younger police officer was standing near the patrol SUV.
He had arrived with the sergeant but had been checking a report inside the vehicle when the confrontation escalated.
Now he was staring at the elderly man.
His face had gone pale.
"Sir, we need an ambulance."
The sergeant turned furiously.
"I told you to stay out of this!"
The younger officer didn't move.
The old man made a weak sound.
Then slid lower against the vehicle.
The son rushed forward.
This time, he didn't stop when the sergeant shouted.
He knelt beside his father.
"Dad, look at me."
The elderly man tried.
His eyes were unfocused.
His breathing sounded strained.
"Stay with me," the son whispered. "Please."
The younger officer reached for his radio.
The sergeant grabbed his arm.
"Don't."
The rookie stared.
"Sir?"
"I said don't."
The son looked up.
He couldn't believe what he was witnessing.
The officer who had just planted evidence in his father's vehicle was now trying to prevent another officer from requesting emergency medical assistance.
The rookie pulled his arm away.
"I'm calling medical."
Then he raised his radio.
"Dispatch, we need EMS immediately. Elderly male, chest pain and difficulty breathing."
The sergeant stood motionless.
For several seconds, the only sounds were the radio, the old man's strained breathing, and a distant lawnmower somewhere along the street.