Marcus forced himself to breathe.
โOfficer, I am not resisting. My hands are visible. Please step back.โ
Mallory's jaw tightened.
Then the front door suddenly flew open.
A sixty-five-year-old Black woman stepped onto the porch.
She had short silver-gray hair, a beautiful round face, intelligent brown eyes, and the unmistakable commanding presence of a woman who had spent more than three decades teaching children and refusing to tolerate foolishness.
She wore a cream-colored blouse, dark trousers, and simple house slippers.
Her name was Evelyn Price.
And the man being shoved against her porch railing was her only son.
For one terrible second, she stared at the officer gripping Marcus's arm.
Then she screamed.
โGET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SON!โ
Mallory looked toward her.
โMa'am, get back inside!โ
Evelyn descended one step.
โThis is my house!โ
โThen control your son!โ
Marcus looked toward his mother.
โMom, stay on the porch.โ
But Evelyn wasn't listening.
She was staring at the gold aviator sunglasses, the officer's aggressive posture, and the handcuffs he was attempting to place on her son's wrists.
Her expression changed from fear to absolute fury.
โDo you have any idea who you're putting your hands on?โ
Mallory laughed contemptuously.
โI don't care if he's the president!โ
Evelyn stepped forward.
Then she pointed directly at Marcus.
โTHAT IS YOUR NEW POLICE CHIEF!โ
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The officer's hand froze against his handcuff case.
Alan Pierce stopped smiling.
Marcus slowly turned toward his mother.
And across the street, a neighbor holding a smartphone suddenly lowered it in disbelief.
Mallory blinked.
โWhat?โ
Evelyn's voice thundered across the yard.
โMY SON IS MARCUS PRICE! THE NEW CHIEF OF THE REDBROOK POLICE DEPARTMENT!โ
The officer stared.
Then his face changed.
First confusion.
Then uncertainty.
Then the dawning horror of recognition.
He had seen the name in the departmental announcements.
The city had appointed a new chief after months of controversy over excessive enforcement, poorly handled complaints, and declining public confidence.
The new chief had been selected from outside the department.
He was young.
Highly educated.
And known for investigating police misconduct without treating every complaint as an attack on law enforcement.