The officer heard the implication.
His face flushed deeper.
“You’re about five seconds from being cuffed.”
The young man looked at him.
“For what?”
“Obstruction.”
“How am I obstructing?”
“You keep arguing.”
“Answering questions is not obstruction.”
The officer reached toward his belt.
The young man stopped talking.
A second patrol vehicle entered the lot.
For a moment, the young man thought another local officer had arrived.
Relief and concern came together.
Then he noticed something beyond it.
Farther down the access road.
A black SUV.
Then another.
Then another.
Blue emergency lights flashed behind their windshields.
The young man knew immediately.
His escort.
He closed his eyes for half a second.
Of course.
Of all moments.
The convoy had arrived.
The local officer did not notice.
He was still focused on the young man.
“You want to tell me where you were heading dressed like this?”
The young man opened his eyes.
“The Capitol.”
The officer actually laughed.
A loud, disbelieving laugh.
“The Capitol.”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
The young man hesitated.
He hated saying it.
It sounded absurd under these circumstances.
“I’m scheduled for a state ceremony.”
A man in the crowd said:
“Just check his ID.”
The officer pointed without turning.
“Stay out of it.”
The young man continued.
“The state police are supposed to escort me.”
That made the officer smile.
“Oh, now state police are coming for you.”
The young man said nothing.
The officer leaned closer.
“Listen to me.”
His voice dropped.
“Nobody important is coming for you.”
The young man’s gaze moved over the officer’s shoulder.
Five state police SUVs turned into the aisle.
The first vehicle slowed.
The second followed with roof lights flashing.
Then the third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
The crowd began turning before the officer did.
Phones shifted toward the convoy.
A woman whispered:
“Oh my God.”
The officer noticed the reaction.
He looked over his shoulder.
The lead SUV stopped approximately fifteen yards away.
The rear door opened.
A senior state police captain stepped out.
Silver hair.
Dark formal uniform.
Two other officers exited behind him.
The captain looked toward the kneeling young man.
His face changed immediately.
Confusion.
Then disbelief.
Then anger.
The local officer straightened.
He had not yet understood.
The captain began walking toward them quickly.
The young man remained on one knee.
The local officer glanced back down.
His confidence had weakened.
“You know them?”
The young man answered quietly.
“They’re late.”
That was the first line to break the crowd.
Someone laughed.