“Then we're going to have a problem.”
The officer took one aggressive step forward.
“Stand up.”
The woman remained seated.
“Am I being detained?”
“You're about to be arrested if you keep testing me.”
“For what?”
He reached toward the handcuffs on his belt.
“Failure to comply.”
The woman watched his hand.
Then she noticed something that confirmed a suspicion she'd been carrying for nearly three weeks.
The small body-worn camera attached to the center of his uniform showed no active recording indicator.
She glanced at it.
Then looked back into his face.
“Officer, is your body camera recording?”
His expression changed.
For half a second, the anger disappeared.
Something closer to surprise took its place.
Then his jaw tightened again.
“That's none of your business.”
She spoke calmly.
“Your department requires activation during investigative detentions, doesn't it?”
He stared.
“Who told you that?”
She ignored the question.
“Did you turn it off before approaching me?”
The officer leaned forward until his face was only inches from hers.
“Listen carefully. You're going to hand me your ID, stand up, and explain what you're doing here. Otherwise, I'm putting you in handcuffs.”
The woman slowly moved her finger from the book.
Then she closed it.
The title on the cover was A Place to Belong.
She set it beside her handbag.
Then looked up again.
“You've demanded identification without explaining any reasonable basis for suspecting a crime. You've threatened arrest when I asked why. And your camera appears to be inactive.”
The officer laughed harshly.
“Are you some kind of lawyer?”
The woman paused.
Then answered.
“Something like that.”
He smirked.
“Let me guess. You watched a video on the internet and now you think you know my job.”
She stared at him.
“No. I know considerably more about your job than you realize.”
His smile disappeared.
“Last warning.”
He reached toward her wrist.
“Stand up.”
The woman's voice changed.
It remained quiet.
But every trace of hesitation vanished.
“Take your hand away from me.”
The officer stopped.
He was not accustomed to hearing that tone from someone he believed was an ordinary civilian.
For a moment, he simply stared.