Hayes continued.
“What behavior suggested criminal activity?”
“He watched our cruiser.”
“Most citizens look at police cars.”
“His body language was guarded.”
“What specifically?”
“He moved carefully.”
Hayes stared.
“Moving carefully made you suspicious.”
“In context.”
“What context?”
“Late hour. Out-of-state vehicle. Nervous demeanor.”
Hayes checked her notes.
“Body-camera footage shows him speaking calmly.”
“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t nervous.”
“Did his hands shake?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Did he sweat?”
“It was cool.”
“Did he avoid eye contact?”
“No.”
“Attempt to leave?”
“No.”
“Lie about destination?”
“Not that we established.”
“Criminal history?”
“None.”
“Outstanding warrant?”
“No.”
Hayes looked at him.
“So the first objectively documented act you considered suspicious was his refusal to consent to a trunk search.”
Wells leaned forward.
“He challenged everything.”
“That isn’t a crime.”
“I know that.”
“Then why did you detain him?”
Wells looked toward his attorney.
The attorney said, “My client has answered.”
Hayes nodded.
“He has.”
She closed the folder.
“Not well.”
Previous complaints arrived next.
There were twenty-three over eleven years.
Most had been closed.
Some were trivial.
A driver unhappy about a speeding citation.
A motorist arguing Wells was rude.
A complaint about profanity.
But nine involved searches.
Hayes reopened all nine.
Four motorists had accused Wells of searching vehicles after consent was refused.
Two claimed Wells threatened arrest unless they agreed.
One said Wells told him, “If you have nothing to hide, you have no reason to say no.”
The exact phrase appeared nowhere in Wells’s reports.
Body-camera footage from several older incidents had already been deleted under retention rules.
Hayes found reports instead.
Subject became evasive after questioning.
Subject displayed unusual nervousness.
Subject made inconsistent statements.
Consent subsequently granted.
The language repeated.
Too closely.
Pike came in next.
He brought no attorney.
Hayes asked, “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“You understand this could result in discipline.”
“Yes.”
“Criminal exposure is also possible depending on what the investigation finds.”
Pike swallowed.
“Yes.”
Hayes started.
“Why did you help handcuff Judge Ross?”
Pike stared at the table.
“Because Sergeant Wells told me to.”
“Was that order lawful?”
“I didn’t know.”
“That is not an answer.”
Pike looked up.
“No.”
Hayes waited.
“I mean, I didn’t have enough information to think it was.”
“Did you think Ross posed a threat?”
“No.”
“Did you see him commit a crime?”
“No.”
“Did he resist?”
“No.”
“Why participate?”
Pike’s face tightened.
“Because I was afraid to contradict Wells.”
Hayes paused.
“Afraid of what?”
“Looking weak.”
“Anything else?”
“He had influence.”
“With whom?”
“Supervisors.”