Wells asked, “You a preacher now?”
“No.”
“Graduation?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Adrian looked at him.
“You don’t need that information.”
Wells’s expression tightened again.
“See, that attitude right there.”
“What attitude?”
“You think every question is a debate.”
“You are asking questions while I am handcuffed on the ground.”
“Because you acted suspicious.”
Adrian glanced at the gas pump.
“I bought gasoline.”
“At midnight.”
“That is not unusual at a twenty-four-hour station.”
“You refused a search.”
“That is not evidence of a crime.”
Wells stepped close again.
“That’s what you think.”
Adrian held his gaze.
“That is what the law says.”
Pike looked away.
Wells reached down and grabbed Adrian by the back of the jacket.
“Up.”
Adrian stood with difficulty.
His knees hurt from the pavement.
Wells guided him toward the cruiser.
“Sit.”
Adrian did.
The rear door closed.
He watched through reinforced glass as the officers stood beside his car.
Pike said something.
Wells answered.
Adrian could not hear.
But the body cameras could.
“What are we holding him for?” Pike asked.
Wells looked toward the cruiser.
“Suspicious behavior.”
“He was getting gas.”
“He refused consent.”
“That’s legal.”
Wells looked sharply at him.
“You want to do twenty-five years on patrol, rookie?”
Pike swallowed.
“No.”
“Then learn something. The ones who get technical usually have something to hide.”
Pike glanced toward Adrian’s car.
“What if he doesn’t?”
“Then he gets to leave.”
Pike said nothing.
Wells walked toward the station clerk.
The teenager behind the counter opened the door.
“Everything okay?”
Wells asked, “That guy cause trouble inside?”
The clerk looked toward Adrian.
“No.”
“You know him?”
“No.”
“Anything strange?”
“He bought coffee and peanuts.”
“Nothing else?”
“No, sir.”
Wells’s disappointment was visible.
He returned.
Pike said, “We don’t have anything.”
Wells crossed his arms.
“Run him.”
Pike did.
License valid.
No warrants.
No criminal history.
No outstanding citations.
A professional credential indicator appeared in an auxiliary database.
Pike clicked.
The screen requested additional authorization.
He frowned.
“What?”
Wells leaned over.
“Nothing.”
“It’s showing federal credentials.”
“Could be anything.”
“Should we verify?”
Wells closed the laptop.
“No.”
Pike stared.
Wells said, “We’re cutting him loose.”
He opened the rear door.
Adrian looked up.
Wells said, “You’re lucky.”
Adrian’s face remained still.
“Am I?”
Wells unlocked the cuffs.
Adrian brought his hands forward.
Red impressions circled both wrists.
Wells handed back the license.
“Next time an officer asks you to cooperate, cooperate.”
Adrian took the card.