Daniel asked Avery:
“Do you want medical attention?”
“No.”
“Any pain from the shove?”
“My shoulder’s fine.”
“Any damage to key?”
“Probably cosmetic.”
Daniel nodded.
Then looked at teenager.
“You recorded?”
The girl nodded.
“My mom told me to keep it.”
“Good.”
“Don’t post yet.”
The girl’s mother looked relieved.
“We won’t.”
Daniel collected information.
Then asked Vanessa for identification.
She handed it over.
His eyes rested on the name.
Something flickered.
Not recognition exactly.
He walked toward cruiser.
Avery watched.
Rachel remained.
Vanessa looked at Avery.
“You’ve made your point.”
Avery said nothing.
“You got the police here.”
“Congratulations.”
Avery’s expression changed.
Vanessa continued.
“Is this really worth ruining someone’s life?”
The question landed strangely.
Avery looked at her.
“You were willing to accuse me of causing an accident I didn’t cause.”
“That isn’t ruining your life.”
“You wanted twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“You could afford it.”
Avery almost smiled.
“There.”
Vanessa frowned.
“What?”
“That.”
“What?”
“You still think the amount matters differently depending on who I am.”
“I never said that.”
“You just said I could afford it.”
Vanessa looked away.
Avery continued.
“If I had five hundred dollars in my account, would the lie be worse?”
No answer.
“If the car belonged to my employer?”
Silence.
“If I were a waitress driving my sister’s car?”
Vanessa’s jaw tightened.
“You’re twisting everything.”
“No.”
“I’m separating it.”
Avery stepped closer but kept space.
“You keep trying to make my money part of why this should not matter.”
“I’m saying nobody got seriously hurt.”
“You tried to steal from me.”
Vanessa looked sharply.
“That is not what happened.”
“Then let detectives name it.”
Officer Daniel Price returned.
His expression had changed.
“Ms. Carlisle.”
“Yes?”
“Have you been involved in another disputed parking-lot collision in the last two years?”
Vanessa’s face went still.
Avery saw.
Daniel saw too.
Vanessa said:
“I’ve had accidents.”
“How many?”
“I don’t keep count.”
Daniel held her license.
“I’m asking because dispatch located a report from last year.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“That was unrelated.”
“Maybe.”
Daniel looked at Avery.
“Ms. Monroe, I need you to wait here a few more minutes.”
“Of course.”
Vanessa’s head snapped toward her.
“Monroe?”
Avery knew.
The name had finally landed.
Daniel had used it naturally.
Vanessa stared at Avery.
“Wait.”
Avery said nothing.
“You’re Avery Monroe?”
There it was.
Recognition.
Avery hated how immediate it was.
Vanessa’s shoulders lowered.