He picked up the device.
The General’s voice changed sharply.
“Put that down.”
The Sheriff looked at him.
Then answered.
“County Sheriff’s Office.”
Silence on the other end.
A man’s voice finally responded.
“Who is this?”
The Sheriff gave his title and surname.
“Who are you?”
The voice ignored the question.
“Where is the authorized user of this device?”
The Sheriff glanced toward the General.
“Detained.”
A longer silence.
“For what reason?”
“Traffic investigation.”
“Put him on the phone.”
“No.”
The General almost smiled.
Not because the situation was funny.
Because the Sheriff had just made the decision that would end the roadside phase of the problem.
The voice on the phone became very controlled.
“Sheriff, I am instructing you to hand that phone to its assigned user.”
The Sheriff laughed.
“You don’t instruct me.”
He ended the call.
The Deputy stared at him.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“I think we should stop.”
The Sheriff stepped close.
“You scared?”
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised him.
The Deputy continued.
“I am.”
“Because none of this makes sense anymore.”
The Sheriff’s face hardened.
“You’re relieved.”
The Deputy swallowed.
“Fine.”
He reached toward his body camera.
Not to turn it off.
To ensure it was still recording.
The Sheriff noticed.
“Turn that off.”
The Deputy looked at him.
“No.”
Everything became still.
The Sheriff took one step forward.
“What?”
The Deputy’s voice shook.
But he repeated it.
“No, sir.”
The Sheriff pointed the baton at his chest.
“You disobeying a direct order?”
“I’m preserving the stop.”
The General looked toward the Deputy.
Something resembling approval appeared briefly.
The Sheriff saw it.
That made the humiliation worse.
He grabbed the Deputy’s camera.
The Deputy stepped backward.
“Don’t.”
The Sheriff reached again.
The Deputy moved out of range.
“I said I’m preserving it.”
The Sheriff raised the baton.
The General pushed himself onto one elbow.
“If you strike that Deputy for preserving evidence, you will add another witness to what is already a documented event.”
The Sheriff turned.
“Stay down.”
The General slowly lowered himself again.
The Sheriff looked between them.
For the first time, he realized control was slipping.
So he reached for what had always restored it.
Dispatch.
He grabbed his radio.
“Send additional units.”
The dispatcher replied:
“Reason?”
The Sheriff looked at the General.
“Two hostile detainees.”
The Deputy’s eyes widened.
“They are not hostile.”
The Sheriff ignored him.
“Possible federal contraband.”