“I want that car gone.”
Marcus exhaled slowly.
“And I want to go inside my house.”
Brooks nodded.
“Then let’s lower the temperature. Ma’am, please give him space.”
Denise stared at him.
“Excuse me?”
“Please step back.”
She glanced at Marcus, as though she expected him to enjoy the moment. He did not smile. He did not gloat. He simply waited.
That seemed to irritate her more than any insult could have.
“This is outrageous,” she snapped. “I called for help, and now I’m being treated like the criminal.”
“No one has called you a criminal,” Brooks replied. “I’m asking you to step back so we can speak without anyone crowding anyone else.”
Tyler shifted behind her.
“Mrs. Whitaker,” he said quietly, “maybe we should just—”
“Stay out of this, Tyler.”
The teenager fell silent.
Marcus glanced at him.
“You’re okay, Tyler.”
The boy nodded, but his shoulders remained tight.
Brooks looked at the delivery worker.
“Sir, did you see what happened?”
The worker hesitated. He glanced at Denise, then at Marcus, then at the officer.
“Yes, sir.”
“Would you mind telling me what you observed?”
“I was delivering a package. I saw the lady come over and start yelling at him. He didn’t yell back. He just kept asking what rule she meant.”
Denise turned sharply.
“That is not what happened.”
The worker swallowed.
“That’s what I saw.”
Brooks nodded.
“Thank you. You can go about your delivery.”
The man looked relieved. He walked toward the front porch, placed the package beside the door, and returned to the sidewalk. Before leaving, he gave Marcus a small nod.
Marcus returned it.
The entire exchange had taken less than a minute, but the driveway had become a stage on which every person present understood that something more than a parking dispute was being examined.
Denise folded her arms.
“I want your supervisor.”
Brooks’s expression did not change.
“I can provide my badge number and the department’s complaint process.”
“I want your supervisor now.”
“I can contact a field supervisor if there’s a police issue requiring one. At the moment, this appears to be a private association dispute.”
“Then why did you come?”
“Because you called and reported a possible disturbance. I’m here to determine whether a disturbance or crime occurred.”
“And?”
“And I haven’t seen evidence of either.”
Denise looked at Marcus.
“This is not over.”