It was an officer appearing to manufacture the justification for an arrest he had already made.
Ethan looked toward the woman.
She was watching Matthews.
Her face was calm, but her eyes had followed his hands.
She knew.
Ethan lifted his phone higher.
The officer stood.
He pointed toward the bag.
"What's that?"
Simone looked at him.
"What?"
"That packet."
"I don't know."
"Don't play games."
"I haven't touched it."
Matthews smiled.
"Well, look what we found."
Ethan's stomach twisted.
He understood the significance of the words.
We found.
Not I placed.
Not I brought.
We found.
The officer had already started constructing a story.
And without the recording, that story might have been the one everyone believed.
A woman near the fountain stepped forward.
"Officer, I saw what happened."
Matthews spun toward her.
"Stay back."
"You hit her."
"Ma'am, interfere with an arrest and you'll be detained."
The woman hesitated.
Simone looked toward her.
"Please keep your distance."
Her voice was controlled.
Then she added, "Keep your recording."
Matthews grabbed Simone beneath the arm.
"Get up."
He hauled her upright.
She stumbled but regained her balance.
"You're under arrest."
"For what?"
"Obstruction. Suspicious conduct. Possession of a controlled substance."
Simone looked down at the packet near the bag.
"That wasn't in my property."
"We'll let the judge decide."
He picked up the packet without documenting its original position.
Then he placed it in a temporary evidence container.
The motion was recorded by several phones.
Matthews seized the gym bag and walked Simone toward his patrol car.
People began shouting.
"You planted that!"
"We saw you!"
"She's been recording nothing! She's just standing there!"
"Leave her alone!"
Matthews ignored them.
He opened the rear door of his cruiser.