Silence.
“You didn’t fail because the bag existed.”
Adrian continued.
“You failed because you thought my appearance was enough to make everything after it acceptable.”
Rourke’s face tightened.
Then he entered the SUV.
The door closed.
The immediate spectacle ended.
The real investigation began.
Harmon walked toward Adrian.
“Medical.”
“No.”
“Not a request.”
Adrian sighed.
“You and my wife would get along.”
Harmon looked at him.
“She called twice.”
He stared.
“You told her?”
“You were transmitting live audio while somebody shoved you into industrial equipment.”
Adrian rubbed the back of his neck.
“She worries.”
“She has excellent judgment.”
A paramedic unit arrived ten minutes later.
Adrian sat on the rear bumper while they checked his shoulder and neck.
No serious injury.
Bruising.
Minor muscle strain.
His phone was photographed before he replaced it.
The torn evidence pouch became evidence inside a larger evidence bag.
The six hundred dollars were counted.
Serial numbers matched.
Everything documented.
The woman from the SUV approached Adrian.
“Can I say something?”
He looked at her.
She was in her fifties, blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, still holding her phone.
“Sure.”
“I recorded most of it.”
Harmon appeared immediately.
“Could we get a copy?”
“Yes.”
The woman looked at Adrian.
“I should’ve said something earlier.”
He did not answer immediately.
She continued.
“When he pushed you.”
“You did say something when he threw my phone.”
“Not before.”
Adrian nodded.
She seemed to want absolution.
He would not give easy absolution.
But he would not punish honesty either.
“You stayed.”
She looked confused.
“You recorded.”
“Yes.”
“That matters.”
Her eyes filled slightly.
“I was scared.”
“So was I.”
That surprised her.
“You didn’t look scared.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“That isn’t the same thing.”
She nodded.
Then handed Harmon her contact information.
The investigators interviewed gas-station employees.
Security footage was preserved.
The store manager seemed irritated about disruption until Harmon explained the footage could become subpoenaed evidence.
His attitude changed immediately.
Adrian watched.
Systems again.
Everybody behaved differently when consequences became visible.
Officer Mason sat alone on the curb near the patrol car.
Adrian noticed.
Harmon noticed him noticing.
“No.”
Adrian smiled.
“You know me too well.”
“He has counsel rights.”
“I’m not interrogating him.”
“You’re going to psychologically adopt another conflicted young officer.”
“Not my hobby.”
“It absolutely is.”
Adrian walked toward Mason anyway.
The young officer saw him and stood.
“You don’t have to.”
Adrian stopped.
“Have to what?”
“Talk to me.”
“I know.”
Mason looked miserable.
Adrian glanced at the cruiser.
“How long have you worked with Rourke?”
“Four months.”
“Seen that before?”