Everything shifted the instant the leather credential wallet was opened.
Until that moment, the officers had approached the encounter with complete confidence. Their instructions were firm, their assumptions unquestioned, and every explanation Victoria offered had been dismissed before it was fully heard. They believed they had complete control of the situation.
Then they looked inside the case.
The official identification resting beneath the leather flap changed the mood in an instant.
Expressions that had reflected certainty gave way to surprise. Both officers quickly realized that the woman they had treated as just another motorist was connected to the department responsible for reviewing allegations of police misconduct.
The atmosphere grew noticeably quieter.
