The community leader looked toward the younger officer.
“Thank you.”
The older officer snapped:
“Do not encourage him.”
The community leader stared.
“You hear yourself?”
The younger officer reached toward the cuff key.
The older officer stopped his hand.
“I said I’ve got it.”
The community leader watched.
Control again.
Always control.
Before anyone moved, the community leader’s phone began ringing.
It was inside his suit pocket.
Everyone heard the vibration against the fabric.
The older officer looked toward it.
The community leader said:
“That call matters.”
The officer laughed bitterly.
“I’m sure it does.”
The community leader looked toward the younger officer.
“Please answer it.”
The older officer said:
“No.”
The younger officer stared.
The community leader said:
“My hands are cuffed.”
The phone continued ringing.
The older officer replied:
“We’re not taking phone calls during a detention.”
The community leader looked at him.
“You no longer have a basis for the detention.”
“We are still on scene.”
“That sentence means nothing.”
The phone stopped.
Then started again almost immediately.
The younger officer looked at his partner.
“Maybe we should answer.”
“No.”
The community leader closed his eyes.
Then said:
“You really should.”
The older officer leaned close.
“Who is it?”
The community leader looked toward him.
“Someone wondering why I’m not where I’m supposed to be.”
The officer smirked.
“Everybody is important once police show up.”
The community leader’s expression became almost pitying.
“You keep thinking this is about importance.”
“What’s it about?”
“Evidence.”
The phone continued ringing.
The younger officer finally reached into the community leader’s pocket.
The older officer grabbed his wrist.
“I said no.”
The younger officer pulled away.
“Why?”
The question silenced the street.
The older officer stared.
The younger man continued.
“We have the actual suspect.”
“This guy is clean.”
“Address matches.”
“ID matches.”
“Neighbors know him.”
“What are we doing?”
The older officer had no answer.
The younger officer removed the phone.
The screen displayed a city government contact.
He looked at it.
Then at the community leader.
“Can I answer?”
“Yes.”
The older officer said nothing this time.
The younger officer accepted the call.
“Hello?”
A woman’s voice answered immediately.
“Who is this?”
The younger officer identified himself.
Silence on the line.
Then:
“Why are you answering his phone?”
The younger officer looked toward his partner.
The older officer’s face had changed.
The younger man said:
“We’re currently conducting an investigation.”
The voice became colder.
“Put him on.”
“He’s unable to hold the phone at the moment.”
Another pause.
“Why?”
The younger officer swallowed.
“He’s detained.”
The entire street seemed to hear the next question.
“For what?”
The younger officer did not answer immediately.
The woman on the line continued.
“Officer, I need you to tell me exactly why the chairman of the city’s civilian public-safety commission is detained twenty minutes before an emergency meeting with the mayor’s office.”
The younger officer froze.
The older officer stared.
The community leader closed his eyes briefly.
Not satisfaction.
Exhaustion.
The neighbor recording from across the street whispered: