Mike lowered his eyes.
“No.”
“Then you have nothing to be afraid of.”
Tom heard those words and stepped closer.
“You’re very brave for someone who doesn’t know what’s happening.”
Sarah looked directly into his eyes.
“I know exactly what’s happening.”
Tom smiled.
“Oh really? And who are you supposed to be? Some kind of lawyer?”
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
“Then maybe you’re a journalist?”
Tom crossed his arms.
“Then why don’t you walk away before you make a mistake?”
Sarah studied him carefully.
She had spent more than twenty years in law enforcement. She knew the difference between an officer having a bad day and an officer abusing power.
This wasn’t a misunderstanding.
This was a pattern.
The nervous body language of the taxi driver.
The fear in the eyes of other drivers passing by.
The way Tom’s team stood silently behind him, watching like they had seen this happen many times before.
Sarah understood one thing immediately.
This wasn’t the first time.
“Sergeant,” Sarah said quietly, “you demanded money from this driver without showing any legal reason. You threatened to take his vehicle without cause. And you put your hands on him.”
Tom’s expression changed slightly.
“You were watching?”
“Yes.”
“And you think you know the law better than me?”
Sarah took a small step forward.
“I know enough to recognize misconduct.”
The officers behind Tom exchanged quick looks.
For the first time, they seemed uncertain.
Tom noticed.
His confidence began to crack.
“You have no idea who you’re talking to.”
