He reached for her wrist.
Sarah allowed him to take it.
“Hands on the vehicle.”
She placed both palms against the roofline.
Toby stepped forward.
“Sheriff.”
“She complied with everything.”
Boyd pulled Sarah’s right wrist behind her.
“I’m handling it.”
“Handling what?”
Boyd turned.
“Do you want to supervise this stop?”
“Then shut up.”
Sarah looked straight ahead.
The first handcuff closed.
Click.
It was tighter than necessary.
The second cuff followed.
Boyd leaned near her ear.
“Resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, failure to comply.”
Sarah almost turned her head.
Instead, she remained still.
“Which action constituted resistance?”
He laughed.
“We’ll call it the attitude package.”
Toby stared at him.
“Boyd.”
The sheriff turned.
“That’s not a charge.”
Boyd stepped toward him.
“You questioning me on the roadside?”
“I’m saying she hasn’t—”
Boyd shoved Toby backward with one hand against his chest.
Not enough to knock him down.
Enough to establish dominance.
“Watch the car.”
Toby’s face reddened.
Sarah watched his reflection in the Malibu’s side window.
The deputy did not answer.
Boyd grabbed Sarah’s upper arm.
“Move.”
She took one step.
He shoved her harder.
Sarah caught herself.
Her shoulder tightened.
She was stronger than Boyd realized.
Years of disciplined physical training had not disappeared simply because her job now involved more conference tables than field operations.
She could have stabilized against him easily.
She chose not to.
Boyd interpreted that restraint as weakness.
“Move faster.”
Sarah walked toward the cruiser.
“You are being recorded.”
“Good.”
“I recommend you remember that.”
He gave her another shove.
“You really cannot help yourself, can you?”
Sarah stopped.
Boyd came up behind her.
She turned enough to look at him.
“Sheriff Cleary, every additional action you take is your decision.”
His jaw tightened.
“Get in the car.”
He opened the rear door.
Sarah lowered herself carefully.
Boyd slammed it shut.
Through the reinforced glass, Sarah watched Toby walk toward the passenger side.
He stopped beside Boyd.
Their voices were muffled but visible in argument.
Toby pointed toward Sarah’s rental.
Boyd pointed toward the road.
Toby shook his head.
Boyd said something sharper.
Then they both climbed inside.
Sarah leaned back.
The cuffs pressed against her wrists.
She closed her eyes briefly.
Not because she was afraid.
Because she needed to think.
Her secure communications device was inside her handbag.
That device mattered.
Not because it contained documents someone could simply open.
It did not.
Without biometric authentication and rotating authorization protocols, it was nearly useless.
But its disappearance from Sarah’s possession would trigger concern eventually.
The question was when.
Her afternoon schedule included a secure call at 2:30.
It was currently 1:54.
If she missed the call, her staff would attempt contact.
If she could not be reached, they would query her device.
If local police had already placed it in evidence, the location would appear immediately.
The situation would escalate without Sarah doing anything.
She had perhaps thirty minutes before Boyd Cleary’s quiet afternoon changed permanently.
She wondered whether he deserved warning.
Then remembered his words.
Attitude package.
No.
Not yet.
The cruiser pulled away.
Oak Haven appeared exactly as Sarah expected.
One main street.
Brick storefronts.
Hardware store.