“Malloy,” Hargis said, “dispatch says do not transport.”
Malloy’s jaw tightened. “This is my arrest.”
Hargis’s tone hardened. “No. This is my scene now.”
Malloy snapped, “You’re going to believe her over me?”
Hargis didn’t answer that. He answered what mattered. “I’m going to follow procedure.”
He called for an ambulance for Gloria’s shoulder. Malloy protested. Hargis ignored him. He requested body cam footage—Malloy’s expression stiffened. “It malfunctioned,” he said quickly. “Battery issue.”
Evan’s voice trembled. “Mine’s on,” he admitted.
Silence dropped over the scene.
Hargis turned to him. “Upload it. Now.”
Evan complied, hands shaking as he began the transfer. That one decision—choosing policy over fear—changed everything.
At the hospital, doctors confirmed Gloria had a serious shoulder injury. A social worker documented the bruising. A nurse photographed the swelling with time stamps. These details weren’t dramatic—but they were decisive.
While Gloria sat wrapped in a warm blanket, Nadia’s message reached Caleb:
“Malloy has prior complaints. Unfounded, ‘lost,’ ‘withdrawn.’ Also linked to a redevelopment firm: Crescent Development. Payments routed through a shell security contractor.”
Caleb’s jaw tightened. “They want her neighborhood,” he said quietly.
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