Johnson tried again, voice tighter. “We didn’t do anything wrong.”
Victoria tilted her head. “Is your camera footage uploaded yet?”
Johnson’s face went gray.
Captain Reynolds cleared his throat. “We can discuss—”
“We will,” Victoria said. “Tomorrow. In my office. With IA present.”
Captain Reynolds’ smile collapsed. “That’s—”
“Required,” Victoria finished.
Johnson’s fists clenched at his sides. “You’re doing this because we didn’t recognize you.”
Victoria’s expression sharpened. “No. I’m doing this because you treated me the way you treat people you think can’t fight back.”
A beat of silence.
Then Victoria added, softer but sharper: “And because my county has five wrongful stop complaints attached to your badge number already. Tonight makes six.”
Johnson’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Victoria straightened, smile returning for the room. “Enjoy the wedding,” she said pleasantly. Then she turned away, leaving them standing there like men who’d just realized the ground beneath their feet wasn’t solid.
The next morning, the footage was on her desk.
Not just Johnson’s cam.
Daniels’ cam.
The dash cam.
The checkpoint log.
Victoria didn’t do what people expected her to do.