Victoria had been driving home for nearly an hour when the patrol car appeared behind her.
It was an ordinary afternoon, the kind of day when nothing seemed unusual. The sky was clear, the road was relatively quiet, and Victoria had no reason to believe the drive home would become an experience she would remember for the rest of her life.
She was traveling along a country highway, keeping her eyes on the road and following the posted speed limit. There were no sudden movements, no dangerous overtaking, and no reason for anyone to think she was driving recklessly.
Then she noticed the flashing lights in her rearview mirror.
Victoria immediately slowed down.
She checked her surroundings, activated her turn signal, and carefully pulled onto the shoulder.
For a moment, she assumed it was simply a routine traffic stop.
Perhaps one of her headlights was malfunctioning. Maybe she had missed a temporary speed restriction. She had no idea.
