The officer hesitated.
Then he reached toward the right pocket of her shorts.
His fingers slipped inside.
He expected to find a phone, perhaps keys, identification, or some ordinary personal belonging.
Instead, his hand closed around an object.
He slowly pulled it out.
And everything changed.
The officer's confident expression disappeared.
He stared at the object in his hand.
Then he looked at his partner.
The second officer stepped forward.
“What is that?”
The first officer didn't answer.
He simply held the item where both men could see it.
For several seconds, neither officer moved.
Victoria watched them carefully.
Their entire attitude had changed.
The mocking comments had stopped.
The aggressive tone was gone.
The confidence they had displayed only moments earlier seemed to evaporate.
The second officer's eyes widened.
“Wait.”
The first officer looked at Victoria.
“Who are you?”
It was the first time he had asked her a question that sounded genuinely concerned.
