For a second, something almost like surprise crossed Derek's face. Then his expression hardened. "Don't lecture me about the law. You think sitting in that chair gives you special privileges?"
"No," Harlan replied. "It means I need enough room to move safely."
The bakery door opened behind Derek. Lila Bennett came outside with a paper bag in her hand and immediately saw the police cruiser, the broken jar, and Harlan's stationary wheelchair. She knew how long the crosswalk took because she watched customers use it all day. She also knew Derek Langford by reputation. She put the bag down on a window ledge and reached for her phone, unsure whether she was being cautious or overly dramatic. The next few seconds answered that question.
Derek reached down and seized the left armrest of Harlan's chair. Harlan felt the grip before he had time to react. The officer jerked sideways with both the impatience of a man pushing furniture out of his way and the force of someone who wanted the movement to hurt. The chair's right wheels lifted briefly from the asphalt. Harlan's torso struck the side support, sending a sudden pain through his lower back and into his shoulders. The chair landed with a heavy metallic jolt, narrowly missing the broken glass.
"Stop!" Caleb shouted.
Lila cried out from the sidewalk. The mother with the stroller pulled her child backward, and someone near the pharmacy gasped. A car horn sounded behind the cruiser, then fell silent as its driver realized what he was seeing. Harlan gripped his armrest to keep himself upright, his heart beating so hard he could feel it in his throat.
"You have no reason to put your hands on me," he said. His voice remained level, but holding it there took effort. "Let go of the chair."
Derek's fingers tightened. "You're resisting a lawful order. I can take you out of this thing if I have to."
"I'm not resisting," Harlan answered loudly enough for the bystanders. "You moved my wheelchair without warning. I am requesting that you stop."
Derek caught the front of Harlan's blue shirt and pulled him forward. The fabric tightened against Harlan's throat, and for an instant he saw the white line of the crosswalk below him. The smell of hot pavement and honey was absurdly sharp. His hand reached instinctively for the armrest, not to strike the officer, but to keep from falling.
"Hands where I can see them," Derek barked. "Identification. Now."
Caleb took another step forward. "Derek, he's going to fall. Let me stabilize the chair."
"I said stay back!"
Lila held her phone high. "Officer, I'm recording. You're hurting him. Leave him alone." She could hear her own voice shaking and hated it, but she kept the camera pointed at the intersection. Two other people began filming, including the pharmacy employee who had stepped out beneath the awning.