For a moment, there was only the sound of insects in the roadside grass.
"Same rule as always," he said softly.
Nyla knew what he meant. Do not create danger just to prove that you have authority. Do not assume a badge will protect you. Tell the truth. Watch the hands.
She laid her phone faceup on her lap.
Through the passenger mirror, she watched Rhett Maddox approach with one hand resting close to his weapon.
The first thing Nyla noticed was the officer's expression. It was not the alert focus of a man assessing an unknown roadside situation. It was a small, pleased smile, gone almost as soon as he reached the door. It made her think of a person opening a package he had already decided contained something valuable.
He rapped on the passenger glass three times, hard enough to make her flinch despite herself. She lowered it fully. Heat rolled into the cooled cabin, carrying dust and the sharp odor of hot asphalt.
"License and registration," he said.
Nyla met his eyes. "Good afternoon, Officer. Could you tell us why we've been stopped?"
"I said license and registration."
The metal nameplate on his chest read MADDOX. His badge number was 417. Nyla glanced at it once and committed it to memory.
"Of course," Dominic said from the driver's seat. "I have my license. The rental paperwork is in the glove compartment. Before either of us reaches for anything, I want to let you know where it is."
Maddox leaned closer to Nyla to stare across her. "I didn't ask for a speech."
"And I didn't refuse a request," Dominic answered. "I'm telling you what I'm about to do."
Maddox did not move out of the window opening. He was close enough that Nyla could see perspiration gathering beneath the edge of his cap.
"You got something hanging from your mirror," he said. "Obstructed view. That's why I stopped you."
Dominic looked at the clean mirror. Nothing hung from it. The only object attached nearby was the manufacturer's small black housing for the vehicle's sensor system.
"There's nothing hanging from the mirror, Officer."