"You weren't supposed to know. You were supposed to tell the truth about what you actually saw."
Darius looked up toward the security camera mounted above his garage door. The red recording light blinked steadily.
"Mrs. Vale," he said quietly, "do you see that camera?"
Lenora followed his gaze. Her confident expression began to crack.
"It recorded our entire conversation," Darius continued, "including the moment you watched me unlock the Rolls-Royce with my key, the same key I'm holding right now."
For the first time since this began, Lenora's confidence completely disappeared.
Lenora stared at the security camera for a long moment. Her face twisted with rage instead of shame.
"You think you're so smart?" she snarled, pointing a manicured finger at Darius. "Recording everything like some paranoid criminal."
"I record everything because I value the truth," Darius replied calmly.
"The truth?" Lenora's voice rose to a shriek. "The truth is that you're abusing your authority before you've even officially started, using your badge to intimidate a woman who was trying to protect her neighborhood."
Mercer shifted uncomfortably. "Mrs. Vale, maybe we should all—"
"Don't you dare tell me to calm down." Lenora whirled on him. "I've been supporting this police department for years. My donations bought half the equipment in your patrol cars."
She turned back to Darius, her eyes blazing. "You think having that badge makes you untouchable? You think you can threaten residents and get away with it?"
"I haven't threatened anyone," Darius said evenly. "I've simply established the facts."
"Facts?" Lenora laughed bitterly. "The fact is that you don't belong in this neighborhood. The fact is that decent people have every right to be suspicious when strangers show up with expensive cars they clearly can't afford."
"I can afford it because I earned it."
"Earned it how? Selling drugs? Running some scam?"
The accusation hung in the air like poison. Ruiz took a step forward.
"Ma'am, Chief Holloway has thirty years of law enforcement experience."
"I don't care what his fake résumé says," Lenora snapped. "Corrupt cops exist. Dirty money exists. And I know what I saw."
Darius felt the familiar burn of injustice in his chest, but his voice remained steady. "Officers, I want you both to document this incident exactly as it occurred. Include the 911 recording, your observations, and Mrs. Vale's statements to you upon arrival."
"Of course, Chief," Ruiz said immediately.
Mercer hesitated. "Sir, given that Mrs. Vale is a major supporter of the department, maybe we could—"
"Officer Mercer," Darius interrupted. "Are you suggesting you would alter an official report because of someone's donation history?"
"No, sir," Mercer said quickly. "But sometimes incidents can be interpreted different ways."
"Not this incident. You will document exactly what happened. Nothing more, nothing less. Do you understand?"
Mercer's jaw tightened. "Yes, sir."