“You accuse me, hide your rank, refuse ID, and now you get to play gracious?”
Jessica stared at him.
“No one is playing anything.”
“You embarrassed me.”
Jessica’s mother moved.
This time Jessica did not stop her.
Patricia stepped between them just enough to make her presence clear.
“You embarrassed yourself.”
Crawford’s face tightened.
Patricia continued.
“She asked you to let go.”
Jessica said softly, “Mom.”
Patricia looked at her.
Jessica did not tell her to stop.
So Patricia continued.
“She asked you over and over.”
Crawford looked around.
No one defended him.
Patricia pointed toward Jessica’s arm.
“You left marks on her because you needed to prove something.”
Crawford said, “I was doing my duty.”
The staff sergeant finally spoke again.
“No, sir.”
Crawford stared at him.
The staff sergeant held his ground.
“With respect, that stopped being duty a while ago.”
No one moved.
Jessica watched Crawford absorb that.
