“Not far.”
“Identification.”
Jack regarded him calmly.
“May I ask what this is about?”
Daniel's expression tightened.
“You heard me. Identification.”
Jack reached toward his jacket, then stopped.
“Am I suspected of committing an offense?”
“I'm asking the questions.”
“And I'm asking why you've stopped me.”
For a moment, Daniel said nothing. He had expected the usual response: nervous explanations, hurried apologies, or immediate compliance. Instead, Jack spoke with the steady confidence of someone who did not feel the need to prove himself.
Daniel took a step closer.
“Do you always make things difficult when a police officer speaks to you?”
“Only when I don't understand what's happening.”
Ranger stood beside Jack, watching the officer without barking. Jack gently shortened the leash and moved the dog closer to his leg.
Daniel glanced at the animal, then back at Jack.
“Have you got anything illegal on you?”
“No.”
“Any drugs?”
“No.”
“Mind if I check?”
“Yes, I do mind. You haven't explained why you're searching me.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
He was losing control of a conversation that should have been simple.
He looked around. A woman was leaving the café, a delivery driver was unloading boxes farther down the street, and two pedestrians were approaching the intersection.
None appeared particularly interested in the exchange.
Daniel shifted his position, moving slightly behind Jack as though he were attempting to inspect the dog.
Jack noticed the movement in the reflection of a parked car.
He also noticed Daniel's right hand moving toward the rear pocket of his jeans.
Before Jack could turn fully, the officer slipped a small transparent packet containing white powder into the pocket and withdrew his hand.
The movement was quick and practiced.
Daniel stepped around Jack and immediately reached toward the pocket.
“Hold on. What's this?”
He pulled out the packet and raised it between two fingers.
Jack looked at it.
For a moment, his expression did not change.
Then he looked at Daniel.
“That isn't mine.”
Daniel raised his voice so that people nearby could hear.
“Looks like we have a problem.”
Jack glanced at the packet again.
“You put that in my pocket.”
Daniel gave a short, mocking laugh.
“That's what they all say.”
Ranger shifted uneasily as the men moved closer together. Jack kept the leash secure in his hand and positioned the dog slightly behind him.
“I was walking my dog,” Jack said. “You stopped me, and now you're holding something you planted on me.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Watch your mouth.”
“I'm telling you exactly what happened.”
“Turn around. Hands behind your back.”
Jack stared at him in disbelief.
“Are you serious?”
“Now!”
Daniel reached for Jack's wrist.
Jack pulled his arm away, not striking the officer but refusing to let him force his hands behind his back without explanation.
“Don't touch me.”
“You're under arrest for possession of a controlled substance.”
“You fabricated that evidence.”
Daniel grabbed him again.
“Stop resisting!”
Jack stepped sideways, keeping Ranger away from the confrontation. The movement broke Daniel's grip, and the officer stumbled half a step before recovering.
The first pedestrians began to stop.
A woman outside the café looked toward them, while a young man across the street raised his phone.
Daniel noticed the attention and became more aggressive.
“Get down on the ground!”
Jack shook his head.
“You need to think very carefully about what you're doing.”
Daniel's face reddened.
“You threatening me?”
“No. I'm giving you a chance to stop.”
The officer lunged forward and swung an open hand toward Jack's face.
Jack raised his forearm to block the blow. The impact forced him to turn slightly, but he remained balanced. He immediately pushed Daniel backward, creating enough distance to protect himself and prevent the officer from grabbing his neck.
Daniel stumbled against the parked sedan.
A sharp gasp came from the café entrance.
The young man with the phone began recording more deliberately.
Daniel recovered and pointed at Jack.
“You just assaulted a police officer!”
Jack kept his hands raised defensively.
“You attacked me first.”
“Get on the ground!”
Daniel charged again.
This time, Jack caught the officer's attacking arm, shifted his weight, and turned sideways. Daniel's momentum carried him past Jack, and the officer fell hard onto the pavement beside the sedan.
His radio struck the ground and released a burst of static.
Ranger barked once, startled by the sudden movement. Jack moved the dog farther away from the struggle, keeping the leash short and making sure the animal was not caught between them.