Madison was still recording.
However, her earlier smile had disappeared.
She had expected to capture a frightened homeowner being confronted by police.
Instead, she was recording an increasingly uncomfortable exchange involving a federal investigator.
She lowered her phone slightly.
Then she looked toward her mother.
Vanessa was no longer smiling.
She had moved closer to the edge of her driveway, apparently trying to hear what was being said.
"Mom," Madison whispered, "what does that mean?"
Vanessa did not answer.
Her eyes remained fixed on Catherine.
Grady finally handed the identification wallet back to Parker.
"VERIFY IT."
Parker nodded.
He moved several steps away and contacted dispatch.
Within moments, he was speaking with the communications operator.
"Dispatch, Unit Twelve. I need a credential verification."
The operator asked for the identification number.
Parker read it carefully.
There was a short pause.
Then the operator responded that the information would need to be confirmed through the appropriate federal verification channel.
Parker requested that the call be transferred.
While he waited, Grady continued trying to control the scene.
"EVERYONE STAYS WHERE THEY ARE."
Catherine looked toward the guests.
Nobody moved.
She could see that her mother was becoming increasingly distressed.
"Sergeant, my mother is seventy years old. She has been standing for several minutes. May she sit down?"
Grady looked toward Margaret.
"NO ONE MOVES UNTIL I SAY SO."
"She is not involved in any alleged disturbance."
"I SAID NO."
Catherine took a slow breath.
"Please understand that she has a medical history that makes prolonged stress difficult."
Grady stared at her.
"ARE YOU THREATENING TO FILE A COMPLAINT?"
"No. I am asking you to consider the safety of an elderly woman."
Parker heard the exchange.
He turned toward Grady.
"Sir, perhaps we can allow the elderly guests to sit while we verify everything."
Grady's face tightened.
"YOU WANT TO TAKE OVER THIS SCENE?"
"No, Sergeant. I'm just saying—"
"THEN STOP TALKING."
The younger officer looked down.
Catherine noticed the growing discomfort between the two men.
She also noticed that Grady had not yet provided any specific information about the alleged emergency.
No injured person had been identified.
No victim had come forward.
No evidence of a fight had been observed.
And the supposed weapon mentioned in the original report had not been found.
Catherine decided to ask another question.
"Sergeant, may I know who reported the alleged violence?"
Grady looked at her.
"WHY?"
"Because I would like to understand the basis of the response."
"THAT INFORMATION IS NOT YOUR CONCERN."
"It becomes my concern when a false allegation results in armed officers entering my property and frightening my family."
Grady stepped closer.
"YOU'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO OBSTRUCTION."
Catherine did not move.
"Requesting information is not obstruction."
Madison raised her phone again.
She was now recording the sergeant's face.
For the first time, she seemed uncertain about which part of the confrontation she wanted to capture.
The radio crackled.
Parker turned away to listen.
Then he looked back at Catherine.
"Ma'am, dispatch is requesting confirmation from your office."
"That's fine."
Grady crossed his arms.
"WE'RE NOT LEAVING UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED."
Catherine nodded.
"Neither am I asking you to leave before verifying the report. I am asking you to conduct that verification properly."
The sergeant gave a dismissive laugh.
"YOU THINK YOUR JOB TITLE MAKES YOU SPECIAL?"
"No."
"YOU THINK YOU CAN WALK AROUND HERE AND TELL OFFICERS WHAT TO DO?"
"No."
"THEN WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
Catherine looked directly at him.
"Trying to prevent a mistake from becoming something much worse."
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Parker's radio crackled again.
"Unit Twelve, verification response received. Please stand by."
Parker pressed the microphone.
"Go ahead."
The dispatcher confirmed that the identification information matched an active federal employee.
She also advised that the credentials were legitimate and that the contact number corresponded to the official government office listed in the verification database.
Parker's shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Copy that."
He turned toward Grady.
"Sir, the credentials are valid."
Grady looked irritated.
"I CAN READ."
Parker continued carefully.
"She's confirmed as a federal civil rights investigator."
Grady looked at Catherine.
For a moment, his expression suggested that he was trying to reconsider the situation without admitting that anything had gone wrong.
Then he turned toward the patio.
"THAT DOESN'T CHANGE WHY WE'RE HERE."
Catherine nodded.
"Agreed. So let's establish why you are here."
Grady ignored the question.
Instead, he walked toward the dining table.
His eyes moved across the plates, decorations, and birthday presents.
He stopped near a large cardboard box decorated with pink ribbons.
"WHAT'S IN HERE?"
Catherine looked at the box.
"Birthday gifts."
"OPEN IT."
Margaret looked confused.
Daniel stepped forward slightly.
"Those are presents for my aunt."
Grady immediately turned.
"I DIDN'T ASK YOU."
Daniel stopped.
Catherine intervened.
"Sergeant, there is no reason to search birthday presents."
"WE'RE CHECKING FOR WEAPONS."
"Then please explain the specific facts that give you reasonable grounds to believe there are weapons inside."