CLAIRE: "I'm coming to you."
VICTORIA: "I don't know if they'll let you get close yet. I'll send you the location."
CLAIRE: "I'm not leaving you alone after something like that."
Victoria felt her eyes fill with tears for the first time.
She had spent so long concentrating on the immediate danger that she had not allowed herself to think about how frightened she actually was.
Hearing Claire's voice brought the fear to the surface.
VICTORIA: "I thought he was going to hurt me worse."
CLAIRE: "You did the right thing by calling for help. Stay where you are until they tell you what to do. I'm on my way."
Victoria ended the call and wiped her eyes.
She was not ashamed of being frightened.
The experience had been frightening.
She had been alone in a car when a police officer demanded money and then used physical force against her. There was nothing weak about admitting that it had shaken her.
She looked toward Miller.
He was standing beside the patrol car, talking to Sergeant Price. From this distance, she could not hear the conversation, but she could see the tension in his shoulders.
He occasionally glanced toward her.
Each time their eyes met, he looked away first.
Victoria wondered what he was thinking.
Perhaps he was calculating the consequences of the complaint. Perhaps he believed the incident could still be explained away. Perhaps he was angry that she had refused to obey him.
She could not know, and she decided not to waste her energy trying to guess.
The important question was what the evidence would show.
If his body camera had captured the encounter, the recording might clarify the sequence of events. If it had not, Brooks's account, Victoria's testimony, the supervisor's notes, and any other available evidence would still matter.
The investigation would have to establish what could be established.
She would have to be patient without becoming passive.
She would have to insist on accuracy without allowing anger to turn her account into something it was not.
And she would have to prepare herself for the possibility that the process would take much longer than the roadside confrontation itself.
A medical team arrived a short time later.
The responders approached Victoria's vehicle and asked her to describe her symptoms. She explained that Miller had grabbed her neck and that she was experiencing pain and tenderness.
They assessed her condition and advised her about the appropriate medical evaluation.
Victoria followed their instructions.
As she stepped out of the Mercedes, she moved carefully, keeping a little distance from the officers. Her legs felt unsteady after the stress of the encounter, and she paused beside the door while one of the responders checked whether she felt dizzy or had difficulty breathing.
She answered their questions as accurately as she could.
Miller watched from across the roadside.
For a moment, he appeared as though he might approach her.
Brooks immediately moved into the space between them.
BROOKS: "Give her room."
GRANT: "I wasn't going to do anything."
BROOKS: "Then keep your distance."
Miller stopped.
Victoria heard the exchange but did not turn around.
She was no longer willing to let him dictate the emotional rhythm of the situation. If he wanted to explain himself, he could do so through the proper channels.
She had no reason to engage with him directly.
The responders continued their assessment, and Victoria was informed that she could receive further examination at a medical facility.
She agreed to go.
Before leaving the roadside, she asked Sergeant Price how she could obtain information about the report and make sure that the body-camera footage was preserved.
Price explained the process as clearly as he could and provided the information she would need to follow up.
Victoria wrote it down.
She also recorded the time, the location, and the names she had heard during the encounter.
She took care not to interfere with any official procedures, but she wanted her own notes made while her memory was fresh.
The demand for money had lasted only a few minutes.
The consequences could continue for months.
She wanted to be prepared.
Before she left, Brooks approached her at a respectful distance.
BROOKS: "Ms. Hayes, I want you to know that I will provide an accurate account of what I witnessed."
Victoria looked at him.
VICTORIA: "I appreciate that. But I need you to be completely honest, even if it makes things difficult for you."
Brooks lowered his head slightly.