The handcuffs pressed against her wrists, but she did not waste energy struggling. She listened to the radio traffic and paid attention to the route the cruiser took. Daniel passed the main intersection, turned onto a quieter road, and continued toward the district where the police station was located.
At least, that was where he appeared to be going.
After several minutes, he made a turn that did not fit the most direct route.
Emily noticed immediately.
She leaned forward slightly.
"Isn't the station the other way?"
Daniel kept his eyes on the road.
"Do you want to tell me how to do my job now?"
"No. I want to know why you're taking a different route."
"Traffic."
"There isn't any traffic."
He looked at her through the rearview mirror.
"Sit back."
Emily did not argue.
Instead, she memorized the street signs and the direction of travel. She watched the buildings change from busy storefronts to low commercial properties and fenced parking areas. A row of warehouses appeared on the right, followed by an empty service road that ran behind several office buildings.
The cruiser slowed.
Emily felt a quiet tension settle in her stomach.
She had prepared for an arrest, a search, and the possibility of being questioned by officers who did not know her identity. She had not expected Daniel to take her somewhere other than the station before recording the formal booking process.
"Officer Reed," she said, keeping her voice even, "where are we going?"
"Somewhere we can talk without an audience."
"An arrest is not a private conversation."
"You're in no position to tell me what an arrest is."
The cruiser turned into a small paved lot behind a commercial building. The area was mostly empty, with a chain-link fence on one side and a row of dumpsters near a loading entrance. The nearest public road was visible through the gap between two buildings, but no pedestrians were close enough to hear an ordinary conversation.
Daniel parked.
The engine continued running.
Emily looked through the window, then back at him.
"This isn't the police station."
"No, it isn't."
"Then take me to the station."
He turned in his seat.
"You're going to answer a few questions first."
"You can ask me questions at the station."
"I decide how this works."
Emily's expression remained composed, but the atmosphere inside the vehicle had changed completely. Daniel was no longer performing for the public. There were no pedestrians directly beside the cruiser, and the young man with the phone had been left several streets behind.
The officer's professional mask was slipping.
"What do you want?" Emily asked.
Daniel leaned back and studied her.
"Who are you working for?"
Emily did not answer immediately.
He continued.
"Who sent you here?"
"Nobody sent me here."
"Don't lie to me."
"You asked me a question. I answered it."
Daniel struck the steering wheel with his palm.
"Stop playing games!"
Emily remained silent.
He pointed toward the packet on the console.
"That substance is going to create a serious problem for you. You understand that, right?"
"Only if you can prove it belongs to me."
"I found it on you."
"You planted it."
"That's your story."
"It's what happened."
He stared at her, searching for a sign of fear. When he found none, his irritation deepened.
"Do you know how many people I've arrested?"
"Probably more than you remember."
"Do you know how many of them said the same thing you're saying now?"
"How many of them were telling the truth?"
Daniel's face darkened.
"You think this is funny?"
"No."
"Then stop smiling."
Emily had not realized that the corner of her mouth had lifted slightly. It was not amusement at the accusation. It was the expression she wore when a theory became more convincing with every new piece of evidence.
Daniel was worried about something beyond the packet.
He had taken her off the main road, called someone for instructions, and now wanted to know who she was working for. His questions suggested that he believed she might be connected to the same investigation that had been quietly examining his conduct.
Perhaps someone had warned him that an investigator was in the area.
Perhaps he had recognized her from a description.
Or perhaps the person who had ordered him to watch her had deliberately concealed the reason.
Emily needed to know which explanation was correct.
"Why were you waiting for me?" she asked.
Daniel frowned.
"I wasn't waiting for you."
"You received a message before you approached me."
His eyes widened slightly.
Emily continued before he could respond.
"You looked at your phone, saw me on the sidewalk, and followed me. You didn't stop me because you saw me commit a crime. You stopped me because someone told you to find me."