Adrian looked at the hand. “No.”
That single word seemed to erase everything else. Grady took one step closer.
“No?”
“I will show you identification,” Adrian said. “I will not surrender the entire folder until you state the basis for searching documents unrelated to identity.”
Grady gave a cold smile. “You really think you’re in charge here.”
Adrian answered, “I think procedure is.”
Kevin Miles looked down. Ryan Walsh stopped smiling.
Grady pointed at the counter. “Put the folder down.”
Adrian considered the instruction. He had no desire to manufacture a confrontation, and he knew from years of investigations that refusing harmless commands could later muddy otherwise clean evidence. He placed the folder gently on the polished wood.
Grady reached for it. Adrian laid one hand over the cover.
“Do not open it.”
Grady stared at his hand. “Move.”
“It contains official city material. Verify identity first.”
Grady’s voice dropped. “You don’t tell me what to do in my station.”
Adrian looked at him. “Your station?”
The question was quiet. Grady still heard the challenge.
“Yeah,” he said. “My station.”
Adrian nodded slowly. “Interesting.”
Grady’s face reddened. “What’s interesting?”
“Nothing you need to explain right now.”
The older civilian seated against the wall began paying closer attention. Nicole Reyes stepped another half pace away from her terminal. Adrian could feel the room deciding whether this was still an identification check or something else.
Grady looked at Adrian’s uniform again. “Where’d you get that coat?”
“City supply arranged it.”
“Badge?”
“In the folder.”
“Convenient.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Sergeant, if you believe I’m impersonating an officer, activate your body camera and follow impersonation procedure.”
Grady stared at him. “You telling me to turn on my camera?”
“Yes.”
“You worried about what’s being recorded?”
“No.” Adrian’s voice remained steady. “You should want it recorded.”
Nicole Reyes touched her body camera. A soft activation tone sounded.
Grady snapped toward her. “Reyes.”
“Policy says activate for investigative public contacts.”
“This is inside headquarters.”
“Still a law-enforcement contact.”
Grady’s jaw clenched. Adrian watched Officer Miles activate his camera next.
Ryan Walsh followed after a hesitation. Three small indicators now blinked inside the lobby.
Grady’s camera remained dark.
Adrian looked at it. “Sergeant?”
“Hands behind your back.”
Nobody moved for a second. Adrian’s expression did not change.
“On what basis?”
“Impersonating a police officer.”
“What fact supports that?”
“You are wearing command insignia in a secure police facility, nobody recognizes you, and you refuse identification.”
“I gave you my name and offered multiple ways to verify me.”
“You refused the folder.”