That's her daughter." The pen slipped from Ray's fingers, clattering onto his desk. The color drained from his face as the full weight of his actions crashed down on him. He'd just arrested a judge's daughter. Not just any judge, Delila Kingsley, whose reputation for fierce justice was legendary in their district. What did you say?
Ray's voice came out horsearo. "Judge Kingsley called the front desk directly," Blake continued, his words rushed and nervous. "She'll be here in 10 minutes. She's She's furious, sir." Ry shot up from his chair, nearly knocking it over. Through the glass partition, he could see Maya sitting calmly in the holding room, hands still cuffed behind her back.
She met his panicked gaze steadily, and he suddenly realized she'd known all along what was coming. The station erupted into anxious activity. Officers, who had ignored the situation minutes ago, were now huddled in whispered conversations, shooting worried glances toward the holding room. Ry paced, running his hands through his hair, trying to figure out how to justify his actions. "Should I remove her handcuffs, sir?" Blake asked quietly.
"No," Ray snapped, then lowered his voice. "No, she was arrested properly. We're doing this by the book." But his words sounded hollow even to himself. There had been nothing by the book about storming into a school and arresting a minor without cause, without proper procedure, without even speaking to school administrators. First, the station's front doors swung open with decisive force.
Judge Delila Kingsley stroed in, her heels striking the floor like hammer blows. She wore a charcoal suit that radiated authority, and her expression could have frozen fire. The room fell silent. Ry straightened his uniform and stepped forward, trying to project confidence he no longer felt. Judge Kingsley, I can explain.