Malcolm stopped struggling.
“This is my home.”
Mercer glanced toward the two-story brick house.
Then toward Malcolm’s black SUV and expensive suit.
“You live here?”
“Yes.”
A faint smile touched Mercer’s face.
“Guys like you don’t usually come running up to places like this without some explanation.”
Something inside Malcolm became very still.
“What exactly do you mean by ‘guys like me’?”
Mercer’s smile disappeared.
“Don’t start with that.”
Malcolm’s voice changed.
Cold.
Controlled.
Professional.
“Remove the cuffs.”
Mercer crouched beside him.
“You don’t give orders here.”
Malcolm looked directly at him.
“No.”
He paused.
“I don’t.”
Then he said his name.
“Malcolm Holloway.”
Mercer waited.
“I am the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for this county.”
Everything around them seemed to stop.
One officer looked toward another.
Nadine closed her eyes.
Mercer stared at Malcolm.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney continued.
“You are at 44 Somerset Court.”
He looked toward Caleb, still holding the warrant packet.
“The warrant in Officer Mason’s hand is for 4 Somerset Court.”
Malcolm nodded toward Evelyn across the street.
“My neighbor has been shouting that you have the wrong family.”
He looked directly at Mercer.
“And judging by the faces around you, some of your own officers already told you.”
Mercer’s face lost color.
Malcolm did not raise his voice.
“Before anybody here changes their behavior because of my title, understand something.”
He looked toward Nadine.
“You should have stopped before you knew who I was.”
That sentence stayed with Kayla Jennings for years.
Mercer finally stood.
“Get him up.”
The cuffs came off Malcolm almost immediately.
Too immediately.
He rubbed his wrists.
Then pointed toward Nadine.
“Her too.”
One officer cut the plastic restraints.
Nadine stood slowly.
Her legs trembled.
Malcolm crossed the grass and held her.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then he looked toward Mercer.
“Preserve every body camera.”
Mercer frowned.
Malcolm continued.
“Every radio transmission.”
“Every CAD log.”
“Vehicle GPS.”
“The original warrant.”
“The briefing packet.”
“Photographs.”
“Station communications.”
“All of it.”
Mercer’s expression hardened again.
“You can file your complaint later.”
Malcolm stared at him.
“This is not a threat.”
He gestured toward his damaged house.
“I am a victim in this matter.”