bench and looked at Lily, then at Reggie, and his tone was not the tone of a professional conducting a welfare check. It was the tone of someone who had already reached a conclusion.
"Can I ask what you're doing here with this child?" Reggie kept his voice even and his expression neutral. "We're waiting for my wife to pick us up. We spent the afternoon in the park. She's my daughter."
Simmons looked at Lily again, then back at Reggie, with an expression that suggested the explanation had not satisfied him in the slightest. "You look suspicious with this kid." Reggie felt the words land and took a breath before responding. "I'm her father. Is there a problem, officer?"
"I'm going to need some proof of that." Reggie looked at him steadily. "I don't carry adoption papers to the park. She's my daughter. We've been coming here every Thursday for three years."
Simmons didn't move. "That's not good enough." Lily, who had been half dozing against Reggie's side, lifted her head and looked at the officer standing in front of them. Her expression shifted from sleepy to uncertain as she registered the tension in the air. And she looked up at Simmons with her blue eyes wide and said clearly, "That's my daddy."
Simmons looked at her briefly and then looked back at Reggie like the child hadn't spoken at all. "I'm going to need you to come with me to the station so we can sort this out." Reggie's voice stayed controlled. "There's nothing to sort out. I've told you she's my daughter.
She's told you I'm her father. My wife is on her way to pick us up right now. You can speak with her when she arrives." Simmons' expression hardened. "For this child's safety, I'm going to need to bring her to the station until the relationship can be properly verified."
Reggie stood up from the bench and his voice shifted from calm explanation into something firmer. "You are not taking my daughter anywhere." Lily grabbed Reggie's hand and pressed herself against his side. "Daddy," she said, and the word was directed at Reggie with complete certainty and complete trust. Simmons stepped forward.
"Sir, step back or you'll be interfering with a child safety check." Reggie kept himself between Simmons and Lily. "I am her father. She is not going with you. Call my wife.
Her number is in my phone. She will be here in ten minutes." Simmons reached for his handcuffs. "Turn around." Reggie's voice came out sharp and clear.
"I have done nothing wrong. This is my daughter. I am not turning around." Simmons grabbed Reggie's arm, pulled it behind his back, and Reggie didn't resist physically because he understood exactly the risk of resisting. And he was not going to give Simmons a reason to escalate further.
He kept talking as the handcuffs went on. His voice raised now so that anyone nearby could hear every word. "This is my daughter. Her name is Lily Holt. My name is Reggie Holt.