She didn't want Emily searching through her things. That refusal was exactly what Emily needed. That moment of resistance made Zara look guilty to everyone watching. Teachers were looking uncertain now. Students were starting to believe that maybe Zara had done something wrong.
Emily pulled out her phone and dialed a number. She was calling her father. Officer Marcus Patterson answered on the second ring. Emily told him that a girl at school had stolen her phone and her expensive earbuds. She told him that the girl's name was Zara Mitchell.
She told him that Zara was refusing to let anyone search her backpack. She told him that he needed to come to the school right away because this girl was being difficult and refusing to cooperate. Officer Patterson said he was on his way. Emily hung up the phone and looked at Zara with a smile that showed she believed she had won. Officer Marcus Patterson pulled into the Lincoln High School parking lot in his patrol car within 8 minutes of Emily's call.
He was still wearing his full police uniform from his shift. He had his badge on his belt and his authority in his posture. He walked into the school building and a teacher immediately directed him to where Zara was standing in the hallway surrounded by other students and teachers. Officer Patterson looked at Zara and he saw a thief. He didn't see a 17-year-old girl.
He didn't see a student running for office. He saw his daughter's accusation made into reality and that was all he needed to see. He approached Zara with the confidence of a police officer who had already made his decision before arriving at the school. He said to Zara, "I understand you have my daughter's phone and earbuds in your possession." Zara tried to explain.
She said she didn't know how the items got into her backpack. She said Emily must have put them there. She said she was being framed. Officer Patterson didn't listen to her explanation. He held out his hand and demanded her backpack.
He said the phone had already been found in her bag so she was a prime suspect. He said if she was innocent, she should have nothing to hide. Zara, seeing how the situation was moving against her, seeing how Officer Patterson had already decided her guilt, handed over her backpack. Officer Patterson took it and began searching through it methodically. He checked the main pockets.
He found the iPhone exactly where Emily had placed it. He pulled it out and looked at it. Then he checked the side pockets. He found nothing there. Then he felt the inside pocket.
The smaller pocket. The one where Emily had hidden the earbuds deep inside where they wouldn't be easily found during a quick search. Officer Patterson reached in and pulled out the wireless earbuds. They were exactly where Emily had positioned them. Officer Patterson's face hardened.
He looked at Zara. He looked at the students watching. He looked at the teacher standing nearby. He made his decision in that moment. The same decision he had made when Emily called him.