Liv took a deep breath. She needed to hold her anger. She’d heard enough of her husband’s talks to know that little good came from lipping off to a cop. But with this woman, this foul creature, Liv wasn’t so sure she could bite her tongue.

“I have no idea.”

“Speeding.”

“Well, I’m glad the deer and squirrels are safe now.”

Officer White’s expression turned dark. “Step out of the car, ma’am.”

“Pardon?”

“I said step out of the vehicle.”

“I don’t understand—”

“I’m not gonna ask again, ma’am.”

Liv let out a loud, exasperated breath, and slowly climbed out of the car. “This is harassment,” she said.

The officer—she was a good six inches shorter than Liv—made a sour face. “Harassment? You don’t have a clue what real harassment is.”

Something about the way the officer said it sent another jolt through Liv. She looked around. Just the winding road and grassland.

“Look,” Liv said, her tone conciliatory. “We got off on the wrong—”

“Shut up,” the cop said. “Turn around and put your hands on the vehicle.”

“You can’t be serious. You’re not actually going to—”

Liv’s breath was taken from her as the officer spun her around and shoved her against the hood.

“Hands on the car!”

Liv complied. The officer’s hands ran up and down her body, roughly frisking her.

“Hands behind your back.”

She wasn’t really going to handcuff her? Liv was breathing heavily, thoughts reeling. She put her hands behind her back and flinched when the hard metal hit her wrists.

“Ow, you’re hurting me,” she said as the officer clicked the cuffs too tight.

“Turn around.”

Liv turned slowly. The two women’s eyes met. Was she really going to arrest Liv? She couldn’t possibly. It would be all over the news: COP WHO COERCED WRONGFUL CONFESSION FROM DANNY PINE ARRESTS MOTHER WITHOUT CAUSE. Liv felt acid rise from her stomach. It wasn’t happenstance that the officer was on this road. She must have heard Liv was in town.

Lying in wait.

If that was the case, maybe she had no intention of arresting Liv. She felt a trickle of sweat roll down her side.

Then, a sign of hope. Up the road, an old Humvee, one of those weird military trucks, headed toward them. Liv recognized it—her father’s friend and neighbor, Glen Elmore. A quirky vehicle for a quirky man. Liv’s dad was always a sucker for people who bucked convention.

The cop looked over her shoulder at the Humvee, which was taking the curve fast. Something about that section of asphalt inspired a heavy foot.

Turning back to Liv, the cop said, “When an officer asks you to do something, you best do it.” She had deep wrinkles around her mouth and lining her forehead, too many for a woman her age.