Chapter 5 - The Uniforms of Consequence
Heavy, rubber-soled boots crush the torn papers into the stone floor.
Two police officers step through the open doorway.
Their black tactical vests absorb the bright, natural light of the room.
Their hands rest instinctively near the heavy black radios on their belts.
The older woman instantly thrusts a wrinkled, shaking hand toward Claire.
"She attacked me!"
The pearls rattle violently around her neck.
Ryan steps directly in front of his mother.
He raises his palms toward the officers in a gesture of absolute surrender.
"My wife is unstable."
He points a thumb backward at Claire.
"Step away."
On the wall above the refrigerator, a flat-screen security monitor suddenly flashes to life.
The screen displays a crisp, high-definition feed from ten minutes ago.
Silent, digital pixels show a woman in an elegant teal suit swinging a metal pole at a woman on the floor.
It shows a man in a blue shirt watching.
It shows the man striking his wife.
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The older officer slowly lowers his hand from his radio to the heavy black cuffs on his belt.
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