Officer Martinez, who had been standing quietly behind Pervis, finally stepped forward. “Excuse me, sir, but I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”
Roden’s eyes fixed on the uniformed officer, and his expression shifted from panic to confusion. “Officer, thank God you’re here! Arrest this man immediately! He’s an escaped prisoner!”
“Actually, sir, I’m the one who brought Mr. Tyler back to the company,” Officer Martinez explained calmly.
“Brought him back?” Roden’s face contorted with confusion. “What are you talking about? You should be hauling him back to jail!”
“There was a mistake at the police station,” Officer Martinez continued. “Mr. Tyler was wrongfully accused. After reviewing the evidence, it became clear that he committed no crime.”
“No crime?” Roden sputtered. “But Anna Morrison herself accused him! She’s a pillar of the community!”
“Mrs. Morrison’s accusations were based on incorrect assumptions,” the officer stated firmly. “The actual perpetrator was identified through surveillance footage. Mr. Tyler has been completely exonerated.”
Roden’s face went from red to purple. “I don’t believe this! You’re obviously some actor he hired!”
The office fell silent at the accusation. Officer Martinez’s expression darkened considerably.
“I beg your pardon?” his voice was dangerously quiet.
“You’re fake!” Roden insisted desperately. “No real cop would bring a criminal back to his workplace and make excuses for him! You’re probably some friend of his wearing a costume!”
“Mr. Roden,” Alicia said urgently, “I really don’t think you should—”
“I said be quiet!” Roden snapped at her. He turned back to the officer with renewed confidence. “I’m calling the real police to report this fraud!”
Officer Martinez’s jaw clenched. Slowly, deliberately, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a leather wallet. He flipped it open to reveal his police badge and identification card.
“Detective Carlos Martinez, Badge Number 4782,” he said, his voice tight with controlled anger.
“Would you like to call the station and verify my credentials, sir? I can provide you with the direct number to my captain.”
Roden’s face drained of all color as he stared at the very real, very official police badge.
His mouth opened and closed several times, but no sound emerged.
“Or perhaps,” Detective Martinez continued coldly, “you’d prefer to continue insulting a police officer and accusing him of impersonation? I’m sure my captain would be very interested to hear about that.”
“I… I…” Roden stammered, sinking back into his chair.
“The facts are simple,” Martinez stated firmly.
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“Mr. Tyler was wrongfully accused of theft. The evidence proves conclusively that he is innocent. Furthermore, the actual thief has been identified.”
Patricia’s smug expression had completely evaporated, replaced by growing, horror as she realized the magnitude of their mistake.
“The police department extends its sincere apologies to Mr. Tyler for the inconvenience and distress canned by this misunderstanding,” Martinez.concluded, “I was personally assigned to escort him back here and ensure that his employer is fully informed of his innocence,”
He turned to look at Roden with barely concealed contempt. “I trust that won’t be a problem, Mr. Roden?”
Roden seemed to have lost the ability to speak.He simply nodded mutely, his earlier arrogance completely
deflated,
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
