"Did you see him steal them?"
"No."
"Did you see him leave the store without paying?"
"No, but—"
"Ma'am, I need to know what you actually observed."
Patricia hesitated.
"I know he couldn't have bought them."
The dispatcher paused.
"How do you know that?"
Patricia looked at Malcolm again.
"He just doesn't look like someone who could afford them."
The dispatcher asked for a description.
Patricia provided it.
Then she hung up.
Malcolm remained completely unaware.
Five minutes later, a police cruiser pulled up.
Officer Daniel Mercer stepped out.
He was forty-three and had been on the force for almost fifteen years.
He looked toward the bus stop.
Then at Patricia.
She pointed.
"That's him."
Mercer approached Malcolm.
"Stand up."
Malcolm looked around.
"Me?"
"Yes."
Malcolm stood.
"What happened?"
"Where did you get those shoes?"
Malcolm blinked.
"I bought them."
"From where?"
He pointed toward Crown Sole.
"That store."
Mercer looked at the bag.
"How much?"
Malcolm hesitated.
"Five thousand."
The officer's eyebrows rose.
"Five thousand dollars?"
"Yes."
"You're eighteen?"
"Yes."
Mercer stared at him.
Malcolm reached for his phone.
"I have the receipt."
"Don't move."
Malcolm stopped.
"I just want to show you."
"I said don't move."
People at the bus stop began watching.
Malcolm's heart started beating faster.
"Officer, I didn't steal anything."
Mercer looked at Patricia.
She nodded.
"That's what I told you."
Malcolm heard the words and felt something inside him sink.
"You called the police?"
Patricia crossed her arms.
"Someone had to."
"You don't even know me."
"I know what I saw."
"No. You saw me holding a shopping bag."
Patricia rolled her eyes.
"Don't make this complicated."
Malcolm looked at the officer.
"Please just check the receipt."
Mercer didn't.
Instead, he asked:
"Where's your identification?"
Malcolm handed it over.
The officer looked at it.
Then at him.
Then at the shopping bag.
"What did you use to pay?"
"My debit card and cash."
"Where'd you get the cash?"
"My job."
"Where do you work?"
Malcolm answered.
Mercer kept questioning him.
But none of the questions seemed intended to discover the truth.
They seemed intended to prove a suspicion already formed.
Malcolm finally said:
"You can walk into the store and ask the employee."
Mercer shook his head.
"We'll sort it out downtown."
Malcolm's stomach tightened.
"Downtown?"
"You're coming with me."
"For what?"
"Questioning."
"You can't take me. I didn't do anything."
Patricia stepped closer.
"Officer, I saw him walk out of the store with those."
Malcolm stared at her.
"Yes. Because I bought them."
The officer reached for his handcuffs.
A crowd began gathering.
Someone started recording.
Malcolm felt panic rising.
"Please."
Mercer grabbed his wrist.
Malcolm instinctively pulled back.
"I said I didn't steal anything."