Elijah was three feet from the door when it opened, his path blocked by the towering, 6-foot-2 figure of Officer Miller. The sun cast a long shadow over Elijah, who sat barely four feet tall in his chair.
"Where do you think you're going?" Miller barked.
Elijah stopped instantly. "Excuse me, I am heading to my car."
"Not with that stash you're sitting on," Miller countered, invading Elijah's personal space. "Store manager says you were packing electronics under your seat. Let's see them."
Elijah blinked. "Officer, I just bought a water. I have the receipt right here."
"I don't care about the water. I care about what's under your leg."
Elijah's demeanor shifted. The confusion evaporated, replaced by the cold, analytical focus of an auditor. He checked his watch: 2:54 p.m.
"Officer," Elijah said calmly, projecting his voice for the security cameras. "Is this a consensual encounter, or am I being detained under Terry v. Ohio?"
Police officers despise hearing case law from suspects. It challenges their authority. Miller's face reddened. "You are being detained for investigation of theft. And if you want to play lawyer, we can do that downtown. Right now, I need to check that chair."
Elijah extended his arms. "You can pat down my jacket. You can check my backpack, but I cannot get out of this chair. It is customized to my body, and I am sitting on a medical pressure cushion."