Naomi frowned.
"Why?"
"Because men who don't like being questioned rarely walk away satisfied."
Naomi didn't answer.
Evelyn continued.
"You should document everything."
"I already did."
Evelyn smiled.
"Good."
"What?"
"You lawyers and judges are always telling ordinary people to document things."
"And?"
"Now you get to follow your own advice."
Naomi laughed.
But the laughter disappeared when she noticed something through the window.
Ryan's cruiser had returned.
It was parked two houses away.
Naomi stood.
"That's him."
Evelyn walked to the window.
"Why is he back?"
"I don't know."
The cruiser remained stationary for nearly ten minutes.
Then Ryan got out.
Daniel was not with him.
He walked toward Naomi's house.
Naomi opened the front door before he could knock.
"Officer Holt."
"Ma'am."
"What do you need?"
"We received another call."
"About?"
"A possible trespassing complaint."
Naomi frowned.
"Here?"
"Yes."
"Who called?"
"I can't disclose that."
"Was there a crime?"
"We're investigating."
Naomi stepped onto the porch.
"Then investigate from outside my property."
Ryan's eyes narrowed.
"You seem determined to make this difficult."
"No. I'm determined to keep you from making it difficult."
His hand moved toward his radio.
Then his eyes fell on the garden hose.
Naomi had left it on the grass.
"Move that."
"Excuse me?"
"The hose."
"Why?"
"It's obstructing the walkway."
"It is my walkway."
Ryan stared at her.
Then he reached down.
Naomi's voice sharpened.
"Don't touch my property."
He straightened.
"You're giving me orders now?"
"No."
"Sounds like it."
Evelyn appeared behind Naomi.
"Officer, just leave."
Ryan turned toward her.
"You need to stay out of police business."
Evelyn shook her head.
"You're standing in front of her house arguing about a garden hose."
Ryan's jaw tightened.
"Ma'am, go inside."
"No."
"Please don't interfere."
"I am not interfering. I'm watching."
Ryan looked toward Naomi.
"You've got quite an audience."
Several neighbors had begun appearing outside.
One man stood near his driveway.
A teenager was holding a phone.
A woman walking her dog had stopped at the corner.
Ryan seemed aware of the attention.
But instead of leaving, he appeared determined to prove that he was in control.
"Ma'am," he said to Naomi, "I'm going to need you to step away from the hose."
Naomi looked at it.
Then at him.
"Why?"
"Because I'm telling you to."
"That's not a reason."
Ryan stepped closer.
Naomi stepped back.
Her heel caught the hose.
The nozzle jerked.
A burst of water shot across the lawn.
Some droplets struck Ryan's uniform.
Everything stopped.
Ryan looked down.
Then slowly raised his head.
"You just sprayed me."
"It was accidental."
"You assaulted an officer."
"No."
Daniel's voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Ryan."
Naomi looked past Ryan.
Daniel was walking quickly toward them.
"She didn't do that intentionally."
Ryan turned.
"Stay back."
"Ryan, it was clearly an accident."
Ryan grabbed the hose.
Naomi's eyes widened.
"Put that down."
Ryan twisted the handle.
Water exploded across the lawn.
Naomi stepped backward.
"Officer!"
The stream hit her shoulder.
She raised her arm.
"Stop!"
But Ryan didn't.
He pointed the hose toward her again.
The water struck her chest.
Evelyn screamed.
"Stop!"
Daniel grabbed Ryan's arm.
"Enough!"
Ryan jerked away.
For several seconds, the only sound was rushing water.
Naomi slipped and fell onto the wet grass.
Her legal papers scattered across the porch.
Her hair was soaked.
Her breathing was heavy.
The neighborhood had gone silent.
Ryan finally released the hose.
Daniel stared at him.
"What did you just do?"
Ryan looked around.
His confidence was beginning to disappear.
Naomi slowly stood.
She was shaking.
But her voice was calm.
"Officer Holt."
He looked at her.
"You need to understand something."
"What?"
"You have made a serious mistake."
Ryan scoffed.
"Are you going to file a complaint?"
Naomi reached into her pocket.
"No."
She pulled out a leather identification case.
Ryan stared at it.
Naomi opened it.
The federal seal caught the sunlight.
Daniel's face went pale.
Ryan looked at the credentials.
Then at Naomi.
Then back at the credentials.
The woman standing in front of him wasn't merely an attorney.
She wasn't a homeowner pretending to have authority.
She was Judge Naomi Greer.
United States Circuit Judge.
Ryan's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Daniel whispered:
"Oh, God."
Naomi closed the case.
"Now," she said, "we're going to have a very different conversation."
Ryan's first reaction was disbelief.
His second was fear.
His third was anger at himself for feeling either.
"You never told me," he said.
Naomi stared at him.
"You never asked me whether I was a judge."
"You said you worked in government."