A tattered jacket and a quiet presence led everyone in the park to misjudge him, even a watchful officer who thought he understood the scene. Everything changed when black SUVs arrived, revealing a hidden life far more important than anyone had imagined.

Collins shrugged, though there was a flicker of something in his expression—impatience, maybe, or the faintest hint of unease. “Neither is you being here.”

His partner, Officer Grant Willis, who had been leaning against the patrol car nearby, finally pushed himself upright and walked over, curiosity replacing boredom. “What’s the issue?” he asked, though his tone suggested he had already decided the answer.

“Just another guy who thinks public space means personal property,” Collins replied.

Willis glanced at Victor, then at the dog, then at the bag. “Yeah, I’ve seen the type.”

Victor said nothing. There was no point in arguing with a conclusion that had already been reached.