Said the Car Was Mine—They Cuffed Me Anyway, Then Paid the Price

The engine was still warm beneath the metal.

Oddly enough, that lingering heat is something I remember more vividly than the exact words he barked at me.

My cheek pressed against the hood hard enough to sting.

He twisted both of my wrists behind my back until pain shot through my shoulders.

Across the street, two neighbors had already stepped outside to watch.