“You handcuffed your own commander?” someone demanded after a tense roadside stop in the rain. What seemed like a routine incident quickly unraveled, and the mistake ended up destroying the careers of two officers involved.

I held his gaze for a second longer than necessary, then complied.

The handcuffs came quickly.

Too quickly.

They were tighter than they needed to be, biting into my wrists in a way that suggested either inexperience or indifference. I felt the pressure immediately, the slight twist that made it clear they hadn’t bothered adjusting for comfort.

“Seriously?” Miller muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear.