“Lady, this is a restricted area. Go on back the way you came.”

“I’m a nurse. I was told there are injured people.”

“A few of these nutcases chained themselves to bulldozers. They’ve been taken to the courthouse for processing. Nobody here now that needs tending to. So you just turn around and go on back to where it is you came from.”

“Rainy!” Stephen came hurrying toward the car. He avoided the officer and approached Annie’s side. “Belle’s in town, working with the legal team. Anton’s up at the medical tent. We’ve got a few injured people who could use some looking at. Nothing serious, thank God.”

“Step away from the vehicle,” the officer ordered Stephen. “We don’t need any more arrests.”

“I’m not causing any trouble,” Stephen said. “These people are nurses. They’re just here to help.”

“And I’ve already told them to clear out.”

Stephen took a pad of paper from this shirt pocket and a pen. “What’s your name, Officer?”

The cop came around the car, walking fast toward Stephen. “My name is I’m just about to kick your ass.”

Annie stepped from the car and stood between the cop and her brother. “His badge says Lewis.”

“All right, that’s it,” the officer said. “Everyone out of the car.”

“What’s your badge number?” Stephen asked.

“I said out of the car. Now!”

“No badge number,” Annie said. “It just says Private Security.”

Officer Lewis glared at her. “One more word from you…” But he didn’t finish because a number of people who’d been in the protest line had started drifting toward the scene. The officer turned and watched them approach. “Stay there,” he warned. “This doesn’t involve any of you.”

“Document this!” Stephen called to them.

Several lifted cell phones as if beginning to record the exchange.

“Tread carefully, Officer Lewis,” Stephen said.

“God damn, you people,” Lewis said. “I’ve had it with you. You!” He pointed at Stephen. “And you.” He pointed to Annie. “You’re both under arrest!”

“On what charge?” Stephen replied.

“Obstruction.”

“Of what?” Stephen said. “You really think that’ll hold up in court?”

The officer pushed Annie to the side and grabbed at Stephen, who held up his hands. “I’m not resisting.”

“Gimme that notepad.”

Stephen slipped the pad into the pocket of his jeans before the cop had a chance to snatch it from him. The cop swung him around, slammed him against the car, and pulled out a plastic restraint. “Hands behind your back, Indian.”

“He’s done nothing,” Annie protested.

“Shut up, lady. You’re next.”

The crowd of protesters had grown thicker, with lots of shouts of “Police brutality!” Annie was so near the officer she could see that his face had gone red with rage. She understood that his actions now weren’t being dictated by his pledge to uphold the law but by some inner fire.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” she said.

“Back off!” the officer screamed at her.

“We’re not going to harm you. No one’s going to harm you,” Annie said. “This is a place of peace.”

He bent to her, his reddened face so near she could see the veins that webbed the whites of his eyes. Whatever fear was driving this man, she understood it was so powerful that it encased his heart.

The blast of a police siren made all heads turn. Annie saw the deputy who’d cleared the barricade for them pull his cruiser to a stop. He got quickly out and came to where his fellow officer had Stephen pinned against Rainy’s car.

“What’s going on, Lewis?”

“Lawful arrest,” the red-faced officer said.

“We have video!” one of the protesters called out.

“Arrest on what charge?” the deputy asked.

Officer Lewis hesitated a moment, then said as if it were a confession forced from him by torture, “Obstruction.”

“We’ve done nothing,” Annie said.

“Obstruction of what, Lewis? I let these ladies through five minutes ago.”

“Thanks for giving me a heads-up,” Lewis shot back.

“Step back, Lewis, and return to your post,” the deputy said.

Lewis started away, but after half a dozen steps, he turned back and eyed Annie as if somehow she were the guilty party in all this mess. He mouthed something she couldn’t make out, but from the mask of anger that was his face, she could pretty well guess the timbre of the words.

After Lewis had gone, Stephen said, “Thank you—”

“Deputy Carlson,” the officer said.

“I’m happy to see that all police aren’t like him,” Stephen said.

“He’s not police. Or not anymore anyway. He’s private security. And maybe not even that much longer,” Carlson said, clearly irritated. “Obstruction.” He shook his head, then gave Stephen a stern look. “See to it that we don’t have to arrest you on other charges, am I clear?”

“Perfectly,” Stephen said.

The deputy returned to his vehicle. He drove around the crowd and disappeared beyond the idle bulldozers.

Stephen looked at Annie and Maria and smiled. “Welcome to Spirit Crossing.” Then he waved a hand vigorously in front of his face and added, “Where the mosquitoes are just as bad as the assholes we’re fighting.”