The sound of the handcuffs snapping shut around my wrists was deafening. It drowned out the gasps of the onlookers, the clatter of dishes from the restaurant, and even the frantic voices of Zachary and Jane arguing with the officers. My pulse thundered in my ears as I tried to process what was happening.
“Charlotte Patterson, you have the right to remain silent,” one officer recited firmly, his grip on my arm unyielding.
“No, wait!” Zachary’s voice broke through the fog in my mind. He stepped forward, his face dark with fury. “You can’t do this! She’s innocent!”
“Please step back, sir,” the other officer warned, his tone leaving no room for argument.
But Zachary wasn’t one to back down. “You don’t have proof! That policy doesn’t mean anything!”
I swallowed hard, my voice trembling as
