“And a woman sitting on your porch steps next to two plastic storage tubs.”

“What does the man look like?” Rachel asked, leaning across the gear shift toward my phone.

“Ma’am, please let me speak with the property owner,” Officer Hale said, his voice dropping into a firm, professional cadence.

“Sir, step back down to the driveway, please.”

“Is there a problem, officer?” a man’s voice called out in the background, warm and bright as a Sunday morning.

My chest tightened so hard I had to lean my shoulder against the car door to stay upright.