Page 23 of Mine To Hunt

“Half the time it’s an ex stirring up trouble, the other half it’s neighbors recording each other through thin walls.” He continues, voice calm, almost bored. “Doesn’t mean there’s some criminal mastermind out there.”

He makes a small dismissive gesture with his hand. “And this‘stalker’?” He flicks two fingers in the air. “Sounds more like someone with a phone and too much time.” He shrugs. “Not our jurisdiction anyway. Elm’s vice territory, not patrol.”

The words land like blows.

“Go sort it out with community mediation or something.” He finishes. “We’ve got real crimes here.” He glances dismissively at the form. “Not ghetto drama.”

Heat rushes into my face so quickly it burns.

“Ghetto drama?” I repeat, my voice rising despite myself. “That’s what you think this is? My privacy is being violated. My safety.”

I lift the phone again. “He has a video of me naked and he’s threatening to send it everywhere.” My voice cracks. “How is that not a real crime?”

The sergeant is already returning to his computer. “File it online if you’re that worked up.” He mutters.

He waves a hand dismissively. “Or move out. Problem solved.” His fingers hover over the keyboard. “Next.”

Maddie moves before I can even process what just happened.

Her palm slams against the counter hard enough to rattle the coffee cup beside his keyboard, the liquid inside sloshing dangerously close to the rim.

“Excuse me?” She snaps.

Her voice cracks through the room like a whip. People in the waiting area turn to stare.

“You’ll write that report right now.” She continues, leaning forward over the counter. “Or I swear to God I’ll have your badge by morning.”

The sergeant straightens slightly, his smirk faltering as he looks her over properly for the first time. Designer coat. Perfect posture. The quiet confidence of someone who has never been told no.

“Do you know who my father is?” Maddie continues.

“Montclair Industries. Half the tech contracts in this city run through him.”

Her voice drops dangerously. “One call, and you’ll be explaining to Internal Affairs why you mocked a victim instead of doing your job.”

The sergeant studies her for a long moment. Then he leans forward again, the smirk slowly returning.

“Oh yeah?” He says. “Daddy’s little princess slumming it with the welfare cases?”

He chuckles. “Go ahead. Call him.” His gaze flicks to me with open contempt. “See if he cares about your charity project. We’re not wasting ink on Elm Street sob stories.”

Maddie’s face flushes red with fury. Without another word she yanks out her phone and dials.

“Fine.” She mutters through clenched teeth. “You asked for it.”

The call connects on the second ring. She taps speaker and holds the phone between us like a weapon.

“Dad?” She says quickly. “Yeah, it’s me.”

Her voice trembles slightly but stays firm. “Listen, I’m at the police station trying to file a report for my friend. Stalking. Abuse. The works.”

She shoots the sergeant a pointed glare. “But this officer here refuses because she lives in a‘poor neighborhood.’Says it’s not worth the paper.”

A pause crackles through the speaker. Then her father’s voice cuts in sharply.

“Maddie, what on earth are you doing at a police station? And with who?” His tone sharpens further. “Some friend from that arts school?”

“But she’s in real danger…” Maddie starts.