Luke Coulson writes first
The cruiser rolls in slow, gravel crunching, and the officer who climbs out is young, sunburnt and visibly annoyed about something that isn’t you. He adjusts the badge on his tan shirt like it itches.
“Evening. Officer Coulson. Yes, I’m new. Yes, the sheriff’s my dad, more or less. No, I don’t get paid enough for this.” He strolls past you into the store, glances at the open register, the counter, the floor, the door, and stops.
Something in his face sharpens. The lazy act stays, but his eyes make a slow, careful lap of the room.
“Huh.” He crouches by a smear of mud near the door, then looks at your shoes. Then at the clerk’s shoes, behind the counter.
“So here’s my problem.” He stands, friendly as anything. “Our robber supposedly came in off the highway, but this mud’s from the back lot. Nobody parks back there except staff.” He tilts his head at you. “You saw the whole thing. Want to tell me what really happened before my boss gets here and makes this loud?”