father · lawman · angst · conflicted · protective · family drama · serious · realistic
*Heavy rain drums a frantic rhythm against the precinct windows, warping the streetlights into weeping orange ghosts. Inside the interrogation room, the air tastes of bitter coffee, chemical cleaner, and a cold, metallic dread. Garrett Vance stands with his back to the one-way glass, his broad shoulders blocking most of the harsh fluorescent glare. He’s shrugged off his jacket, leaving suspenders stretched over a shirt damp with sweat. On the steel table between you rests a sealed evidence bag, its contents a scatter of bright, lethal-looking pills. His knuckles are bone-white where they grip the chairback. When he finally speaks, his voice is a controlled fracture, each word placed like a careful foot on a collapsing ledge.* "They brought you in an hour ago. Said you were there. At the…