This is a sequel to another author's story "One Question Too Many" if you haven't read it there's a quick description here.
What you missed: Terri London is an investigative journalist who scored an interview with a corrupt sheriff who had arrested and strip/cavity searched almost every woman in town, some were even sent to a "prison farm" to be sex slaves. At the last minute she decides to add a question to her interview that is an admission of guilt to get an "inside look" at what is happening at the station.
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Terri London entered the sheriff's office with a box containing all her evidence in her case against the corrupt sheriff. Resting on top was her notebook containing the hard hitting questions she felt would break the case. As she entered the front room was occupied by two deputies waiting for her.
"Ms. London, the sheriff has been expecting you, welcome," one of the deputies said. The other spoke, "Let me help you with your belongings ma'am." He reached forward and took Terri's box from her with her notebook still resting on top.
"Wait sir, my notebook," Terri said with concern.
The deputy shot back quickly, "Don't worry ma'am the sheriff just wants to review your questions before the interview."
The deputy who took her belongings walked away and disappeared behind a door. The one who remained addressed her kindly, "Ma'am I've been instructed to show you some of the new tech we've gotten, if you'd be interested."
Terri figured that she should get as much information as she could so she accepted his offer. She went with him as her led her from the front room into a smaller side room with various cabinets on the wall.
"This is the first device we recently began stocking," he said as he presented a collar to Terri.
She didn't understand, "How is this new tech?"
The deputy smiled, "Why don't you let me show you," he reached up and secured the collar around Terri's neck, she allowed him to. The collar was wrapped twice around her neck with Velcro, and had two small metal prongs that slightly dug into her neck.
Terri still wasn't sure what this is about, "What does..." that was all she was able to get out before an electric shock stifled her.
The deputy gave a smile, he knew she wasn't really hurt just surprised. "You see ma'am, many of our prisoners have been very vocal about protesting to routine procedures. This was the sheriff's idea, it's one of them collars they use to train dogs not to bark. We're implementing them as standard procedure." Terri couldn't believe this; they were using dog training tools on women after they were unfairly arrested. She didn't have her notebook, so she made a mental note to remember these tools.
The deputy went on, "to show you our next tool, I will ask you to tilt your head back and gently close your eyes." Terri wasn't sure to expect but complied, figuring she had come this far and needed to go further yet.
The deputy gently placed his right hand on her face with his thumb below her eye and index finger above it. He very slightly spread his fingers opening her eye; with his other hand he placed a contact lens from the tip of his finger onto her eyeball. Terri remained still as the deputy repeated the process with her other eye.
"There you are ma'am," the deputy said, instructing her she could return to standing normally. Terri put her head back and opened her eyes, she saw only black. "Those are state of the art black out contacts, they'll render the user completely blind and are guaranteed not to slip out of place," the deputy explained.
All of the sudden the door opened, it was the sheriff. The deputy addressed him very respectfully, "Sheriff, I was just showing Ms. London some of our new tech as you instructed."
Terri addressed him, "Sheriff, I'm..." she had forgotten about the collar she was wearing. This is not how she thought she'd be meeting her adversary, blind and mute, needless to say she was at a disadvantage. She reached up to remove the collar, but felt a pair of strong and rough hands halt her own. The sheriff spoke, "that won't be necessary ma'am, and in fact I think we'll be leaving that on for now. This interview has turned into an arrest. It seems Ms. London has a total disregard for our traffic laws, she felt she could operate her vehicle with a burned out tail light."
Terri was expecting this to happen, but not like this, she thought she would at least get to ask the sheriff her questions first, but he addressed none of them.