“He said paperwork came later.”
“Did it?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Lieutenant Price called me into his office.”
“What did he say?”
Pike swallowed.
“Asked whether I wanted to be police or wanted to be a witness.”
Nia felt anger rise.
“What did you answer?”
“Police.”
He looked ashamed.
“So I stopped asking.”
“Did Keller share money with you?”
“No.”
“Offer?”
“Once.”
“How much?”
“Five hundred.”
“You take it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I was scared of where it came from.”
Nia said quietly:
“But not scared enough to report.”
Pike nodded.
“No.”
Marcus leaned forward.
“What changed?”
Pike looked at Nia.
“The gas station.”
She held his gaze.
“I watched footage.”
“You were there?”
“No.”
“I came after.”
“Price told me federal agents were trying to frame Keller.”
“Then he told me to write that Keller had received a narcotics tip before contact.”
Nia’s expression sharpened.
“Did you?”
“I started.”
“Then I saw the dispatch log.”
“No tip.”
Pike’s eyes reddened.
“And I realized they were going to make everybody lie again.”
“What did you do?”
“I saved a copy before Price changed it.”
He slid a flash drive across the table.
Marcus stared.
“What is this?”
“Dispatch server export.”
“Original.”
“Before edits.”
Nia looked at Pike.
“You understand what happens if this authenticates.”
“Yes.”
“You'll testify?”
His hands trembled.
“Yes.”
“Against Keller?”
“Yes.”
“Price?”
“Yes.”
“Vance?”
Pike hesitated longest.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
Nia leaned back.
“You're going to lose friends.”
“I know.”
“Maybe your career.”
“I know.”
“People in your hometown may hate you.”
“I know.”
Nia watched him.
“Why now?”
Pike looked toward the table.
“Because I saw Agent Brooks’s badge in the rain.”
Nia’s expression hardened slightly.
He noticed.
“No.”
He corrected himself.
“That's not right.”
He took a breath.
“I saw her badge and realized if Keller could do that to someone with an FBI badge, then all those people without one never had a chance.”
Nia’s anger eased.
“Better answer.”
Chapter Six: The Chief
Captain Harold Vance did not return home after leaving Laam’s Gas & Go.
He disappeared.
For thirty-six hours.
Federal agents watched his house.
His sister’s property.
A hunting cabin.