He looked around.
His face tightened when he saw Daniel.
Then Mitchell.
“Who is Officer Mitchell?”
Mitchell looked as though he wanted to disappear.
“I am.”
Gaines walked toward him.
“Body camera.”
Mitchell touched his chest.
Inactive.
Gaines's expression went flat.
“Why is it off?”
Mitchell swallowed.
“Battery issue.”
Barnes looked at him.
Daniel said nothing.
Gaines turned toward Barnes.
“Yours?”
“Active.”
“Good.”
“Do not discuss this with him.”
Barnes nodded.
Gaines looked toward Daniel.
“Colonel Henderson, I’m Captain Gaines, county watch commander.”
Daniel nodded.
“Captain.”
“I apologize—”
Daniel stopped him.
“No.”
Gaines blinked.
Daniel continued:
“Don't apologize before you know what happened.”
Gaines looked surprised.
Daniel glanced toward Mitchell.
“Preserve the evidence first.”
That sentence reset the scene.
Gaines became operational.
He pointed to deputies.
“Separate Mitchell and Barnes.”
“Secure Mitchell's body camera.”
“Secure the cruiser.”
“Do not allow either officer to access terminals, phones beyond counsel notification, or report systems until instructed.”
Mitchell spoke quickly:
“Captain, I can explain.”
Gaines looked at him.
“Not here.”
Mitchell swallowed.
“You'll give a statement according to procedure.”
Daniel watched.
Good.
Colonel Brooks approached Daniel.
“Sir, Fort Bradley received the signal at 6:51.”
Daniel checked his watch.
The search had started around then.
“How much audio?”
“Enough.”
Mitchell heard.
His face changed again.
Brooks continued:
“Command duty officer recognized your authentication.”
“Military police notified state communications.”
“County command alerted.”
Daniel nodded.
“Who listened?”
“Duty officer.”
“MP desk sergeant.”
“Me after sixty seconds.”
Daniel looked toward Mitchell.
No satisfaction.
Only exhaustion.
The medic arrived.
Daniel sat on the rear bumper of the military SUV while his knee was examined.
Bruising.
No apparent fracture.
Wrist strained from the fall.
Nothing major.
The civilian witness approached Captain Gaines.
She still held the phone.
“I recorded everything.”
Gaines nodded.
“Thank you.”
“Do you want it?”
“Yes, but keep your original.”
Daniel looked over.
Good answer.
Gaines continued:
“We'll document transfer through a forensic copy.”
The woman looked relieved.
Daniel asked:
“Your name?”
She told him.
Rebecca Hall.
Elementary-school teacher.
She had been driving home with her teenage daughter.
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
“I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“I almost kept driving.”
Daniel smiled sadly.
“You stopped.”
“Yes.”
“That matters.”
She looked toward Mitchell.
“He kicked you.”
“I know.”
“I got it.”