“I don't know anything about a military case.”
Silence.
Brenda slowly turned toward him.
Jared stopped breathing.
Sarah stepped closer to the bars.
“No one said there was a military case.”
Ryker realized.
The red phone remained against his ear.
His face had become completely bloodless.
Then the first helicopter passed overhead.
The sound shook dust from the window frames.
Ryker went outside.
Sarah could see part of Main Street through the front glass.
Black SUVs approached from both directions.
No sirens.
That made them more frightening.
They moved with coordination.
One stopped across the station entrance.
Another behind.
Four more filled the parking area.
Doors opened.
Federal agents exited.
Dark jackets.
Body armor.
Credentials displayed.
FBI.
Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Army counterintelligence.
An attorney from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Ryker stepped backward.
“What the hell?”
The front door opened.
Special Agent Daniel Ortiz entered first.
“Sheriff Thomas Ryker?”
Ryker’s hand instinctively moved toward his belt.
Ortiz watched it.
“Do not.”
Ryker froze.
Ortiz displayed credentials.
“Federal warrant service.”
“Warrant?”
“Four.”
He handed over the first.
“Sheriff’s office.”
Second.
“Evidence room and digital systems.”
Third.
“Ryker Recovery & Transport.”
Fourth.
“Your residence.”
Ryker stared.
“This is retaliation because I arrested her.”
Ortiz looked toward Cell Four.
“No.”
“These warrants were signed this morning.”
That sentence changed everything.
Ryker looked at Sarah.
She was already looking at him.
Ortiz continued.
“Major General Hayes’s detention only accelerated execution.”
Sarah’s cell was unlocked.
She stepped into the booking room.
Jared removed the handcuffs.
He looked ashamed.
“I’m sorry, General.”
Sarah rubbed one wrist.
“Save that.”
He looked up.
“For later?”
“For when you've decided what you're going to do with everything you saw today.”
He understood.
Sarah collected her hat.
Placed it back on her head.
Then pulled on the black gloves.
Ryker watched.
Without the handcuffs, her entire presence changed.
Not because she became more powerful.
Because he finally understood the power had been there while the cuffs were on.
Sarah picked up her crocodile handbag from where he had kicked it.
The leather bore a fresh scrape.
She ran one gloved thumb over the mark.
Then looked at Ryker.
He expected anger.
What frightened him was the absence of it.
She turned toward the evidence room.
“Agent Ortiz.”
“Yes, General?”
“My communicator detected an active secure-frequency source behind that wall.”
Ortiz looked toward the room.
“That wasn't ours?”
“No.”
Ryker took one step backward.
Sarah noticed.