Same eyes.
He felt his stomach tighten.
“Sergeant.”
Mercer raised the handcuffs.
“One last time.”
Danielle looked at them.
“Put those away.”
“Ten seconds.”
“What crime?”
“Ten.”
“Do not count at me.”
“Nine.”
Walsh stepped forward.
“Sergeant, wait.”
“Eight.”
Danielle set the package gently on the driveway.
She kept the coffee in her left hand.
Her right hand remained visible.
“Your body camera is recording?”
Mercer almost smiled.
“Absolutely.”
“Good.”
“Seven.”
“Preserve it.”
Mercer paused.
The words did something to him.
Walsh saw it.
Experienced people under stress usually did not ask for evidence to be preserved unless they expected that evidence to help them.
“Six.”
Walsh turned.
He walked quickly toward the cruiser.
Mercer shouted.
“Walsh, where are you going?”
“Checking the address.”
“I didn’t tell you to.”
“We can clear this.”
Mercer pointed toward Danielle.
“Stay right there.”
Danielle looked down at her feet.
“My driveway appears to be cooperating.”
Walsh opened the patrol computer.
He entered the address.
Property registration loaded first.
Owner:
DANIELLE NICOLE CARTER.
Purchase date:
August 29.
Walsh stared.
He opened vehicle registration.
A gray Lexus registered to the same address.
DANIELLE N. CARTER.
Then he searched the internal name index.
The department’s training calendar appeared.
Tomorrow.
MANDATORY SUPERVISORY LEGAL TRAINING.
Instructor:
LTC DANIELLE CARTER.
Walsh stopped breathing for a moment.
Her biography appeared beneath it.
Active-duty U.S. Army Judge Advocate.
Former military prosecutor.
Operational law adviser.
Constitutional law instructor.
Georgetown Law graduate.
Walsh looked through the windshield.
Mercer had moved within two feet of her.
Handcuffs in one hand.
Finger pointed with the other.
Walsh got out.
“Sergeant.”
Mercer did not turn.
“She’s got three seconds.”
“Sergeant.”
“Two.”
“Frank.”
Mercer stopped.
Walsh had never used his first name on duty.
He turned.
Walsh’s face had gone pale.
“Put the cuffs away.”
Mercer stared.
“What?”
“She owns the house.”
Danielle did not react.
Mercer looked toward her.
Then back.
Walsh continued.
“Property record confirmed.”
Mercer lowered his hand slightly.
“And?”
Walsh swallowed.