It was bright yellow, with black lettering along the driver's door and a steel recovery apparatus extending behind the cab. The driver slowed when he saw the additional official vehicles, then pulled onto the gravel shoulder a short distance away.
The woman watched him climb down.
He was a stocky white American man in his forties, wearing work boots and a faded company polo shirt. He carried a tablet in one hand and looked toward the burgundy sedan with the casual familiarity of someone who believed he'd arrived for an ordinary assignment.
Then he noticed the state investigators.
His expression changed.
The lead investigator approached him.
"Are you here for this vehicle?"
The tow driver hesitated.
"That's what dispatch sent me for."
"Which dispatch?"
The man looked toward the sheriff's patrol car.
"Company dispatch."
The investigator nodded.
"Who requested the tow?"
The driver glanced at his tablet.
For several seconds, he studied the screen.
Then he answered.
"The sheriff's office."
The older deputy suddenly stepped forward.
"That's enough. The tow's cancelled."
The investigator turned.
"Please let the driver answer."
The sergeant's face reddened.
"This is a county matter."
The investigator remained calm.
"We're documenting a reported demand for money and a threatened vehicle seizure. The tow request is relevant."
The deputy looked toward the driver.
For a moment, they exchanged an expression the woman recognized immediately.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
The kind of silent communication shared by people who had handled similar situations before.
The investigator asked when the tow request was entered.
The driver looked at the tablet.
Then gave the time.
The woman glanced at her watch.
The request had been created before the senior deputy ordered his rookie partner to call for a tow.
That didn't automatically prove wrongdoing.
A request could have been entered through another communication channel.
But the difference mattered.
The investigator asked whether the company retained the original dispatch records.
The driver nodded.
Then glanced nervously toward the sergeant.
The lead investigator requested that the company preserve the relevant electronic records and explained that investigators would seek them through proper process.
The driver agreed.
He seemed eager to leave.
But before returning to the truck, he looked toward the sedan one more time.
Then toward the woman.
For a moment, his eyes widened.
He'd finally recognized the official seal visible through the rear window.
And the realization appeared to frighten him.