“You know me?”
Keller did not answer.
That was interesting.
Mercer noticed too.
Vance straightened away from the truck.
His bruised hand throbbed.
Mercer looked at him.
“You all right?”
“Fine.”
“That hand says otherwise.”
“Still attached.”
Mercer nodded.
Then looked at Keller.
“Deputy, remove your duty weapon with two fingers and place it on the hood of the cruiser.”
Keller’s nostrils flared.
“On what authority?”
Mercer reached inside his jacket and removed a folded warrant packet.
“More than one.”
Keller said nothing.
Mercer continued.
“Do it.”
Pike already had both hands lifted away from his belt.
Keller looked toward him.
“Don’t.”
Pike stared.
“What?”
“You don’t cooperate with these people.”
Mercer looked at Pike.
“Young man, I suggest you make your own decisions.”
Pike swallowed.
Keller said, “You’re my partner.”
Pike’s eyes moved to the bulge in Keller’s vest pocket.
Then toward Vance’s wallet lying in the dirt.
Something inside him seemed to settle.
“No.”
Keller stared.
Pike continued.
“I’m not.”
The silence that followed was broken only by highway traffic.
Keller removed his pistol.
Placed it on the cruiser hood.
Mercer’s team moved in.
Within thirty seconds, Deputy Keller stood with his hands secured behind his back.
The stolen money remained in his vest.
Exactly where he had placed it.
Mercer looked at Vance.
“Want to tell me why you let him step on your hand?”
Vance flexed his fingers.
“Needed him comfortable.”
Mercer shook his head.
“You’ve always had an unhealthy relationship with the phrase acceptable risk.”
Vance looked at Keller.
“It worked.”
Mercer followed his gaze.
“No argument there.”
Keller looked between them.
“You set me up.”
Vance said, “No.”
“You drove through my county carrying cash.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I’d stop you.”
“I suspected someone would.”
Keller laughed bitterly.
“Entrapment.”
Mercer almost smiled.
“You want to save that for counsel.”
Vance stepped closer.
“You chose the stop.”
Keller said nothing.
“You chose to turn off your camera.”
Nothing.
“You chose to take the wallet.”
Nothing.
“You chose the money.”
Keller’s jaw worked.
Vance looked at him.
“I didn’t offer you anything.”
The deputy stared.
“No one asked you to steal.”
Mercer signaled one of the agents.
“Get him in the vehicle.”
Keller resisted just enough to make the agent tighten his grip.
Then Keller looked back toward Pike.
“You think they’re going to save you?”
Pike flinched.
Keller laughed.
“They’ll bury you too.”
Mercer watched.
Pike’s face went pale.
Vance understood.
There was more.
Keller knew Pike had seen things.
Maybe participated.
Maybe remained silent.
Silence could become evidence too.
Mercer said, “Deputy Pike, you are not under arrest at this moment.”
Pike swallowed.
“At this moment?”
“You need representation.”
Pike nodded slowly.
Mercer continued.