“You think someone would kill you?”
Naomi looked toward the houses.
“I think someone already tried.”
The words changed the atmosphere.
Mercer stared.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“What happened?”
“A brake line was cut.”
Doyle looked at the black sedan.
“Your car?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you drive it?”
“I didn't.”
She pointed toward the sedan.
“That car hasn't moved since yesterday.”
Mercer stared.
“Then whose car were you driving?”
Naomi looked toward the road.
“That's the interesting part.”
A dark gray SUV appeared at the end of the street.
Naomi's eyes narrowed.
“That's the vehicle.”
Lewis immediately turned.
“Everybody back.”
The SUV slowed.
Then stopped.
For two seconds nobody moved.
The driver seemed to look directly at Naomi.
Then the SUV accelerated away.
Lewis shouted.
“Vehicle!”
The federal agents moved toward their SUVs.
Doyle instinctively reached for his radio.
Mercer remained frozen.
Naomi watched the SUV disappear.
Lewis returned.
“We have the plate.”
“Good.”
“Stolen.”
Naomi nodded.
“I expected that.”
Doyle looked confused.
“You knew they'd come?”
“I suspected.”
“Why?”
“Because they weren't trying to kill me.”
He stared.
“What?”
“They were trying to scare me.”
Mercer finally spoke.
“Who?”
Naomi turned.
“That's what I'm trying to find out.”
She walked toward him.
“Do you know a man named Victor Harlan?”
Mercer stopped breathing for half a second.
Doyle noticed.
Naomi noticed too.
Lewis noticed.
Mercer shook his head.
“No.”
“You answered too quickly.”
“I don't know him.”
“Have you heard the name?”
“No.”
“Then why did your face change?”
“It didn't.”
Naomi smiled faintly.
“It did.”
Mercer looked toward the cruiser.
Naomi stepped closer.
“Your unit has received fourteen transfers from a private evidence contractor in the last six months.”
Mercer remained silent.
“Seven of those transfers were never logged.”
Nothing.
“Three contained narcotics.”
Still nothing.
“Two contained cash.”
Mercer's jaw tightened.
“One contained a handgun that disappeared before trial.”
Doyle looked at Mercer.
“What?”
Mercer snapped.
“Don't.”
Doyle's face hardened.
“I didn't know about that.”
Naomi looked at him.
“I know.”
Then she looked back at Mercer.
“Victor Harlan's company was the contractor.”
Mercer's eyes moved.
Just slightly.
But enough.
Naomi saw it.
“You know him.”
Mercer said nothing.
Lewis stepped forward.
“Officer Mercer, turn around.”