“No.”
Mara shook her head.
“You made your own choices.”
That sentence struck harder than any accusation.
Colter looked down at the floor.
The black credential wallet was still in Mara's hand.
He remembered kicking it.
He remembered the sound of it sliding across the concrete.
He remembered the way he had enjoyed watching her bend to retrieve it.
Now he realized that the camera had recorded every second.
The phone remained on speaker.
Vance said, “Sheriff, we're sending a team.”
“How many?”
“Enough.”
Colter closed his eyes for a moment.
“Am I under investigation?”
“Yes.”
The answer was immediate.
He opened his eyes.
“Am I suspended?”
“Not yet.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you still have an opportunity to cooperate.”
Colter looked at Mara.
“And if I don't?”
“Then your cooperation will no longer matter.”
The line went quiet.
Mara picked up the credential wallet.
She slipped it into her inner jacket pocket.
Then she turned toward Evan.
“Deputy Miller.”
“Yes?”
“Who authorized the stop?”
Evan looked at Colter.
Colter said nothing.
Evan hesitated.
Then he reached toward the computer.
“I received a message through dispatch.”
“From whom?”
“I don't know.”
“Show me.”
Evan pulled up the dispatch log.
Mara leaned over.
Colter stepped closer.
The message had been entered at 8:43 p.m.
SUBJECT: VEHICLE INTERCEPT
PLATE: 7KX-481
INSTRUCTION: DETAIN DRIVER. NO SEARCH. HOLD FOR SHERIFF.
Mara read it twice.
“That's not enough.”
Evan frowned.
“What?”
“Scroll down.”
He did.
There was another line.
AUTHORITY: SHERIFF'S OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMAND.
Mara stared at it.
“That's false.”
Colter looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because administrative command doesn't use that format.”
Evan looked confused.
“What format should it use?”
Mara pointed at the screen.
“This field was copied from an old dispatch template.”
Colter's expression changed.
“You're saying someone forged it?”
“I'm saying someone copied an old command format and used your system to make it look official.”
Evan whispered, “Can they do that?”
“Yes.”
“From inside the building?”
“Possibly.”
Colter looked toward the hallway.
“How?”
Mara walked toward the door.
“That's what we're going to find out.”
She stepped into the corridor.
Colter followed.
Evan came behind them.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then the overhead radio crackled.
A dispatcher called Colter's name.
He stopped.
“Go ahead.”
“Sheriff, we've got a problem.”
“What kind?”
“Someone just tried to access the evidence room.”
Colter looked at Mara.
“Who?”
The dispatcher hesitated.
“The system says you.”
Colter's face went pale.
“I've been standing here.”
“I know, sir.”
“Then lock the evidence room.”
“Already did.”
Mara's eyes narrowed.
“Don't.”
Colter looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because whoever is inside your system wants you to panic.”
She looked at Evan.
“Tell dispatch to freeze every access record.”