YOU WERE WARNED.
Colter stared.
“Where is he?”
Nobody answered.
Then a distant alarm sounded.
Mara stood.
“That's not your alarm.”
“What is it?”
“Fire suppression.”
The building's warning lights began flashing.
Evan looked toward the main entrance.
“Should we evacuate?”
“No,” Mara said.
Colter turned toward her.
“Why not?”
“Because if somebody wants us outside, we don't go outside.”
A second alarm sounded.
Then the lights went out.
The entire station dropped into darkness.
Someone shouted.
A door slammed.
Mara immediately spoke.
“Everyone stay where you are.”
A flashlight clicked on.
Evan's beam shook.
Colter reached for his weapon.
Mara grabbed his wrist.
“Don't.”
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because you don't know who's in the dark.”
The emergency lights came on.
Red.
The entire corridor was bathed in a dim crimson glow.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then they heard footsteps.
Not running.
Walking.
Measured.
Calm.
Coming from the direction of the evidence room.
Colter whispered, “Who's there?”
No answer.
Mara moved toward the sound.
Evan followed.
Colter came behind him.
The footsteps stopped.
A figure appeared at the end of the corridor.
Chief Deputy Harold Benton.
His uniform was rumpled.
His face was pale.
He held both hands in the air.
“Don't shoot.”
Colter stared.
“Where have you been?”
Benton looked at Mara.
Then at Colter.
“I was taken.”
“By whom?”
“I don't know.”
Mara stepped closer.
“Who had you?”
Benton swallowed.
“A man.”
“Description.”
“Gray jacket. Black gloves. Mid-forties.”
“Name?”
“He didn't give one.”
“What did he want?”
Benton looked at Colter.
“He wanted your credentials.”
Colter's face tightened.
“Mine?”
Benton nodded.
“He said you were the easiest way into the department.”
Mara said nothing.
Benton looked at her.
“He knew you were coming.”
The room became silent.
“How?” Mara asked.
Benton shook his head.
“He said someone inside the county had been feeding him information for months.”
Colter looked at Evan.
Evan immediately shook his head.
“Not me.”
Mara stepped between them.
“Stop.”
Both men looked at her.
“We don't know who yet.”
Benton's eyes moved to the credential wallet in Mara's jacket.
“You're the federal woman.”
“Yes.”
“He said you would come.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
Mara's expression changed.
“What else did he say?”
Benton swallowed.
“He said the reason they wanted you in the building wasn't to arrest you.”
Mara waited.
“He said they needed you to authenticate something.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”