Denton studied her.
“You an attorney?”
“Yes.”
Harlan laughed.
“There it is.”
Sloane looked at him.
“You asked earlier.”
He stopped smiling.
Denton asked, “Private practice?”
“No.”
That was all Sloane said.
Harlan leaned toward Denton.
“Run her.”
Denton began typing.
Sloane watched.
First name.
Last name.
Date of birth from verbal intake.
The screen changed.
Denton’s eyes stopped moving.
He leaned closer.
Quinn saw his expression.
“What?”
Denton said nothing.
Harlan frowned.
“What?”
The sergeant looked at Sloane.
Then back at the screen.
“You work for the federal government?”
Sloane remained silent.
Harlan scoffed.
“She already tried that federal-job routine?”
Sloane had never mentioned her employment.
That detail registered immediately with Quinn.
“She never said anything about federal.”
Harlan turned.
Denton swallowed.
“Her employment field says Department of Justice.”
The room changed.
Not completely.
Not yet.
Harlan still had enough arrogance left to protect himself.
“So she’s some clerk.”
Sloane almost smiled.
The desk phone rang.
Denton picked it up.
“Fairview Police.”
He listened.
His face changed.
“Yes.”
Another pause.
“Yes, sir.”
His eyes lifted toward Sloane.
“No, sir. She’s here.”
Harlan stopped moving.
Denton listened again.
Then covered the receiver.
“Captain.”
A watch commander stepped from an office near the booking floor.
“What?”
Denton held out the phone.
“It’s the United States Attorney’s Office.”
Nobody spoke.
The captain took the receiver.
“Captain Reeves.”
He listened.
His expression went blank.
Then serious.
Then alarmed.
“Yes, Deputy U.S. Attorney Walsh.”
Harlan’s mouth opened slightly.
Sloane watched him.
Captain Reeves looked at her wrists.
“Are those cuffs still on?”
Harlan finally understood.
Reeves put one hand over the phone.
“Take them off.”
Harlan did not move.
The captain’s voice sharpened.
“Now.”
Quinn stepped forward.
“I’ll do it.”
Harlan glared at him.
Quinn ignored him.
He unlocked the cuffs.
Sloane brought her hands forward.
Red lines circled both wrists.
Captain Reeves saw them.
So did Denton.
The captain returned to the phone.
“Yes, sir. The restraints have been removed.”
He listened.
“Yes.”
Then:
“Understood.”