And he knew that the officer's own body camera might reveal even more.
***
As the paramedics prepared to move Arthur, the lead agent approached Vance.
AGENT MILLER:
"Officer, I need your badge number again."
OFFICER VANCE:
"6417."
AGENT MILLER:
"Your full name?"
OFFICER VANCE:
"Travis Vance."
AGENT MILLER:
"Department?"
OFFICER VANCE:
"Metropolitan Transit Police."
AGENT MILLER:
"How long have you been assigned to this station?"
OFFICER VANCE:
"Two years."
AGENT MILLER:
"Have you previously encountered Mr. Whitmore?"
OFFICER VANCE:
"No."
AGENT MILLER:
"Have you ever handled documents issued by the federal retirement administration?"
OFFICER VANCE:
"No."
AGENT MILLER:
"Then why did you identify his pension authorization as evidence of fraud?"
Vance shifted his weight.
OFFICER VANCE:
"He was carrying a large amount of money. I had reasonable concerns."
AGENT MILLER:
"Did you observe a financial transaction?"
OFFICER VANCE:
"No."
AGENT MILLER:
"Did you receive a complaint?"
OFFICER VANCE:
"No."
AGENT MILLER:
"Did another officer report suspicious activity?"
OFFICER VANCE:
"No."
Miller waited.
AGENT MILLER:
"Then what was the basis for your investigation?"
Vance looked away.
OFFICER VANCE:
"I had a suspicion."
AGENT MILLER:
"Suspicion alone doesn't explain why you took the documents and concealed them in your vest."
OFFICER VANCE:
"I was securing them."
AGENT MILLER:
"Then why did you tell dispatch that you were conducting a financial fraud investigation when you had no verified information supporting that allegation?"
Vance remained silent.
Miller took a small notebook from his jacket.
AGENT MILLER:
"Your department supervisor will be notified. Until then, I want you to remain here and cooperate with the preservation of evidence."
Vance looked increasingly frustrated.
OFFICER VANCE:
"Am I being detained?"
AGENT MILLER:
"At this moment, we're securing the scene and coordinating with your department. You'll receive further instructions through the appropriate channels."
OFFICER VANCE:
"This is unbelievable."
AGENT MILLER:
"What's unbelievable is that a retired federal employee ended up injured on the floor because an officer couldn't explain why he was taking private property."
Vance clenched his jaw.
***
At the hospital, Arthur was taken directly to the emergency department.
Doctors examined his shoulder and ordered imaging to determine the extent of the injury.
His daughter, Rebecca Whitmore, arrived approximately twenty-five minutes later.
She had received a call from an unfamiliar number.
When she entered the treatment area, she immediately recognized her father.
REBECCA:
"Dad!"
Arthur turned his head.
ARTHUR:
"Rebecca."
She approached the bed and gently held his left hand.
REBECCA:
"What happened?"
ARTHUR:
"I had an unfortunate encounter at the station."
REBECCA:
"An encounter? You're in a hospital!"
Arthur attempted to smile.
ARTHUR:
"I've had better mornings."
Rebecca looked at the medical equipment and then at the bruising near his shoulder.
REBECCA:
"Who did this?"
Arthur hesitated.
ARTHUR:
"A police officer."
Rebecca's expression changed.
REBECCA:
"What?"
ARTHUR:
"I was waiting for the train. He stopped me, took my pension envelope, and pushed me down."
REBECCA:
"Why?"
ARTHUR:
"He claimed I was suspicious."
Rebecca looked furious.
REBECCA:
"Did he steal your money?"
ARTHUR:
"I don't know yet."
REBECCA:
"What do you mean you don't know?"
ARTHUR:
"The envelope was inside his vest when the FBI arrived."
Rebecca stared at him.
REBECCA:
"The FBI?"
Arthur nodded.
REBECCA:
"Dad, why was the FBI at the station?"
Before Arthur could answer, the hospital physician entered.
DOCTOR:
"Mr. Whitmore, we've completed the initial examination."
ARTHUR:
"All right."
DOCTOR:
"You have a significant shoulder injury. We need to perform additional imaging, but there is a strong possibility of a dislocation and associated soft-tissue damage."
Rebecca covered her mouth.
REBECCA:
"Is he going to be okay?"
DOCTOR:
"His condition is stable. We're going to manage the pain and determine whether any additional treatment is required."
ARTHUR:
"Thank you, Doctor."
DOCTOR:
"We also want to monitor you for several hours because you reported striking your head."
Arthur nodded.
The physician left.
Rebecca sat beside the bed.
REBECCA:
"You need to tell me everything."
Arthur looked at her.
ARTHUR:
"I will."
REBECCA:
"Don't leave anything out."
ARTHUR:
"I won't."
***
Meanwhile, back at the station, Agent Miller had received a call from the FBI field office.
He listened carefully.
Then he looked toward the brown envelope that another agent had placed inside an evidence container.
AGENT MILLER:
"Understood. Yes, the identification has been confirmed."
He paused.
AGENT MILLER:
"We have the original documents."
Another pause.
AGENT MILLER:
"Not yet. We're still accounting for every item."
He ended the call.
His colleague, Agent Harris, approached.
AGENT HARRIS:
"What did headquarters say?"
AGENT MILLER:
"They confirmed the serial numbers."
Harris looked toward the evidence container.
AGENT HARRIS:
"All of them?"
AGENT MILLER:
"All three."
HARRIS:
"Then this is more serious than we thought."
Miller nodded.
AGENT MILLER:
"Much more serious."
He looked toward Vance.
The officer was standing beside a pillar, speaking quietly with a representative from his department.
AGENT MILLER:
"Do you know whether he has been informed?"
HARRIS:
"Not yet."
AGENT MILLER:
"Keep it that way until we finish securing the evidence."
Harris nodded.
The agents knew that the documents were connected to an ongoing investigation.
But they also knew that the investigation had to be handled carefully.
A single mistake could compromise years of work.
***
At the hospital, Arthur was beginning to understand why the FBI had responded so quickly.