The captain continued.
"She's expected at a nine o'clock meeting with county administrators and state investigators. When she missed her scheduled check-in, we reviewed the available coordination records. Your department's traffic-stop entry was identified during that process."
Cleary said nothing.
"Sheriff?"
"Yes."
"Is Ms. Hayes still being held?"
"Yes."
"Has a magistrate reviewed the charge?"
"Not yet."
"Has she been allowed to contact counsel or her office?"
Cleary looked toward the door.
"We're processing the paperwork."
Captain Price paused.
Then she said, "We're sending independent personnel to your location to assess the situation. Preserve all records associated with the stop, search, arrest, vehicle tow, and detention."
Cleary's jaw tightened.
"Are you ordering me to release my prisoner?"
"No, Sheriff. I'm informing you that the incident requires independent review. Any continued detention must have a lawful basis."
He stared at the receiver.
She added, "Please confirm that Ms. Hayes won't be questioned further about this incident without the appropriate safeguards."
Cleary rubbed his forehead.
"Fine."
"Thank you. We'll be there shortly."
The call ended.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
Then he slowly placed the receiver onto the cradle.
He looked toward the clock.
8:45.
His office suddenly felt too warm.
He stood and walked toward the window.
Outside, the station parking lot looked ordinary.
A county maintenance truck was parked beside the fence.
Two civilian employees crossed the pavement carrying coffee.
Beyond the building, Oak Haven's Main Street remained quiet.
Cleary had handled thousands of traffic stops during his career.
He had arrested people who shouted at him.
He had issued citations to drivers who complained.
He had been challenged by lawyers, journalists, and local politicians.
Usually, he knew how to manage the consequences.
But this was different.
He had arrested the very person leading an investigation into his department.
Worse, he couldn't remember a single clearly documented offense that justified the arrest.
His claim of speeding wasn't supported by the records he'd prepared.
He hadn't issued a speeding citation.
He'd conducted a vehicle search after Sarah refused consent.
And he'd arrested her for what he repeatedly described as a bad attitude.
He was still standing beside the window when the red telephone rang again.
He spun toward the desk.
For a moment, he considered ignoring it.
Then he picked up.
"Cleary."
"This is Captain Price again. We need confirmation that Ms. Hayes has been offered an opportunity to contact counsel and that her personal belongings are being preserved."
Cleary closed his eyes.
"I've got people handling it."
"Who is responsible for the booking record?"
"Denise Walker."
"Thank you. Please preserve all recordings without alteration. Our investigators will obtain them through the appropriate process."
Cleary's voice hardened.
"Are you suggesting we destroy evidence?"
"I'm telling you what must be preserved."
He looked toward the security monitor on his desk.
CHAPTER 10
"Is that all?"
"For now."
The line went silent.
Cleary slammed the receiver down.
Then he called for his chief deputy.
A stocky forty-six-year-old man named Raymond Haskell appeared in the doorway.
Haskell had worked under Cleary for fourteen years.
He knew the sheriff's habits.
He knew his moods.
And he knew when an ordinary problem was becoming a disaster.
"What's wrong, Boyd?"
Cleary pointed toward the booking area.
"That woman we brought in is some kind of state investigator."
Haskell stared.
"Who?"
"Sarah Hayes."
The chief deputy's expression changed.
"Sarah Hayes?"
Cleary frowned.
"You know her?"
Haskell looked toward the door.
"She's supposed to be meeting with the county today."
"Apparently."
Haskell lowered his voice.
"Boyd, she's leading the investigation into our traffic enforcement program."
Cleary stared at him.
"I know that now."
Haskell took a slow breath.
"What did you arrest her for?"
Cleary looked away.
"Disorderly."
"What did she do?"
"She gave me trouble."
Haskell didn't answer.
The sheriff turned.
"Well?"
Haskell looked toward the report.
Then he said, very quietly, "That's not enough."
Cleary's face reddened.
"Don't lecture me."
"I'm not lecturing you."
"Then help me fix this."
Haskell considered the situation.
"First, we need an accurate report of what happened."
Cleary stared.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"I need you to get that woman out of here before the state police arrive!"
Haskell shook his head.
"We can't just make the record disappear."
Cleary took a step forward.
"Since when did you become such a coward?"
Haskell's expression hardened.
"Since I realized this could put innocent people in jail."
Silence settled between them.
Cleary looked astonished.
For fourteen years, Raymond Haskell had rarely challenged him openly.
Now his own chief deputy stood in the office telling him that the department's conduct might be unlawful.
Cleary pointed toward the door.
"Get out."
Haskell didn't move immediately.
Then he said, "Boyd, I think you should stop talking about this until you have counsel."
The sheriff slammed his palm against the desk.
"GET OUT!"
Haskell turned and left.
Cleary stood alone.
Then the red telephone began ringing for a third time.
This time, he didn't answer immediately.
He stared at it.
The sound seemed louder than before.
Finally, he lifted the receiver.
A man's voice spoke.
"Sheriff Cleary, this is Deputy Director Martin Shaw with the state public integrity task force."
Cleary closed his eyes.
"Yes?"
"I'm calling because we need confirmation that Ms. Hayes is safe and that her detention is being reviewed independently."
Cleary looked toward the hallway.
"She's fine."
"We'll confirm that when our personnel arrive."
The deputy director paused.
Then he said something that made Cleary's stomach drop.
"Sheriff, I need you to understand one thing. Ms. Hayes was not traveling to Oak Haven to conduct an unannounced traffic-stop test."
Cleary stared.
"What?"
"Her scheduled meeting concerns ongoing complaints about improper searches, detentions, and vehicle towing practices."
He swallowed.
The voice continued.
CHAPTER 11
"We're going to establish what happened today. But we were already investigating conduct of this type before your encounter with her."
Cleary looked down at the file.