"Did he just ask Troy to sign a false statement?" Vargas said.
Liu did not look away from her laptop.
"He strongly implied the alternative was prosecution based on an officer report they know is contradicted by witnesses."
"So yes."
"So we're writing carefully."
Keller removed her headphones.
"We need the warrants now."
Liu nodded.
"The magistrate has the affidavit."
"How long?"
"She's reviewing it.
She's reviewing it.
Keller hated waiting.
Marcus had worked under her for seven years.
He had become more than an agent she supervised.
He was the person she trusted when a case required patience without passivity.
He never chased heroics.
Never tried to be the loudest person in a room.
That was why watching Morrison throw him to the pavement had been almost unbearable.
Vargas noticed her expression.
"He knew the risk."
"I know."
"You want to pull him out?"
Reeves walked around the desk.
"You're three years from vesting."
Harris went still.
Reeves lowered his voice.
"I would hate for one confusing night to damage your career."
Harris left the office ten minutes later feeling physically sick.
What neither man knew was that the hallway outside Reeves's office had recently been fitted with an updated network access point.
And the federal team had obtained temporary judicial authorization two days earlier to capture limited communications connected to specified devices as part of the existing corruption investigation.
Not every word was clear.
Enough was.
At 9:41 p.m., Judge Eleanor Marsh signed the first seizure warrant.
"Captain—"
"Jason made a lawful stop. The subject refused commands. The situation escalated. That is what happened."
Harris stared at him.
"That window—"
"Was broken because the subject refused to exit."
"He asked why."
"He refused."
"That isn't—"
Reeves stood.
"Careful."
Harris stopped.
"You have a family?"
Harris frowned.
"You know I do."
"Wife. New baby."
"Yes."
"Mortgage?"
"What is this?"
Reeves sat behind his desk.
"This is me reminding you that police work is a team profession."
Harris's stomach turned.
"I didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to."
"Yeah."
"So maybe you didn't see everything."
Harris's face tightened.
Captain Reeves entered the report room.
"What's the problem?"
"No problem," Morrison said.
Reeves looked at Harris.
Harris looked toward the floor.
Reeves understood instantly.
"Daniel. Office."
Harris followed him.
Reeves closed the door.
Morrison slowly turned in his chair.
"You calling me a liar?"
"No."
"Sounded like it."
"I'm saying I didn't see that."
Morrison stared.
Then smiled,
It was worse than anger.
"You're tired."
Harris said nothing.
"You remember the stop was chaotic."
"Yeah."
The cover-up was often more valuable than the original crime.
At Deerfield station, the cover-up had already begun.
Officer Morrison sat at a computer revising his report for the third time.
The first version said Marcus had "swerved repeatedly."
The second said he had "crossed the center lane marker."
The third changed that to "drifted toward the center line on at least three occasions."
Harris stood behind him.
"That's not what happened."
Morrison stopped typing.
"What?"
Harris swallowed.
"He didn't cross the center line."
"Yes."
"That's not what I asked."
Keller looked at him.
"No. Not yet."
Vargas nodded.
Because both understood the same thing.
If federal agents stormed the station immediately after the arrest, they would get Morrison.
Maybe Reeves.
But they might lose the larger case.
They needed to see what the department did after the arrest.
How reports were written.
Who altered records.
Harris looked toward Marcus.
"I'm sorry."
Marcus said nothing.
"I should've stopped him."
"Yes," Marcus replied.
Harris swallowed.
"I was afraid."
Marcus leaned back.
"Fear explains choices. It doesn't erase them."
Harris nodded, eyes wet.
"I know."
Do not discuss this case among yourselves. Do not delete, alter, destroy, move, or conceal any record connected to tonight or any matter listed in the warrant.
Reeves recovered enough to speak.
"My attorney will challenge this."
"That is your right."
"This department has done nothing wrong."
Marcus looked at him.
Reeves caught the glance.
"What?"
Marcus's voice remained calm.
"You might want to stop making statements until you speak to counsel."
For the first time all night, Morrison truly understood who had been standing in front of him.
Not because Marcus was an FBI agent.