Daniel slowly lowered his phone.
Robert looked at him.
"What did he say?"
Daniel picked up the note.
"He just confirmed that Thomas Reed was murdered."
Deputy James Miller had not slept in nearly thirty hours.
He sat alone inside his patrol vehicle, parked behind an abandoned gas station outside Blackwood.
His uniform was stained with dirt, and a small cut ran across his forehead.
He kept looking at the rearview mirror.
Every passing vehicle made him nervous.
For years, Miller had believed that Sheriff Hayes was a difficult but honorable man.
He had joined the department because he wanted to protect people.
He had grown up in Blackwood, attended school there, and watched Hayes become one of the most respected figures in the county.
But everything had changed after Thomas Reed died.
Reed had been Miller's mentor.
He had taught him how to investigate a crime scene, how to question witnesses, and how to recognize when someone was lying.
A week before his death, Reed had approached Miller after work.
"James, I need you to listen carefully."
Miller remembered that conversation clearly.
"What's wrong?"
Reed looked around the parking lot.
"I found something inside the department's financial records."
"What kind of thing?"
"Payments. Large payments. Money that's supposed to be going into public safety accounts is being transferred somewhere else."
Miller had laughed nervously.
"Maybe it's an accounting mistake."
Reed shook his head.
"No. It's deliberate."
"Who is doing it?"
Reed looked directly at him.
"The sheriff."
Miller had not believed him.
At least, not immediately.
Then Reed showed him a document containing Hayes's signature.
Three days later, Reed was dead.
Now Miller knew the truth.
And he was afraid.
His phone rang.
The caller ID displayed Sheriff Hayes.
Miller stared at it for several seconds before answering.
"Deputy Miller."
"Where are you?"
"I'm on patrol, sir."
"Don't lie to me."
Miller swallowed.
"I'm not."
Hayes's voice became colder.
"You've been talking to Carter."
There was silence.
"Sir, Iβ"
"Listen to me carefully. I gave you an opportunity to stay out of this."
"I haven't done anything wrong."
Hayes laughed.
"That's what Thomas Reed said."
Miller felt his stomach tighten.
"Sir, what happened to Thomas?"
The sheriff did not answer immediately.
Then he said something Miller would never forget.
"Thomas should have learned when to stop asking questions."
The call ended.
Miller slowly lowered his phone.
He knew what that meant.
The sheriff was no longer pretending.
He was threatening him directly.
Miller started the vehicle and drove toward the old detention facility.
He had hidden something there before the building was abandoned.
A small storage device containing a recording of a conversation between Hayes and Victor Kane.
Reed had given it to him shortly before his death.
Miller had kept it hidden because he was afraid.
Now he realized that keeping it hidden was no longer protecting anyone.
When he reached the facility, he parked near the rear entrance.
He entered the building and moved toward the storage room.
The cabinet was still there.
He opened the bottom drawer.
The device was gone.
Miller froze.
He checked the drawer again.
Nothing.
Then he heard footsteps behind him.
"Looking for something?"
Miller turned.
Victor Kane stood in the doorway.
Two men were beside him.
Miller immediately stepped backward.
"Where is it?"
Kane smiled.
"Where's what?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Kane walked into the room.
"Thomas Reed was a smart man. But he made one terrible mistake."
"What mistake?"
"He trusted people."
Miller clenched his fists.
"You're a murderer."
Kane's expression remained calm.
"That's a very dangerous accusation."
"You killed Reed."
Kane nodded slightly.
"And what exactly are you going to do about it?"
Miller reached for his radio.
One of Kane's men struck his arm.
The radio fell to the floor.
Kane stepped closer.
"Listen, Deputy. You have two choices. You can forget everything you know and return to your little patrol car, or you can make the same mistake Reed made."
Miller looked at him.
"I'm not afraid of you."
Kane laughed.
"Everyone says that."
The men grabbed Miller and dragged him toward the hallway.
But before they could reach the exit, a vehicle suddenly crashed through the old exterior gate.
The headlights illuminated the entire corridor.
Daniel Carter stepped out.
"Let him go!"
Kane turned.
His expression changed.
"Agent Carter."
Daniel raised his badge.
"FBI. Everyone stay where you are."
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Kane smiled.
"You're becoming a very persistent problem."
Daniel looked at Miller.
"Are you hurt?"
Miller shook his head.
"Not badly."
Kane suddenly stepped toward the side exit.
Daniel shouted.
"Stop!"
But Kane disappeared into the darkness.
His men followed.
Daniel rushed toward Miller.
"Can you stand?"
Miller nodded.
"Agent, I need to tell you something."
"What?"
Miller looked toward the exit where Kane had escaped.
"Thomas didn't just leave evidence. He left a list of everyone involved."
Daniel stared at him.
"Where is it?"
Miller reached into his jacket and produced a folded piece of paper.
Daniel opened it.
There were thirteen names.
The sheriff.
The mayor.
Victor Kane.
Several county officials.
And at the bottom, a name that made Daniel stop breathing.
SPECIAL AGENT DANIEL CARTER.
Daniel looked up.
"What is this?"
Miller shook his head.
"I don't know. Thomas wrote your name on the list before he died."
Daniel studied the document.
He had never met Thomas Reed before beginning the investigation.
Why would the dead deputy have written his name?
And what did he know about Daniel?
For the first time, Daniel wondered whether he had been investigating the wrong case from the beginning.
The farmhouse was quiet when Daniel returned with Deputy Miller.
Robert Hayes was waiting near the kitchen table.
He immediately noticed Miller's injuries.
"What happened?"
Miller sat down.
"Victor Kane."
Robert's expression hardened.
"That man should be in prison."
"He isn't," Daniel replied. "And neither is the sheriff."
Daniel placed the list on the table.