Sergeant Robert Miller glanced toward the surrounding officers before speaking.
"Whitmore has been on restricted perimeter duty for three weeks."
Marcus remained attentive.
"Why?"
"Personnel shortage. He's been assigned to several temporary security operations."
"Has he received additional federal coordination training?"
Miller hesitated.
"Not the full program."
Haynes immediately looked at him.
"Then why was he assigned to a presidential motorcade checkpoint?"
"The department needed additional coverage. He completed the local security briefing."
Marcus exchanged a glance with Haynes.
"Who conducted that briefing?"
Miller looked uncomfortable.
"Lieutenant Carter."
"Was the briefing documented?"
"Yes."
"Can we review it?"
"I'll request the records."
Miller paused.
"There is something else."
Marcus waited.
"Two days ago, Whitmore filed an unusual report. He claimed that an unidentified individual had been photographing security barriers near the eastern corridor."
Haynes narrowed her eyes.
"Did he identify the individual?"
"No."
"Did he submit photographs?"
"One image. Unfortunately, the quality was poor."
Marcus looked toward the command vehicle.
"Was the report investigated?"
Miller nodded.
"An initial inquiry was opened, but nothing conclusive was found."
Haynes studied him.
"Was the dark gray sedan in the report?"
Miller appeared surprised.
"What sedan?"
Marcus showed him the security footage.
Miller examined the vehicle.
His expression changed.
"That's interesting."
"Why?" Marcus asked.
"Because Whitmore mentioned a similar vehicle in his report."
The three men stood silently.
Rainwater dripped from the edge of a nearby security barrier.
Haynes looked at Marcus.
"That means he may have been trying to identify the same vehicle tonight."
"Possibly," Marcus replied.
Miller shook his head.
"I don't understand. If he suspected a vehicle was monitoring the perimeter, why would he detain you?"
Marcus answered carefully.
"Because he may have mistaken me for someone else. Or because he misunderstood the information he received."
Haynes turned toward the sergeant.
"We need the original report and the complete briefing records."
"I'll arrange that."
Miller took out his phone.
He called the police department's operations center and requested the documents.
While he waited, Marcus received another message.
This time, it was not a photograph.
It was a text.
THE WRONG MAN WAS CUFFED TONIGHT. THE RIGHT ONE IS STILL WATCHING.
Marcus read it twice.
Haynes moved closer.
"Another message?"
He showed her.
Her expression hardened.
Miller noticed their reaction.
"What is it?"
Marcus handed him the phone.
The sergeant read the words.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he looked toward the road.
"Someone is watching us."
Haynes touched her earpiece.
"Control, this is Haynes. We have received a second suspicious communication. Request additional surveillance review around the eastern checkpoint."
A voice responded.
"Copy. Stand by."
Marcus looked at the dark gray sedan in the security footage.
The vehicle had disappeared before the presidential motorcade arrived.
But the message suggested that whoever had been watching them might still be nearby.
Then Miller's phone rang.
He answered immediately.
"Sergeant Miller."
A voice spoke from the other end.
Miller's expression changed.
"What do you mean the report was deleted?"
He listened.
Then he looked at Marcus.
"Who authorized it?"
Another pause.
Miller's face grew pale.
"Lieutenant Carter?"
He ended the call.
Haynes stepped forward.
"What happened?"
Miller looked at both agents.
"The report Whitmore filed two days ago is missing from the department's central system."
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
"Missing?"
"Someone accessed the record tonight and removed the attached photograph."
Haynes looked toward the street.
"Can the access history be recovered?"
"Apparently, yes."
"Then recover it."
Miller hesitated.
"There's something else."
Marcus waited.
Miller lowered his voice.
"The deletion request came from an account belonging to someone inside our department."
For the first time that night, Marcus's expression became visibly tense.
The officer who had handcuffed him might have been careless.
The local department might have failed to coordinate properly.
But someone had deliberately removed evidence related to a suspicious vehicle near the presidential route.
And now, two anonymous messages had arrived within minutes.
Marcus looked at Haynes.
"Get the command team involved."
She nodded.
Then his communication device crackled.
"Reed, this is Control. We have identified a possible surveillance vehicle near the eastern perimeter."
Marcus straightened.
"Send me the details."
A brief pause followed.
Then the voice continued.
"Vehicle description matches the dark gray sedan from the earlier footage."
Marcus looked toward the road.
"Current location?"
The answer came immediately.
"Approximately half a mile from your position."
Haynes touched her earpiece.
"Do we have visual confirmation?"
"Negative. But the vehicle has stopped."
Marcus looked at Sergeant Miller.
"Keep your officers here. Nobody approaches that vehicle without coordination."
Miller nodded quickly.
Marcus turned toward Haynes.
The night had begun with a local police officer making a terrible mistake.
But now, the mistake was beginning to look like part of something much more dangerous.
And somewhere in the darkness beyond the presidential route, someone was still watching.