"Yes. I told them I was going on Saturday morning."
"Did they identify themselves?"
"They gave me a name, but I didn't write it down."
"Do you remember it?"
Walter closed his eyes.
He tried to recall the conversation.
Then he slowly spoke.
"I think the man said his name was Martin."
Laura looked toward her colleague.
The name immediately caught her attention.
"Mr. Harrison, are you certain?"
"Not completely. But I remember that name."
Laura made a note.
"Thank you. That information may be important."
The call ended.
Walter looked at Rebecca.
"Something is wrong."
Rebecca sat beside him.
"Dad, let the investigators handle it."
He nodded.
But his expression remained troubled.
Because if someone had called him before the payment was collected, the incident at the station might not have been random.
Someone could have known exactly when he would be carrying a large amount of money.
And that possibility frightened him more than the confrontation itself.
THE INTERVIEW
At 2:30 p.m., Laura Bennett arrived at the station's investigation office.
She had requested that Vance be interviewed separately after the initial evidence review.
His union representative was present.
The interview was recorded.
Reeves sat across the table with the case documents.
Laura began by explaining the purpose of the meeting.
"Officer Vance, this interview concerns your interaction with Walter Harrison at Central Transit Station."
Vance nodded.
"I understand."
"We have reviewed the available security recordings."
"All right."
"We have also reviewed the pension distribution records and the dispatch alert."
Vance remained silent.
Laura continued.
"Do you remember approaching Mr. Harrison?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"He was carrying a large amount of cash."
"Was that prohibited?"
"No."
"Did you receive a report that he was involved in a crime?"
"No."
"Did you observe any suspicious activity?"
Vance hesitated.
"He appeared nervous."
Laura looked at the notes.
"Was he running?"
"No."
"Was he threatening anyone?"
"No."
"Was he attempting to hide the envelope?"
Vance paused.
"I don't remember."
Reeves turned toward the monitor.
He played the recording.
The footage showed Walter standing beside the ticket machine.
It showed Vance approaching.
It showed the officer demanding the envelope.
Then it showed Walter attempting to move away.
Laura paused the recording.
"Is that you?"
"Yes."
"Is that Mr. Harrison?"
"Yes."
"Did he attack you?"
"No."
"Did he threaten you?"
"No."
"Did he refuse to identify himself?"
Vance looked down.
"No."
Laura continued.
"Then why did you take his pension envelope?"
Vance rubbed his face.
"I thought I needed to verify the contents."
"Under what authority?"
"I believed it was necessary."
"Did you document the seizure?"
"No."
"Did you issue a receipt?"
"No."
"Did you return the money?"
Vance hesitated.
"I was going to."
"When?"
"I don't remember."
Laura looked at him.
"The recording shows that you placed the envelope inside your vest."
Vance nodded.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I didn't want him walking away with it."
Reeves interrupted.
"Why would you need to prevent him from leaving with his own money?"
Vance looked toward his representative.
His representative reminded him to answer only questions he understood.
Laura continued.
"Did you know that the pension envelope carried a registered reference number?"
"No."
"Did you know the distribution had been recorded?"
"No."
"Did you know Mr. Harrison was a protected beneficiary?"
"No."
Laura closed the folder.
"Then let's discuss the earlier incident involving Harold Bennett."
Vance's expression changed.
"I already told you I don't remember."
"We have surveillance footage."
Vance remained silent.
"We also have his original pension receipt and the corresponding complaint."
"I was conducting an investigation."
"Which investigation?"
"I don't remember."
"Did you take his envelope?"
Vance looked toward his representative.
After a short pause, he answered.
"I may have temporarily secured it."
Laura stared at him.
"Where was it secured?"
"I don't remember."
"Was it entered into evidence?"
"I don't know."
"Was it returned?"
"I believe so."
Reeves placed a document on the table.
"Mr. Bennett says he never received it."
Vance shrugged.
"Then I can't explain that."
Laura looked at him.
"Do you know Martin Cole?"
Vance's expression changed again.
"Who?"
"Martin Cole. Pension distribution coordination office."
Vance shook his head.
"I don't know him."
Laura placed another document on the table.
It showed several access records involving beneficiary information.
"We have identified records accessed shortly before the incidents involving Walter Harrison and Harold Bennett."
Vance stared at the page.
Laura continued.
"Some of those records were accessed by Martin Cole's account."
Vance looked up.
"I don't know anything about that."