"That's already being checked."
Vance overheard the conversation.
He immediately became defensive.
"WHY ARE YOU BRINGING MY NAME INTO SOME OTHER INVESTIGATION?"
Reynolds turned.
"Nobody has made that accusation."
"Then why are you checking my name?"
"Because you were involved in this incident, and the evidence has raised additional questions."
Vance shook his head.
"This is harassment."
Reeves looked at him.
"Officer, you are being investigated because of what happened here. That is not harassment."
Vance fell silent.
Then he looked toward the envelope.
"Can I at least explain why I took the money?"
Reynolds nodded.
"You will have an opportunity to provide a formal statement."
"I wasn't trying to steal anything."
Reeves replied carefully.
"Then explain why the envelope was inside your vest."
Vance looked away.
For several seconds, he appeared to be searching for an answer.
Finally, he said:
"I thought he was hiding something."
Reynolds looked at the security footage still displayed on the monitor.
"Mr. Harrison was standing beside a ticket machine holding an envelope."
"That's what I saw."
"And that was enough for you to take his pension?"
Vance said nothing.
Reeves closed the laptop.
"Captain, we should continue with the evidence review."
Reynolds nodded.
But before they could proceed, another transmission came through the radio.
"Central Transit Command to responding units. Additional verification required for Row 94. A second reference has just been flagged."
Reeves immediately looked at his screen.
"Captain..."
"What now?"
Reeves checked the new notification.
His face became increasingly serious.
"The system has identified a previous transaction involving the same distribution network."
Reynolds looked at him.
"Connected to Walter?"
"Yes."
"How?"
Reeves scrolled down.
A name appeared.
Then another.
Then a third.
All three belonged to retired municipal employees who had previously reported missing pension payments.
Reynolds looked toward Vance.
The officer was now watching them closely.
"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Reeves continued reading.
Then he stopped.
A small line near the bottom of the report caught his attention.
It contained the date of an earlier transaction.
The location was another transit station.
And the responding officer listed in the original report was Daniel Vance.
Reeves looked up slowly.
"Captain, we need to expand this investigation."
Reynolds stared at the screen.
"Why?"
Reeves turned the laptop toward him.
"Because Officer Vance's name appears in a previous pension-related incident."
Vance's expression changed immediately.
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE."
Reeves looked directly at him.
"Do you recognize the incident number?"
Vance stared at the screen.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he shook his head.
"I don't remember that."
Reeves pointed toward the report.
"Your badge number is recorded here."
Vance looked toward Reynolds.
"Captain, that was months ago. I was responding to a routine call."
Reynolds remained silent.
Reeves continued.
"The beneficiary reported that an envelope containing retirement funds had been taken during a police interaction. The complaint was initially closed because the payment could not be independently traced."
Vance swallowed.
"That wasn't me."
Reeves looked at the screen again.
"The report identifies you as the responding officer."
Vance shook his head.
"I never stole anyone's money."
Reynolds stepped closer.
"Then you will have an opportunity to explain why the same type of incident has now occurred again."
Vance's breathing became heavier.
He looked toward the entrance.
Then toward the evidence case.
Then at the security cameras.
He had spent years believing that the people he stopped would be too frightened or too powerless to challenge him.
But Walter Harrison had done something different.
He had activated the protection system.
He had preserved the evidence.
And he had triggered a verification process that was now uncovering records Vance had apparently hoped would remain buried.
The radio crackled once more.
"CAPTAIN REYNOLDS, CENTRAL COMMAND REQUESTS YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION."
Reynolds picked up his radio.
"Go ahead."
The dispatcher paused.
Then delivered a message that made everyone in the room stop.
"WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AN ADDITIONAL BENEFICIARY CONNECTED TO THE ROW NINETY-FOUR INVESTIGATION. THE INDIVIDUAL IS CURRENTLY AT THE SAME STATION."
Reynolds looked around.
"What?"
The dispatcher continued.
"THE BENEFICIARY HAS REPORTED A SIMILAR INCIDENT INVOLVING A POLICE OFFICER. THE INDIVIDUAL IS REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE."
Reeves slowly turned toward Vance.
Vance's face had gone completely pale.
Because the new report was not from months earlier.
It was happening right now.
And the person making the complaint was still inside the station.
The dispatcher repeated the message.
"CAPTAIN REYNOLDS, THE SECOND BENEFICIARY IS CURRENTLY INSIDE CENTRAL TRANSIT STATION. THE INDIVIDUAL HAS REQUESTED ASSISTANCE AND IDENTIFIED A PREVIOUS INTERACTION WITH OFFICER VANCE."