"You were lying on the floor."
"I had help."
Elizabeth shook her head.
"You're still trying to make this sound smaller than it was."
Frank gave a faint smile.
"Old habits."
She took his hand.
"You're not going to handle this alone."
"I don't expect you to."
"Good. Because I'm staying."
Frank looked at her.
"You have work tomorrow."
"I can make arrangements."
"Elizabeth..."
"No, Dad. I'm staying."
He did not argue.
For the next several hours, she remained beside him.
She contacted the hospital's administrative staff to obtain the relevant medical documentation. She also wrote down the time of the incident and the names of the officers Frank remembered.
When she asked whether the FBI had contacted him, Frank explained that Agent Collins had promised to arrange a follow-up interview.
Elizabeth listened carefully.
"Did they say they found the money?"
"Not yet."
"Did they confirm the serial numbers?"
"They said the verification was underway."
She leaned back.
"Then we wait for the records."
Frank nodded.
But he knew waiting would not be easy.
The money had been important to him.
It was part of his retirement savings, and he had planned carefully before withdrawing it. He had no desire to lose a single dollar.
Yet the money was not the only thing that mattered.
He wanted the incident documented properly. He wanted to know why Vance had taken the envelope. And he wanted to make sure that nobody could later claim that the fall had been an accident.
The next morning, Agent Collins called the hospital.
She asked whether Frank was comfortable speaking briefly by telephone.
He agreed.
"Mr. Miller, how are you feeling?"
"Better than yesterday."
"I'm glad to hear that. We have begun reviewing the available information."
"Have you verified the serial numbers?"
"We have completed an initial comparison. The numbers provided in your record correspond with the banknotes associated with your withdrawal."
Frank closed his eyes briefly.
"So the envelope is identified?"
"The information strongly supports that conclusion. We are completing the formal documentation."
"How much money was recovered?"
"We haven't completed the physical inventory yet. The envelope remains part of the evidence-preservation process."
Frank nodded.
"All right."
Agent Collins continued.
"We also have witness information from the platform. A passenger named Karen Mitchell has confirmed that she saw the officer take the envelope and conceal it inside his vest."
Frank remembered her.
"She was recording."
"Yes. She has preserved the original video."
"What does it show?"
"That will be examined as part of the investigation. We do not want to make conclusions before reviewing the complete recording."
Frank appreciated the answer.
He had seen too many situations in which people rushed to judgment without checking the facts.
"That's fair."
"We also have a statement from another passenger who witnessed the confrontation."
"Robert?"
"Yes. Robert Mitchell. He provided his contact information."
Frank nodded.
"Good."
Agent Collins paused.
"Mr. Miller, there is another matter we need to discuss."
"What is it?"
"The serial-number record appears to have been created well before the incident. We are trying to understand why you maintained such a detailed record of the banknotes."
Frank took a breath.
"Because I have been careful with money for most of my life. I don't carry large amounts of cash often. When I do, I record the serial numbers as a precaution."
"Was this the first time you had done that?"
"No. I've done it several times."
"Is there a particular reason?"
Frank considered how much he wanted to explain.
"I learned a long time ago that keeping good records can prevent problems. I don't assume something will go wrong, but I prefer to have information available if it does."
Agent Collins was quiet for a moment.
"That preparation has been useful."
Frank gave a faint smile.
"I suppose it has."
The agent continued.
"We also need to establish the exact timeline between the withdrawal and the encounter."
Frank explained when he had visited the bank, how long he had spent there, and which route he had taken toward the station.
He described where he had placed the envelope and how he had checked the amount before leaving.
Agent Collins asked him to provide the withdrawal receipt and the original serial-number list when he was able.
Frank agreed.
Before ending the call, she added:
"We will also be examining the officer's body-camera footage and the radio communications."
Frank looked toward Elizabeth.
"Good."
"One more thing, Mr. Miller. Please do not contact Officer Vance directly. Any communication should go through the investigators."
"I have no intention of speaking to him."