But he did not feel entirely relieved.
The money had been recovered, but the incident had raised questions that went beyond the envelope.
Why had Vance taken it?
Why had he believed he could conceal it?
And why had he pushed an elderly man onto the floor when the man simply asked for his property back?
The answers would have to come from the investigation.
Frank could only provide what he had witnessed.
The following week, he met with Agent Collins at a local office.
Elizabeth accompanied him.
The interview room was small and quiet. A recorder sat on the table, and several folders had been arranged in front of the agent.
Collins began by confirming Frank's identity and asking permission to record the interview.
He agreed.
She then asked him to describe the incident from the beginning.
Frank explained how he had arrived at the platform, how Vance had approached him, and how the officer had asked about the envelope.
He described the officer's request to inspect the money.
He explained that he had offered to show the bank receipt.
Then he described how Vance had taken the envelope and concealed it inside his vest.
Collins listened without interruption.
When Frank reached the moment of the shove, she asked him to describe the officer's position.
"How close was he standing?"
"Close enough to reach my chest with both hands."
"Did you move toward him?"
"I shifted my weight because he was pulling the envelope away. I did not attempt to hit him."
"Did you raise your hands?"
"Only to keep my balance."
"Did you say anything threatening?"
"No."
"Did he give you a warning before pushing you?"
"No."
Frank continued describing the fall.
He explained how his shoulder struck the floor and how he struggled to breathe for several seconds.
Collins took notes.
Then she asked about the communication device.
Frank explained that he had used it to contact dispatch and request serial-number verification.
"Why did you believe the serial numbers would be important?"
"Because they connected the money to my withdrawal. I knew the record existed before the incident."
"Did you expect the officer to react when you mentioned them?"
"I didn't know what he would do."
"Did you believe the officer knew about the record?"
"No."
"Did you tell him about the record before he took the envelope?"
"No."
Collins nodded.
She then asked Frank to identify the envelope from a photograph.
He recognized it immediately.
"That's the one."
"Can you identify any distinguishing marks?"
Frank pointed to a small crease near the upper-right corner.
"I folded that corner slightly when I put the money inside."
The agent checked the photograph.
"The mark is visible."
Frank nodded.
Collins then placed another photograph on the table.
It showed the recovered banknotes arranged for inventory.
Frank looked carefully.
"Those are the notes."
"Do you recognize them?"
"Yes. The serial numbers match my list."
Collins made a note.
"Thank you."
The interview continued for another hour.
Frank answered every question as clearly as he could. He did not exaggerate the officer's actions, and he did not speculate about what Vance might have been thinking.
When the interview ended, Agent Collins turned off the recorder.
"Mr. Miller, I appreciate your patience."
"Of course."
"We may need to contact you again if additional questions arise."
"That's fine."
Elizabeth gathered the documents.
Before they left, Collins spoke once more.
"I want you to know that the review is not limited to the recovery of your money. We are also examining the officer's conduct during the encounter."
Frank nodded.
"That's important."
"Yes."
He looked at her.
"I don't want this to happen to someone else."
Collins met his eyes.
"That is one of the reasons the investigation matters."
Frank stood carefully.
Elizabeth helped him put on his jacket.
As they walked toward the exit, he felt that at least one part of the process had been handled properly.
Someone had listened.
Someone had documented his account.
And the evidence was being examined instead of dismissed.
But the investigation was not finished.
There were still recordings to review, statements to compare, and questions about what Officer Vance had done with the envelope.
There was also the matter of why he had reacted so strongly when dispatch began identifying the serial numbers.
That question remained unanswered.
Two days later, Agent Collins called again.
Her voice was more serious than before.
"Mr. Miller, we have completed another part of the review."
Frank sat down.
"All right."
"We have examined the full body-camera recording and compared it with the station surveillance footage."
"What did you find?"