Frank could hear them from the stretcher. Several men and women were descending quickly, their boots striking the steps in a steady rhythm. The sound echoed through the station, growing closer with every second.
Officer Vance stood near the tiled wall.
His hands were no longer resting casually at his sides. He had raised them slightly, exactly as Officer Bennett had instructed, while his eyes followed the approaching figures.
The first person to appear at the bottom of the staircase was a tall woman wearing a dark tactical uniform beneath a black protective vest. An identification patch on her chest read FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
Behind her came several agents.
They moved with discipline, scanning the platform before approaching the group. One agent looked toward the paramedics. Another examined the area around Vance. A third immediately noticed the elderly man on the stretcher.
The lead agent approached Officer Bennett.
"Who is supervising this scene?"
Bennett stepped forward.
"I'm Officer Bennett. We received instructions to preserve the scene. The injured individual is Frank Miller. The officer involved is Daniel Vance."
The agent glanced toward Vance.
"Is the envelope still in his possession?"
Bennett nodded.
"Yes. It's inside the front of his tactical vest."
The agent looked directly at Vance.
"Officer, keep your hands visible. Do not reach toward your vest."
Vance swallowed.
"Agent, I can explain what happened."
"You will have an opportunity to provide a statement. For now, follow instructions."
The agent turned toward another member of her team.
"Secure the area. Document everyone present. Preserve the available recordings and radio communications."
The second agent nodded.
"Understood."
The lead agent then looked toward Frank.
"Mr. Miller?"
Frank raised his head slightly.
"Yes."
"My name is Special Agent Rebecca Collins. We're here because of the report involving your pension envelope."
Frank looked at her.
"Thank you for coming."
"Are you receiving medical attention?"
"Yes. My shoulder and hip are hurting."
"Have the paramedics evaluated you?"
"They're taking me to the hospital."
"Good. We'll make sure your statement is taken when you're medically comfortable."
Frank nodded.
Agent Collins looked toward Vance again.
"Officer, did you take possession of an envelope belonging to Mr. Miller?"
Vance hesitated.
"I temporarily secured it."
"Where is it now?"
"Inside my vest."
"Why?"
"I was trying to prevent a disturbance."
Agent Collins did not react to the explanation.
"Did you document the property when you took it?"
Vance looked down.
"No."
"Did you issue a receipt?"
"No."
"Did you notify dispatch that you were taking possession of it?"
"No."
"Did you obtain permission from Mr. Miller?"
Vance shifted his weight.
"He was being difficult."
Agent Collins looked at him.
"That wasn't my question."
Vance's jaw tightened.
"No."
The agent nodded slowly.
"Thank you. Keep your hands visible."
Vance looked toward Officer Bennett as if expecting her to support his explanation.
She remained silent.
Agent Collins turned to the other agents.
"Begin documenting the current condition of the vest and the location of the envelope. Do not remove anything until the appropriate procedure is established."
One of the agents approached with a small camera.
Another began recording the scene from a different angle.
Vance watched them.
"What exactly are you doing?"
"Documenting the scene," Agent Collins replied.
"Why are federal agents involved in a local police matter?"
"Because the verification request and the information associated with the currency require an independent examination."
Vance looked confused.
"What information?"
Agent Collins did not answer immediately.
Instead, she asked Officer Bennett to provide the available dispatch record.
Bennett handed over her notes.
The agent read through them carefully.
She examined the time of the initial encounter, the description of the envelope, the reported amount, and the request to verify the serial numbers.
Then she looked toward Frank.
"Mr. Miller, may I ask why you requested serial-number verification?"
Frank took a careful breath.
"Because I recorded the numbers before I left the bank. I have been doing that with larger cash withdrawals for years."
"Did you record the numbers of every banknote in the envelope?"
"Yes. I kept the list in a separate record."
"Do you have that record with you?"
"Not on me. I have a copy at home, and the information was also transmitted through the authorized communication channel."
Agent Collins nodded.
"Who maintains that record?"
Frank looked at her.
"I do."
"Was the list created before today's incident?"
"Yes."
"Can you establish when it was written?"
"Yes. The original record has the date, the withdrawal details, and the bank's transaction information."
The agent made a note.
"That will be useful."
Vance interrupted.
"Those are just numbers. Anybody can write numbers on a piece of paper."
Agent Collins turned toward him.