DANIEL PRICE: "Understood."
ELENA HAYES: "And Daniel?"
DANIEL PRICE: "Yes?"
ELENA HAYES: "Make sure the original complaint dates are included. The timeline may be more important than the final documents."
DANIEL PRICE: "I'll take care of it."
When the call ended, Elena handed the phone back to Rebecca.
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "It sounds like you may have found a connection."
ELENA HAYES: "We found irregularities. Whether they are connected to Mercer remains to be established."
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "That's why we're here."
The following morning, Bellhaven woke to a different kind of attention.
Two federal vehicles were parked outside the courthouse. Investigators had requested records from the county clerk's office, the sheriff's department, and several local agencies.
News of the incident at Oakwood Diner had spread quickly.
A customer had recorded a short clip on a mobile phone. The clip did not show the entire event, but it captured Mercer standing over Elena while she sat in the booth, her face covered in food.
By breakfast, the video had been shared thousands of times.
The caption was simple:
"Local sheriff humiliates woman in diner. Later discovered she was a federal judge."
Some people focused on the badge.
Others focused on the slap.
A few defended Mercer, insisting that the public did not know the full story.
But Sarah Mitchell knew what had happened.
And she was not going to let the story be reduced to a photograph of an identification card.
She posted a statement on the diner's official page.
She did not insult Mercer or speculate about his motives. She simply wrote that the diner had preserved its original security footage and that the staff would cooperate with investigators.
Within minutes, she received a private message from an unfamiliar account.
"Delete the footage. You don't know who you're dealing with."
Sarah read it twice.
Then she took a screenshot and sent it to Laura Bennett.
She did not delete anything.
Later that morning, Thomas McAllister arrived at the sheriff's office.
He wore an expensive navy suit and carried a leather folder. His hair was neatly styled, and his expression suggested that he expected to be welcomed.
Instead, he found two federal investigators waiting near the entrance.
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "I'm here to see Sheriff Mercer."
INVESTIGATOR DANIEL FOSTER: "Do you have an appointment?"
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "He knows I'm coming."
INVESTIGATOR DANIEL FOSTER: "We'll need you to wait."
Thomas looked toward Mercer's office.
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "This is a misunderstanding. I have business with the sheriff."
INVESTIGATOR DANIEL FOSTER: "Then you can explain that to the investigators."
Thomas lowered his voice.
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "I don't think you understand who I represent."
Daniel remained calm.
INVESTIGATOR DANIEL FOSTER: "Then this should be an easy conversation."
Thomas was escorted into a separate interview room.
He was not arrested. He was not accused of a specific crime at that moment. But his name had appeared repeatedly in documents connected to property complaints, meetings with local officials, and communications with Mercer.
He sat down and placed his folder on the table.
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "Mr. McAllister, thank you for coming."
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "I was told this concerned a misunderstanding involving the sheriff."
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "It concerns several matters. We would like to understand your relationship with Sheriff Mercer."
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "He's a public official. I meet with many public officials."
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "How often?"
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "When business requires it."
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "What business?"
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "Community development. Property acquisition. Infrastructure."
Rebecca opened a folder.
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "Northbridge Development Group has purchased or attempted to purchase several properties in Bellhaven County. A number of owners filed complaints alleging intimidation and improper pressure."
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "Those are civil disputes."
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "Some may be. Others involve allegations that official records were altered or complaints were closed without proper review."
Thomas leaned back.
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "I don't manage the sheriff's office."
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "We haven't said you did."
He looked at the folder.
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "Then what does this have to do with me?"
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "Your phone records show multiple calls with Sheriff Mercer shortly after Judge Hayes was detained."
Thomas's expression shifted.
THOMAS MCALLISTER: "I don't know anything about that woman."
SPECIAL AGENT REBECCA SHAW: "You knew she was a federal judge?"