Cole looked toward the door.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he spoke quietly.
COLE: "I didn't see what happened at the diner."
WALTER: "I know."
COLE: "But I saw what happened in the corridor."
Walter studied him.
WALTER: "Then remember it accurately."
A knock sounded on the door.
Cole turned.
Another deputy stood outside.
OTHER DEPUTY: "The sheriff wants you."
Cole glanced at Walter.
COLE: "I'll be back."
He left the room.
Walter remained seated.
He took a slow breath and looked at the paper cup. His hands were beginning to ache from the position of the cuffs.
He wondered how long he would be kept there.
Then he remembered the final words Tessa had spoken during their call.
Stay there. I'm going to handle this.
He trusted her.
But he also knew that the next few hours could determine whether the incident would be treated as a misunderstanding or investigated as something much more serious.
In the sheriff's office, Hollister stood behind his desk while Cole entered.
HOLLISTER: "Close the door."
Cole did.
HOLLISTER: "What's going on with Hayes?"
COLE: "He's still requesting medical attention."
HOLLISTER: "We've already discussed that."
COLE: "He looks worse than when we brought him in."
Hollister opened a drawer and removed a folder.
HOLLISTER: "The report is complete. The charges are entered. I don't want any more unnecessary discussion."
COLE: "What about the diner footage?"
The sheriff stopped moving.
HOLLISTER: "What footage?"
COLE: "The diner has cameras."
Hollister closed the folder.
HOLLISTER: "Why are you asking me that?"
COLE: "Because Mr. Hayes mentioned it."
The sheriff leaned back in his chair.
HOLLISTER: "Then let him mention it."
COLE: "Shouldn't we request the recording?"
HOLLISTER: "We have our own report."
Cole looked at him.
COLE: "That doesn't answer the question."
Hollister slowly stood.
HOLLISTER: "You want to tell me how to conduct an investigation?"
COLE: "No, sir."
HOLLISTER: "Then stop asking questions that don't concern you."
Cole nodded, but his expression had changed.
He was beginning to understand that the sheriff did not want the footage.
That alone was troubling.
Hollister walked around the desk.
HOLLISTER: "Listen carefully. Hayes is an old man who decided to make a scene. He refused an instruction, became aggressive, and injured himself in the process. We have a straightforward incident report."
COLE: "He says you pulled him out of the booth."
HOLLISTER: "And you believe him?"
COLE: "I wasn't there."
HOLLISTER: "Exactly. So don't start acting like you know what happened."
Cole remained quiet.
HOLLISTER: "Now, I want the booking completed. No more delays. And if that woman calls again, direct her to the county attorney."
COLE: "Understood."
HOLLISTER: "Good."
Cole turned toward the door.
Before he could leave, the sheriff spoke again.
HOLLISTER: "And Cole?"
The deputy stopped.
HOLLISTER: "You didn't see anything in that corridor worth writing down."
Cole looked back.
For a moment, he seemed unable to decide what to say.
Then he answered.
COLE: "I understand."
He opened the door and left.
But he did not return immediately to the interview room.
Instead, he stood alone in the corridor, looking toward the security camera mounted near the ceiling.
He wondered whether it had recorded the confrontation.
He wondered whether anyone would preserve the footage.
And he wondered how long he could continue pretending that the sheriff's behavior was simply part of the job.
A few minutes later, the reception desk telephone rang again.
The clerk answered.
CLERK: "Clearwater County Sheriff's Department."
She listened.
Then she sat straighter.
CLERK: "Yes. This is the front desk."
Another pause.
CLERK: "I can transfer you to the sheriff."
She pressed a button.
The call rang inside Hollister's office.
He answered with an irritated voice.
HOLLISTER: "Hollister."
The person on the other end introduced herself and asked to speak about Walter Hayes.
The sheriff's expression changed as he listened.
He glanced toward the folder on his desk.
Then he looked through the glass panel in his office door, toward the corridor where Walter had been held.
HOLLISTER: "Who exactly are you?"
He listened again.
His jaw tightened.
HOLLISTER: "I don't care what your relationship is. This is a local law-enforcement matter."
The caller continued speaking.
Hollister's face became increasingly rigid.
HOLLISTER: "No. You will need to follow the proper process."
A final pause.
Then he ended the call.
For several seconds, he stood motionless.
He had expected a frightened relative, perhaps someone who would beg for Walter's release or apologize on his behalf.
Instead, the caller had asked precise questions.
Was Walter receiving medical attention?
Had the department documented his injuries?
Had the original incident footage been requested?
Had the witnesses been identified?
And had an independent record been created of the sheriff's contact with the detainee?
Hollister disliked every question.
He returned to his desk and looked at the booking folder.
The name Walter Hayes was printed across the top.