Federal Operations Officer: "The preservation request will be documented. Access to the evidence will follow the applicable procedures."
Reeves nodded, but his expression remained tense.
The team continued working.
A few minutes later, the operations officer received another message.
He read it twice.
Then he turned toward Victoria.
Federal Operations Officer: "Director, we have the first version of the dispatch record."
Victoria Hayes: "What does it say?"
Federal Operations Officer: "It contains a request for an officer to make contact with a vehicle matching the general description of yours. It does not contain the detailed allegation about illegal materials."
Victoria looked at him.
Victoria Hayes: "When was the detailed allegation added?"
Federal Operations Officer: "The audit history is still being retrieved. The available record suggests that the additional information was entered after the stop began."
James looked surprised.
James Hayes: "So he didn't even have that information when he stopped us?"
Federal Operations Officer: "We need to verify the exact timeline before reaching that conclusion."
Victoria remained composed.
Victoria Hayes: "Find the account that added the information. Preserve the original record, the revised version, and every access log."
Federal Operations Officer: "Already requested."
Reeves stepped forward.
Captain Thomas Reeves: "That does not necessarily mean anything improper happened. Officers sometimes receive additional information after a stop begins."
Victoria Hayes: "That may be true. But we need to know where the information came from and why it was added."
Reeves did not respond.
The operations officer continued reviewing the records.
Then he found another entry.
It showed that the dispatch information had been accessed through a supervisory account associated with the local command office.
He looked toward the captain.
Federal Operations Officer: "Captain, the audit history indicates that a supervisory account connected to your office accessed this record."
Reeves's expression changed.
Captain Thomas Reeves: "That doesn't prove anything. Supervisors review records all the time."
Victoria Hayes: "Nobody has said it proves anything. We are asking what was reviewed and whether any information was changed."
Reeves straightened his uniform.
Captain Thomas Reeves: "I would need to examine the system logs myself."
Federal Operations Officer: "The logs are being preserved independently."
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Grant Cross looked toward Reeves again.
The officer appeared to be waiting for a signal.
Then he suddenly spoke.
Daniel Cross: "Captain, you told me this was going to be a routine stop."
Reeves turned sharply.
Captain Thomas Reeves: "Daniel, stop talking."
The tactical team leader stepped forward.
Tactical Team Leader: "Captain, he will provide his statement through the appropriate process. You are not directing this interview."
Cross looked frightened.
Daniel Cross: "I was told the information had already been checked. I didn't just make it up."
Victoria turned toward him.
Victoria Hayes: "Who told you it had been checked?"
Cross hesitated.
He looked toward Reeves, then toward the federal officers.
Daniel Cross: "I received a call before the stop."
Victoria Hayes: "From whom?"
Cross swallowed.
Daniel Cross: "I don't remember the number."
Victoria Hayes: "Was it someone from your department?"
Cross remained silent.
The operations officer immediately instructed the evidence team to preserve the officer's department phone records and communication history.
Federal Operations Officer: "We need the original call log, including incoming and outgoing calls before the stop. Preserve the device exactly as it is."
Cross looked down.
He had just revealed something he had not intended to discuss.
Reeves's expression became rigid.
Captain Thomas Reeves: "This is becoming unnecessarily complicated."
Victoria Hayes: "It became complicated when someone decided to create a criminal accusation against my family."
Reeves did not answer.
The tactical team leader looked toward the operations officer.
Tactical Team Leader: "The scene is secure. We have the original watch transmission, the patrol vehicle, and the dispatch records under preservation."
Federal Operations Officer: "Continue documenting everything. We will need a full timeline."
Victoria looked at her father.
James was still frightened, but his expression had begun to change. He was no longer simply trying to understand why an officer had stopped them.
He was beginning to realize that the stop might have been connected to the problems he had been reporting for months.
James Hayes: "Victoria, do you think this has something to do with the land?"
Victoria did not answer immediately.
She looked toward Reeves, then toward Cross.
Victoria Hayes: "We don't know yet. But we're going to find out."
The operations officer approached them with another update.