"A man in a blue jacket."
Harris looked at him sharply.
"What man?"
Ethan continued.
"He was standing beside the patrol vehicle. He had something in his hand. I thought he was taking a picture."
Vanessa turned toward the broken window.
"Did you see him break the glass?"
"No. The window was already broken when I stopped."
"How long had he been there?"
"Maybe two minutes."
"Did he speak to either officer?"
Ethan looked toward Riley.
"Not that I saw."
Then he looked at Harris.
"But he spoke to the lieutenant."
Everyone turned.
Harris's expression hardened.
"What?"
Ethan raised his phone.
"I saw you."
Harris stared at him.
"You saw me?"
"Before the officers arrived. You were standing near the patrol car."
Vanessa slowly turned toward Harris.
"Lieutenant, you said you arrived fifteen minutes after receiving the call."
"That's right."
Ethan shook his head.
"No. You were already here."
Harris stepped toward him.
"You're mistaken."
"I recorded you."
Harris's face changed.
Vanessa immediately raised her hand.
"Stay where you are, Lieutenant."
Harris stopped.
Ethan looked at his phone.
"I don't know who you are, but I recorded the man in the blue jacket talking to you. And I recorded you handing him something."
Harris stared at the device.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
"Agent Carter, this witness is confused."
Vanessa did not answer.
She was watching his hands.
His right hand was trembling slightly.
"Mr. Cole," she said, "do you still have the original recording?"
"Yes."
"Show me."
Ethan opened the video.
The screen displayed the roadside from a distance.
A black patrol vehicle stood near the shoulder. Its passenger window was intact.
A man in a blue jacket approached from the opposite direction.
He looked around before leaning toward the vehicle.
Then a second figure entered the frame.
Lieutenant Harris.
Ethan paused the recording.
Vanessa leaned closer.
"Continue."
The video resumed.
Harris handed the man a small object.
The man examined it, nodded, and walked toward the patrol vehicle.
Then the recording ended.
Vanessa looked at Harris.
"What did you give him?"
Harris shook his head.
"That's not me."
Ethan zoomed in.
The image became grainy, but the man's uniform and face were visible.
It was clearly Lieutenant Harris.
Vanessa looked toward Agent Mitchell's number on her secure phone.
She had only one available connection.
She dialed.
A familiar voice answered.
"Carter."
"Mitchell, I need an emergency federal response."
"What's happened?"
"County officers detained me. One patrol vehicle has a broken window. A civilian witness recorded Lieutenant David Harris meeting an unidentified man before the arrest."
There was a pause.
"Did you say Harris?"
"Yes."
"Are you safe?"
"For now."
"Is the witness with you?"
"Yes."
"Don't let anyone take him."
Vanessa glanced at the lieutenant.
"That's becoming difficult."
"Listen carefully. The operation has changed."
"What changed?"
"Your vehicle was not attacked randomly."
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"I know."
"No, you don't. We found the surveillance team that was following you."
"Where?"
"At the federal courthouse parking garage."
Vanessa looked toward the road.
"How many?"
"Three."
"Did you identify them?"
"Two. The third disappeared."
"Who were they?"
Mitchell hesitated.
"One was a former county deputy."
Vanessa looked at Harris.
"And the other?"
"An evidence technician from the state police laboratory."
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
"That makes no sense."
"There's more. Your case file has been accessed."
"By whom?"
"Someone using your credentials."
Vanessa went still.
"My credentials?"
"Yes."
"That is impossible."
"I know. That's why I'm calling."
Vanessa looked down at her phone.
"Mitchell, I need you to send the access log."
"I will. But there's something else."
"What?"
"The file wasn't opened to read the investigation."
"Then why was it opened?"
Mitchell lowered his voice.
"Someone was trying to locate a witness."
Vanessa looked toward Ethan.
"Which witness?"
"The one whose identity was removed from the case file six months ago."
Vanessa's expression changed.
She slowly turned toward Ethan.
"Mitchell, send me the original photograph of that witness."
"Why?"
"I think he's standing beside me."
PART 3 — THE MAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
Vanessa ended the call.
Ethan looked at her.
"Agent Carter?"
She studied his face.
"What's your full name?"
"Ethan James Cole."
"Date of birth?"
"June 14, 1992."
"Where were you born?"
"Columbus, Ohio."
"Have you ever used another name?"
Ethan frowned.
"No."
"Have you ever worked for a law enforcement agency?"
"No."
"Military service?"
"No."
Vanessa took a breath.
"Do you know a man named Thomas Cole?"
Ethan's expression changed.
"That's my father."
"Is he alive?"
Ethan looked away.
"He's been dead for twelve years."
"How did he die?"
"Car accident."
"Where?"
"Outside Dayton."
"Who investigated it?"
Ethan stared at her.
"I don't know."
"Did your mother ever discuss the investigation?"
"No."
"Did your father work for law enforcement?"
Ethan hesitated.
"He was a county evidence technician."
Vanessa looked at him.
"What department?"
"Franklin County."
The answer confirmed something she had suspected.
She looked toward Harris.
The lieutenant was no longer smiling.
Instead, he was watching Ethan with a look that suggested he had finally recognized something.
"Mr. Cole," Vanessa said, "I need you to tell me whether your father ever mentioned a place called Westbridge."
Ethan shook his head.
"No."
"An evidence storage facility?"
"No."
"A detective named Michael Reeves?"
Ethan's eyes widened.
"How do you know that name?"
Vanessa did not answer.
Ethan looked at her.
"Agent Carter, why are you asking about my father?"
She glanced at the black phone beneath the patrol car.
"Because I think your father may have been involved in the investigation that led to this incident."