Vanessa looked at the screen.
"When?"
"Twenty-seven minutes before your stop."
"Can you identify the number?"
"Not yet. But the device contains one saved contact."
"What name?"
Foster turned the tablet.
The contact was listed as:
S. RILEY
Vanessa stared at the screen.
Bell looked toward the officer's interview vehicle.
"Riley?"
Foster nodded.
"Yes."
Vanessa considered the possibilities.
"Does the phone contain messages?"
"One outgoing message."
"Show me."
Foster opened the message record.
It had been sent shortly before the patrol car arrived.
SUBJECT IS IN POSITION. BEGIN THE STOP.
Vanessa looked at Bell.
"Who received it?"
Foster tapped the recipient field.
The screen displayed a number.
Bell recognized it immediately.
"That's the lieutenant's phone."
Vanessa looked toward Harris.
The lieutenant was standing beside the patrol vehicle, talking to another agent.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
Vanessa took the tablet.
"There's our first connection."
Bell nodded.
"Let's bring him in."
But before they could move, Riley's interview door opened.
The young officer stepped outside.
His face was pale.
"Agent Carter?"
Vanessa turned.
"Yes?"
Riley looked at Bell.
"Can I speak to her privately?"
Bell shook his head.
"No private conversations. Everything is documented."
Riley swallowed.
"Then I want to make a statement."
Vanessa studied him.
"About what?"
Riley glanced toward Harris.
"About the order I received."
Vanessa's expression changed.
"What order?"
Riley looked down.
"The order to arrest you."
Silence.
Bell stepped forward.
"Who gave you that order?"
Riley's voice trembled.
"Lieutenant Harris."
Vanessa looked at the patrol vehicle.
"Why?"
Riley swallowed.
"He said you were carrying stolen evidence."
"What evidence?"
"He didn't say."
"Did he tell you to use force?"
Riley hesitated.
Then nodded.
"He said you would resist."
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
"Did he tell you to put me in handcuffs?"
"Yes."
"Did he tell you to damage the patrol vehicle?"
Riley looked up.
"No."
Vanessa held his gaze.
"Did he tell you to make it appear that I had damaged it?"
Riley's face changed.
He looked toward the lieutenant again.
Then he spoke.
"He said the broken window would make the story believable."
PART 6 — THE SECOND OFFICER
Vanessa turned toward Bell.
"Get Miller."
Bell nodded to an agent.
Within seconds, Miller was brought out.
He looked irritated.
"What's going on?"
Vanessa stood in front of him.
"Officer Miller, did Lieutenant Harris instruct you to arrest me?"
Miller glanced at Riley.
"No."
Riley looked down.
Vanessa continued.
"Did he instruct you to make a false report?"
"No."
"Did he tell you to recover a device from the patrol vehicle?"
Miller's expression changed.
"What device?"
Vanessa watched him.
"The phone beneath the rear axle."
Miller shook his head.
"I don't know anything about that."
"Then why did you look at it when Lieutenant Harris arrived?"
"I didn't."
"You did."
Miller crossed his arms.
"You're making accusations without proof."
Vanessa nodded.
"That's fair."
She turned toward Bell.
"Show him the contact record."
Bell held up the tablet.
Miller looked at the screen.
His expression barely changed.
Then Vanessa showed him the outgoing message.
SUBJECT IS IN POSITION. BEGIN THE STOP.
Miller's eyes flickered.
Vanessa noticed.
"Do you recognize this message?"
"No."
"Do you recognize the number?"
"No."
"Do you recognize the contact name?"
Miller said nothing.
Vanessa waited.
Finally, he looked at Riley.
"You told them?"
Riley looked up.
"James..."
Miller laughed bitterly.
"Unbelievable."
Bell stepped closer.
"Officer Miller, you're now being advised that this interview is part of a federal investigation."
Miller looked at him.
"I want a lawyer."
"That's your right."
Vanessa nodded.
"Then we'll stop here."
Miller looked surprised.
"That's it?"
"For now."
She turned away.
Miller called after her.
"Agent Carter."
She stopped.
He looked at her.
"You think Riley is telling the truth?"
Vanessa did not turn around.
"I think the truth is going to become very difficult for everyone involved."
Miller leaned forward.
"Then ask him what happened to the first phone."
Vanessa slowly turned.
"What first phone?"
Miller smiled faintly.
"The one that was in your car before the window was broken."
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"What do you know about my car?"
Miller said nothing.
Bell stepped toward him.
"Where is the first phone?"
Miller looked at Vanessa.
"Ask your own people."
PART 7 — THE MISSING PHONE
Vanessa walked back toward the federal SUV.
Bell followed.
"What did he mean by the first phone?"
Vanessa opened the rear passenger door.
"My vehicle contained a secure communications phone."
"Was it recovered?"
"No."
"Could it have been removed during the attack?"
"Possibly."
Bell looked at her.
"What was on it?"
Vanessa hesitated.
"Communications relating to Operation Nightfall."
Bell lowered his voice.
"Then whoever took it has access to the operation."
"Exactly."
Vanessa looked toward the road.
A state police vehicle was approaching.
She recognized the driver.
It was Captain Robert Gaines, a senior officer who had been assigned to coordinate with the FBI on the Westbridge investigation.
Gaines stepped out.
"Agent Carter."
Vanessa looked at him.
"Captain."
He glanced at the federal vehicles.
"I heard there was a misunderstanding."
Vanessa's expression remained neutral.
"That's one way to describe it."
Gaines looked at Bell.
"What's the situation?"
Bell answered.
"Possible evidence tampering, witness intimidation, and an unauthorized detention of a federal agent."
Gaines nodded slowly.
"That's serious."
Vanessa studied him.
"Captain, where were you thirty minutes ago?"
Gaines looked surprised.
"At the state headquarters."
"Can anyone confirm that?"
"Of course."
"Who?"
He frowned.
"Why are you asking?"
"Because someone removed a secure phone from my vehicle."
Gaines looked toward the broken patrol car.