Pike clipped the radio back to his belt, satisfaction creeping across his face. "Lieutenant Keller handles all verification procedures for this precinct. He'll know what to do with fake federal credentials."
Pike paced beside his patrol car, the phone pressed tight against his ear. His voice carried across the yard in harsh whispers, but the words were lost in the distance. The other three officers maintained their positions around the porch, creating a loose perimeter that kept the twins isolated.
Cole shifted uncomfortably, his eyes moving between the FBI badges still visible in the twins' hands and Pike's agitated phone conversation. The afternoon sun beat down on his uniform, sweat gathering under his collar despite the cool October air.
"Sergeant," Cole called out, his voice tentative. "Maybe we should verify through dispatch. Standard procedure for federal credentials is—"
Pike's head snapped toward him, the phone still against his ear. His free hand slashed through the air in a cutting gesture that silenced Cole immediately. Pike's eyes held a warning that needed no words: speak again and face consequences.
Cole's mouth closed with an almost audible click. He looked down at his boots, jaw working silently.
Shaw moved closer to the porch steps, his phone appearing in his hands, the camera lens focused on Maya's opened credential case.
"Hey." Maya pulled the badge back against her chest. "What do you think you're doing?"
Shaw grinned without humor. "Documenting evidence. These fake badges are going to look real nice in the police report."
He raised the phone again, trying to get a clear shot of Naomi's credentials. Naomi turned her body, shielding the identification from his camera.
"Those are official federal documents," she said firmly. "You don't have authorization to photograph them."
Shaw's grin widened. "I got authorization to photograph anything relevant to my investigation. And these fake badges are real relevant."
Mercer watched the exchange with growing unease, his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes kept darting toward Pike, then back to the twins, like he was watching a tennis match where he couldn't predict the winner. The confident swagger he had shown earlier was fading, replaced by the careful posture of someone who sensed trouble coming.
Naomi's voice cut through the tension with calm authority. "Officer Shaw, I want to make something crystal clear. Every word being spoken right now is being recorded by multiple cameras mounted on this house."
Shaw's phone lowered slightly. "What cameras?"
Naomi gestured toward the small black devices positioned under the eaves of the porch roof. "Security system. Motion-activated, high-definition video and audio. Everything that's happened in this yard for the last 15 minutes is being permanently stored."
Pike ended his phone call and strode back toward the porch, his face set in hard lines. He had heard Naomi's warning about the cameras.
"Shaw!" Pike barked. "Those cameras might contain evidence of the burglary. Locate the recording system inside the house."
Shaw's eyes lit up with understanding. He moved toward the front door with purpose.
Maya stepped directly into the doorway, her body filling the frame. "You're not entering this house."
"I got reasonable suspicion that recording equipment inside contains evidence of criminal activity," Pike declared.
"You have no warrant. You have no exigent circumstances. You have no legal authority to enter this property."
Pike's face darkened. "I got plenty of authority, lady. This is a criminal investigation."
"This is a fishing expedition," Maya shot back. "And entering that house without a warrant will create a federal problem far larger than the one you already have."
The sound of tires on pavement interrupted the standoff. An unmarked dark sedan pulled up behind the patrol cars, its engine ticking as it cooled. The driver's door opened and a tall man in his late 50s emerged. His gray hair was perfectly combed, his white shirt crisp despite the heat. Lieutenant's bars gleamed on his collar.
Warren Keller surveyed the scene with calculating eyes that missed nothing: the twins on the porch, his officers arranged below them, Pike's rigid posture that screamed trouble. He walked toward the house with measured steps, his polished shoes quiet against the concrete, his gaze fixed on the FBI credentials in the twins' hands.
Recognition flashed across his features immediately. These weren't fake badges or clever props; they were genuine federal identification, and Keller knew it.
Pike moved to intercept him. "Lieutenant, these women claim to be FBI agents, but I think—"
Keller held up one hand, silencing Pike mid-sentence. He stepped closer to the porch, his expression neutral but alert.
"Special Agents Carter," he said formally. "I'm Lieutenant Warren Keller, precinct commander."
Maya nodded. "Lieutenant."
Keller's eyes moved between the twins and the house behind them. "We received a call about suspicious activity at this address. My officers responded appropriately to investigate. Now, I need to verify that you have legitimate authority to be on this property."
Naomi's eyebrows rose. "We live here."
"I'll need proof of that claim."
Naomi pulled out her phone again, fingers swiping across the screen. She turned the device toward Keller, showing a digital document with official seals and signatures.
"Property deed," she said calmly. "Recorded with the county, current mortgage holder First National Bank, property taxes paid through December."
Keller leaned forward, studying the screen. The deed clearly listed the Carter family as property owners, with the address matching exactly. The documentation was thorough and legitimate.
Pike shifted nervously beside his lieutenant. "That could be forged, too. Digital documents are easy to fake."
Keller straightened, his decision already made. "The ownership documentation appears to be in order," he announced. "However, given the nature of the initial call and the circumstances of this encounter, I'm declaring this property a temporary investigative scene."
Maya's voice sharpened. "On what grounds?"
"Public safety and evidence preservation," Keller replied smoothly. "Everyone will remain exactly where they are until this investigation is completed to my satisfaction."
Early evening shadows stretched across the Carter property as the sun dipped lower in the sky. The confrontation had dragged on for over an hour, with Maya and Naomi still positioned on their porch while five officers controlled the front yard below them. The air had grown thick with humidity and tension.
Lieutenant Keller paced slowly between his men, his sharp eyes studying every detail of the house and property. He moved with the deliberate confidence of someone accustomed to reshaping situations to fit his needs.
"I've been thinking about this burglary call," Keller announced suddenly, his voice carrying across the yard with practiced authority. "The neighbor who reported suspicious activity might have been intimidated into changing their story."