“Come with me.”
Malcolm looked at the officer's badge.
Collins.
Airport police.
“What happened?”
“Question about your luggage.”
“What question?”
“Come with me.”
Malcolm did not resist.
He followed.
But he noticed.
Collins had already known his name.
That could have come from the luggage tag.
Fine.
They walked through a restricted door near baggage claim.
Badge access.
Camera above.
Malcolm checked time.
1:27.
Corridor.
Left turn.
Another camera.
1:28.
Then a small screening room.
His suitcase sat on a stainless table.
Closed.
Seal visible.
Officer Collins stood beside it.
Another officer, Maria Torres, stood near the wall.
Latina.
Early thirties.
Nervous.
Malcolm noticed something else.
The suitcase had a yellow inspection sticker attached to one side.
No handwriting.
No officer initials.
Unusual.
Collins said:
“We need to search your bag.”
“Reason?”
“Routine screening.”
Malcolm looked toward the seal.
“Go ahead.”
Collins stared.
Malcolm added:
“Break the numbered seal on camera.”
Collins's eyes flicked upward.
Camera.
“Why?”
“Because I put it there.”
Collins looked toward Torres.
Torres said nothing.
Collins reached for the seal.
Then stopped.
A radio message came through.
He answered quietly.
Malcolm could not hear all of it.
Only:
“Yeah.”
Then:
“He's here.”
Then:
“Understood.”
Collins looked at Malcolm.
“Wait outside.”
“Why?”
“Procedure.”
Malcolm smiled slightly.
“Search procedure requires the passenger to leave?”
Collins's jaw tightened.
“I said outside.”
Malcolm did not argue.
He stepped into the corridor.
Door closed.
Camera overhead.
Time 1:31.
He took out his phone.
Not to record.
He did not need to.
He opened his notes application.
Typed:
1:31 removed from room. Bag sealed. Collins/Torres present.
Then he waited.
Two minutes.
Four.
Six.
At 1:38, Torres exited.
She looked startled to see Malcolm still there.
“You can come in.”
He entered.
The suitcase was now open.
His clothes disturbed.
Seal still attached.
Malcolm's pulse changed.
Not fear.
Attention.
How had they opened it?
Then Collins lifted a sealed plastic package.
“What's this?”
Malcolm stared.
There it was.
White powder.
He looked first at the package.
Then the zipper.
Then the seal.
Intact.
He understood immediately that something was wrong.
He also understood that announcing who he was too early would ruin an opportunity.
If this was incompetence, identity would distort it.
If it was corruption, identity might make people hide.
So Malcolm said:
“I've never seen that before.”
Collins smiled.
“Of course.”
Torres looked toward the floor.
Collins placed the package in an evidence bag.
No gloves.
Malcolm noticed.
No photograph before removal.
No evidence marker.
No scale.
No immediate field test.
No second officer documenting exact location.
Bad procedure.
Very bad.
Then Captain Richard Hale entered.
That was when things became worse.
“Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“You're coming with us.”
“For?”
“Possession.”
Malcolm nodded.
“Am I under arrest?”
“Not yet.”
“Then I'll walk.”
And he did.
All the way to the glass interview room.
Counting cameras.
Watching hands.
Memorizing time.
Waiting.
After Hale cuffed him, Malcolm sat again.
The cuffs forced his enormous frame awkwardly against the chair.
Hale seemed pleased.
“Comfortable?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Malcolm said nothing.
Hale pulled a form from the table.
“You want to help yourself?”
“Preserve the footage.”
Hale laughed.
“Still that?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
“The original X-ray.”
“Baggage scan history.”
“Badge-access logs.”
“Officer Collins's body camera.”
“Officer Torres's body camera.”
“Your body camera.”
Hale looked at his chest.
His camera was off.
Malcolm noticed.
“Interesting.”
Hale's face tightened.
“What?”
“Your body camera isn't recording.”
“Interview room camera is.”
“Good.”
Malcolm looked directly at the dome camera.
“Captain Richard Hale, approximately 1:52 p.m., interview room three.”
Hale stepped toward him.
“You trying to narrate?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“For the record.”
Hale leaned close.
“I control the record in here.”
Malcolm's expression changed for the first time.
Not anger.
Something colder.
“No, Captain.”
He looked at the camera.
“You control access to the record.”
“That is not the same thing.”
Hale stared.
A knock came at the door.
Officer Torres entered.
She held a form.
“Captain.”
“What?”
“Evidence intake needs your signature.”
Hale took the form.
Torres looked at Malcolm.
Their eyes met.
Something passed through her expression.
Fear.
Guilt?
Maybe.
Malcolm did not assume.
Hale signed.
“Take it.”
Torres remained.
“Captain.”
“What?”
“The X-ray image…”
Hale's head snapped toward her.
Malcolm noticed.
“What about it?”
Hale asked.
Torres hesitated.
“It hasn't been attached.”
“Then attach it.”
“It…”
She looked at Malcolm.
Then Hale.
“It doesn't show the package.”
Silence.
Hale stared.
Malcolm did not move.
Hale said:
“What?”
Torres lowered her voice.
“The pre-secondary scan.”
“There's no dense rectangular mass in the center compartment.”
Hale's face changed.
“That machine misses things.”
Torres nodded too quickly.
“Yes.”
“It does.”
“But…”
Hale stepped closer.
“But what?”
“The package we recovered is dense.”
“Almost two kilos.”
“It should…”
Hale's voice hardened.
“Officer.”
Torres stopped.
Hale looked toward Malcolm.
Then back at her.
“Machines aren't perfect.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Attach the image.”
She nodded.
Turned to leave.
Malcolm said:
“Officer Torres.”
She stopped.
Hale looked furious.
Malcolm asked:
“Was the suitcase sealed when I entered the secondary room?”
Torres froze.
Hale snapped:
“Don't answer.”
Malcolm looked toward the camera.
“Noted.”
Hale turned.