Rebecca turned toward him. "I was explaining."
Mercer kept his attention on Ben. "Twice?"
"Yes, sir. The front desk reader returned federal authority verified. Then Lieutenant Sloan had me run the internal access check. That came back valid, too."
Mercer looked at Rebecca again. "And after the first verification?"
"I ordered the screen closed while we investigated."
"You detained her?"
"I placed her in interview two until we could determine who she was."
"And the credential?"
Rebecca hesitated. "I destroyed it because I believed it could be fraudulent."
Mercer's face remained controlled. "After the system verified it?"
"I believed the system might have been compromised."
Mercer glanced at the secure phone in his hand. "Did you call the validation number?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Rebecca's answer came quickly: "Because I wasn't going to call a number printed on a credential I suspected was fake."
Ben said quietly, "The internal system verified it, too."
Rebecca looked at him. "That doesn't mean someone couldn't have found a way into the system."
Mercer did not respond immediately. He picked up one half of the torn credential without disturbing its position more than necessary.
"Did she resist?"
"No."
"Did she threaten anyone?"
"No."
"Did she attempt to access a terminal after you denied entry?"
"No."
Mercer placed the piece back where he had found it.
Rebecca lowered her voice. "Chief, you don't know what she brought into this building."
Mercer looked at the coded case. "Neither do you. That's the problem."
"No, Lieutenant. Right now, the problem is that you made several decisions before completing the verification process."