Caleb remained standing behind them. No one spoke. Brett had spent the entire night avoiding a direct order he might later have to justify; now Maya had given him one of her own.
Maya lowered her hand from the phone, but did not step away from the register. Brett remained between her and the counter.
"You've made your point," he said.
"No, I told you not to touch me."
"And I heard you."
"Then move."
Brett looked toward the phone, then back at her. "Who were you going to call?"
"That is none of your business."
"It becomes my business if you're contacting someone connected to missing department property."
"You still haven't established that anything is missing."
Brett's expression tightened. "You know more than you're saying."
"So do you."
Ruth moved closer to Maya. "Brett, this is finished. Leave the diner and come back with whatever authority you think you have."
Brett ignored her. Daniel remained seated at the counter, but he had turned fully toward the confrontation. Eli watched from his booth without touching the food in front of him. Caleb stood near the rear table, his hands relaxed at his sides.
Brett looked around the room. "You all need to understand something: if evidence from my department was brought here and concealed, this is no longer just Ruth's diner or Maya's shift. Anyone who helps hide it can become part of the investigation."
Daniel answered, "You've been saying that all night."
"Because none of you seem to understand the risk."
"We understand the risk," Daniel said. "We just don't understand why you're the only officer here."
Brett looked at him. "Stay out of this."
"You put me in it when you threatened to name me in your report."
"I explained what could happen."
"You explained what would happen if I left."
Brett took one step toward Daniel. Caleb spoke before the distance closed.
"Leave him alone."
Brett turned. Caleb had not moved from beside his booth.
"You're getting involved again."
"I'm telling you to stop pressuring people who are trying to answer your questions."
"I don't need advice from you."
"Then stop giving everyone else threats disguised as advice."
Ruth looked toward Caleb; Daniel did, too. Brett's attention stayed on him.
"You think you understand what's happening here?"
"No." That answer seemed to surprise Brett; Caleb continued: "I know what I can see."
"And what exactly do you think you see?"
"A police officer who won't identify what he's looking for, won't explain his authority, and keeps putting his hands on an employee who told him to stop."
Brett took a slow breath. "You want to accuse me of misconduct?"
"I didn't use that word."
"You implied it."
"I described what happened."
Brett glanced toward Maya. "You hear that? This is what you've created."
Maya's face remained controlled. "I didn't bring you through that door."
"You brought this into the diner."
"What?"
"You know what."
"Then say it."
Brett stepped toward her again; Maya did not move.
"You think refusing to answer makes you clever?"
"No. I think it makes you frustrated."
"You should be more concerned about yourself."