"No."
"Did she physically prevent him from leaving?"
"No."
"Did Brett ask your permission to go behind the counter?"
"He tried to go back there. I told him no."
"Did he open any drawer?"
"No."
"Did he take anything?"
"No."
Brett spoke again. "So there was no search."
Ruth turned toward him. "You wanted one."
"That's not the same thing."
Price looked at Ruth. "He's correct. I need what happened, not what you believe he intended."
Ruth nodded once. "He did not open a drawer. He did not take anything."
"Thank you."
Brett looked satisfied.
Ruth continued, "He also told me police involvement could bring inspections and scrutiny to my business."
Price looked toward Brett; he answered before she asked: "I explained possible consequences."
Ruth shook her head. "That's your version."
Price raised one hand. "No arguing. I have both statements."
She stepped back and reviewed her notes: Daniel had weaknesses in his account; Eli had limited perspective; Ruth could describe Brett's conduct, but not his intent; Caleb had physically intervened and therefore had his own involvement; Maya had withheld important information and had a prior connection to police records.
Brett had been right about one thing: none of the witnesses was perfect.
Price looked up at him. "But neither are you."
Brett's expression changed.
Price continued. "You say this was a lawful detention. You say you were recovering department property. You say Mr. Ross interfered. All of that depends on what authority you were exercising and what you actually knew when you walked through that door."
Brett remained silent.
"You found weaknesses in everyone else's statement," Price said. "Now I need to find the weaknesses in yours."
Price did not question Brett immediately. She turned back toward Maya and pulled out the chair across from her.
"I need to clear up something you said earlier."
Maya remained seated. "Go ahead."
"You worked with evidence records for Briarwood?"
"Yes."
"Did you have access to digital evidence systems?"
"Yes."
"What kind of access?"
Maya glanced toward Brett, then back at Price. "Enough to review records connected to evidence intake, transfers, access history, and file status."
"Could you open files?"
"Some."
"Modify them?"
"Not freely."
"That isn't a no."
"No, it isn't."
Brett remained across the diner, but Price could see that he was listening closely.
She asked, "Did you ever access a record you were not assigned to?"
Maya did not answer right away. Price waited.
Finally, Maya said, "I accessed a record someone did not want me looking at."
Price kept her voice neutral. "That is not the question."