"I didn't. Brett did, when he came through the door with his badge."
Across the diner, Brett turned toward them: he could not hear the words, but he knew the conversation had changed. Price followed Maya's glance.
"How did Brett know a transfer was supposed to happen?"
"I don't know."
"That may be the most important question you've given me."
"I agree."
"Could your source be someone inside the department?"
"Yes."
"Could Brett have learned about it from that same person?"
"Yes."
"Could the entire transfer have been set up to make you look like you were stealing department data?"
Maya paused. "Yes."
Price studied her reaction. "You considered that."
"I considered every reason I could think of not to come."
"But you came anyway."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Maya looked down at her hands before answering. "Because if the record was changed once, I needed to know whether there was still a way to prove what it looked like before."
Price said nothing for several seconds. Then she asked, "Why didn't you tell me any of this when I arrived?"
"Because Brett already had a version of me ready for you: former employee, access dispute, grievance, possible unauthorized records. If I started with my history, everything that happened in this diner would be interpreted through that."
"You thought I would assume you were lying."
"I thought you might start by deciding which one of us was more credible."
"And you wanted me to see the conduct first."
"Yes."
Price closed the notebook. "That was a risk."
"I know."
"Hiding information can damage your credibility, too."
"I know that, too."
Price stood. Maya looked up at her. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm not deciding who is right tonight based on who tells the better story." Price looked across the diner toward Brett. "But now I understand one thing I didn't understand before."
"What?"
"He didn't come here because he was worried about a missing piece of plastic." Maya remained silent; Price continued: "He came because he believes whatever that card contains can lead someone back to something he does not want examined."
Maya did not confirm it; she did not need to. Price finally knew why Maya had been waiting inside Magnolia Road Diner. What she still did not know was whether the card Maya had risked so much to protect could survive the moment it became evidence.
Price returned to the center of the diner and looked at the unopened evidence envelope on the counter.
"Miss Williams, I'm going to ask you directly: is the card inside this building?"
Maya stood from the booth. "Yes."
Brett's attention moved to her immediately.
Price asked, "Do you know where it is?"
"Yes."
"Did you put it there?"
"No."
"Did you touch it?"
"No."
"Did you see who left it?"
"No."
Brett gave a small nod, as if each answer helped him; Price noticed.
"Where is it, Maya?"