Isaac’s jaw tightened.
“Sergeant Wade Granger.”
No response.
“Step away from Special Agent Alicia Warren.”
Nothing moved.
Derek slowly looked at Alicia.
Then at Isaac.
“You know her?”
Alicia answered before anyone else.
“Afternoon, Isaac.”
The entire roadside changed.
Derek’s face went white.
Mason backed away.
Trevor whispered, “Oh God.”
Jacob closed his eyes.
Granger forced a laugh.
“This is a misunderstanding.”
Isaac looked at him.
“No.”
Granger tried again.
“She interfered with an active investigation.”
“No.”
“We had cause.”
“No.”
“We didn’t know—”
Isaac finally raised one hand.
“That part is obvious.”
He stepped toward Alicia.
“Remove the cuffs.”
Derek hesitated.
“We need to verify—”
Isaac looked at him.
“Three seconds.”
Derek turned toward Granger.
“What do I—”
Deputy U.S. Marshal Grant Heller stepped forward.
“Officer.”
His voice was calm.
“Take the cuffs off the federal agent.”
Derek’s hands started shaking.
He found the key.
The first cuff opened.
Then the second.
Alicia brought her hands forward and rubbed the red marks.
Isaac picked up her credential wallet.
Brushed dust from it.
Handed it back.
“Sorry we were late.”
Alicia clipped it onto her belt.
“Traffic?”
Isaac almost smiled.
“You wouldn’t believe it.”
Alicia looked around at the tactical vehicles.
“I probably would.”
Granger watched the exchange.
His mouth opened.
Nothing came.
Isaac turned.
“Wade Granger.”
Grant Heller unfolded a sealed federal warrant.
“By order of the United States District Court, you are under arrest for conspiracy against civil rights, obstruction of justice, evidence tampering, witness intimidation, unlawful detention, and related federal offenses.”
Granger stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Isaac shook his head.
“It’s been coming for eight months.”
Derek suddenly found his voice.
“You don’t have proof.”
Special Agent Monica Ellis stepped from another SUV carrying a rugged tablet.
“Actually.”
She looked at the crowd.
“We have quite a lot.”
A portable monitor came alive beside the command vehicle.
The first video showed Devin helping the elderly woman.
Then Granger approaching.
The destroyed book.
The broken family photo.
Derek shoving him.
The unlawful stop.
Every timestamp visible.
Derek stared.
“Where did that come from?”
Sharon stepped from behind two federal agents.
The flash drive remained in her hand.
“Me.”
Granger looked furious.
“You.”
Sharon looked at him.
For years, she had lowered her eyes around the Red Creek Police Department.
Not now.