Boone's voice hardened. "I never told you to hit the number."
Mercer pointed toward the Harley. "You said if the identification could not be verified, we had grounds to hold it."
"I did not tell you how to create that condition."
Maya watched them. The argument had changed: neither man was denying the system anymore; they were arguing over who had designed each part of it.
Maya asked, "What about the headlight?"
Boone turned toward her. "Enough."
She kept her attention on Mercer. "The identification damage gave you a reason to seize the motorcycle. What did breaking the headlight accomplish?"
Mercer hesitated.
Boone spoke quickly. "Do not answer her."
Mercer looked at him. "Why not?"
"Because she is trying to get you to talk. She already knows."
"You do not know what she knows."
Maya remained silent. Mercer looked at the damaged headlight. "It affected the condition rating."
Boone stepped closer. "Wade, shut up."
Maya asked, "And the fuel tank?"
Mercer looked at Boone again. Boone's expression told him not to answer. Mercer did anyway. "Same reason."
Boone cursed under his breath.
Maya said, "So the damage reduced the reported value."
Mercer replied, "That was the point."
Boone grabbed the edge of a nearby work table. "You are making this worse."
Mercer turned on him. "No. You are trying to make me the only person responsible."
"I am trying to stop you from saying things that cannot be taken back."
"You already changed the report."
"I corrected it."
"You removed yourself."
"My name was never on the roadside stop."
"Because you made sure it was not."
Boone looked toward the towing contractor. The man lowered his eyes and pretended to review paperwork. Mercer noticed.
"You hear all this?" he asked.
The contractor raised both hands. "I do not want any part of your argument."
Mercer walked toward him. "You have been part of it for years."
Boone stepped between them. "Leave him out of this."