Mercer looked toward the contractor. The contractor lifted the folder slightly. "I have transfer sheets."
Boone's face changed. "What transfer sheets?"
"The ones your people told me not to enter through normal storage."
Mercer looked at Boone. "You said those were destroyed."
"I never said that."
The contractor answered, "You told me to keep county references off the private copies. You never told me to throw them away."
Boone stepped toward him again. "Give me the folder."
"No."
Mercer moved between them. "Leave him alone."
Boone stared at him. "Now you are protecting him?"
"No. I am protecting anything that proves I was not running this by myself."
The contractor nodded toward Mercer. "That is exactly what I am doing."
Maya watched them without interrupting. The argument had reached the point she expected: nobody was defending the operation anymore; each man was preserving whatever could shift responsibility toward someone else.
Outside the warehouse, several federal vehicles approached without lights or sirens. Laura Chen rode in the lead vehicle with the authorization documents beside her. She listened to the live audio through an earpiece.
An agent next to her asked, "They still inside?"
"Yes."
"Any sign they are moving the vehicles?"
"Not yet." Laura looked at the warehouse entrance ahead. "Then we preserve the scene before they change their minds."
Inside, Boone had turned back toward Mercer. "You think handing over documents will save you?"
"I think telling the truth before you do might help."
Boone laughed once. "The truth?"
"You hit the engine case because you said we needed a reason to hold the bike."
"You chose how."
"You approved the condition rating."
"You entered it."
"You told me low-value vehicles moved faster."
Boone pointed at him. "And you were stupid enough to say that out loud."
Mercer looked toward the Harley. "That does not matter anymore."
Boone followed his eyes and understood what he meant: the motorcycle had already heard them.
The warehouse door opened before Boone could respond. Laura Chen entered with several federal agents behind her.
"Nobody touches the vehicles."
Everyone stopped. Boone looked toward the entrance. "What is this?"