"And you let me arrest you?"
Maya did not answer.
Mercer looked toward Ruth. She was still recording, but she was too far away to see what he was holding. He quickly closed the credential wallet.
Noah lowered his voice. "Take the cuffs off."
Mercer did not move.
"Wade, I heard you."
"She is a federal agent."
"That doesn't erase the stop."
"No. But it changes what you need to do next."
Mercer looked back into the saddlebag.
Maya spoke immediately. "Do not remove anything else."
He ignored her and reached inside again. This time he pulled out a sealed document envelope. The front carried federal markings and a case reference. Mercer read the first visible page. His face changed again.
Ashford County appeared near the top. Below it were references to vehicle seizures, towing contracts, storage records, disposal procedures, and private auctions. Then he saw two names: Clay Boone, Wade Mercer.
Noah read them, too. Neither man spoke for several seconds.
Mercer looked at Maya. "You came here for us."
Maya did not confirm it.
"You've been investigating the department."
She remained silent.
"How long?"
Maya looked at the file in his hand. "You should call your supervisor."
Mercer folded the visible page back into the envelope and closed it.
Noah held out his hand. "Give her documents back."
Mercer stepped away from him. "No."
"Those are federal materials."
"I can see that."
"Then stop making this worse."
Mercer looked toward Ruth again, then walked several yards away and pulled out his private phone.
Noah stayed beside Maya. "I didn't know," he said quietly.
Maya looked at him. "You knew the identification was valid."
Noah said nothing.
"You knew he damaged it."
He looked toward Mercer. "Yes."
"That part mattered before you knew who I was."