He stepped away and called for a tow truck. Mercer got into his patrol car and shut the door for several seconds. He sat without moving. The dash camera rested beside him.
He picked it up and turned it over until he found the memory card slot. After removing the card, he inserted it into the reader connected to his patrol computer. A list of video files appeared. Mercer selected the most recent one.
The recording began before the argument beside the Bentley. It showed Maya stepping out, locking the doors, and placing the key in her pocket. His own voice came through clearly. Open the car.
Hand over the key. Maya's answer followed. You don't have a search warrant. I refuse.
Mercer watched himself step closer. Then Noah's voice appeared in the recording. The registration is clean. Mercer paused the video.
He looked through the windshield toward Noah, who was still speaking with dispatch. Then he resumed playback. The footage showed the first broken window, the second the remaining windows. Maya standing away from the car with her hands visible.
No aggressive movement, no attempt to interfere, no threat. The camera had recorded Mercer leaning through the broken window and searching the passenger compartment after the vehicle registration had already been confirmed. He skipped forward. The trunk opening appeared next, then the black case.
Maya warning him not to break the seal. Noah telling him to verify the control number first. Mercer stopped the video again. His breathing had slowed, but his face was tense.
If the recording remained intact, his report would have to explain every decision visible on the screen. He opened the file menu and selected delete. A confirmation message appeared. He accepted it.
Then he deleted the remaining files from the card. After that, he formatted the storage. The computer asked for confirmation. He selected yes.
When the process finished, the directory showed no files. Mercer removed the card, waited several seconds, then inserted it again. Still empty, he formatted it a second time. No files remained.
Mercer leaned back in the seat and looked out at the Bentley. From where he sat, he could see broken glass on the seats and pavement. The older woman was still nearby with her phone. Noah was now speaking with the tow driver who had just arrived.
Mercer placed the memory card back into the camera and turned the unit off. He opened the patrol car door and stepped outside. Noah looked toward him. What were you doing?
Checking the camera. Anything on it. Mercer walked past him. Corrupted.
Noah watched him for a moment. It was recording when you took it. Recording doesn't mean the files saved. Noah glanced at the device in Mercer's hand.
You already checked the storage? Mercer stopped. You have a problem with that? I'm asking and I answered.
Mercer placed the camera inside a clear evidence bag but did not seal it. Let's go. Maya was placed in the rear of Noah's patrol vehicle for transport. Mercer took custody of the black case and secured it in his own unit.
Before Noah closed the rear door, Maya looked at him. Who has the camera? Mercer? Was it logged?
Noah hesitated. Not yet. Maya nodded once. Remember that?
Noah closed the door.
The drive to the Carver County Sheriff's Office took less than half an hour. By the time they arrived, daylight had begun to fade. The sheriff's headquarters was a low brick county building near the courthouse square. Sunday evening, staffing was light.
Only a few patrol deputies, dispatchers, and administrative employees were inside. A local weather report played on a television mounted near the booking area. Someone had left a paper cup of coffee beside a stack of forms. A deputy at a desk was finishing a reheated chicken sandwich while typing an incident report.
When Maya entered in handcuffs, several people looked up. No one recognized her. The booking officer was a woman in her late 50s with short gray hair and reading glasses hanging from a cord around her neck. Name: Maya Williams.
Date of birth. The booking officer asked for her address. Maya provided it. The officer typed the information into the system.
Occupation. Maya paused briefly. County administration. The booking officer looked up.
What kind of county administration? Transition work. Mercer stood behind Maya. She was found with restricted internal review material.
The booking officer glanced at him, then back at Maya. Any weapons? No. Medication we need to know about? No. The woman nodded and continued the intake.
Noah carried the dash camera into evidence processing. A property deputy looked at the bag. What's wrong with it? Mercer answered before Noah could.
Media corrupted in the field. The property deputy typed the description. Any recoverable files? None.
Noah looked at Mercer. The answer came too quickly. He had seen the green recording indicator on the road. He had heard Mercer ask how long it had been running.
Now, the camera had supposedly arrived with nothing usable. Noah said the unit was active when it was seized. Mercer turned toward him. And I'm just making sure that goes in the intake.
The property deputy looked between them. Mercer said, "Put down that it appeared active. Storage was unreadable." Noah did not respond, but he memorized the wording.
A few minutes later, the black metal case was placed on an evidence table. The property deputy examined the broken seal. "Who opened this?" "I did," Mercer said.
"Did you verify the control number first?" Mercer's expression tightened. We had probable cause. That's not what I asked.
Before Mercer could answer, the side door opened. Captain Raymond Dugan entered wearing dark slacks and an open collar white shirt. He carried a convenience store coffee and looked irritated at having been called in on a Sunday night. What happened?
Mercer gestured toward the case. Traffic stop turned into something bigger. Dugan set the coffee down and approached the table. He read the label.
Restricted internal review material. Then he opened one of the folders Mercer had removed from the case. His eyes moved down the page. His expression changed.
Who opened this? I told you. I did. Dugan looked at Mercer.
Who else saw what was inside? Mercer glanced toward Noah. Bennett. Dugan followed his eyes.