Naomi opened an encrypted evidence viewer. The first file contained the county radio recording. Pike's voice was unmistakable as he called Camille's radio stolen, threatened responding deputies with obstruction, and continued after Asheford Communications repeatedly used her title.
The second file was Laya's certified export of the municipal CAD event. She explained only what the system could establish: Pike's individual multi-factor session had requested the plate. The state return came back clear. 83 seconds later, the same authenticated session created a local patrol intelligence caution describing a possible cloned plate and armed rider.
"Can the audit prove Pike typed it?" Camille asked.
"It proves his session created it from his assigned vehicle," Laya said. "The terminal camera does not record the cabin. Another person could have used the unlocked session."
"Which is already his defense," Naomi said. Pike's union attorney had submitted notice that Van might have entered the caution while Pike watched the motorcycle. It was an intelligent shift: if the city could not prove who touched the keyboard, Pike could characterize everything afterward as reliance on information supplied by his partner.
Laya enlarged the event history. "Standard reports display the newest caution as though it existed when the plate was first queried. Dispatchers have to open the audit pane to see creation order. Supervisory approval is not required for temporary patrol intelligence."
"So the system concealed its own sequence from anyone who did not know where to look," Jordan said.
"It did not conceal it," Laya replied carefully. "It failed to place the sequence where reviewers would naturally see it."
"Pike knew that. He teaches the mobile data refresher."
The gas station recording played next. It showed Camille entering the lane at normal speed, stopping before either officer left the cruiser, and raising her empty hands. The camera had no usable audio, but it captured Pike returning to the passenger door while Van remained behind the Harley. It also showed Pike kick the registration folder beneath the motorcycle after Camille identified its location.
Jordan turned away from the screen. Camille reached for her, then stopped because the movement pulled at the burn. Jordan noticed and moved her chair closer.
Naomi paused the video. "The image supports compliance and opportunity, but it still does not show the terminal. I need Van's notebook, the tow intake, and a lawful interview with both officers."
"Sloan Recovery has not produced the inventory," Laya said. "They claimed the storm disrupted their upload."
Camille heard the excuse for what it was: time being purchased.
Laya's phone vibrated. She read the message, and color left her face. City Council had placed her on administrative leave for possible unauthorized access to confidential CAD audit data. At the same moment, Pike's union attorney sent Naomi a demand to exclude every file Laya had preserved. Pike had learned exactly where the first real threat to his story came from.
Eleven days after the stop, Camille entered a State Bureau conference room with her forearm wrapped and knee braced. Jordan still drove her to every appointment. The Harley remained behind Sloan Recovery's chain-link fence.