Everything appeared to be inside that device. Travis noticed the concern on her face and smiled. I knew it. You've got something to hide. He handed the phone to Dylan.
See what's on it. Dylan unlocked the screen. His expression changed almost immediately. This is weird. What?
There isn't much here. No contacts. Almost no photos. Only a few ordinary applications. Ryan frowned.
That's it? Nia remained perfectly still. Because that phone was never meant to hold evidence. It was a decoy. Every important file had already been transmitted through the encrypted application the instant Ryan first reached for her.
Unfortunately, Travis wasn't ready to give up. He looked from the nearly empty phone, Tonya, then toward her old gray sedan. A slow smile spread across his face. If the phone's clean, he pointed directly at the car. Let's search the vehicle.
Nia's heartbeat remained steady. But for the first time since arriving in Red Creek, she knew the situation was spiraling far faster than anyone at FBI headquarters had anticipated. The smile on Sergeant Travis Cole's face widened as he pointed toward the aging gray sedan. Search the vehicle. Officer Ryan Mercer cracked his knuckles.
Finally. Nia Brooks stepped forward just enough to stand between the officers and her car. I do not consent to any search. Travis chuckled. Good thing we weren't asking.
Several people standing near the convenience store exchanged nervous glances. They all knew what those words usually meant. Linda Foster quietly locked the front door of her store. Not to keep customers out. To keep trouble from coming in.
Across the street, Marcus Hill hugged his battered backpack against his chest. He wanted to help, but every bruise on his body reminded him exactly how powerless one person could feel against five armed officers. Kevin Ross shifted uncomfortably. "Sergeant." Travis didn't even look at him.
"What now? We still don't have probable cause." Ryan rolled his eyes. "There he goes again." Travis slowly turned toward Kevin.
"Tell me something." Kevin swallowed. "Yes, sir." "Who wears the badge around here?" Kevin hesitated.
"You do." "Exactly." The answer hung over the street like a warning. No one questioned Travis Cole, not if they wanted to keep wearing a uniform. Without another word, Ryan walked toward the sedan and pulled on the driver's side door handle.
Locked. Dylan Hayes leaned through the window. "Can't see much." Eric Nolan smirked. "Break the glass."
Nia's voice remained steady. "If you damage my property without legal authority, every one of you will answer for it." Ryan laughed. "You really think anyone's going to believe you over five officers?" A few people lowered their eyes.
That sentence carried an uncomfortable truth. For years, it had been exactly that simple. Five reports always outweighed one voice, unless someone had proof. Unknown to every officer standing there, proof was already traveling through encrypted federal servers hundreds of miles away. At FBI Atlanta Field Office, Supervisory Special Agent Daniel Carter stared at a bank of computer monitors inside the Joint Operations Center.
One screen suddenly flashed yellow. "Live secure transmission activated." Daniel straightened immediately. "Vanessa." Special Agent Vanessa Reed rolled her chair across the room.
"What do we have?" Daniel enlarged the incoming feed. The video showed shaky pavement for a moment before stabilizing. Then five familiar uniforms filled the screen. Vanessa's expression darkened.