He had missed four calls.
Three from Danielle.
One from his mother.
He looked at Mills.
"Am I being detained?"
Mills looked toward Haskell.
Haskell answered.
"We're still conducting an investigation."
"Into what?"
"A suspicious vehicle."
"Be specific."
Haskell's confidence was disappearing by the second.
Terrence waited.
Finally Haskell said, "There was a report."
"I asked earlier what report."
"We're verifying information."
"Then verify it."
Haskell walked back toward his cruiser.
Terrence watched him.
Something had changed.
The search was no longer about finding evidence inside Terrence's truck.
Now Haskell was searching for a way out.
CHAPTER 7 — THE DESCRIPTION THAT DIDN'T MATCH
Ten minutes later, another vehicle arrived.
This one belonged to Lieutenant Sarah Whitmore, Haskell's shift supervisor.
She stepped out, surveyed the roadside, and immediately knew something had gone badly wrong.
"What's happening?"
Haskell approached her first.
Terrence couldn't hear everything they said.
But he heard enough.
"Possible vehicle match."
"Search."
"K-9 alert."
"Federal agent."
Whitmore looked toward Terrence.
Then at the belongings scattered across the shoulder.
Then at the cake.
Her expression hardened.
She walked toward him.
"Agent Cole?"
"Lieutenant."
"I'm Lieutenant Whitmore. I'm trying to understand what happened."
"So am I."
She looked at Haskell.
"What was the original call?"
Haskell hesitated.
"A BOLO for a dark pickup."
"What kind?"
"Ford."
Terrence's truck was a Chevrolet.
Whitmore looked at it.
Then back at Haskell.
"What year?"
"Late model."
Terrence's truck was nine years old.
"Plate?"
"Partial."
"Does his match?"
Haskell didn't answer.
Whitmore's face changed.
"Daniel. Does his plate match?"
"No."
"Driver description?"
Haskell looked uncomfortable.
"Male."
Whitmore waited.
"That's it?"
"Black male, approximately thirty to fifty."
Terrence stared at him.
Whitmore closed her eyes for half a second.
"What was the reported vehicle involved in?"
"Possible narcotics transport."