Terrence picked up each item himself.

His clothes.

The decorations.

His shoes.

The family photograph.

Finally, he reached the cake.

There was no saving it.

He closed the damaged box anyway and placed it inside the truck.

Lieutenant Whitmore approached.

"Agent Cole, I'd like to apologize for how this was handled."

Terrence looked at her.

"I appreciate you saying that."

"We'll document everything."

"Please do."

Haskell remained near his cruiser.

Terrence walked toward him.

For the first time since the stop began, Haskell looked genuinely nervous.

Terrence stopped several feet away.

"Officer Haskell."

"Agent Cole."

"You asked earlier why I was so calm."

Haskell said nothing.

Terrence continued.

"I've interviewed people who thought authority protected them from consequences. Usually the biggest mistake they made was assuming nobody was paying attention."

Haskell swallowed.

"Is that a threat?"

"No."

Terrence looked toward the cameras.

"It's an observation."

CHAPTER 9 — THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Terrence reached his mother's house at 7:03 p.m.

More than an hour late.

Cars filled the driveway.

Music played in the backyard.

Gold balloons were tied to the porch.

When Terrence stepped from the truck, Danielle came outside.

"Where have you been?"

Then she saw his face.

"What happened?"

Terrence opened the passenger door.

The damaged cake box sat on the floor.

Danielle stared at it.

"Terrence..."

"It's a long story."

Their mother appeared behind her.

Evelyn Cole was small, silver-haired, and wearing a blue dress Danielle had bought for the occasion.

"There you are."

Terrence smiled.

"Happy birthday, Mom."

She walked down the porch steps and hugged him.

Then she noticed the cake.

"What happened to my cake?"

Terrence looked at Danielle.

Danielle looked furious already.

"Police stop."

Evelyn became serious.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

She didn't ask about the cake again.

That was Evelyn.

Things could be replaced.

People couldn't.

Inside, Terrence tried to behave normally.

He laughed with his niece.

Helped Uncle Raymond with the food.

Opened a bottle of sparkling cider for his mother.

Danielle drove to a grocery store and returned with a small replacement cake.

But throughout dinner, Terrence's phone kept vibrating.

First his supervisor.

Then another agent.

Then an unknown number.

Then three more.