Renee looked at Sutter with utter disgust. "Ignorance is not a defense for dereliction of
duty, Lieutenant. You signed a legal document verifying a lie. You are an accessory after the
fact to a federal civil rights violation."
Captain Chen looked sick. She realized in an instant that her department was about to
be the subject of a massive Department of Justice consent decree, and that heads were going
to roll all the way up to the Chief of Police.
"Agent Holloway," Chen said, her voice shaking slightly. "What exactly is happening
right now?"
Damon Ellery finally spoke. His voice was calm, smooth, and utterly devoid of triumph.
It was the voice of a man doing a job.
"What is happening, Captain," Damon said, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket,
"is that this administrative hearing is adjourned. We are no longer discussing departmental
policy violations. We are discussing federal felonies."
Right on cue, the heavy oak doors at the back of Hearing Room 3B swung open.
Four armed FBI agents in tactical vests bearing the bold yellow letters 'FBI' strode into
the room. The lead agent carried a stack of manila envelopes containing federal arrest
warrants.
"Garrett Puit," the lead agent announced, his voice booming through the room, "you are
under arrest for Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, Obstruction of Justice, and
Federal Conspiracy. Stand up and place your hands behind your back."
Puit didn't move. He sat frozen, staring at Damon, his mind unable to process the
reality of his destruction. He had spent his entire career bullying the weak, abusing his
power because he believed the badge made him untouchable. He had looked at Damon and
seen a victim. He had been so terribly, fatally wrong.
"I said stand up!" the agent barked, grabbing Puit by the shoulder and hauling him to
his feet. Puit stumbled, his arrogance completely shattered. As the agents pulled his arms
behind his back, Puit hissed in pain.
Damon walked slowly around the table until he was standing face-to-face with the
disgraced officer. The FBI agents paused, allowing their colleague a moment.
Damon looked into Puit’s terrified, bloodshot eyes.
"I told you," Damon said softly, his words for Puit alone. "I am complying with lawful
instructions. Now, I suggest you do the same."
The click of the federal handcuffs echoing in the hearing room was the sweetest sound
Damon had heard in six weeks.
Chapter 5: The Aftermath
The arrest of Officer Garrett Puit was merely the first domino to fall in a spectacular
cascade that would fundamentally reshape the political landscape of Harland County. The
local media, initially slow to grasp the magnitude of the story, exploded when federal
indictments were unsealed the following morning. News vans choked the streets outside
the Public Safety Building. Helicopters circled the sprawling estate of County Commissioner
Thomas Vance, capturing live footage of FBI agents carrying out dozens of cardboard boxes
filled with evidence.
For Damon Ellery, however, the real work was only just beginning. The emotional high
of seeing Puit in handcuffs faded quickly, replaced by the grim reality of salvaging the
broader investigation. Miles Carter, their terrified source, was still wind and ghost. Without
Carter’s testimony to authenticate the stolen invoices, the prosecution’s case against
Commissioner Vance relied heavily on circumstantial financial trails—strong, but not
bulletproof in a courtroom defended by high-priced corporate lawyers.
Damon sat in the sterile, windowless conference room of the FBI field office, staring at
a massive corkboard webbed with red string and photographs. Renee Holloway stood
beside him, holding a lukewarm cup of terrible government coffee. She looked exhausted,
but her eyes possessed a sharp, relentless clarity.
"Vance is already spinning a narrative," Renee said, tapping a pen against the table.
"His press secretary just released a statement claiming Puit was a rogue officer acting
entirely on his own, obsessed with shaking down local contractors. Vance claims he is
completely shocked and appalled by the corruption."
Damon snorted softly. "Shocked and appalled. A classic defense. We need Carter. Carter
is the lynchpin. He can directly tie Vance to the approval of the fraudulent Apex Build
invoices. Without him, Vance might just sacrifice his chief of staff and walk away clean."
"We have teams tearing the state apart looking for Carter," Renee assured him. "But the
man knows the county’s infrastructure. He knows where the blind spots are. He’s running
scared."
Damon leaned forward, resting his chin on his steepled fingers. "He ran because he saw
a cop. He thinks the county is onto him. He thinks the FBI set him up, or that we're
incompetent. We need to send him a message that he’s safe, but we can't broadcast it."
He closed his eyes, mentally replaying the night of the arrest. Every second. Every
detail. The smell of the asphalt. The glare of the sodium lights. The silver Honda Civic
pulling into Zone D.
"Wait," Damon said, his eyes snapping open. "The Honda. When Carter pulled into the
lot, he didn't just see the police cruiser. He saw me in the back seat. And he saw my car."
"So?"
"My car was impounded by the county that night. I didn't pick it up for three days to
maintain the cover of a civilian who couldn't afford the immediate impound fees. Carter
knows the county seized my vehicle."
Damon stood up, pacing the small room, his mind working rapidly. "If Carter was
desperate enough to steal documents, he’s paranoid. If he’s paranoid, he’s watching the
news. He’s seen Puit arrested. But he still doesn't know who I am. To him, I'm just the guy he
was supposed to meet who got busted."
"Where are you going with this, Damon?"