Walter had asked:
“Who?”
Samuel had answered:
“You.”
Walter had hidden the flash drive.
Not at home.
Not in his pocket.
Not even in his car.
He had placed it somewhere he believed nobody would look.
Inside an old history textbook.
The irony had not been lost on him.
The book was one of the first editions of a textbook he had used during his teaching career.
It sat in the trunk beneath several old papers.
Nobody would think to search there.
At least, that was what Walter believed.
Now the police officer was asking whether Samuel had given him anything.
Walter looked toward his car.
The trunk was closed.
His heart pounded.
Officer Brooks noticed the glance.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.”
The officer walked toward the rear of the vehicle.
Walter immediately followed.
“Wait.”
Officer Brooks turned.
“Why?”
“You don't need to search my car.”
“I didn't say I was searching it.”
“You're walking toward the trunk.”
The officer stared at him.
Then he extended his hand.
“Open it.”
Walter didn't move.
“Do you have a warrant?”
The officer's expression became colder.
“Mr. Hayes, don't make this difficult.”
Walter felt the old fear returning.
But beneath the fear was something else.
Resolve.
He had spent his entire adult life telling young people that courage was not the absence of fear.
Courage was deciding what to do while you were afraid.
Walter looked at the camera mounted inside the windshield.
Then he looked back at the officer.
“No.”
The officer took a step toward him.
Walter didn't move.
For several seconds, the two men simply stared at one another.
Then the officer's radio crackled.
A voice came through.
Officer Brooks stepped away.
He listened.
His expression changed.
Walter noticed.
Something had happened.
Something important.
And Walter suddenly suspected that whoever was on the other end of that radio knew exactly what was inside his trunk.
Walter's phone rang.
He pulled it from his pocket.
Emily.