“Because that's what they want.”
Cole stopped.
Marcus looked at Ranger.
The dog was staring toward the burning building.
Then he looked at Marcus.
For five years, Marcus had learned to trust that look.
It meant one thing.
Danger wasn't over.
The recorder might contain the truth.
But whoever had tried to destroy it knew exactly what it could reveal.
They took the recorder to a retired technician named Samuel Price.
He had worked county communications for thirty years.
“If this device has been sitting here for months,” Samuel said, “don't connect it directly to the internet.”
Marcus nodded.
Samuel examined it.
“Old model.”
“Can you recover the files?”
“I can try.”
While Samuel worked, Marcus waited outside with Ranger.
The dog rested his head on Marcus's boot.
“I almost missed it,” Marcus whispered.
Ranger opened one eye.
“The whole thing.”
The dog closed it again.
Inside, Samuel called them.
“I have something.”
They entered.
A waveform appeared on the monitor.
Samuel pressed play.
Static.
Then voices.
Warren.
Miller.
Another man.
Marcus recognized the voice immediately.
Daniel Reese.
The recording was dated months before Harbor Street.
Daniel was arguing with Warren.
“You can't keep moving seized evidence.”
Warren replied, “You don't know what you're talking about.”
“I have records.”
“Then destroy them.”
“I won't.”
The recording continued.
Daniel mentioned containers.
Hidden compartments.
A network of altered evidence transfers.
Then Warren said something that made Marcus go cold.
“What happens to the dog?”
Daniel answered, “Ranger?"
“He keeps finding things.”
“You leave him alone.”
“He won't be involved if his handler is removed.”
Marcus stared at the screen.
Samuel stopped the recording.
Nobody spoke.
Cole looked sick.
“So it was planned.”
Porter nodded.
“Not just Harbor Street.”
Marcus clenched his fists.
“Where is Daniel?”
Samuel looked at them.
“There is another file.”
He played it.
Daniel's voice came through.
“If anyone finds this, the original records are stored beneath the old courthouse.”
Then static.
Marcus stood.
“Let's go.”
They never made it to the door.
Deputy Chief Warren entered with four officers.
“Step away from the equipment.”
Marcus moved in front of Ranger.
Warren looked at him.
“This has gone far enough.”
“You tried to kill my dog.”
“I did nothing to your dog.”
“You ordered him removed.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
Marcus's anger rose.
“You knew he was detecting the compartment.”
Warren smiled.
“Dogs detect odors. People interpret them.”
Porter stepped forward.
“We have your recording.”
Warren's expression hardened.
“Recordings can be manipulated.”
Samuel spoke.
“Not this one.”
Warren looked at him.
“Stay out of this.”
Samuel shook his head.
“I stayed out of it for ten years.”
He pointed toward the recorder.
“Not anymore.”
Warren reached for his weapon.
Every officer froze.
Cole moved between them.
“Don't.”
Warren looked at him.
“You've already chosen your side.”
Cole swallowed.
“No.”
He looked at Marcus.
“I chose the truth.”
For several seconds nobody moved.
Then sirens sounded outside.
Marcus looked toward the window.