"I know who you are. I saw what he did to you."
"I'm all right. Are you?"
Leah attempted a smile and failed. "That depends on whether you're going to leave when the trucks are gone."
Danielle understood the question. Leah was not asking how long a search would take. She was asking who would be responsible for her safety when the people with uniforms and cruisers went home.
"I can't promise that speaking with me carries no risk," Danielle said. "I can promise that if you describe threats or crimes, we'll document them, involve the proper authorities, and discuss realistic protective steps with you. You should decide what you want to tell me. No one here has the right to force you into silence."
Leah rubbed a thumb over a chipped spot on the counter. "Voss comes here when the tankers arrive. Most of the time, anyway. His captain came a few times. I don't know where the fuel goes, but the totals never match."
"Can you describe one night in detail?"
Leah told her about the tanker in February and the mismatched billing. She described Voss's warning about emergency response times, then Shaw's visit. She spoke quietly, pausing whenever somebody came through the door for coffee or cigarettes. Danielle did not rush her. She asked which events Leah had seen, which facts she knew from records, and which things others had told her. By the time Leah reached the night she had installed the camera, the words were coming more easily.
"I started recording because nobody would believe me otherwise," Leah said. "There's a camera behind the counter. Not on the regular system."
"Is it yours?"
"I bought it. It's mine."
"Have you kept copies of the recordings?"
"At home. The device keeps thirty days, but I save clips every week. I have another drive I use for backups."
Danielle felt a surge of relief, followed immediately by concern. The records could be extraordinarily valuable if collected properly, but Leah's admission also increased the danger if Shaw overheard it.
"Do not hand the only copy to anyone," Danielle said. "And don't change, edit, or delete the originals. I can have a technician make verified forensic copies with your consent. We should arrange a safe way to obtain the drives at home."
Leah nodded, then looked sharply toward the door. Shaw had entered.
"Agent Cross," he said, "you need to stop questioning the manager. This is an active local inquiry, and any formal witness interview should be coordinated through my office."
Danielle straightened. "Ms. Grant is speaking voluntarily. She can stop at any time."
"She's clearly distressed."
"I was distressed before she came in," Leah said.
Shaw looked at her. The expression was brief, but Leah had seen it many times: an impatient tightening around the eyes, a warning disguised as irritation.
"Leah," he said, "you've had a difficult morning. Why don't you take a break in the back office and let us handle the complications?"
"The complications are my business," Leah answered. "And they're making my reports wrong."