You don't know that it's unlawful. I know her name is nowhere on these files. You haven't verified the custody record. Mercer turned sharply.
That's what we'll do at the station. A car had stopped farther down the shoulder. An older woman stood beside it holding up her phone. Mercer saw her.
"Ma'am, keep moving. This is an active police investigation." The woman lowered the phone slightly but did not leave. "I'm off the roadway, officer."
"You need to move along," Mercer said.
"I'm not interfering." Mercer stared at her, then looked back at the Bentley. The damaged windows were visible from every angle.
Maya stood handcuffed without resisting. Noah remained beside the open trunk. The black case sat exposed between them. The woman raised her phone again.
Mercer closed the trunk and picked up the dash camera from the patrol car hood. Maya watched him take possession of it. Be careful what you decide never happened. Mercer did not answer.
Mercer walked back toward his patrol car with the dash camera in one hand. He opened the driver's door, placed the device on the center console, then looked toward Noah, finished the tow request. Noah remained beside the Bentley. You're taking her in now.
Restricted county files in the trunk. She won't explain where they came from. Yes, I'm taking her in. You still haven't verified the control number.
We'll verify it at the station. Noah looked toward Maya, who stood beside the second patrol vehicle with her hands cuffed behind her back. What about the Bentley? Impound it.
On what basis? Mercer gave him a hard look. Evidence. Noah did not argue further.
He stepped away and called for a tow truck. Mercer got into his patrol car and shut the door for several seconds. He sat without moving. The dash camera rested beside him.
He picked it up and turned it over until he found the memory card slot. After removing the card, he inserted it into the reader connected to his patrol computer. A list of video files appeared. Mercer selected the most recent one.
The recording began before the argument beside the Bentley. It showed Maya stepping out, locking the doors, and placing the key in her pocket. His own voice came through clearly. Open the car.
Hand over the key. Maya's answer followed. You don't have a search warrant. I refuse.
Mercer watched himself step closer. Then Noah's voice appeared in the recording. The registration is clean. Mercer paused the video.
He looked through the windshield toward Noah, who was still speaking with dispatch. Then he resumed playback. The footage showed the first broken window, the second the remaining windows. Maya standing away from the car with her hands visible.
No aggressive movement, no attempt to interfere, no threat. The camera had recorded Mercer leaning through the broken window and searching the passenger compartment after the vehicle registration had already been confirmed. He skipped forward. The trunk opening appeared next, then the black case.
Maya warning him not to break the seal. Noah telling him to verify the control number first. Mercer stopped the video again. His breathing had slowed, but his face was tense.