"I know what I'm looking at, Elias."
At another desk, Officer Mara Chen stopped typing. She recognized the particular excitement in Maddox's voice. It usually meant that someone had annoyed him and the department was about to write a report explaining why the person deserved it.
The inner door opened. Walsh brought Dominic and Nyla inside, Ellis following with a sealed property bag. Dominic stood straight despite the cuffs. Nyla studied the booking area the way she studied a courtroom she had never visited, noticing exits, cameras, personnel, and who appeared to hold practical authority.
Maddox pointed toward the counter. "Empty their pockets. Search everything."
"Our property has already been taken," Nyla said. "My name is Nyla Brooks. I am a senior attorney with the United States Department of Justice. My brother is a senior FBI agent. Our credentials can be verified through official channels."
Nash looked at her, then at Dominic. "Your brother?"
"Yes. We share a surname because we share parents, Sergeant, not because we're impersonating government employees."
Mara almost smiled, but the situation was too serious. She moved closer to the desk.
"Rhett," Nash said, "did you call the field office?"
"I'm not taking orders from suspects."
Nash reached for the desk phone. Maddox put a hand over it.
"I said they're being processed first."
A quiet challenge moved across the room. Nash looked at the hand covering the receiver. He had covered for Maddox before, sometimes by failing to ask questions, sometimes by accepting explanations he knew were weak. Something about the two calm people in handcuffs made the usual compromise feel suddenly dangerous.
"Remove your hand," Nash said.
Maddox leaned over him. "You have any idea what we've got here?"
"No," Nash said. "And apparently neither do you."
Mara spoke before Maddox could answer. "I can check the published field-office number."
"Sit down, Chen."