Every accusation.

Every piece of property removed.

Hale leaned into the passenger compartment.

“Where is it?”

Amara looked toward him.

“What are you looking for?”

“Don’t play innocent.”

She remained calm.

“Sergeant, if you’re conducting a lawful search, please document the basis and preserve the condition of the vehicle.”

Hale laughed.

“You think your expensive car makes you special?”

“No.”

“Then stop talking.”

He pulled another panel loose.

A fastening clip snapped.

The leather trim fell against the pavement.

Ethan stepped forward.

“Sergeant, we’re damaging the interior.”

Hale turned.

“Then help me find what we’re looking for.”

Ethan looked toward Amara.

She met his eyes.

For a moment, he seemed ready to say something.

Then Hale shouted again.

“Check the storage compartment!”

The rookie obeyed.

But as he leaned inside, he noticed something unusual.

The search seemed strangely specific.

Hale wasn’t looking randomly through the car.

He was directing the officers toward concealed storage locations.

He seemed to know exactly where he expected something to be.

Ethan wondered how.

And that question would later become central to the investigation.

Chapter 7: The Third Thing He Tried to Take

After nearly fifteen minutes, Hale stepped away from the vehicle.

His face was flushed.

“Where’s the module?”

Amara looked at him.

“What module?”

Hale stopped.

He had said too much.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then he recovered.

“The electronic storage device.”

Amara tilted her head.

“Sergeant, you haven’t mentioned an electronic device until now.”

Hale stepped closer.

“Don’t test me.”

She remained still.

“How did you know to look for one?”

The officer’s jaw tightened.

“Information.”

“From whom?”

“That’s confidential.”

Amara nodded slowly.

“Then I suggest you preserve whatever information you’re relying on.”

Hale reached toward her handbag.

He picked it up from the pavement.

Then began searching through its contents.

Amara watched.

He opened the small interior pocket.

Removed a lipstick case.

Checked beneath the lining.

Then reached toward a narrow compartment near the base.

His fingers closed around a small rectangular object.

A polished black device.

No larger than a matchbox.

He held it up triumphantly.

“Found it.”

Amara looked at the object.

Then back at him.

“That’s not what you think it is.”

Hale laughed.

“Of course it isn’t.”

He placed the device into his pocket.

Ethan stared.

“Sergeant, shouldn’t that be documented as evidence?”

Hale turned sharply.

“Stay out of it.”

The rookie hesitated.

“Sir, we need an evidence record.”

Hale stepped closer.

“Do you want to keep your job?”

Ethan fell silent.

Amara watched everything.

And for the first time that afternoon, a small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Because the object Hale had just taken wasn’t the evidence module.

It was a secure company authentication token.

And its unauthorized removal had triggered a security alert.

Chapter 8: The Alert That Reached Lattice Integrity

At Lattice Integrity’s Manhattan security office, Daniel Mercer was reviewing the company’s active incident dashboard.

A notification appeared.

SECURITY TOKEN REMOVED FROM AUTHORIZED CUSTODY

Daniel frowned.

He checked the device identifier.