Chapter 3
The car doors slammed shut in unison, the sound echoing like gunshots against the quiet suburban facades. Two Internal Affairs investigators strode purposefully up the sidewalk, their tailored suits stark against the casual backdrop of Maple Street. Leading the pair was Commander Hayes, a seasoned veteran with a scar cutting through his left eyebrow and eyes that missed nothing.
"Officer Miller," Hayes greeted, his voice flat, devoid of warmth or professional courtesy. "Hand over your service weapon. Slowly, and by the barrel."
Miller looked between Hayes, the male officer—who she now recognized as Detective Marcus Vance—and Agent Sarah Vance holding the federal folder. A cold sweat broke out across the back of her neck.
"This is completely procedural madness," Miller protested, her fingers trembling as she unsnapped the holster. "Marcus, you know me. We worked the Baker case together. You know I'm clean!"
"That's precisely why I requested this assignment, Sarah," Marcus said, ignoring Miller entirely as he addressed his sister. "Because I refused to believe my own partner was selling route maps to the syndicates. But the digital breadcrumbs don't lie."
Agent Vance flipped open the brown leather folder, revealing an encrypted flash drive clipped inside the jacket. "This drive contains real-time coordinates of every patrol unit in Sector 9. It was pinging from a mobile hotspot registered to an apartment leased under your maiden name, Miller. An apartment you claimed you sold three years ago."
Miller swallowed hard, her mouth tasting like dry ash. "Anyone could spoof a MAC address. You're framing me to cover up a precinct-wide budget audit."
Commander Hayes stepped closer, reaching out to take Miller's Glock from her shaking hands. He slid it securely into a lockbox attached to his belt. "Keep talking, Miller. Every word you utter right now is being logged by the body camera you forgot to turn off when you ambushed Agent Vance."
Miller looked down at her chest. The small red recording light on her uniform mount was blinking steadily, pulsing like a tiny, accusing heartbeat. She had turned it on herself to record what she thought would be an easy collar.
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"You don't understand who you're messing with," Miller whispered, her voice dropping to a desperate rasp. "If I go down for this, the people funding that house aren't just going to fire me. They're going to burn this entire town to the ground."
Hayes paused, his hand hovering over his radio. "What did you just say?"
