The first officer immediately refused.

“You don’t have authority to search our vehicle.”

Victoria held up her identification.

“I think you misunderstood.”

She pointed toward the dashboard.

“Your patrol camera has been recording this entire encounter.”

The second officer looked at his partner.

The first officer’s confidence was disappearing.

Victoria continued.

“And your body cameras have been recording too.”

She paused.

“Unless someone disabled them.”

Neither man answered.

Victoria smiled faintly.

“That’s what I thought.”

She walked around the patrol car.

Then she stopped.

There was a small red light blinking beneath the rear bumper.

Victoria crouched.

“What is that?”

The officers looked at each other.

Victoria pulled out her phone.

“I’ll give you ten seconds to explain.”

Nothing.

“Ten.”

Silence.

“Nine.”

The first officer suddenly said:

“That’s not ours.”

Victoria looked at him.

“Interesting.”

“Someone must have planted it.”

“Even more interesting.”

She carefully photographed the device.

Then she stood.

“Who has access to your patrol cars?”

The second officer swallowed.

“Maintenance.”

“Who specifically?”

He didn’t answer.

Victoria already knew the answer.

Because the name had appeared in another investigation file.

Marcus Bell.

A senior evidence technician.

And one of the people Victoria had been quietly investigating.

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