"Please don't touch me."
Keller placed a hand against Harold's shoulder.
"Step aside."
Harold moved backward when the pressure increased.
His shoulder struck the wall.
The younger officer grabbed his arm.
"Turn around."
Harold remained calm.
"I am not resisting."
The handcuffs closed around his wrists.
The young female officer looked uncomfortable.
"Sergeant, do we have confirmation from the detective?"
Keller looked at her.
"Officer Lopez, secure the subject."
"Yes, sir."
Her name was Maya Lopez.
She was young enough to still believe that following orders would protect her from responsibility for what those orders caused.
She would soon learn otherwise.
Keller entered the house.
Then Collins followed.
Harold was escorted inside.
His eyes moved toward the kitchen.
His coffee was still sitting on the counter.
Beside it was a black leather case.
Keller noticed it.
"What's that?"
Harold said nothing.
Collins walked toward the counter.
He opened the case.
Then stopped.
Inside was a badge.
Not a local police badge.
Not a private-security badge.
A federal badge.
Collins stared at it.
The room seemed to become colder.
Keller walked over.
"What is it?"
Collins swallowed.
"I don't know."
Harold finally spoke.
"You should."
Keller picked up the badge.
His expression changed.
The name engraved beneath the seal was unmistakable.
HAROLD NEWMAN
Underneath it was a title that made Keller's hand suddenly go still.
Keller looked at Harold.
"You were federal?"
Harold gave him a quiet answer.
"I still am."
For the first time since arriving at the house, nobody spoke.
Then Maya looked at the badge.
And she understood that they had made a mistake.
But she had no idea how serious that mistake was.
Keller placed the badge carefully back onto the counter.
He did not look at Harold.
He looked at Maya.
Then Collins.
Then back at the badge.
"What agency?"
Harold remained silent.
Keller's voice became more cautious.
"Mr. Newman, what exactly is your position?"
Harold smiled faintly.
"Wasn't that information supposed to be irrelevant when you entered my house?"
Collins shifted his weight.
"We're just trying to establish who we're dealing with."
"You already knew."
Keller frowned.
"Knew what?"
"That I was not the suspect you were looking for."
Maya looked toward the hallway.
She had been reviewing the circumstances in her mind since the moment they crossed the threshold.
The report had mentioned a burglary.
It had not mentioned Harold Newman.
It had not mentioned a warrant.
It had not mentioned an emergency.
And now there was a federal badge on the kitchen counter.
Something was wrong.
"Sergeant," she said carefully, "maybe we should contact Detective Harris."
Keller's face tightened.
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because we haven't finished."
Maya looked at the kitchen.
Cabinets were open.
A pantry door stood halfway open.
Collins was checking shelves.
There was no obvious stolen property.
Harold watched them without saying anything.
Then he asked quietly:
"How long have you been investigating this burglary?"
Keller did not answer.
Harold continued.
"Because if you've been investigating it properly, you already know I wasn't involved."
Collins turned around.
"You don't know what we know."
Harold looked at him.
"I know enough."
Keller stepped closer.
"Mr. Newman, don't test my patience."
Harold's expression remained calm.
"I've spent thirty-one years watching people lose their patience when facts stopped supporting them."