Her briefcase contained copies of an internal investigation.
The State Ethics Commission had been examining a major construction contractor accused of bribing local officials.
Maya was one of the attorneys assigned to the case.
And two days earlier, she had discovered a financial connection that could bring down several powerful people.
She had printed the documents because she didn't trust the office network.
She had placed them in her briefcase.
Her briefcase was still inside the SUV.
Unless someone had already taken it.
Maya looked toward Harlan.
“Officer.”
“What?”
“Where is my briefcase?”
Harlan's expression changed.
“What briefcase?”
“The one inside my SUV.”
“It wasn't listed in the vehicle inventory.”
Maya's heart sank.
“Then someone removed it.”
Nobody spoke.
Maya stood.
“Now you understand.”
Harlan stared at her.
“What?”
“This was never about the SUV.”
The Missing Briefcase
Detective Aaron Cole was assigned to the case the following morning.
Unlike Harlan, Cole didn't enter the interview room with an attitude.
He entered with a notebook.
He sat down.
And he listened.
“Ms. Bennett,” he said, “I'm going to start with something simple.”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you know why someone would want you arrested?”
“Yes.”
Cole looked up.
“Why?”
“I work for the State Ethics Commission.”
“I know.”
“We're investigating a company called Sterling Infrastructure.”
Cole wrote it down.
“What's significant about them?”
“They have contracts with three counties.”
“And?”
“Several officials involved in approving those contracts have received unexplained payments.”
“Bribes?”
“Potentially.”
Cole nodded.
“And you have evidence?”
“I had evidence.”
“What happened to it?”
“It was in my briefcase.”
“Which disappeared.”
“Yes.”
Cole leaned back.
“Who knew you had those documents?”
“My supervisor.”
“Anyone else?”
“Possibly the people we're investigating.”
Cole studied her.
“Do you believe the stolen briefcase and the false vehicle report are connected?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because someone went to considerable effort to create a reason for police to arrest me.”
“And why arrest you?”
“To separate me from the vehicle.”
Cole's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Because they needed time to search it.”
He was silent.
Then he asked:
“Do you believe Officer Harlan was involved?”
Maya hesitated.
“I don't know.”
“That's important.”
“I won't accuse someone without evidence.”
Cole nodded.
“That answer makes me trust you more.”
They began reconstructing the timeline.
At 3:12 p.m., Maya's SUV had entered the shopping center.
At 3:17, a silver sedan parked three spaces away.
At 3:21, Maya entered the pharmacy.
At 3:24, Andre exited the pharmacy.
At 3:25, the police cruiser arrived.
At 3:26, Maya was arrested.
But there was something strange.
The 911 call had been placed at 3:19.
Before the police arrived.
The caller had described the vehicle as stolen.
And had given the exact location.
Cole found the caller's name.
Karen Willis.
Maya didn't know her.
But surveillance footage showed Karen walking around the SUV before Maya came back outside.
Cole enlarged the image.
A second person appeared beside Karen.
A man.
Maya stared at the screen.
“That's Robert Gaines.”
“The mechanic?”
“Yes.”
Cole looked at her.
“Why would your mechanic report your SUV stolen?”
“I don't know.”
They searched his records.
Robert Gaines had serviced Maya's SUV twice.
But three weeks earlier, he had also serviced a vehicle belonging to Sterling Infrastructure.
Cole looked at Maya.
“That is interesting.”
“Very.”
Then came another discovery.
The plate that had appeared on Maya's SUV was registered to a different vehicle.
A white sedan.
The owner?
A company employee.
Sterling Infrastructure.
Cole sat back.
The pieces were beginning to fit.
Someone had taken the plate from a company vehicle.
Someone had placed it on Maya's SUV.
Someone had called police.
Someone had removed the briefcase.
And someone had assumed that once Maya was arrested, nobody would look closely enough to connect the pieces.
But there was still one problem.