Someone with access to federal communications about the raids. Someone who knew Marcus would be carrying the authorization device tonight. Someone like Pike. "The cuffs stay on until this gets resolved. " Pike was saying to Dalton, "Your people can stand around all they want, but I'm not letting anyone compromise evidence. " Marcus shifted slightly. Elena noticed immediately.
"What is it? " she whispered. He leaned toward her, keeping his voice barely audible. "My jacket. Briggs kept grabbing for it during the arrest. " Elena's eyes sharpened. "What's in your jacket? " "Hardware key for tomorrow's operations.
Authorization codes for the raids. " Understanding dawned on her face. She moved closer to Dalton without drawing attention. But Marcus caught Pike watching them. The captain's expression had changed. His casual authority was replaced by something harder, more focused.
Pike had heard enough. "Dalton," Marcus said quietly when his supervisor stepped back toward him. "The keys in my jacket. " Briggs was trying to get it. Dalton's face went rigid. She understood immediately what that meant.
The hardware key was only mentioned in the most classified operational briefings. Very few people knew Marcus carried it tonight. Pike was staring directly at them now. His hands hung loose at his sides, but tension radiated from his shoulders. "You got something to say about this situation? " Pike called out.
Because I'm getting tired of watching you people whisper in corners. Marcus straightened. He met Pike's gaze without flinching. "Just wondering how Sergeant Briggs knew to look for something in my jacket," Marcus said. His voice carried clearly across the ballroom.
Seems like specific information for someone responding to a random tip. Briggs jerked upright from where he'd been talking to one of his officers. I wasn't looking for anything specific. Just following arrest procedures. Really?
Marcus tilted his head. Because you kept reaching for the inside left pocket. Not my waistband. Not my back pockets. You went for that exact spot three different times.
You're making things up. Briggs snarled, but sweat had appeared on his forehead. Pike stepped between them. "Enough speculation. " This investigation moves forward according to proper channels. That's when Briggs made his mistake.