"It'll take time to pull all that." "I have time." "Good," Mercer said, standing. "Because you're not going anywhere until we do." He left the room without saying whether that meant hours or days or something he hadn't decided yet himself.
Reed remained seated a moment longer than he needed to. Then he closed his notepad, looked once at the door Mercer had just gone through, and followed him out, carrying without saying so a set of original words that no longer match the ones now sitting in the official file. Reed found the folder still open on Mercer's desk when he came back from the vending machine. He didn't move it or touch it. He just stood there for a moment reading the top page over Mercer's shoulder while Mercer typed facial match identified suspect.
That's not what the original report said this morning. Reed said Mercer didn't look up. It's what I'm submitting. The original said, "Candidate three of four, low to moderate confidence. Recommend further corroboration."
"I corroborated it. Location, vehicle, description, behavior." "None of those were confirmed. You said so yourself in the room." Mercer finally looked up.
You were in the room, too. I was. That's why I know what you actually have doesn't match what you're about to file. Reed pulled up a chair without being asked. He set his own notepad on the desk open to a page Mercer hadn't seen yet.
A column of quotes, each one dated and timed. 9:14 this morning. Reed read. Possible match third of four. 9:41 consistent with a vehicle registered to her household.
10:03, a description consistent with her build. He turned the notepad around. Every one of those had a qualifier: possible, consistent with. None of them said, "is." "You're quoting me like I'm on trial."
"I'm quoting you like you're writing a report someone else is going to read as fact."" Mercer pushed back from the desk. You think I don't know the difference between a lead and a conviction? I think you knew it this morning. I want to know if you still know it now. She wasn't surprised when we showed up.
She didn't ask what we thought she'd done. She asked for the original footage before I'd even said the word footage. "People who have nothing to hide don't come in that prepared." Reed kept his voice level. "Or people who've had evidence used against them before know exactly what to ask for.
That's not the same as guilt." Mercer said nothing. You've had four candidates, Reed said. You spent all your time on one. Have you looked at the other three?
I haven't gotten to them yet. There's time now. Before this goes to the DA with your wording instead of the system said, I want you to pull the original file, Reed said, not your summary of it. The original AI output, the raw witness statement, the traffic camera stills, all of it side by side with what you're about to submit. Why?
"Because if you're right, it'll match." "And if you're not?" "I know what happens if I'm not." "Then show me you're not worried about that." Mercer stared at him for a long moment.