Evan looked toward the hallway.
“Sheriff Harlan.”
Rebecca stood.
She did not panic.
The facility was not under attack.
Nobody had stolen nuclear secrets.
But controlled documents had apparently been seized and deliberately destroyed during an unexplained detention.
That required action.
“Deputy Mercer, listen carefully.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Do not clean that trash can.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Do not dispose of burned material.”
“Okay.”
“Do not delete body-camera or station video.”
“I understand.”
“Is Mr. Carter injured?”
“No.”
“Has he asked for a lawyer?”
“Not yet.”
Rebecca picked up another phone.
“I am contacting your county attorney, state investigators, and our federal security liaison.”
Evan’s breathing changed.
“Federal?”
“Possibly.”
She paused.
“But the first outside call is going to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation because I have a local custody situation involving destroyed government-related material.”
“Okay.”
“Deputy?”
“Yes?”
“Preserve first.”
He looked toward the trash can.
“I understand.”
“Good.”
Harlan returned.
“Who are you talking to?”
Evan ended the call.
“Security at the facility.”
“What facility?”
“I don’t know.”
“Give me the phone.”
Harlan inspected the recent calls.
Then looked toward Julian.
“You arranged this?”
Julian almost laughed.
“Arranged what?”
“All these people calling.”
“I had an appointment.”
Harlan’s eyes moved toward the burned documents.
For the first time, Julian saw uncertainty.
Not regret.
Calculation.
At 10:57, the county attorney called.
Harlan refused to speak with him.
At 11:09, dispatch received a preservation request from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The message was simple: retain all material connected with Julian’s detention, preserve video, and make him available while agents traveled to the station.
Harlan exploded.
“This is my prisoner.”
Betty Lawson looked up.
“GBI says they need to speak with everybody.”
“They can speak when I’m finished.”
Julian stood.
“I want an attorney.”
Harlan pointed toward him.
“You don’t get to hide behind a lawyer now.”
Julian almost smiled.
“I’m invoking my right to counsel before any further custodial questioning.”
Evan nodded automatically.
Harlan spun toward him.
“Don’t nod at him.”
Evan stopped.
Thirty minutes later, an unmarked state sedan entered the sheriff’s parking lot.
No lights.
No tactical team.
No convoy.
GBI Special Agent Dana Whitaker stepped out with another investigator.
Behind them, a black government SUV pulled into the lot.
Rebecca Sloan emerged from the passenger side alongside a federal security liaison assigned to Red Creek.
Harlan saw them through the front window.
For the first time that morning, his face lost color.
He pointed toward Evan.
“Keep Carter in the cell.”
Evan looked at him.
“Sheriff.”
“What?”
“We still don’t have charges.”
Harlan’s face reddened again.
“You questioning me?”
“We never booked a charge.”
Evan swallowed.
“And he invoked counsel.”