"That's our bridge."
But then another file appeared.
"Inspector."
Daniel turned.
"What?"
"We found something else."
The investigator handed him a folder.
"Someone accessed the internal complaints database last night."
"When?"
"Forty minutes after the traffic stop."
Daniel opened the folder.
A list of names appeared.
Every officer currently under investigation.
Someone had searched them.
Daniel's expression darkened.
"Someone knew."
"Could be Hale."
Daniel shook his head.
"Maybe."
He closed the folder.
"But there's a bigger problem."
"What?"
Daniel pointed to the access log.
"The search came from inside Internal Affairs."
Silence.
Someone inside his own investigative unit was leaking information.
That afternoon, Cole received a phone call.
"Ryan."
Cole recognized the voice.
Captain Victor Hale.
"Captain."
"You took care of the old man?"
"Yeah."
"Any problems?"
"No."
"Good."
Hale paused.
"Because I've heard Internal Affairs is getting closer."
Cole laughed.
"Those guys couldn't find their own desks."
Hale didn't laugh.
"Don't underestimate them."
Cole's smile disappeared.
"Understood."
Hale hung up.
Cole stared at his phone.
Then he noticed something.
A black sedan parked across the street.
He watched it for several seconds.
The car didn't move.
Cole walked outside.
The sedan drove away.
He couldn't see the driver.
But inside the vehicle, Daniel Carter was watching him.
Daniel spoke into his phone.
"He noticed us."
A voice answered.
"Should we pull him in?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
Daniel watched Cole disappear into the station.
"Because frightened men make mistakes."
CHAPTER 3 — THE NETWORK
Over the next week, Daniel allowed Cole to believe he had escaped.
No arrest.
No questioning.
No complaint.
Nothing.
That silence made Cole confident.
And confidence made him careless.
He started taking more money.
A truck driver paid him five hundred dollars to ignore an inspection violation.
A nightclub owner gave him two thousand dollars to make a report disappear.
A construction company paid him monthly.
Every payment was documented.
Every conversation was recorded.
And every piece of evidence led upward.
Eventually, Cole arranged a meeting.
A warehouse on the edge of town.
He arrived at 11:40 p.m.
Captain Hale was already there.
Mason Reed stood nearby.
Hale looked at Cole.
"How much?"
"Twenty-two thousand this month."
Hale nodded.
"Your share?"
"Five."
Hale smiled.
"You're getting greedy."
Cole laughed.
"I learned from the best."
Hale's smile vanished.
"Careful."
Cole immediately lowered his eyes.
"Sorry, Captain."
Hale handed him an envelope.
"There's a new assignment."
Cole opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Daniel Carter.
Cole stared at the image.
"Who's this?"
Hale's voice became quiet.
"Internal Affairs."
Cole studied the photograph.
"Why are you giving me his picture?"
"Because he has been asking questions."
Cole smiled.
"What do you want me to do?"