“I never met him.”

“Who?”

“Gray.”

“Where does he work?”

“I don't know.”

“Then how did you communicate?”

“Through Reeves.”

Troy stared at her.

“Reeves wasn't Gray.”

“No.”

“Then who was?”

Lydia whispered:

“Gray was the name we used for the person above Reeves.”

“Above a police captain?”

She nodded.

“Someone who could make judges disappear from cases.”

Troy leaned back.

“Who?”

Lydia looked directly into his eyes.

“Deputy County Commissioner Edward Voss.”

CHAPTER 6 — THE MAN THEY COULDN'T ARREST

Edward Voss had spent twenty years building a reputation as one of the most respected men in Deerfield.

He sponsored children's charities.

He appeared at police graduations.

He donated money to schools.

He shook hands with judges.

He spoke about public safety on television.

Nobody suspected him.

That was exactly how he wanted it.

When federal agents arrived at his office, Voss was waiting.

He smiled.

“Is there a problem?”

Keller handed him a warrant.

“We need your records.”

“Of course.”

He didn't argue.

He didn't panic.

He didn't even ask why.

Troy watched from the hallway.

Something about Voss bothered him.

The man looked too calm.

Then Troy understood.

Voss wasn't surprised.

He had known they were coming.

The leak was still active.

Keller received a call.

“Cancel the operation.”

She frowned.

“Who is this?”

“Department of Justice.”

Troy immediately stepped forward.

“Put it on speaker.”

A voice came through.

“The federal investigation into Deerfield must be suspended pending jurisdictional review.”

Troy looked at Keller.

“That's fake.”

“How do you know?”

“Because the DOJ doesn't suspend a case through an anonymous phone call.”

Keller ended the call.

Two minutes later, another call arrived.

This time from Washington.

“Do not stop.”

Keller smiled.

“Understood.”

Voss was arrested.

But the real breakthrough came from the laptop recovered from the warehouse.

Analysts cracked one encrypted folder.

Inside was a recording.

Voss was speaking to Reeves.

“Your officers aren't the problem.”

Reeves asked:

“Then what is?”

“The people who still believe they can tell the truth.”

Voss continued.

“People like Troy.”

Reeves asked:

“What do we do?”

Voss answered:

“Make him look like everyone else.”

Troy listened to the recording in silence.

Then another voice entered.

A voice he recognized.

Lydia Grant.

And then a fourth.

Someone from inside the federal system.

The investigation had been betrayed by a federal contractor who had been selling information to Voss.

His name was Andrew Keller.

Keller looked at the screen.

“My brother?”

Troy stared at her.

She had never mentioned having a brother.

“He works as a systems contractor,” she said quietly.

The room went silent.

Andrew Keller had access to federal databases.

He had been providing Voss with information about investigations.

That explained everything.

How they knew Troy was coming.

How they knew about the surveillance.

How they knew where agents were positioned.

But Voss had one final card.

He claimed that every recording had been illegally obtained.

His attorneys prepared to challenge the evidence.

Then Troy walked into court.

Not as the victim.

Not as a witness.

As the federal agent who had built the case.

The prosecutor played the original recording.

Morrison's voice.

We can do this the difficult way.

Glass shattered.

Troy was dragged from the vehicle.

Stop resisting!

Then the audio from the police station.

Morrison's false claims.

Reeves ordering officers to fabricate evidence.

Hale discussing payments.

Voss discussing witnesses.

The courtroom became completely silent.

Finally, the prosecutor played the last recording.

Voss's voice filled the room.

Make him look like everyone else.

The judge looked toward Voss.

“Mr. Voss, would you like to explain that statement?”

For the first time, the powerful commissioner had no answer.