Chương 5
My name in his mouth made me tired in a way the fight had not.
Teresa folded her arms tighter.
“You keep saying things nobody accused you of.”
Calvin turned on her.
“Would you stop?”
“No.”
“Teresa.”
“No.”
Her voice shook on the second word, but she did not look away.
The woman deputy crossed the lane carrying several clear evidence bags.
One contained Derek’s phone.
Another held the knife.
She said something quietly to Collins, who nodded and walked toward Mercer.
“We need warrants before we go through the devices unless somebody consents.”
Derek called out, “I consent.”
Calvin stared at him.
Derek continued, “Open mine.”
Collins looked at him.
“You understand you’re giving us permission to search the phone?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not being threatened or promised anything?”
“No.”
Derek jerked his chin toward Calvin.
“Search it.”
The tall man beside him muttered, “Man, shut up.”
Derek ignored him.
Collins walked back and began documenting the consent.
Calvin took two steps toward the store.
Mercer said, “Mr. Price.”
Calvin stopped.
“I need a bathroom.”
“You can use one once Deputy Shaw accompanies you.”
“That’s insane.”
“Then wait.”
Calvin laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“You can’t detain me because some drunk vendor says there are texts.”
Mercer’s expression remained neutral.
“I haven’t arrested you.”
“You told me I can’t leave.”
“I told you we need to document your involvement and asked you to remain.”
“That sounds like detention.”
Mercer glanced at the patrol car, then back at him.
“If you want to leave, tell me clearly that you’re leaving.”
Calvin hesitated.
Mercer waited.
Calvin looked toward the store doors.
Then at Derek.
Then at me.
“I’m not leaving.”
“Good.”
It was the first time I had seen fear fully settle into him.
Not fear of jail, necessarily.
Fear of whatever was coming out of Derek’s phone.
Pamela Ortiz arrived twelve minutes later in a dark SUV with a cracked rear taillight and no makeup.
She wore jeans, running shoes, and a company fleece over a T-shirt.
Her hair was tied in a loose knot that looked as if she had done it at a red light.
She walked toward us quickly, then slowed when she saw the deputies, the handcuffed men, and my car.
“Calvin.”
He started toward her.
Mercer stepped between them.
“Ms. Ortiz?”
“Yes.”
He introduced himself.
She listened without interrupting, but her eyes moved constantly.
From Mercer to me.
From me to Calvin.
From Calvin to Derek.
When Mercer mentioned the complaint involving Kayla, Pamela’s mouth tightened.
“When was that report filed?”
“Three nights ago,” I said.
She looked at me.
“Morgan Reed?”
“Yes.”
“I saw your statement.”
Calvin’s head turned sharply.
Pamela noticed.
“Why?”
“I didn’t know you had it.”
“You submitted it to compliance.”
“I sent it through the system.”
“You copied me.”
Calvin blinked.
“I did?”
Pamela stared at him.
“Yes.”
For a moment, nobody said anything.
Then Teresa cleared her throat.
“Long night.”
Pamela looked at her.
“You’re Teresa Hall?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve read your emails too.”
Teresa glanced at me.
“I’m apparently famous.”
Pamela did not smile.
She turned back to Mercer.
“What do you need from me?”
“Preservation of relevant records, employee schedules, security maintenance requests, vendor communications, and any internal correspondence involving Mr. Vance, Ms. Reed, or the complaint.”
Pamela nodded.
“Corporate security will need to handle access.”
“That’s fine.”
“I can contact them now.”
Calvin said, “Pamela, can I talk to you privately?”
“No.”
He looked stunned.
She added, “Not yet.”
His shoulders dropped.
The front doors opened and Kayla stepped outside.
She wore a gray hoodie over her work shirt and hugged herself against the night air.
I had not seen her among the employees inside.
When she recognized Derek, she stopped so abruptly that the automatic doors almost closed against her back.
He saw her too.
Something passed over his face.
It was not shame.
It was irritation.
That frightened me for her.
Kayla looked at me.
“What happened?”
I walked toward her before anyone else could answer.
“He came after me.”
Her eyes widened.
“Because of me?”
“No.”
It was the wrong answer.
I heard it as soon as I said it.
Her mouth tightened.
I tried again.
“Because of what he chose to do.”
She looked past me toward Derek.
“I told Calvin he was waiting outside last week.”
My stomach dropped.
“When?”
“Friday.”
Teresa whispered, “Oh, hell.”
Kayla’s eyes moved between us.
“What?”
I kept my voice calm.
“What did Calvin say?”
“That Derek was waiting for another driver.”
“Did you believe him?”
“No.”
She looked embarrassed.
“I mean, I didn’t know.”
Pamela stepped closer.
“Kayla, I need you to tell the sheriff exactly what you reported.”
Calvin said, “She was upset.”
Kayla turned toward him.
The fear in her face disappeared.
“What does that mean?”
“I’m saying your impression may have been different at the time.”
“You told me I was overreacting.”
“I said there might be an explanation.”
“You said he was harmless.”
Calvin’s mouth opened.
Kayla continued.
“You said if I made a formal thing out of it, the vendor could complain about me.”
Pamela closed her eyes for one second.
Calvin looked around as if everyone had joined a conspiracy in the time it took him to breathe.
“I was explaining how complaints work.”
“No,” Kayla said.
Her voice was quiet.
“You were trying to make me stop talking.”
Derek called from the curb.
“You told me she was dramatic too.”
Kayla flinched.
I saw it.
So did Mercer.
He crossed toward Derek with enough purpose that the man finally shut his mouth.
Pamela looked at Calvin.
“Give me your store keys.”
“What?”
“Your keys.”
“Pamela.”
“Now.”
His expression hardened.
“You can’t suspend me in a parking lot.”
“I can relieve you of store access pending an investigation.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“Keys.”
He stood still.
Pamela held out her hand.
May you like
A long moment passed before Calvin reached to his belt and unclipped the ring.
The keys hit her palm heavily.
