Hale came in halfway, saw Kessler’s face, and backed him into the hall.
The door did not fully latch.
Claire heard all of it.
“This isn’t possible.”
“She’s bluffing.”
“She’s not bluffing.”
“We release her and contain it.”
“You think releasing her fixes this?”
“We need the footage gone.”
Claire closed her eyes for one slow second.
There it was.
The conspiracy.
Plain and clear.
Not whispered in shadows.
Spoken in a government building under fluorescent lights by men who had forgotten what fear felt like until tonight.
The door opened again.
Not one of them.
A young patrol officer with tired eyes and a freckle near her left eyebrow.
Officer Emily Parker.
Claire had seen her earlier near the booking desk, checking in gear with the body cameras.
Early twenties. Fresh uniform. Not yet hollowed out.
Emily stepped in carrying a paper cup.
“Water,” she said.
