Instead, his fingers brushed against two distinct objects: a heavy, cold piece of cast brass mounted on leather, and a small, rectangular composite box with a rubberized antenna and a tiny, pulsing LED light.
Vance pulled both items out into the bright sunlight.
The silence that fell over Route Nine was sudden and total. The distant hum of the highway seemed to disappear, swallowed whole by the weight of what lay in Vance’s hand.
In his broad palm rested a polished gold shield, heavy and gleaming, topped with the seal of the state. Prominently engraved across the center in dark, bold lettering were the words:
STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS SENIOR SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR VICTORIA REED
Beside the badge lay the compact tactical audio pack. The tiny light on its side was glowing a steady, vivid green, signaling an uninterrupted, encrypted broadcast feed.
Miller stepped back, his eyes widening as his gaze traveled from the gold star to Victoria’s calm face. “Vance… what is that?”
