I advise him of his Miranda rights while we wait. No acknowledgment, no resistance. This isn't some street thug hired for quick cash. This is military or former military with training and discipline showing through every controlled movement.
Someone Haywood sent.
State police arrive soon after. The lead officer gets a quick briefing—attempted abduction, armed contractors, one in custody. I provide my badge number and request transport to Whitewater Junction for the task force.
The officer studies the disabled van, the contractor cuffed and kneeling, the secured weapons. "This connected to the trafficking task force?"
"Yeah. Harlow Kane is coordinating. She'll be in touch for full details and custody transfer."
"Understood. We'll process and transport. You need medical?"
"Negative."
My truck pulls into the parking lot. Sela's behind the wheel, her face tight with exhaustion and adrenaline. She parks and climbs out.
"The SUV came after me," she says. "Lost them in the industrial area off Porter Street. Heard the state police chatter on your radio and figured you'd handled it."
"You okay?"
"Yeah. They tried to box me in near the warehouses, but I know those streets. Used to do rotations at the clinic over there."
Smart move. She led them away from civilians and used terrain she knew. I gesture toward the borrowed patrol unit one of the state officers offered. "Leave my truck here. We're taking that to the task force office. State police will bring my truck when they're done processing the scene."
She doesn't argue and climbs into the passenger seat while I slide behind the wheel.
"We're going to the task force office. Most secure location we've got, proper interview rooms, and Harlow will have Rhys there. You'll be safe while we interrogate the contractor."
"You think Haywood knows you've got him?"
"The other contractors got away. They'll report back. We have a narrow window to get everything this guy knows before Haywood moves to shut him up or extract him."
Several blocks pass before she speaks. "Jackie's testimony is secure. Uploaded to multiple encrypted servers. Even if Haywood gets to us, it survives."
"Something, at least."
"What happens now?"
"We get everything the contractor knows. Then find someone we can trust to move this investigation forward before Haywood buries it."
We arrive at the task force office. Harlow's vehicle is there, along with Rhys's truck. I take Sela inside to the secure conference room.
"Wait here. Lock the door behind me. Rhys and Harlow are right down the hall."
She nods and the lock engages as I head to the main office area.
Harlow and Rhys are at the computers when I walk in. Rhys looks up.
"Contractor's being transported. Should be here soon. What do you have?"
I hand him the wallet. "David Moore. Colorado driver's license. Denver address. That's all I got at the scene."
Rhys takes the license, studies it. "I'll run him through the system."
He moves to his computer and starts typing. The results populate while I watch over his shoulder. The record is clean, but too clean. No warrants. No criminal record. Not even a parking ticket.
"Nobody's this clean unless they've got resources making them clean."
Rhys digs deeper, pulling military service records. "Former Army Ranger. Honorable discharge. Multiple deployments." He scrolls through the dates. "Then after discharge, nothing. No employment records, no tax filings, no digital footprint."
