Page 66 of The Fire We Make

“… and you see here? This evidence was logged a whole hour before the raid.”

Ace tuned back in at the tail end of Joy’s explanation of her findings but one look at the document her long red nails were pointing to, told him everything he needed to know.

Ace’s brows pulled together. “That don’t make sense.”

“It doesn’t,” Joy agreed. “Evidence isn’t supposed to be processed until after it’s collected. At minimum, it should be logged at the scene or when it’s brought into evidence—not before the operation even happens.”

She slid another photo in front of him.

“And this,” she continued, leaning closer. “The warrant timestamp.”

Ace glanced down. “What about it?”

“It was signed at 3:12 p.m.,” she said. “But the raid report says they breached at 3:15.”

“So?”

Joy straightened slightly, folding her arms.

“So that’s a three-minute window,” she said. “Three minutes for a judge to sign off, for the team to mobilize, and for them to execute a coordinated raid?”

Ace’s expression darkened.

“…Nah.”

“Exactly,” Joy nodded. “That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen unless everything was already in place.”

She slid a third document forward.

“And this is where it gets weird.”

Ace leaned in, more focused now.

“The evidence log lists items that weren’t even visible in the body cam footage,” she said. “Specifically this weapon.” She pointed. “It doesn’t appear until after the suspect is already detained.”

Ace’s jaw tightened.

“You saying they planted it?”

“I’m saying,” Joy replied carefully, “it didn’t come from where they said it did.”

Silence stretched as she tapped the corner of the page.

“And look at who signed off on the intake.”

Ace followed her finger and his eyes narrowed.

“The DA’s office,” he muttered.

“Mhm,” Joy confirmed.

Ace sat back in his chair, running his hand over his mouth.

“So they knew what they was walking into before they got there,” he said.

Joy tilted her head.

“Either that,” she said, “or someone made sure the evidence matched whatever story they needed to tell.”