“She’s asking too many questions. Make sure she understands that this investigation can become very unpleasant.”
Another voice answered:
“What if she doesn’t back off?”
The first man replied:
“Then we remind her that people with authority have ways of creating problems.”
Victoria recognized the first voice.
It belonged to Northstar’s CEO, Richard Vale.
The second voice belonged to a county official.
But the recording didn’t prove who had ordered the traffic stop.
For that, they needed the officers themselves.
Grant and Miller were placed on administrative leave while the investigation continued.
Initially, both denied wrongdoing.
They claimed Victoria had been acting suspiciously.
They said they believed she might be connected to a stolen vehicle investigation.
But dispatch records contradicted them.
There was no stolen vehicle alert.
No suspicious vehicle report.
No reason to stop her.
Then federal investigators found the text messages.
On the morning of the traffic stop, Grant had received a message from an unknown number.
