Dead Ends and Rising Panic
The realization that a saboteur was on the loose sent shockwaves through the police department. The FBI was notified, but until federal agents could arrive, Smith and Peterson were the lead investigators. The clock was ticking. Whoever had the expertise and the audacity to blow up a dam could easily strike again.
For three grueling days, the detectives hit dead end after dead end. They interrogated the dam’s chief engineer, who wept openly in the precinct, swearing on his life that the facility was secure. They looked into local anti-government militias, disgruntled contractors, and even rival energy companies. Nothing fit.
Peterson spent 72 sleepless hours scrubbing through traffic cameras miles away from the dam, hoping to catch a glimpse of a suspicious vehicle leaving the area on the night of the attack. But the rural roads were empty. The perpetrator was a ghost.