Then he followed the officer into the corridor.
Across the building, Robert was preparing for a formal meeting with the compliance team.
He had already requested the original appointment record, the security footage, and the relevant administrative correspondence.
But there was one more thing he wanted to establish.
He needed to know who had instructed Victor to change Emily's appointment status.
Because if the decision had been made by someone else, the investigation could extend beyond the administrative office.
At 11:42 a.m., Michael entered Robert's office carrying a new report.
Michael Reed: "Captain, we've found another record."
Robert looked up.
Captain Robert Mitchell: "What kind of record?"
Michael placed a printed document on the desk.
Michael Reed: "The appointment wasn't simply changed to pending verification. There was also an internal note attached to the request."
Robert examined the document.
The note had been entered using the same administrative account.
It contained a short instruction:
"Do not release original file without authorization."
Robert read it twice.
Captain Robert Mitchell: "Who entered this?"
Michael Reed: "The system identifies Victor Hayes."
Captain Robert Mitchell: "Was the note entered before or after Emily arrived?"
Michael Reed: "Approximately twenty minutes before her arrival."
Robert leaned back.
Captain Robert Mitchell: "So someone knew she was coming."
Michael Reed: "Yes, sir."
Robert looked toward the window.
The pieces were beginning to connect.
Emily had been instructed to bring original documents.
Her appointment had been changed shortly before she arrived.
Daniel had spoken with Victor.
Then Daniel had confronted her, knocked her documents onto the floor, and injured her.
It was possible that the confrontation had been deliberately encouraged to prevent her from completing the administrative process.
But Robert needed more than suspicion.
He needed the person who had authorized the instruction.
Captain Robert Mitchell: "Find out who requested the restriction."
Michael Reed: "We're checking the approval history."
Robert nodded.
Michael started to leave.
Then he stopped.
Michael Reed: "Captain, there's something else."
Captain Robert Mitchell: "Go ahead."
Michael Reed: "The system shows that another person accessed Emily's appointment file last night."
Robert looked at him.
Captain Robert Mitchell: "Who?"
Michael Reed: "The access came from the office of the courthouse deputy director."
The room became silent.
Robert slowly placed the report on the desk.
He knew the deputy director was a senior administrative official.
If that person had been involved, the matter could become considerably more sensitive.
Captain Robert Mitchell: "Do not contact that office yet. First, preserve the access history and identify exactly what was viewed or changed."
Michael Reed: "Understood."
Robert looked again at the document in front of him.
He had started the morning investigating one officer's conduct.
Now he was facing questions about administrative interference, restricted records, and possible coordination between employees.
And the most important person in the middle of it all was still recovering from an injury.
Robert picked up the phone and called the compliance officer again.
Captain Robert Mitchell: "I need to expand the scope of the review. There may be involvement beyond the officer and the administrative employee."
Compliance Officer: "Do you have evidence of another person accessing the file?"
Captain Robert Mitchell: "We have a system record showing access from a senior administrative office. I want that information independently preserved and examined."
Compliance Officer: "Please send the record immediately."
Robert agreed.
He then opened his notebook and wrote down the names of everyone who had been involved so far.
Daniel Brooks.
Victor Hayes.
Emily Carter.
And the deputy director.
He circled the last name.
Something about the sequence of events was troubling him.
If Emily's appointment had been restricted because of the documents she was carrying, then someone had known exactly what those documents contained.
And if that person had access to the administrative system, they might also have had the ability to influence the records surrounding the incident.
Robert closed his notebook.
At that moment, a new message appeared on his phone.
It was from Sarah Williams.
She had sent him a short note explaining that she had remembered another detail from the morning.
She had seen Victor speaking to Daniel near the reception desk.
But she had also noticed that Victor was carrying a second folder.
A folder that appeared to be identical to the one Emily had brought into the courthouse.
Robert read the message carefully.
Then another message arrived.
This time, it was from the security supervisor.
The additional camera footage had finally been recovered.
It showed Victor entering the records department shortly after his conversation with Daniel.
He remained inside for nearly four minutes.
When he came out, the folder he had been carrying was no longer visible.
Robert stared at the screen.
He immediately called Michael.
Captain Robert Mitchell: "I want that footage preserved. Do not let anyone access the original recording."
Michael Reed: "Already secured, sir."
Captain Robert Mitchell: "And find out what was removed from the records department during that period."
Michael Reed: "We're checking the access register now."
Robert ended the call.
He looked at the clock.
It was nearly noon.
The courthouse was still operating normally, and most visitors had no idea what was unfolding behind the administrative doors.
But Robert understood that the situation was approaching a critical point.
The investigation was no longer limited to determining why Daniel had injured Emily.
It was beginning to reveal a sequence of decisions made before she even entered the building.
And somewhere inside the courthouse, someone appeared to be extremely concerned about the documents she had brought.
Robert stood up and walked toward the conference room.
Daniel was already waiting there.
Victor had also been instructed to attend.