His earlier confidence had disappeared.
ALINA BROOKS: "We need to establish whether he knew what was being stored there."
NATHAN BROOKS: "I'll work on it."
ALINA BROOKS: "And find Peter Dawson. I want the original transfer list recovered before it can be moved again."
Nathan nodded.
But before he could leave, Alina's phone vibrated.
It was an incoming call from an unknown number.
She answered.
ALINA BROOKS: "Special Agent Brooks."
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a man's voice spoke.
UNKNOWN CALLER: "You should stop asking questions."
Alina looked at Nathan.
ALINA BROOKS: "Who is this?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "Someone who knows what you're walking into."
ALINA BROOKS: "Then you should know that threatening a federal investigator is not going to help you."
UNKNOWN CALLER: "I'm not threatening you. I'm trying to keep you from making a mistake."
ALINA BROOKS: "What mistake?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "You think this is about missing evidence. It isn't."
ALINA BROOKS: "Then what is it about?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "The evidence is only one part of it."
Alina moved away from the other officers.
ALINA BROOKS: "Who else is involved?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "People who have been protecting this arrangement for years."
ALINA BROOKS: "Names."
UNKNOWN CALLER: "You already have some."
ALINA BROOKS: "Then give me the rest."
The caller gave a quiet laugh.
UNKNOWN CALLER: "You should be careful about Thomas Vance."
Alina's expression changed.
ALINA BROOKS: "What about him?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "He knows you're there."
ALINA BROOKS: "How?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "Because someone told him."
ALINA BROOKS: "Who?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "Ask the chief who approved the original storage arrangement."
Alina looked at the folder in her hand.
ALINA BROOKS: "The chief says Thomas Vance was involved."
UNKNOWN CALLER: "Then you know more than you should."
ALINA BROOKS: "Why are you calling me?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "Because the people you're investigating are preparing to move the remaining records tonight."
ALINA BROOKS: "Where?"
UNKNOWN CALLER: "Meridian."
The line went dead.
Alina immediately looked at Nathan.
ALINA BROOKS: "We need to move."
NATHAN BROOKS: "What happened?"
ALINA BROOKS: "Someone just warned me that the remaining records are being moved tonight."
She showed him the company name.
NATHAN BROOKS: "Meridian Storage?"
ALINA BROOKS: "Yes."
Nathan looked at the clock.
It was 12:07 p.m.
NATHAN BROOKS: "We need authorization before entering the property."
ALINA BROOKS: "Start the application. I want the financial team to identify every property connected to the company."
NATHAN BROOKS: "Understood."
Alina turned toward Captain Whitaker.
ALINA BROOKS: "Captain, I need the department to preserve every document connected to Meridian Storage and Logistics."
Captain Whitaker: "I'll issue the instruction."
ALINA BROOKS: "And I want Ryan Mitchell separated from the evidence administration area."
Whitaker glanced toward Ryan.
CAPTAIN HAROLD WHITAKER: "Do you believe he's involved?"
ALINA BROOKS: "I believe there is evidence connecting a company owned by his brother to the missing property. His own role needs to be examined."
Whitaker nodded.
He approached Ryan.
CAPTAIN HAROLD WHITAKER: "Officer Mitchell, come with me."
Ryan looked up.
RYAN MITCHELL: "Why?"
CAPTAIN HAROLD WHITAKER: "We need to discuss your statement."
RYAN MITCHELL: "I already told you what happened."
CAPTAIN HAROLD WHITAKER: "Then it shouldn't take long."
Ryan glanced toward Alina.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, he seemed to consider saying something.
Then he stood and followed Whitaker.
Alina watched him leave.
She knew the confrontation over her badge had been deliberate enough to require accountability.
But she still did not know whether Ryan had acted independently or whether someone had encouraged him to create a distraction.
The evidence would have to answer that question.
At 12:24 p.m., Nathan received another message.
The financial team had identified two properties connected to Meridian Storage and Logistics.
One was a commercial warehouse on the eastern industrial road.
The other was a smaller building registered to a subsidiary company.
Both had received payments from accounts connected to Eastbridge Police Department.
Nathan displayed the addresses.
NATHAN BROOKS: "The first property is the likely storage location."
ALINA BROOKS: "Why?"
NATHAN BROOKS: "Its utility records show unusually high electricity consumption at night. The second property appears to be an administrative office."
ALINA BROOKS: "Any vehicles registered there?"
NATHAN BROOKS: "Three. One belongs to Edward Mitchell."
Alina looked at the address.
It was approximately twenty minutes from the police department.
She contacted the independent federal prosecutor.