ETHAN MILLER: "Yesterday, I heard Deputy Chief Lawson tell someone that the federal inspection had to be delayed."
Alina watched him.
ETHAN MILLER: "He said they needed at least one more day."
ALINA BROOKS: "Did he say why?"
ETHAN MILLER: "He said the final package hadn't been moved yet."
Alina's expression hardened.
ALINA BROOKS: "What package?"
ETHAN MILLER: "I don't know."
Alina turned toward Nathan.
ALINA BROOKS: "We need to search for a final transfer record."
Nathan immediately opened the database.
After several minutes, he located an entry that had been partially deleted.
The item was identified by a unique evidence number.
Its description was incomplete.
The destination field showed only a short code.
M-17.
Nathan enlarged the record.
NATHAN BROOKS: "This entry was created yesterday."
ALINA BROOKS: "Who authorized it?"
NATHAN BROOKS: "The system lists Deputy Chief Lawson."
ALINA BROOKS: "Who confirmed the transfer?"
Nathan opened the next field.
The name was not a police officer.
It belonged to a federal employee.
Nathan looked up.
NATHAN BROOKS: "Agent, the receiving authorization is registered to Thomas Vance."
Alina stared at the screen.
The same senior coordinator whose account had accessed the evidence system had personally confirmed a transfer that appeared to involve one of the missing packages.
And the destination code, M-17, matched the private storage company.
The investigation had just reached a new level.
Alina looked at Ethan.
ALINA BROOKS: "Did you ever see this package?"
Ethan shook his head.
ETHAN MILLER: "No."
ALINA BROOKS: "Did anyone mention the code M-17?"
Ethan hesitated.
Then he nodded.
ETHAN MILLER: "Ryan Mitchell used it once."
ALINA BROOKS: "When?"
ETHAN MILLER: "Yesterday afternoon. He was on the phone near the patrol lockers."
ALINA BROOKS: "What did he say?"
Ethan looked toward the door.
ETHAN MILLER: "He said, 'M-17 is the last one. After tonight, there won't be anything left to find.'"
Alina remained silent.
The last package.
The final transfer.
The records that someone had warned her were about to disappear.
And a federal coordinator whose account was attached to the authorization.
She turned toward Nathan.
ALINA BROOKS: "We need to identify exactly what M-17 contains before we reach that warehouse."
NATHAN BROOKS: "I'll pull the original seizure record."
ALINA BROOKS: "And notify the prosecutor that we may have an active transfer in progress."
Nathan nodded.
The team finally left the building.
As their vehicles moved through the city, Alina watched the streets pass outside the window.
She had arrived that morning expecting to investigate missing property.
Instead, she had uncovered a network involving police supervisors, private contractors, and a federal coordinator.
She still needed to establish who had organized it.
She still needed to find Peter Dawson.
And she still needed to understand why Ryan Mitchell had chosen to humiliate her in front of the entire department rather than simply follow the inspection procedure.
The answer might be waiting at Meridian.
At 2:16 p.m., the convoy reached the industrial district.
The warehouse stood behind a high metal fence.
Its exterior walls were gray.
A large loading entrance faced the road.
Several security cameras were mounted above the perimeter.
A company sign displayed the name Meridian Storage and Logistics.
There were no visible customers.
No employees outside.
And no indication that the building was being used to store police evidence.
Nathan examined the property documents.
NATHAN BROOKS: "This is the registered address."
Alina looked toward the loading entrance.
ALINA BROOKS: "Any vehicles inside?"
Nathan checked the perimeter camera feed.
NATHAN BROOKS: "One delivery truck and two private vehicles."
ALINA BROOKS: "Can we identify them?"
NATHAN BROOKS: "The truck belongs to the company. One private vehicle is registered to Edward Mitchell."
Alina looked at the second vehicle.
Its license plate was partially obscured.
NATHAN BROOKS: "We're checking that one now."
The independent prosecutor's representative arrived with the final authorization documents.
The team reviewed the scope of the search.
Every entrance was accounted for.
Every officer had a specific assignment.
And the evidence preservation procedure was confirmed.
Alina approached the main gate.
A security guard stepped out of the small entrance booth.
SECURITY GUARD: "Can I help you?"
ALINA BROOKS: "Federal investigators. We have authorization to secure and inspect this property."
She presented the documents.
The guard examined them.
His expression changed.
SECURITY GUARD: "I need to call my supervisor."