ALINA BROOKS: "You can notify him. Do not enter the building or alter anything inside."
The guard picked up his telephone.
He spoke quietly.
Then he looked back at Alina.
SECURITY GUARD: "The manager says nobody is available to receive you."
ALINA BROOKS: "That's fine. We have authorization to proceed."
The guard looked toward the warehouse.
A moment later, a man appeared behind the glass of the main office.
He was in his late forties, wearing a dark jacket and carrying a mobile phone.
Alina recognized him from the corporate records.
Edward Mitchell.
Ryan's older brother.
He walked toward the entrance.
EDWARD MITCHELL: "What's this about?"
ALINA BROOKS: "Mr. Mitchell, I'm Special Agent Alina Brooks. We're here to conduct an authorized inspection of this property."
Edward looked at the documents.
Then he looked at the federal team behind her.
EDWARD MITCHELL: "I don't understand. This is a private commercial facility."
ALINA BROOKS: "We have reason to believe that property connected to an ongoing federal investigation may be stored here."
EDWARD MITCHELL: "You must have the wrong place."
ALINA BROOKS: "We will establish that through the inspection."
EDWARD MITCHELL: "I want to speak with my attorney."
ALINA BROOKS: "You're entitled to do that. In the meantime, nobody may remove or alter anything covered by the preservation order."
Edward looked beyond her.
His eyes settled on Nathan.
For a moment, he appeared to recognize him.
Then he looked back at Alina.
EDWARD MITCHELL: "You should be careful. You're making a serious mistake."
Alina had heard similar words before.
But this time, she was standing in front of the location connected to the missing evidence.
ALINA BROOKS: "If everything here is legitimate, the inspection will establish that."
Edward said nothing.
The security guard opened the gate.
The federal team entered the property.
Inside the warehouse, several rows of shelving extended toward the rear wall.
Cardboard boxes were stacked in neat columns.
Industrial containers occupied the loading area.
At first glance, the building looked like an ordinary storage facility.
But the moment Alina approached the first row of containers, she noticed something unusual.
Several boxes carried small labels with numbers that matched the department's evidence identification format.
She stopped.
ALINA BROOKS: "Nathan."
He approached.
NATHAN BROOKS: "What is it?"
Alina pointed to the label.
ALINA BROOKS: "Read that number."
Nathan examined it.
His expression changed.
NATHAN BROOKS: "That's one of the missing inventory numbers."
The nearest federal agent moved closer.
FEDERAL AGENT: "Do you want the area secured?"
ALINA BROOKS: "Yes. Photograph every container before moving anything."
The team began documenting the shelves.
One container carried another missing evidence number.
Then another.
Within minutes, investigators had identified twelve containers connected to the original inventory discrepancies.
Edward Mitchell stood near the entrance.
He was no longer speaking.
His face had become pale.
Alina approached him.
ALINA BROOKS: "Mr. Mitchell, what are these containers?"
EDWARD MITCHELL: "I don't know."
ALINA BROOKS: "They carry official police evidence numbers."
EDWARD MITCHELL: "We store goods for several customers."
ALINA BROOKS: "Do you have the receiving records?"
EDWARD MITCHELL: "My manager handles those."
ALINA BROOKS: "Who is your manager?"
EDWARD MITCHELL: "Peter Dawson."
Alina looked at Nathan.
Peter Dawson had left the department carrying a black document case.
Now his name was connected directly to the private warehouse.
ALINA BROOKS: "When did Mr. Dawson last visit this property?"
Edward hesitated.
EDWARD MITCHELL: "I don't remember."
ALINA BROOKS: "You just identified him as your manager."
EDWARD MITCHELL: "He handles the paperwork. I don't personally manage every delivery."
Alina took out her notebook.
ALINA BROOKS: "Then we will review the records."
A federal investigator approached with a tablet.
FEDERAL AGENT: "Agent Brooks, we found something."
Alina turned.
FEDERAL AGENT: "There is a locked room at the rear of the building."
ALINA BROOKS: "What is inside?"
FEDERAL AGENT: "We haven't opened it. But the access panel shows a recent entry."
ALINA looked toward Edward.
ALINA BROOKS: "Who has access to that room?"
EDWARD MITCHELL: "I don't know."
ALINA BROOKS: "Mr. Mitchell, I strongly recommend that you stop pretending not to know what is happening inside your own property."
Edward looked away.
The federal team approached the locked room.
The access panel had been recently replaced.
A small electronic light blinked above the handle.
Nathan examined the system.
NATHAN BROOKS: "The lock records electronic entries."
ALINA BROOKS: "Can you retrieve the history?"
NATHAN BROOKS: "Yes."