Before Alina could ask another question, the telephone rang.
Rebecca immediately answered it.
Her expression became neutral again.
Alina understood the message.
Someone inside the department was afraid.
And fear often appeared long before investigators found enough evidence to explain why.
Alina continued through the security checkpoint.
The operations floor was larger than she expected.
Rows of desks occupied the center of the room.
Computer monitors displayed dispatch information, incident reports, and patrol schedules.
A glass-walled office stood near the rear corridor.
Several officers were discussing an overnight arrest.
Another employee was placing files into a cabinet.
Alina approached the nearest desk and opened her document case.
A young officer looked up.
His name was Ethan Miller.
Ethan Miller: "Can I help you, ma'am?"
Alina Brooks: "I'm looking for the evidence administration supervisor."
Ethan Miller: "That would be Mr. Peter Dawson. I believe he's in a meeting."
Alina Brooks: "Could you let him know I'm here?"
Ethan reached for the telephone.
Ethan Miller: "Certainly."
He had just started dialing when a man approached from the opposite side of the room.
Ryan Mitchell was thirty-eight years old.
He had worked at Eastbridge for eleven years and had recently been assigned to supervise several patrol officers.
His uniform was immaculate.
His boots were polished.
His posture suggested that he expected people to move aside whenever he approached.
He noticed Alina standing beside the evidence desk.
Then he noticed the federal paperwork.
His expression changed.
Ryan Mitchell: "What's going on here?"
Ethan turned.
Ethan Miller: "She's here to see the evidence supervisor."
Ryan looked at Alina.
Ryan Mitchell: "Who authorized you to be back here?"
Alina Brooks: "Special Agent Alina Brooks. I'm conducting an authorized federal inspection."
She presented her identification.
Ryan barely looked at it.
Ryan Mitchell: "Nobody told me about this."
Alina Brooks: "The authorization was sent to the department's command office."
Ryan Mitchell: "I don't remember seeing anything."
Alina Brooks: "You can verify it with your supervisor."
Ryan looked toward the open document case.
He noticed the inventory sheets and the federal reference numbers.
Ryan Mitchell: "What are you looking at?"
Alina Brooks: "Evidence records covered by the inspection authorization."
Ryan Mitchell: "Those are internal police documents."
Alina Brooks: "They are part of a joint evidence program. Federal oversight access is included in the agreement."
Ryan gave a dismissive laugh.
Ryan Mitchell: "You people always have some agreement."
Alina Brooks: "The agreement is not optional."
Ryan stepped closer.
Ryan Mitchell: "Listen, this is my department. We have procedures. You can't just walk into the operations room and start opening files."
Alina Brooks: "I haven't opened any restricted files. I'm waiting for the evidence supervisor."
Ryan Mitchell: "Then you can wait outside."
Alina Brooks: "I have authorization to be here."
Ryan Mitchell: "Not from me."
Alina Brooks: "Your personal approval is not required."
Ethan looked down at his desk.
He knew the argument was heading in the wrong direction.
Ethan Miller: "Officer Mitchell, maybe we should just call Captain Whitaker."
Ryan turned toward him.
Ryan Mitchell: "Did I ask you to get involved?"
Ethan stopped speaking.
Alina noticed how quickly the young officer had withdrawn.
She had seen this behavior in other departments.
An aggressive employee did not always need to threaten everyone directly.
Sometimes it was enough to make one person afraid, and the rest of the room would understand the warning.
Alina closed her document case.
Alina Brooks: "Officer Mitchell, I would like to avoid wasting time. Please contact your command office and confirm the inspection."
Ryan stared at her.
Ryan Mitchell: "Show me your identification again."
Alina removed her credential wallet.
She opened it carefully and held it toward him.
The photograph, federal badge, and identification details were clearly visible.
Alina Brooks: "Special Agent Alina Brooks. Federal Bureau of Law Enforcement Oversight."
Ryan leaned closer.
For a moment, he appeared to examine the credentials.
Then his expression shifted.
Ryan Mitchell: "That supposed to impress me?"
Alina Brooks: "It isn't intended to impress you. It is intended to identify me."
Ryan suddenly reached forward.
He grabbed her upper arm.
Alina's body turned slightly with the force of his movement.
The sudden contact drew the attention of several people across the room.
Ethan immediately stood up.
Ethan Miller: "Officer, don't—"
Ryan Mitchell: "Stay out of this."
Alina looked down at the hand gripping her arm.
Then she looked directly into Ryan's eyes.