Alina looked at him.
Alina Brooks: "I am not an unauthorized visitor."
Ryan Mitchell: "She came into the operations area demanding access to restricted files."
Alina Brooks: "I presented a valid federal inspection authorization. Officer Mitchell refused to verify it, grabbed my identification, and threw it into the trash."
Captain Whitaker's eyes moved toward the container.
Then he looked at Ryan.
Captain Whitaker: "Is that true?"
Ryan Mitchell: "I was trying to establish whether her credentials were legitimate."
Captain Whitaker: "Did you take her identification?"
Ryan Mitchell: "I needed to examine it."
Captain Whitaker: "Did you throw it away?"
Ryan hesitated.
Ryan Mitchell: "I was making a point."
Whitaker stared at him.
Captain Whitaker: "You were doing what?"
Ryan Mitchell: "She was being disrespectful."
Captain Whitaker: "That doesn't answer my question."
Alina remained silent.
She wanted to see how the department's senior officers would respond when confronted with conduct that could not easily be explained away.
Captain Whitaker stepped toward the trash can.
He looked down at the credential wallet.
Then he turned toward Ryan.
Captain Whitaker: "Pick it up."
Ryan Mitchell: "Captain—"
Captain Whitaker: "Now."
Ryan reluctantly reached into the trash can.
But before he could retrieve the wallet, another voice came from the hallway.
Police Chief Martin Hayes: "Why is everyone standing around?"
The chief entered carrying a thick folder.
He was sixty-four years old and had served as the department's highest-ranking officer for nearly seven years.
He was known for his calm public manner and his frequent speeches about accountability.
His eyes moved across the room.
He noticed the open document case.
He noticed Captain Whitaker standing beside the trash can.
Then he saw Alina.
Chief Hayes stopped.
His expression changed immediately.
Chief Martin Hayes: "Special Agent Brooks?"
Alina turned toward him.
Alina Brooks: "Good morning, Chief."
Hayes looked at the trash can again.
Then he looked at Ryan.
Chief Martin Hayes: "What happened?"
Ryan straightened.
Ryan Mitchell: "Sir, there was a misunderstanding."
Chief Martin Hayes: "What kind of misunderstanding?"
Ryan Mitchell: "She came into the department claiming she had federal authority. I was checking her credentials."
Alina spoke before he could continue.
Alina Brooks: "I presented my credentials. Officer Mitchell took them from my hand, grabbed my arm, and threw the wallet into that trash can."
Chief Hayes looked toward the container.
For a brief moment, he appeared unable to process what he was seeing.
Then his face hardened.
Chief Martin Hayes: "Officer Mitchell, did you actually do that?"
Ryan Mitchell: "Chief, I was protecting the department."
Chief Martin Hayes: "By throwing away a federal agent's identification?"
Ryan Mitchell: "She was refusing to follow procedure."
Chief Hayes turned toward Alina.
Chief Martin Hayes: "Agent Brooks, I sincerely apologize for this incident."
Alina Brooks: "Your apology is noted, Chief. But the incident will need to be documented."
Chief Martin Hayes: "Of course. We will deal with the officer."
Alina Brooks: "The federal inspection must also proceed without interference."
Chief Hayes nodded.
Chief Martin Hayes: "Certainly. We can discuss the inspection in my office."
Alina looked at him carefully.
Chief Hayes was trying to regain control of the situation.
His voice was calm.
His posture was professional.
But there was something about his reaction that concerned her.
He had not asked why she was inspecting the evidence inventory.
He had not asked which records were involved.
Instead, his attention kept returning to the document case and the hallway leading to the evidence administration unit.
Alina noticed the movement.
And she remembered the warning from the anonymous source.
"The records are clean. The storage room is not."
Alina Brooks: "I would prefer to begin with the original inventory records."
Chief Martin Hayes: "Of course. I'll have the evidence supervisor arrange access."
Alina Brooks: "I also need the original transfer certificates and the complete electronic audit history."
The chief paused.
Only briefly.
But she noticed.
Chief Martin Hayes: "Those materials may require additional authorization."
Alina Brooks: "The federal inspection order already covers them."
Chief Martin Hayes: "Some records contain sensitive information."
Alina Brooks: "That is why the inspection is being conducted under federal oversight."
Hayes looked toward Captain Whitaker.
Chief Martin Hayes: "Captain, contact the evidence administration supervisor."
Whitaker reached for the telephone.
Ryan remained beside the trash can.
He no longer looked confident.
Alina finally retrieved her credential wallet and placed it inside a transparent protective sleeve from her document case.