Eric Dawson worked in the precinct's technology unit on the third floor.
He was a thin man in his early forties who rarely interacted with patrol officers. His responsibilities included maintaining the department's internal network, managing security camera access, and troubleshooting the digital evidence system.
Most officers barely knew his name.
But according to Mitchell, Dawson had been visiting Bennett's office regularly.
Victoria and Special Investigator Foster arrived at the technology unit shortly before noon.
"Mr. Dawson?" Foster called.
A man sitting behind a row of computer monitors turned around.
"Yes?"
"Special Investigator Elaine Foster. This is Captain Hayes. We need to ask you some questions about the security system."
Dawson glanced at Victoria.
His expression changed slightly.
"Is there a problem?"
"We're reviewing an unauthorized access incident."
"Which incident?"
"The security camera outage in the locker room corridor yesterday evening."
Dawson leaned back.
"That system has occasional interruptions."
"Was there a scheduled maintenance window?"
"I'd have to check."
Foster placed a document on the desk.
"We already checked. There was no maintenance request."
Dawson looked at the paper.
"Then it might have been a network issue."
Victoria studied him.
"Eleven minutes?"
"Possibly."
"That's unusually precise."
Dawson shrugged.
"Technology isn't always predictable."
Foster continued.
"Who has administrative access to the camera system?"
Dawson listed several names.
His own was among them.
"Did you access the system yesterday?"
"Not that I remember."
"Can we review your login records?"
"Of course."
He turned toward his computer.
But Victoria noticed something.
Dawson's right hand had begun trembling.
It was subtle.
Yet he repeatedly moved his fingers away from the keyboard whenever Foster mentioned the camera system.
"Mr. Dawson," Victoria said, "we're not asking you to guess. We're asking you to provide the records."
He nodded.
"Sure."
He entered his credentials.
A loading screen appeared.
Then he frowned.
"That's strange."
"What?" Foster asked.
"The archive isn't responding."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Victoria looked at the screen.
"Can you retrieve the backup?"
Dawson hesitated.
"I'll try."
He opened another application.
The screen displayed a list of archived system events.
Foster leaned closer.
"Go to yesterday's date."
Dawson clicked.
Several entries appeared.
Then one disappeared.
Victoria immediately noticed.
"Stop."
Dawson froze.
"What?"
"Go back."
"I didn't change anything."
"Then it shouldn't be a problem."
Foster stepped closer to the keyboard.
"Mr. Dawson, please remove your hands."
He obeyed.
The investigator examined the screen.
The event history showed a remote administrator login at 7:20 p.m.
The account belonged to Dawson.
But the location field displayed a workstation inside Lieutenant Bennett's office.
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
"Did you log in from Bennett's office?"
Dawson swallowed.
"No."
"Then why does the system show your credentials?"
"I don't know."
Foster opened the technical details.
The login had been performed using an administrator token rather than Dawson's usual password.
That meant someone could have used his credentials without his knowledge.
Or he could be lying.
"Mr. Dawson," Foster said, "we need you to explain how that token was accessed."
He stared at the screen.
"I can't."
"Why not?"
Dawson rubbed his forehead.
"Because I didn't authorize it."
Victoria looked at him.
"Are you saying someone used your account?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Foster folded her arms.
"Then help us find out."
Dawson looked toward the glass door.
For a moment, he seemed to consider running.
Then he leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"Lieutenant Bennett told me to create a temporary access profile."
Victoria remained still.
"When?"
"About three months ago."
"Why?"
"He said it was for emergency administrative access."
"Did you create it?"
Dawson nodded.
"Yes."
"Was it authorized?"
"Not through the normal approval process."
Foster's expression hardened.
"Did you document it?"
"No."
"Who used the profile?"
Dawson looked down.
"I don't know exactly. I was told not to ask."
Victoria stepped closer.
"Mr. Dawson, did you know the profile was being used to access confidential recordings?"
He did not answer.
"Did you know it could be used to alter evidence records?"
Dawson's face lost its color.
"I thought it was just for system maintenance."
Foster placed a document in front of him.
"You're going to provide a complete written statement. We will also preserve the system logs and examine every access event connected to that profile."
Dawson nodded weakly.
Victoria looked toward the corridor.
A new possibility had emerged.
Bennett might not have been working alone.
Someone had provided him with access to the department's digital infrastructure.
Someone else might have been helping him manipulate the records.
And if the same access profile had been used for months, the investigation could uncover far more than the missing folder.
Just before they left, Dawson spoke again.
"Captain?"
Victoria turned.
"There is something else."
"What?"
Dawson looked frightened.
"The profile wasn't created for Bennett."
Foster stopped writing.
"Who was it created for?"
Dawson hesitated.
Then he whispered:
"Deputy Chief Sullivan."