The threat remained on Victoria's phone.
The next person who disappears won't be Bennett.
She read it again, then placed the phone on the table.
Special Investigator Foster noticed her expression.
"Another message?"
Victoria nodded and showed her the screen.
Foster's face tightened.
"We need to increase security around everyone involved in this investigation."
"Agreed."
"Especially Detective Reed and Officer Mitchell."
Victoria looked toward the hallway.
"Where is Reed?"
"He went outside to check the vehicle."
Victoria immediately reached for her radio.
"Detective Reed, report your location."
Static.
She tried again.
"Reed, this is Captain Hayes. Respond."
Nothing.
Foster looked at her.
"He's probably still outside."
Victoria did not answer.
She moved toward the rear entrance.
The parking lot was almost completely empty. Emergency lights from several patrol vehicles reflected across the wet pavement. The rain had begun falling heavily, and the wind carried the distant sound of traffic.
"Marcus!"
No response.
She walked toward the far end of the parking lot.
Then she noticed something near a concrete pillar.
A police radio.
It was lying on the ground, its antenna slightly bent.
Victoria recognized it immediately.
It belonged to Reed.
She picked it up.
"Detective Reed!"
A faint sound came from behind the maintenance building.
Victoria moved toward it.
There, beside a service entrance, she found Reed sitting against the wall. His uniform was dirty, and a small cut was visible above his eyebrow.
"Marcus!"
He looked up.
"Captain..."
Victoria crouched beside him.
"What happened?"
"Someone came out of the shadows. I thought it was an officer."
"Did you see who it was?"
Reed shook his head.
"He hit me from behind. I managed to get away, but he took my phone."
"Can you stand?"
"Yes."
She helped him up.
"Did you see a vehicle?"
"A black SUV. It was parked near the rear gate."
Victoria looked toward the road.
"Did you see the driver?"
Reed hesitated.
Then he said something that made her stop.
"Captain, I recognized the ring."
Victoria looked at him.
"What ring?"
"The silver ring. The one you saw in the security footage."
Her expression hardened.
"You're saying the person who attacked you was Sullivan?"
"I didn't see his face clearly. But I saw the ring when he grabbed my shoulder."
Victoria said nothing.
Reed continued.
"He told me to stop helping you. He said the investigation was going to destroy everyone involved."
Foster arrived with two officers.
"Detective, are you injured?"
"Nothing serious."
Foster looked at Victoria.
"We need to bring Sullivan in for questioning."
Victoria nodded.
"Yes. But first, we need to secure the entire precinct."
They returned to the building.
Deputy Chief Sullivan was nowhere to be found.
His office was locked.
His vehicle had disappeared from the parking area.
And his personal access card had been used to enter the evidence facility shortly before the break-in.
At 9:18 p.m., the external oversight team arrived.
They immediately began preserving computer systems, collecting access records, and interviewing personnel.
Victoria remained in the operations room, coordinating the response.
Then Officer Mitchell approached her.
"Captain?"
She turned.
"Yes?"
"I need to tell you something."
"Go ahead."
Mitchell looked toward the other officers.
"Can we speak privately?"
Victoria nodded.
They entered her office.
Mitchell closed the door.
"I think I know where Bennett is."
Victoria looked at him.
"How?"
"Yesterday, when he gave me that folder, I saw a handwritten address on the back of one of the documents."
"Do you remember it?"
"Yes. It's an old storage facility outside the city."
"Why would Bennett go there?"
"I don't know. But I recognized the location because I used to work patrol in that district."
Victoria opened her notebook.
"Write it down."
Mitchell gave her the address.
She examined it.
The facility was registered to a company that had previously provided services to Sentinel Protective Services.
Victoria looked up.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"Does anyone else know about this address?"
Mitchell shook his head.
"Not that I know of."
Victoria contacted Foster.
Within minutes, the oversight team began coordinating with the appropriate authorities to verify the location and determine whether a lawful search could be conducted.
No one was going to rush into an unknown situation.
But the information gave them something they had not had all evening.
A direction.
At 10:06 p.m., Foster returned with an update.
"The address is connected to a holding company. Its registered director is a former procurement consultant."
"Who?"
Foster placed a document on the desk.
Victoria read the name.
Andrew Whitmore.
She recognized it from the Sentinel payment records.
He had approved several invoices.
He had also been listed as the contact person for the original security contract.
Foster continued.
"We have enough information to request further investigative steps. The location may contain documents relevant to the financial investigation."
Victoria nodded.
"Then let's move."
Before she could leave, her phone rang.
The caller ID displayed Deputy Chief Robert Sullivan.
She answered.
"Captain Hayes."
His voice was calm.
"Victoria. We need to talk."
"Where are you?"
"That isn't important."
"It is if you want to explain why your access card was used at the evidence facility."
A pause followed.
Then Sullivan sighed.
"You don't understand what you're doing."
"Then help me understand."
"I was trying to protect this department."
"By removing evidence?"
"By preventing a scandal that would destroy innocent people."
Victoria's expression hardened.
"Did you order someone to attack Detective Reed?"
Silence.
"Chief?"
Finally, Sullivan answered.
"I never wanted anyone hurt."
"That wasn't my question."
He exhaled.
"Meet me at the old municipal garage. Come alone."
Victoria immediately looked at Foster.
She shook her head.
Victoria returned her attention to the phone.
"I won't meet you alone."
"Then don't come."
"Robert, this is your opportunity to explain your involvement through the proper channels."
"You still think this is about me?"
Victoria paused.
"What does that mean?"
Sullivan lowered his voice.
"Sentinel was only the beginning. Bennett was taking orders from someone else. Someone who has been funding the entire operation."
"Who?"
A long silence followed.
Then Sullivan said:
"Look at the procurement committee's original approval."
Victoria glanced toward the documents on her desk.
"What am I looking for?"
"Your name."
The call ended.
Victoria slowly lowered the phone.
Foster looked at her.
"What did he say?"
Victoria opened the procurement records and began searching.
She found the original approval document.
Several signatures appeared at the bottom.
One belonged to Sullivan.
Another belonged to Bennett.
The third belonged to a senior city official.
But the final name was the one that made her blood run cold.
Chief Inspector Richard Coleman.
The official who had personally recommended Victoria for the transfer.
The man who had assured her that Central Precinct needed an independent commander.
The man who had sent her there to investigate.
Victoria stared at the signature.
Then she remembered something from her first morning.
Sullivan had said that the precinct's problems were more complicated than she realized.
He had not been exaggerating.
Foster looked over her shoulder.
"Do you know this person?"
Victoria nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Who is he?"
Victoria closed the folder.
"He's the reason I was transferred here."
And suddenly, she understood.
Someone had wanted her to uncover the corruption.
But someone else might have wanted her to discover only part of it.
The investigation had been designed to expose a few people while protecting the person who controlled the entire operation.
Victoria turned toward Foster.
"We need to expand the investigation beyond this precinct."
Foster nodded.
"Agreed."
Victoria picked up her briefcase.
"Then let's find out who really sent me here."