"Because I knew the original records might disappear."
He nodded slowly.
"That was a wise decision."
Elena looked at him.
"Chief, I don't know what you intend to do here. But if you're planning to challenge the people who have controlled this department for years, you need to be prepared."
"Prepared for what?"
"Pressure. Threats. Attempts to discredit your decisions. People will tell you that the records are incomplete, that the witnesses are unreliable, and that reopening old complaints will damage the department."
Daniel closed the folder.
"Are those the reasons they gave you?"
"Almost word for word."
Daniel stood and walked toward the window.
Outside, Bellwood's streets were busy with the afternoon traffic.
He had come to the city to rebuild a department that had lost public trust.
Now he was beginning to understand how that loss had happened.
"Detective Alvarez," he said, turning back toward her, "I want you to return to investigative work."
Elena looked surprised.
"Chief?"
"I am establishing an independent review team. Its purpose will be to examine the department's financial records, evidence management, and unresolved misconduct complaints."
He picked up a formal appointment document.
"I want you to lead the investigative review."
Elena stared at the paper.
"You want me to lead it?"
"Yes."
"That will put me directly against the people who transferred me."
"It will put you in a position to examine the evidence."
She looked down at the document.
"Deputy Chief Vance will object."
"He can submit his objections in writing."
"And the union?"
"They can do the same."
Elena slowly took the document.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she looked up.
"Chief, if I accept this assignment, I won't be able to ignore what I find."
Daniel returned to his chair.
"That is precisely why I'm asking you."
Elena nodded.
"Then I'll do it."
Daniel handed her a copy of the preliminary review request.
"I want a list of every missing complaint, every unexplained evidence transfer, and every procurement transaction that cannot be verified."
Elena opened the document.
"How far back?"
"Five years to begin with. If the evidence points further back, we continue."
She looked at him carefully.
"You're not going to find a small problem."
Daniel answered without hesitation.
"I'm not looking for a small problem."
***
At 3:45 p.m., Daniel received the first formal response from the department's finance division.
The finance director had reviewed the request for historical procurement records and reported that several years of original documents were no longer available in the department's main database.
According to the response, the records had been transferred to an external archive during a previous system upgrade.
The transfer had supposedly been approved by senior administration.
Daniel called the finance director.
"Who authorized the transfer?"
"I would need to check the old documentation, Chief."
"Please do."
"The archive may be managed by the deputy chief's office."
"Who has access to it?"
"I don't have a complete list."
Daniel paused.
"How can the finance division be responsible for payments if it cannot identify where the original supporting records are stored?"
The director sounded uncomfortable.
"Those decisions were made before my appointment."
"Then I need the names of the people who made them."
"I'll see what I can find."
Daniel ended the call.
A moment later, Elena entered with another folder.
"I found something."
She placed a document on his desk.
"This is a procurement summary from the year before I was transferred. It lists payments to a company called Northbridge Security Solutions."
Daniel scanned the page.
"What did the company provide?"
"According to the documents, surveillance equipment and security systems."
"Did the department receive them?"
"That's what I tried to establish. But the inventory records do not match the invoices."
"How much was paid?"
"More than three hundred thousand dollars across several contracts."
Daniel looked at the supplier information.
"Who owns the company?"
"The public registration lists a man named Robert Hale. But I could never verify that he operated a real business."
"Did you visit the registered address?"
"I did. It was an industrial property that appeared to be empty."
Daniel placed the document on the desk.
"Have the external auditors verify the company and its payment history."
Elena nodded.
"There is another detail."
"What?"
"Some of the invoices were approved through an administrative account that no longer appears in the department's current system."
Daniel looked up.
"Whose account?"
"I don't know yet. The records only show the authorization code."
"Can it be traced?"
"Possibly. We need the old access logs."
Daniel wrote down the request.
"Then that's our next step."
***
At 5:10 p.m., James Vance returned to Daniel's office.
He did not knock immediately. He stood outside the door for several seconds before entering.
"Chief Brooks, I need to discuss your new assignment for Detective Alvarez."
Daniel looked up.
"Go ahead."
Vance closed the door.
"I understand you've placed her in charge of an independent review team."
"That's correct."
"That is an unusual decision."
"Why?"
"Her previous investigation was closed. Reopening it without consulting the command staff could create confusion."
Daniel closed the folder in front of him.
"Her previous investigation was never properly completed."
Vance frowned.
"That's your opinion."