Daniel Foster: "The city manager gave us authority to secure relevant departmental records. We will need a complete list of the systems involved."
Adrian opened the folder.
Adrian Cole: "I have identified several irregularities involving evidence transfers, financial invoices, and restricted archives."
Foster examined the documents.
Daniel Foster: "This is more extensive than I expected."
Adrian Cole: "We haven't examined everything yet."
Foster looked at the reference number on the last page.
SV-04.
Daniel Foster: "Do you know what this means?"
Adrian Cole: "We believe it refers to a separate archive called Shadow Vault."
Foster leaned back.
Daniel Foster: "I've seen something similar in another investigation."
Adrian looked at him.
Adrian Cole: "Where?"
Daniel Foster: "A neighboring municipality. Several years ago, investigators discovered that confidential records were being stored outside the official evidence management system."
Adrian Cole: "Was anyone prosecuted?"
Daniel Foster: "Yes. But the investigation took almost two years because the records had been moved repeatedly."
Adrian considered that information.
Daniel Foster: "If Bellwood has something similar, we should assume the original archive may contain evidence that has been altered or concealed."
Adrian nodded.
Adrian Cole: "Then we need to locate it before anything disappears."
Foster agreed.
They arranged a meeting with Elena Alvarez.
When she entered the office, she was surprised to see an outside investigator sitting beside the chief.
Adrian introduced them.
Adrian Cole: "Detective Alvarez, this is Daniel Foster. He will be assisting with the independent review."
Elena nodded.
Elena Alvarez: "Nice to meet you."
Daniel Foster: "I've read the preliminary information you provided."
Elena placed her notebook on the desk.
Elena Alvarez: "These are the dates and reference numbers I managed to preserve before my access was removed."
Foster opened the notebook.
He studied the entries carefully.
Several minutes passed.
Then he stopped at one particular page.
Daniel Foster: "Do you recognize this location?"
Elena leaned forward.
The page contained a handwritten reference to an old storage facility beneath the department's former records building.
Elena Alvarez: "Yes. I believe that's where some of the archived materials were moved."
Adrian looked at the address.
It was less than a mile from the main police station.
The building had been officially closed for renovations several years earlier.
According to the city's property records, the basement had remained under departmental control.
Adrian stood.
Adrian Cole: "We need to inspect that location."
Foster closed the notebook.
Daniel Foster: "We'll arrange the necessary authorization."
Elena looked between them.
Elena Alvarez: "There is something else."
Adrian turned.
Elena Alvarez: "When I was still working in investigations, I noticed that certain officers had access to the old building after normal working hours."
Adrian Cole: "Who?"
Elena hesitated.
Elena Alvarez: "Sergeant Mitchell was one of them."
The room became quiet.
Adrian thought about the events of that morning.
Derek had been aggressive, careless, and apparently convinced that his position made him untouchable.
Now his name was appearing in a completely different part of the investigation.
Daniel Foster wrote it down.
Daniel Foster: "We'll verify the access records."
Adrian nodded.
Adrian Cole: "No assumptions. We establish the evidence first."
That afternoon, the investigative team obtained authorization to inspect the former records building.
The location was an aging structure behind the department's vehicle maintenance facility.
Its exterior was plain and unremarkable.
Several windows were covered with protective boards.
A faded sign indicated that the building was no longer used for ordinary administrative operations.
However, the electronic access system was still active.
The investigators arrived shortly after 3:00 p.m.
Adrian accompanied them.
Elena also came because she was familiar with the building's layout.
A facilities employee unlocked the main entrance.
Inside, the air smelled of dust and old paper.
Rows of unused cabinets stood against the walls.
A narrow corridor led toward a staircase descending into the basement.
Daniel Foster checked the authorization documents before proceeding.
Daniel Foster: "Everyone stays together. We document the condition of the rooms before moving anything."
Adrian nodded.
They descended the stairs.
At the bottom was a heavy security door.
It had an electronic access panel and a mechanical lock.
Elena looked at the door.
Elena Alvarez: "This wasn't here when I last worked in this building."
Foster examined the lock.
Daniel Foster: "It appears to have been installed recently."
The facilities employee entered an access code.
The electronic panel flashed green.