But now Jonathan understood that the normal appearance of the building was part of the problem.
"Yes," he said. "Quietly."
Grace nodded.
"I'll arrange it."
Jonathan stood and picked up his briefcase.
"Where are you going?"
"To find the original Blue File."
Grace frowned.
"We don't even know where it is."
Jonathan looked at her.
"Captain Harris does."
She looked toward the door.
"Then we should bring him in."
Jonathan shook his head.
"Not yet."
"Why?"
He glanced at the security camera mounted in the corridor.
"Because someone has been watching this building."
Grace followed his gaze.
The small red indicator on the camera was blinking.
Then it went dark.
Both of them stared.
A moment later, the lights in the conference room flickered.
The computer screen shut off.
And somewhere inside the precinct, a door slammed.
Jonathan reached for his phone.
"Captain Harris?"
No answer.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Then Rebecca appeared at the doorway.
Her face was white.
"Chief."
Jonathan turned.
"What happened?"
She held out a tablet.
"The security system just recorded someone entering the evidence storage room."
"Who?"
Rebecca swallowed.
"Your credentials."
Jonathan stared at the screen.
The footage showed a man in a dark jacket entering the storage corridor.
His face was partially hidden by a cap.
But the system had identified him.
AUTHORIZED USER: JONATHAN M. HAYES.
Jonathan looked at the timestamp.
The man had entered the room less than thirty seconds earlier.
Yet Jonathan was standing in front of Rebecca.
He took the tablet.
"Lock down the evidence storage room."
Rebecca nodded and hurried away.
Grace reached for her radio.
"All available units, respond to evidence storage. Possible unauthorized entry. Do not approach alone."
Jonathan opened the footage again.
The man walked down the corridor.
Stopped in front of a locked cabinet.
Removed a small key from his pocket.
Opened the cabinet.
And placed something inside.
Then he turned toward the camera.
For one brief moment, his face became visible.
Jonathan's expression changed.
He recognized him.
It was Officer Ethan Miller.
The same young officer who had handcuffed him that morning.
Jonathan slowly lowered the tablet.
"Where is Miller?"
Grace looked toward the lobby.
"He was supposed to remain at the front desk."
They hurried out.
The front desk was empty.
Miller's chair had been pushed backward.
His radio was lying on the counter.
And beside it was a folded piece of paper.
Jonathan opened it.
There was one sentence.
I'M SORRY, CHIEF. THEY HAVE MY DAUGHTER.
Jonathan looked up.
Grace's face had gone pale.
Then the emergency alarm sounded.
A red light flashed above the evidence storage corridor.
And from somewhere deep inside the building came a single gunshot.
END OF PART 2
The story continues in Part 3: The Officer Who Betrayed the Chief — Jonathan discovers why Officer Miller helped the conspiracy, what was hidden in the evidence cabinet, and why the Blue File contains a photograph that should never have existed.