Evelyn lowered her voice.
EVELYN: "Marcus, if someone is trying to influence the investigation, we need to know before we proceed."
MARCUS: "We need to establish whether the message is connected first."
EVELYN: "You're being careful."
MARCUS: "That's the job."
He saved a screenshot and recorded the time of receipt. Then he placed the phone back into his pocket.
He would not respond to the sender.
He would not make threats or try to identify the person through unofficial channels.
The message would be documented and examined alongside the other evidence.
That was the only way to determine whether it was a genuine attempt at intimidation or something less significant.
Across the street, Ryan's phone vibrated again.
He looked at the screen.
This time, he did not answer.
He turned the device face down in his hand and stared at it for several seconds.
Marcus noticed the movement but could not see the screen.
For the first time, he wondered whether Ryan had also received a message.
The possibility was worth noting, but it was not enough to justify a conclusion.
A moment later, Ryan slipped the phone into his pocket and looked toward the unmarked SUV.
Evelyn had returned to her vehicle to make a call.
Brooks was speaking to dispatch.
The witnesses were beginning to disperse, although the woman who had recorded the encounter remained nearby until she had confirmed the instructions for preserving her video.
Marcus stood beside the gray sedan and looked down the road.
The sunlight was fading.
The traffic continued moving as though nothing unusual had happened.
Yet the afternoon had revealed more questions than it had answered.
A police officer had planted evidence and attacked a man he believed he could intimidate.
A second officer had arrived and begun documenting the encounter rather than automatically defending his colleague.
An oversight official had identified irregularities in evidence records stretching back years.
And now an anonymous message had warned Marcus to stop investigating an old case involving his own family.
He had no proof that these events were connected.
But he had enough reason to make sure they were examined separately and carefully.
Marcus opened the driver's door of his sedan, then paused before getting inside.
Evelyn was walking back toward him.
EVELYN: "The records office has confirmed that the original evidence inventory is still available."
MARCUS: "Good."
EVELYN: "There's a problem with access."
MARCUS: "What kind of problem?"
EVELYN: "The file is marked as restricted. The current authorization doesn't explain why."
Marcus looked at her.
MARCUS: "Who placed the restriction?"
EVELYN: "The system shows an administrative approval, but the authorization field is incomplete."
MARCUS: "When was it restricted?"
Evelyn checked her notes.
EVELYN: "Three days ago."
Marcus closed the driver's door without getting inside.
Three days.
The restriction had been placed shortly before the roadside encounter, shortly before he received the warning message, and before he had known that the old case might reappear in the records review.
The timing could still be coincidental.
But it was now another fact that required an explanation.
MARCUS: "Don't try to bypass the restriction. Request the authorization history through the proper channel."
EVELYN: "I was going to."
MARCUS: "And keep a record of the request."
EVELYN: "Already done."
Marcus nodded.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then Evelyn asked the question she had been avoiding.
EVELYN: "Is the old case connected to your father?"
Marcus looked toward the road.
MARCUS: "Yes."
Evelyn's expression softened slightly.
EVELYN: "I didn't know."
MARCUS: "Most people don't."
EVELYN: "Would you prefer that someone else handle that part of the review?"
It was a reasonable question.
Investigators were expected to identify conflicts of interest and take steps to prevent personal relationships from compromising their work. Marcus understood the principle better than most.
He also understood why Evelyn had asked.
MARCUS: "If the evidence establishes a conflict, I'll disclose it and follow the required procedure. But right now, we don't even know why the file was restricted."
Evelyn nodded.
EVELYN: "Fair enough."
MARCUS: "I won't assume my father was innocent just because he's my father. And I won't assume the original investigation was correct just because it was official."
He paused.
MARCUS: "I'll follow the evidence."
Evelyn studied him for a moment, then closed her document case.
EVELYN: "I'll send you the access request and the records we can lawfully provide."
MARCUS: "Thank you."