"Thank you for telling me."
Brooks looked concerned.
"Sir, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Are you investigating Nolan?"
Marcus didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, "I'm investigating the department."
Brooks understood.
"Right."
"Sergeant, if you notice anything unusual, report it. Don't confront anyone. Don't make assumptions."
"Understood."
Marcus continued walking.
At 8:00, he met with Lieutenant Harris.
They reviewed the overnight records.
One access log stood out.
At 11:42 p.m., someone had entered the evidence management system using Nolan's credentials.
The individual had opened four files.
Three were connected to the complaints Marcus had reviewed the previous day.
The fourth concerned an investigation involving a missing firearm.
Marcus pointed at the screen.
"Who had physical access to this workstation?"
Harris checked the log.
"Several officers."
"Can we verify the device?"
"Yes."
"Do it."
Harris made a call.
A technician arrived twenty minutes later.
He examined the system and confirmed that the access had originated from the records department terminal.
But there was another detail.
The credentials had been used from a computer that was assigned to the evidence supervisor.
Marcus looked at Harris.
"Who else knows Nolan's password?"
Harris frowned.
"Nobody should."
"That's not what I asked."
Harris lowered his voice.
"Captain Whitaker has administrative access to the entire system."
Marcus nodded.
"Then we need to determine whether the account was used by Nolan himself or someone else."
The technician examined the audit trail.
He discovered that the login had occurred using a saved credential.
That meant the user didn't necessarily need to know Nolan's password.
Marcus looked at the technician.
"Can you establish the physical identity of the person who accessed the terminal?"
"Not from this log alone, sir."
"Then preserve the machine. We'll need the surveillance footage."
Harris immediately contacted security.
Two hours later, the footage arrived.
The video showed a man entering the records department shortly before midnight.
He wore a dark jacket over his uniform.
His face was partially obscured by the camera angle.
But the man's build was unmistakable.
Ryan Nolan.
He sat at the terminal for eleven minutes.
Then he removed a small object from his pocket.
He leaned toward the monitor.
And before leaving, he placed a folded piece of paper inside a drawer.
Marcus watched the footage twice.
"Zoom in on the drawer."
The technician enlarged the image.
The paper was visible.
Marcus leaned forward.
"Can we identify it?"
"Not from this angle."
"Can we retrieve the original footage?"
"Yes."
"Do that."
Harris looked disturbed.
"Should we bring Nolan in?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because I want to know what he was looking for."
Marcus stood.
"And I want to know who told him to look."
That afternoon, Marcus received a call from the Office of the Chief.
The chief wanted an update.
Marcus closed his office door.
"Sir, the investigation has uncovered evidence of unauthorized access to departmental records."
The voice on the other end was firm.
"Who is involved?"
"At this stage, I can confirm that Officer Nolan's credentials were used."
"Was Nolan responsible?"
"We're still establishing that."
"What about Whitaker?"
Marcus glanced at the black binder.
"His office appears in several questionable authorization records."
There was a pause.
Then the chief spoke.
"Marcus, I want you to understand the sensitivity of this matter."
"I do."
"Whitaker has relationships with several senior officials."
"I'm aware."
"If this investigation reaches beyond the district, you'll need to be prepared."
Marcus looked through the office window.
Nolan was standing near the front counter, laughing with another officer.
"I didn't come here to stop at the district level."
The chief was silent for a moment.
Then he said, "You have my full authority."
"Thank you, sir."
"Proceed carefully."
Marcus ended the call.
He returned the phone to his pocket.
Then he opened the binder.
There was one document he hadn't yet examined in detail.
It was an internal memorandum dated four months earlier.
The document described a confidential meeting between Captain Whitaker and three officers.
One of those officers was Ryan Nolan.
The meeting had supposedly concerned the department's evidence storage procedures.
But the attendance sheet contained a handwritten note.
Temporary transfer approved. Original inventory to remain unchanged until further notice.
Marcus read it again.
Then he noticed the initials beside the note.
R.N.
Nolan.
He picked up his phone.
"Lieutenant Harris?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Please come to my office."
Harris arrived a few minutes later.
Marcus showed him the memorandum.
Harris's expression changed.
"Where did you get this?"
"From the archived records."
Harris looked at the date.
"That meeting was never reported to me."
"Who approved it?"
"Captain Whitaker."
"And who was responsible for the inventory?"
Harris examined the document.
"Officer Nolan was temporarily assigned to evidence support during that period."
Marcus nodded.
"Did you know?"
"No."
Marcus placed the document on the table.
"Then we have a serious problem."