CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: That's a serious accusation.
ELENA MARSHALL: I know.
The telephone continued ringing.
Nobody answered it.
Then Elena's secure phone vibrated again.
A new message had arrived from her technical team.
The message contained an image of a recently deleted file recovered from the command office server.
The file had been created under a different username.
Its title was:
PROJECT CLEAN HOUSE.
Elena opened it.
The first page contained a list of evidence locations.
The second page contained a series of payment instructions.
The third page contained a photograph.
She recognized the building immediately.
It was the Central District Police Headquarters.
The photograph had been taken from across the street the previous evening.
And beneath it was a handwritten note.
SHE WILL ARRIVE BEFORE THE WEEK IS OVER. MAKE SURE NOTHING IS LEFT.
Elena stared at the screen.
The message was dated two days before her arrival.
Someone had known she was coming.
Someone had known exactly when she would enter the building.
And someone had already prepared a plan to ensure that the evidence would disappear before she could reach it.
She looked at James.
ELENA MARSHALL: We have a serious security breach.
JAMES WALKER: What did you find?
Elena showed him the photograph.
James examined the note.
His expression changed.
JAMES WALKER: Who had access to this information?
ELENA MARSHALL: That's what we're going to find out.
She turned toward the command office.
ELENA MARSHALL: Nobody leaves this building until the access logs have been preserved.
The chief took a slow breath.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: Agent Marshall, you are making a very dangerous assumption.
ELENA MARSHALL: I'm not assuming anything.
She placed her phone on the counter.
ELENA MARSHALL: I'm following the evidence.
At that moment, a uniformed officer hurried into the room.
OFFICER JAMESON: Lieutenant Gaines!
Robert turned.
ROBERT GAINES: What happened?
OFFICER JAMESON: We have a situation at the evidence storage entrance.
ROBERT GAINES: What kind of situation?
OFFICER JAMESON: Someone attempted to access the storage area using a master key.
Elena immediately straightened.
ELENA MARSHALL: Who?
OFFICER JAMESON: We don't know. The person left before security arrived.
ELENA MARSHALL: Did they get inside?
OFFICER JAMESON: The door was opened, but the alarm activated.
ELENA MARSHALL: Was anything removed?
OFFICER JAMESON: We haven't checked yet.
Elena turned toward James Walker.
ELENA MARSHALL: Get the evidence team here now.
JAMES WALKER: I'm calling them.
ELENA MARSHALL: And have someone review the corridor cameras.
The officer remained standing near Robert.
His face looked pale.
ROBERT GAINES: Is there anything else?
OFFICER JAMESON: Yes, sir.
ROBERT GAINES: What?
OFFICER JAMESON: The person who attempted to enter the storage area was wearing a police uniform.
Elena looked at Marcus.
Marcus looked away.
And for the first time since she had entered the building, Elena realized that the person responsible for protecting the missing evidence might be standing much closer than anyone had imagined.
The officer's announcement left the operations room frozen.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Elena Marshall looked directly at Officer Jameson, waiting for him to provide more information.
ELENA MARSHALL: Describe the person you saw.
OFFICER JAMESON: Male officer. Average height, dark uniform, black baseball cap. He entered through the eastern corridor and approached the evidence storage entrance.
ELENA MARSHALL: Did you recognize him?
OFFICER JAMESON: Not clearly. He kept his head down.
ELENA MARSHALL: Did he use a key?
OFFICER JAMESON: Yes, ma'am. He had something that looked like a master access key.
Elena turned toward Robert.
ELENA MARSHALL: Who has authorization to carry a master key?
ROBERT GAINES: Only a limited number of personnel. The evidence supervisor, the chief's office, the facilities commander, and two senior officers.
ELENA MARSHALL: Names.
Robert began listing the authorized personnel.
As he spoke, Elena watched Marcus Hale.
Marcus had become unusually quiet.
His right hand repeatedly adjusted the equipment attached to his belt. His eyes moved between the chief, the corridor, and the main entrance.
He looked like a man searching for an opportunity to leave.
ELENA MARSHALL: Officer Hale.
Marcus immediately looked up.
MARCUS HALE: What?
ELENA MARSHALL: Where is your master access key?
MARCUS HALE: I don't carry one.
ELENA MARSHALL: Are you certain?
MARCUS HALE: Yes.
ELENA MARSHALL: Then you won't mind allowing the evidence team to verify that.
MARCUS HALE: This is getting ridiculous.
ELENA MARSHALL: It will take less time than arguing.
MARCUS HALE: You're treating me like a suspect.
ELENA MARSHALL: I'm treating every person with potential access to the missing evidence according to the circumstances of this investigation.
Marcus looked toward Chief Donovan.
MARCUS HALE: Chief, are you seriously going to let her do this?
The chief did not respond immediately.
His face had become increasingly tense.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: Officer Hale, cooperate with the investigation.
Marcus stared at him.
For a moment, it seemed as though he wanted to say something more.
Then he reluctantly stepped away from the counter.
Elena turned toward James Walker.
ELENA MARSHALL: Supervisor, I want the hallway secured. Nobody should approach the evidence storage area until the technical team completes its initial examination.