PETER LAWSON: Yes. Every evidence transfer requires a documented request, a receiving officer's signature, and a supervisor's approval.
ELENA MARSHALL: Then why do these records indicate that the files were transferred under your department's administrative account?
Peter took the documents.
He examined the first page.
Then the second.
His face gradually lost color.
PETER LAWSON: These aren't my signatures.
ELENA MARSHALL: We know.
PETER LAWSON: And this isn't the normal transfer format.
ELENA MARSHALL: Explain.
PETER LAWSON: These records are missing the receiving officer's identification number. There should also be a barcode confirmation from the storage system.
ELENA MARSHALL: Was that procedure changed recently?
PETER LAWSON: Not to my knowledge.
Elena looked toward the chief.
ELENA MARSHALL: Chief Donovan, who authorized the procedural changes?
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: I don't recall approving any changes.
Peter turned another page.
Suddenly, he stopped.
PETER LAWSON: Wait a minute.
ELENA MARSHALL: What is it?
Peter pointed to a small code printed in the corner of the document.
PETER LAWSON: This is the old administrative override code.
ROBERT GAINES: What does that mean?
PETER LAWSON: Years ago, the department used this code for emergency evidence transfers. It was discontinued after an audit revealed that it could bypass certain verification steps.
ELENA MARSHALL: When was it discontinued?
PETER LAWSON: Almost four years ago.
ELENA MARSHALL: And who had access to it?
Peter hesitated.
PETER LAWSON: The chief's office, the evidence supervisor, and the commander of the organized crime unit.
Everyone turned toward Donovan.
The chief's jaw tightened.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: That code should no longer be active.
PETER LAWSON: It shouldn't.
ELENA MARSHALL: But someone used it.
Peter nodded slowly.
PETER LAWSON: Yes.
Elena removed another document.
ELENA MARSHALL: We also discovered that the code was activated from a terminal registered to the organized crime unit at 11:47 p.m. on three separate occasions.
ROBERT GAINES: Who was on duty at that time?
Peter looked through his folder.
PETER LAWSON: I would need to check the duty roster.
ELENA MARSHALL: Please do.
Peter moved toward the administrative computer.
Before he could begin typing, Marcus stepped forward.
MARCUS HALE: Hold on. We can't just let everyone start accessing departmental records.
Elena looked at him.
ELENA MARSHALL: I have already instructed that access be restricted.
MARCUS HALE: I'm talking about the duty roster.
ELENA MARSHALL: That's a routine administrative document.
MARCUS HALE: It's still internal information.
THOMAS REED: Marcus, she's investigating missing evidence. The duty roster is directly relevant.
Marcus turned toward Thomas.
MARCUS HALE: Nobody asked you.
THOMAS REED: Maybe somebody should.
The words surprised even Thomas.
He had never openly challenged Marcus in front of the chief before.
Marcus took a step toward him.
MARCUS HALE: You want to repeat that?
Thomas remained where he was.
THOMAS REED: I said she's doing her job. Let her examine the records.
MARCUS HALE: You should be careful about what you're saying.
ELENA MARSHALL: Officer Hale, step away from Detective Reed.
Marcus looked at Elena.
MARCUS HALE: This has nothing to do with you.
ELENA MARSHALL: It does when you interfere with an authorized federal inspection.
For a moment, Marcus seemed ready to argue.
Then the chief raised his hand.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: That's enough. Mr. Lawson, continue.
Peter turned back to the computer.
He entered his credentials and opened the duty roster.
The first date corresponded to a night when Detective Daniel Foster had been assigned to the organized crime unit.
The second date showed the same name.
The third date also listed Foster.
Peter leaned closer to the screen.
PETER LAWSON: All three transfers happened during Detective Foster's shift.
Elena nodded.
ELENA MARSHALL: Is that unusual?
PETER LAWSON: Not necessarily. He's authorized to supervise certain evidence movements.
ELENA MARSHALL: But not these particular files.
PETER LAWSON: Correct.
ELENA MARSHALL: Can you print the original access logs?
PETER LAWSON: Yes.
He began generating the report.
While the printer operated, Elena took out her phone and sent a short encrypted message to her federal team.
She requested an immediate technical preservation order for the department's evidence system.
She also instructed them to verify whether the missing files had been accessed by any external account.
A few seconds later, her phone vibrated.
The reply contained a warning.
A SECOND UNAUTHORIZED LOGIN HAS BEEN DETECTED.
Elena's eyes narrowed.
She read the message again.
The first unauthorized login had occurred three weeks earlier.
The second had just happened.
And it had been initiated while she was standing inside the headquarters.
Someone was still trying to access the system.
She looked at Peter.
ELENA MARSHALL: Mr. Lawson, disconnect the administrative terminal from the network.
Peter immediately moved toward the computer.
PETER LAWSON: What's wrong?
ELENA MARSHALL: Someone is accessing the system right now.
Peter froze.
PETER LAWSON: That's impossible. I'm the only one logged in.
ELENA MARSHALL: Not anymore.
Robert walked toward the monitor.
ROBERT GAINES: What are you seeing?
Elena showed him the notification.
ROBERT GAINES: Could it be an automatic process?
ELENA MARSHALL: The login is coming from an external terminal.
PETER LAWSON: Which terminal?
Elena examined the technical details.
The access request had originated from a device registered to the police headquarters.