More specifically, the device was assigned to the command office.
She slowly raised her eyes toward the chief.
ELENA MARSHALL: Chief, who is currently working in your office?
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: My administrative assistant.
ELENA MARSHALL: Is anyone else authorized to use your terminal?
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: My deputy chief and my executive secretary.
ELENA MARSHALL: Names, please.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: Deputy Chief William Carter and Susan Miller.
Elena wrote down both names.
Then she turned toward Robert.
ELENA MARSHALL: Lock down the command office. Nobody leaves until we establish who accessed the system.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: Agent Marshall, you cannot simply restrict my staff.
ELENA MARSHALL: I can preserve evidence connected to an active federal investigation.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: This is still my department.
ELENA MARSHALL: And these records are now part of a federal inquiry.
The chief's face tightened.
He seemed ready to object again, but his attention was interrupted by the sound of a telephone ringing on the reception desk.
Maya picked it up.
MAYA REED: Central District Police Headquarters. How may I direct your call?
A moment later, her expression changed.
MAYA REED: One moment, please.
She covered the receiver and looked toward the chief.
MAYA REED: Chief Donovan, it's Deputy Chief Carter. He says he needs to speak with you immediately.
The chief glanced at Elena.
ELENA MARSHALL: Put the call on speaker.
Maya hesitated.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: That's a private departmental call.
ELENA MARSHALL: Then he can speak about routine departmental business.
The chief stared at her.
Finally, he nodded.
Maya pressed the speaker button.
WILLIAM CARTER: Richard? Are you there?
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: I'm here. What's happening?
WILLIAM CARTER: We have a problem.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: What kind of problem?
WILLIAM CARTER: Someone has been asking questions about the evidence transfer records.
The room became silent.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: Who?
WILLIAM CARTER: I don't know. But I heard that federal investigators were asking about Daniel.
Elena looked directly at the telephone.
WILLIAM CARTER: We need to speak before anyone starts reviewing the old files. Some of those records cannot be allowed to—
He stopped.
There was a long pause.
WILLIAM CARTER: Richard? Are you alone?
The chief looked toward Elena.
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: No.
WILLIAM CARTER: Who's there?
Elena stepped closer to the telephone.
ELENA MARSHALL: Special Investigator Elena Marshall. National Public Integrity Division.
Silence.
Then the deputy chief's voice became noticeably colder.
WILLIAM CARTER: I see.
ELENA MARSHALL: Deputy Chief Carter, I would like you to return to headquarters immediately.
WILLIAM CARTER: I'm currently attending to another matter.
ELENA MARSHALL: That matter can wait.
WILLIAM CARTER: I don't believe you understand how this department operates.
ELENA MARSHALL: I understand that someone just attempted to access restricted evidence records while I was standing in the operations room.
Another pause.
ELENA MARSHALL: I also understand that you were aware of questions concerning Detective Foster before anyone formally contacted you.
WILLIAM CARTER: I have no idea what you're talking about.
ELENA MARSHALL: Then returning to headquarters should be straightforward.
WILLIAM CARTER: I'll speak with the chief directly.
ELENA MARSHALL: You're already speaking with him.
WILLIAM CARTER: This conversation is over.
The line went dead.
Nobody moved.
Robert slowly turned toward the chief.
ROBERT GAINES: Did he just say some of those records couldn't be allowed to—
CHIEF RICHARD DONOVAN: He was speaking hypothetically.
ELENA MARSHALL: I don't think so.
She turned toward Thomas.
ELENA MARSHALL: Detective Reed, I need you to tell me something.
THOMAS REED: Yes, ma'am.
ELENA MARSHALL: Have you ever witnessed Detective Foster removing evidence without completing the required documentation?
Thomas looked at Marcus.
Then at the chief.
He hesitated.
THOMAS REED: I've seen things that didn't seem right.
ELENA MARSHALL: Such as?
THOMAS REED: Boxes being moved after normal operating hours. Officers entering the evidence storage area without signing the access register. Reports being changed after they were submitted.
ELENA MARSHALL: Did you report any of those incidents?
THOMAS REED: Once.
ELENA MARSHALL: What happened?
THOMAS REED: My report was forwarded to the organized crime unit for review.
Elena looked at him.
ELENA MARSHALL: You reported possible misconduct by the organized crime unit, and the report was sent to the same unit?
Thomas nodded.
THOMAS REED: Yes.
ELENA MARSHALL: Who made that decision?
THOMAS REED: Deputy Chief Carter.
Elena wrote something in her notebook.
ELENA MARSHALL: Did anyone contact you afterward?
THOMAS REED: Detective Foster did.
ELENA MARSHALL: What did he say?
Thomas lowered his voice.
THOMAS REED: He told me that I should be careful about making accusations against people who had more experience than I did.
ELENA MARSHALL: Was that a threat?
THOMAS REED: He never said it directly.
ELENA MARSHALL: Did you understand it as one?
Thomas looked down.
THOMAS REED: Yes.
Elena closed her notebook.
ELENA MARSHALL: Thank you for being honest.
For the first time that morning, Thomas appeared visibly relieved.
But Marcus was growing increasingly agitated.
MARCUS HALE: This is getting out of control.
ELENA MARSHALL: What exactly is getting out of control?
MARCUS HALE: You're questioning officers, restricting access, and treating everybody like a criminal.