Neither spoke during the journey.
Finally, Raymond broke the silence.
"You shouldn't be here."
Marcus looked at him.
"Neither should you."
Raymond gave a faint smile.
"Fair point."
Marcus looked through the windshield.
"Chief, there's something I haven't told you."
Raymond turned slightly.
"What?"
"The package wasn't the only thing left at my door."
Raymond frowned.
"What else?"
"A note."
"What did it say?"
Marcus looked down.
"It said, 'The truth is under the house.'"
Raymond slowed the vehicle.
"Which house?"
"My house."
Raymond stared at him.
"Your house?"
Marcus nodded.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know what it meant."
Raymond looked toward the building.
"Did you search?"
"Not yet."
Raymond was silent.
Then he asked:
"Did your father ever mention anything about the house?"
Marcus nodded.
"When I was younger, he used to tell me there was a place where people hid things when they couldn't trust anyone."
Raymond looked at him.
"Did he ever identify that place?"
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
Raymond parked.
He turned off the engine.
Then he looked at Marcus.
"Maybe he was talking about the archive."
Marcus stared at the building.
"Maybe."
They stepped out.
Captain Lewis approached.
"Chief, the rear entrance is clear."
Sarah joined them.
"I've got the documentation equipment."
Raymond looked at the entrance.
"Let's move."
The group entered through the loading dock.
Inside, the air smelled of damp concrete and old paper.
Their footsteps echoed through the empty corridor.
Keller had not been allowed to join them.
Raymond had ordered him to remain under supervision while Internal Affairs secured his statement and his patrol vehicle.
As they reached the basement stairs, Marcus noticed something.
A fresh scratch on the wall.
He stopped.
"Chief."
Raymond turned.
"What?"
Marcus pointed.
"That wasn't made years ago."
Sarah examined it.
A narrow line had been carved into the concrete.
The same symbol from the key.
A circle crossed by a vertical line.
Beneath it were three numbers.
417.
Raymond stared.
"Someone has been here recently."
Lewis looked toward the corridor.
"Then we should move quickly."
They descended.
At the bottom of the stairs was a heavy steel door.
A small electronic panel sat beside it.
Raymond examined the panel.
"It's dead."
Marcus took out the key.
"Maybe this is why I was given it."
He inserted the key into a small metal slot.
It turned.
A mechanical click echoed through the corridor.
The door unlocked.
Sarah looked at Raymond.
"Should we proceed?"
Raymond nodded.
"Document everything."
Lewis pushed the door open.
Beyond it was a long underground room.
Metal shelving lined both walls.
Old evidence boxes covered the shelves.
At the far end stood a row of individual lockers.
The number 417 was visible on the third locker from the left.
Marcus approached.
The locker was already open.
He stopped several feet away.
"Nobody touch anything."
Sarah nodded.
She photographed the locker.
Raymond examined the surrounding area.
There were no obvious signs of forced entry.
The lock had been opened properly.
Marcus looked inside.
The envelope was still there.
He reached toward it.
Sarah immediately stopped him.
"Wait. Let me examine it first."
She put on gloves and carefully removed the envelope.
The front displayed his full name.
MARCUS JAMES REED.
His father's middle name.
Marcus stared at it.
"Open it."
Sarah examined the seal.
"There's no visible tampering."
She carefully opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A small flash drive.
And a folded document.
Raymond took the photograph first.
His expression changed.
It showed three men standing outside the old municipal building.
One was Marcus's father.
One was David Morgan.
And the third was Raymond Brooks.
But Raymond was younger.
Much younger.
He was wearing a police uniform with a different badge number.
Marcus stared at the image.
"You were there."
Raymond nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"When?"
"Eleven years ago."
Marcus looked at him.
"You told me you never worked on Northbridge."
Raymond's expression tightened.
"I told you I never officially worked on the investigation."
Marcus shook his head.
"That's not the same thing."
"No."
Raymond looked at the photograph.
"It isn't."
5. WHAT RAYMOND BROOKS DID ELEVEN YEARS AGO
The chief placed the photograph on a nearby table.
He looked at Sarah and Lewis.
"Give us a moment."
Sarah hesitated.
"Chief—"
"Please."
She nodded.
She and Lewis moved several feet away, remaining within sight.
Marcus folded his arms.
"Tell me."
Raymond took a breath.
"Eleven years ago, I was a lieutenant assigned to the department's special investigations division."
Marcus said nothing.
"Your father contacted me after discovering that Northbridge was manipulating police records."
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"He didn't want you involved."
"That doesn't explain why you lied."
Raymond lowered his eyes.
"You're right."
Marcus waited.
Raymond continued.
"Your father gave me a list of names. Officers, supervisors, private contractors, and administrators who had access to the system."
"Was the deputy commissioner on it?"
"Yes."
"Was Lieutenant Harris on it?"
Raymond hesitated.
"Yes."
"Who else?"
Raymond looked toward the photograph.
"Me."
Marcus went still.
"What?"
"My name was on the list."
"Why?"
"Because someone had used my credentials to access the archive."
Marcus studied him.
"Did you know?"
"Not at first."
"Then when?"
Raymond looked at the floor.
"After your father disappeared."